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I've been working on this answer for myself as well and where I am so far is eradicating the market around their personas which is built on idol worship and oversaturation. https://twitter.com/AlexaEsperanzaa/status/1277290411220963329
My dilemma with has always been artists. People are who famous and lauded for the quality of their work versus someone like Kim K whose fame was manufactured by her proximity to other famous people.
As far as I know, the market was created by Hollywood during the Studio Era/Golden Age, where they used scandals and gossip during build hype around upcoming films by getting people to talk about the actors.
So I'm thinking the difference between, say, being excited to see a Viola Davis movie because you admire her as an actress and enjoy her work onscreen...
...versus, say, being excited about a movie because the lead was funny during their interview with Conan.
...versus, say, being excited about a movie because the lead was funny during their interview with Conan.
I'm thinking of the way they'd build hype around Star Wars movies by having John Boyega and Gwendolyn Christie playing that silly What's In the Box game versus an actors or directors roundtable where they discuss process.
(For the record, that was a fun segment that I personally enjoyed, but it had literally nothing to do with the movie they were promoting lol)
I saw someone define celebrity as turning a person into a product. I liked that definition. Like Nike plucking a hot topic figure and plopping their face over a new product. So you're buying Nike gear simply cause it has your fave's face or name on it somewhere.
This is rambly, sorry. Thinking aloud as I work through it. I agree with OP though, we won't be able to help knowing who people are. I think the celebrity comes in with the idol worship and pedestaling, and that's what we have to do away with.
And given its history, part of that responsibility does lie with companies and capitalist structures that can commodify anything...
...but part of that responsibility also lies with consumers. Idol worship can't happen if we are conscious about not worshipping these people lol
...but part of that responsibility also lies with consumers. Idol worship can't happen if we are conscious about not worshipping these people lol
(The term "parasocial relationships" probably needs to be in this conversation as well, but I'm still getting a grasp on what that means, exactly, so I'm not using it just yet 
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