One minute of fame

Okto, Singapore's latest free-to-air channel is holding the auditions for their programme "One Minute of Fame". The programme provides a platform for kids (either as individuals or in groups) to discover their talents by having one minute to perform and impress the judges and viewers.

It made me recall an almost prophetic quote from late American Pop Art painter, Andy Warhol - "Everyone will be famous for 15 minutes."

With the way the society is headed, it seems everyone wants to be famous, even for a while. And who knows it's possible, that everyone gets to be a celebrity in their own rights and be remembered for something special or unique that they've done (be it good or bad). There might come a day when everyone would get their one minute of fame on the mass media (be it the television, print or even the Internet).

What is fame? The advantage of being known by people of whom you yourself know nothing, and for whom you care as little. - Leszczynski Stanislaus

Indeed fame is something like an honour that is bestowed upon you by others. Fame itself is not your achievement, and neither is it an intrinsic quality but rather a external perception or image formed by others over what you have done or accomplished. In some ways it is beyond your control, a by-product of doing something exceptionally well (or in some cases, exceptionally bad) or possibly arising from an excellent self-marketing effort.

If that's the case, why have so many people become so lost and caught up in the pursuit of fame, when they really should be focusing on doing better what brought them the fame in the first place? Perhaps it's just all the perks and glamour that their fame brings them.