Words and Phrases to Boost your English: Fame

Fame or fortune which one would you choose? They don’t always go hand-in-hand, but there is no doubt if you’re famous, you can make money, even if you’re a z-list celebrity, but once you get to the top of your game, the hardest part is staying there. Being famous for 5 minutes isn’t good enough, you need to stay relevant because the only way to go then, is down and the once house-hold name could become a has-been.

You have to be thick-skinned if you want to be in the public eye or the limelight. Especially nowadays with social media platforms. People hurling abusive comments at you, threatening your family, trolls online trying to get a reaction. Not only online either, you’re bound to be hassled by fans asking for selfies or for you to sign something even when you just want to go for a walk with your family. Bye-bye privacy. If you can’t take it, you’ll probably going to crack under pressure, which could lead to substance abuse, drinking too much, mismanagement of money which can then lead to bankruptcy, and the saddest of all committing suicide.

Note: Russian and Ukrainian will often say “MAKE suicide”. Just like the word crime you always COMMIT it.

Fame isn’t all doom-and-gloom though, think of all the freebies you get from companies who want you to be seen wearing or using their stuff. You’d have the chance to meet other famous people you look up to and when you’re at your peak you can make a packet. It’s not all about the glitz and glamour. As you are known, when you speak, people listen, you have the ability to do good, promote causes, and highlight issues in society and problems around the world. And, if you’re from the UK, you could be knighted and then become a SIR or a DAME for all your good work.

Going back to the darker side of fame, there is a club known as the 27 club which is a list of famous people who tragically died at the age of just 27. A few names you might know from this club are Amy Whorehouse, Kurt Cobain, and Jim Morrison all struggled with the price of fame. It’s always a shock to hear that someone who is successful and sometimes, not always, wealthy has taken their own life be it by hanging themselves, taking an overdose, shooting themselves or even being shot by someone.

So which one would you choose?

Discussion Questions

• Are you thick-skinned enough to handle fame?
• What part of fame would you struggle with most?
• Can you think of any famous people who committed suicide? Do you know how, and why?
• Which celebrities are sex-symbols?
• Can you think of any celebrities who have been knighted?
• Can you think of any cases of overnight success?
• Do you like being in the limelight?