Wanna Be Famous (or Just Normal)?

 

 Source: http://www.youlookawesome.co.uk/

 It seems like everyone wants to be famous.  Every reality television show or Youtube video is about someone aching for a chance at fame.  The fashion designer with sunglasses and his snow white ponytail, Karl Lagerfeld, labeled the next Claudia Schiffer as the fortunate woman in the right place at the right time.  Is stardom a stroke of luck or the product of talent and hard work?

Before Obama became president, he was a constitutional law professor.  Meanwhile, Lady Gaga spent her college years at NYU studying music and eventually got dropped by her first music agent after only three months.  Now, she is the most influential celebrity according to Forbes.com.  And although hard work is probably an understatement for supermodel Giselle Bündchen, she was scouted by a modeling agency after enjoying a hearty meal at McDonalds.  She was 13 years old.

But who wouldn't want to trade places with any of these people? President Obama's father left his family when Obama was three years old.  Obama made his first public speech in college, protesting against the apartheid system in South Africa.  He also served as a Chicago community organizer for a staff of one, which eventually expanded to a staff of 13 before he headed to Harvard Law School.  That seems like quite a lot of struggle and hard work before his chance at public life as the U.S. president.  Still feel like trading places?

How about Giselle? In school, she coined the nickname, Olive Oyl.  For all you cartoon fans, Olive Oyl was Popeye's skinny girlfriend.  Coming from a small town in Brazil consisting mainly of European immigrants, Giselle hoped to become a professional volleyball player.  Imagine being stuck in daily dialogues about your skinny legs in a small town school without any idea of a future in New York City, posing for the cover of Vogue...no thanks!

So, the next time you find yourself drooling over a spoonful of celebrity life, ask yourself whether you'd be willing to do this kind of work without the large paycheck.  If the answer is no, then find something that makes you happy.  If the answer is yes, then enjoy the experience.  Every time that you stand before a director or producer, remind yourself that you aren't auditioning for a chance at stardom; you're just doing what you love.  Embrace the star in you!

-To all the undiscovered talent in the world, Dried Tomatoes salutes you.