The cult of celebrity - when sense equals nonsense

Photographers and media at a launch

The advent and then expansion of the all pervasive electronic media in the late 20th and early 21st century has propelled many people in the entertainment industry and other society circles into a much broader public exposure than would otherwise be possible in earlier decades. Matched with the cult of celebrity which has evolved concurrently, many of their opinions are published, quoted, republished, discussed and given a greater level of credence than would otherwise be the case. Some of the opinions given by celebrities are, in reality, grounded in little fact or evidence. Examples of these statements listed by the charity, Sense About Science, include Heather Mills claiming that meat stays in the gut for 40 years, putrifies and then leads to disease which can be fatal. Actor Roger Moore claimed that foie gras causes Alzheimers disease and actress Suzanne Somers criticised the contraceptive pill on the basis of whether it was safe to take a chemical every day which prevents ovulation. Rocker, Suzi Quatro addressed the issue of sore throats by using a daily colon cleansing powder in her fruit juice on the basis that helping the colon would stop sore throats.  There is little actual data sitting behind these views but the celebrity status of the people making them often allows uncritical broadcasting.