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?

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?


Words
Fame - the noun for famous. Someone well known for something
Fortune – your wealth including property, possessions and money
Go hand-in-hand – together
Z-list – the lowest type of famous person
Celebrity – a famous person
Top of your game – to be performing the best you can in your industry
Famous for 5 minutes – someone who is famous and then fades away very quickly
To be relevant – to still have things people want
House-hold name – a person who is known by everyone
Has-been – a person who used to be famous, but now isn’t relevant
Thick-skinned – to be a person who isn’t easily affected by criticism or what people say
To be in the public eye – when everything you do is reported on
Limelight – when you’re the focus or attention
Abusive comments – not very nice things said about you
Threatening / threaten – to tell someone you will hurt them or their family
Bound to – to be certain
To be Hassled / To hassle – when people bother you a lot by asking for things or questions
Can’t take it – something you don’t want to do any more and just want to stop
Crack under pressure – when the pressure gets too much and you go crazy
Substance abuse – taking drugs
Bankruptcy – when you lose all your money
Commit suicide – when you kill yourself
Doom-and-gloom – sad and no positives
Freebies - things you don't have to pay for because they are given to you
Look up to (someone) – to admire and respect someone. Someone who can inspire you
At the peak – at the top
Make a packet – to earn lots of money
Glitz and glamour - fashionable, stylish, and expensive
To be knighted – when the queen or king recognises your work and you are given the title of sir or madam
Tragic – something very sad
Struggle (with) – when you don’t find something easy
The price of fame – the bad things that happen and you have to do to remain famous
To hang yourself – to tie something around your neck and then jump off something...
Overdose – to take too many pills or drugs
Sex-symbol – a famous person who is looked at as being sexy and stylish
Overnight success – success that happens very quickly


Cheers
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