I don't know who Kim Kardashian is. I'm not saying this to brag about my relative ignorance of a certain subsection of popular culture. I'm just stating that I do not know who this woman is, what she does, or how her actions are in any way relevant to my life. That's fine, the same can be said of close to 7 billion people, but in this case I have encountered several people complaining about her, and her assorted adventures in marriage.
They complain, perhaps rightly, that we shouldn't be subjected to her and her expensive wedding and/or divorce. When they mention this to me, I note that I have no idea what they're talking about. It's only through their complaints about this woman that I know she exists. She might be famous in some circles, but my complete ignorance of her and her actions demonstrates it's entirely possible to live a Kim Kardashian-free life.
That's common with pretty much all celebrities that you don't particularly like. There are plenty of famous people who I don't really care about, and it's totally easy to avoid them. Sure, there are some musicians who make unavoidable songs - I've heard LMFAO's Party Rock Anthem several times this weekend merely by buying groceries - and some actors whose screen presence you don't appreciate. That said, even admitting that some celebrities can be annoying, I also can't say I know about the personal lives of the LMFAO people, and I couldn't tell you anything about those actors who I don't like. I might not appreciate their work, but that's all I know about them. If I want to find out, I have to seek it out and I don't want to find out. This is why I'm not entirely sure why people get irate about the completely avoidable branch of celebrity.
Sure, they might be famous for dubious reasons, but isn't complaining about them just continuing to perpetuate their fame? They maintain their fame due to people watching their every move, but most of the time you hear more complaints about the coverage than you do people going on about how that person is amazing. So, are they famous because people are genuinely interested in what they do, or are they famous so people who need to be enraged have a target to direct their anger towards?
Clearly, their face on a magazine or a story online contributes to sales, so there are people interested in them, whether or not I count among them. But, if everyone who claims to hate everything they stand for just ignored all coverage relating to the person, what effect would that have on the numbers? If people who are angry just ignored them, would the coverage attract fewer eyes overall? I have a sneaking suspicion that they might be a major part of the market that keeps these celebrities alive.
Honestly when it comes to celebrities I don't see why people don't just ignore the ones they dislike. I know that it's not hard, and if these people are famous because of the attention they receive, not giving them any attention would be the most effective way of getting rid of them. If coverage of a minor celebrity draws no eyes, then nobody will cover them. It's not profitable or worthwhile, so they would move on to targets people care about. So, next time you feel the need to complain about a minor celebrity, maybe complain about something interesting instead.
