IntroductionIn today's world, celebrities are more famous and more powerful than ever. They attract many followers because their every move is seen in the public eye. In the context of mass media, the question of why young people find celebrities so fascinating is puzzling. In this essay, I examine Lebron James and his ever-increasing stardom. To do this, I need to define the term “celebrity,” because I argue that we are so obsessed with celebrities because of our desire to live vicariously through them and our craving for their pleasant and luxurious lifestyles. What is a “celebrity?” » There are all kinds of different famous people in the world, but we classify them all as celebrities. A good definition of celebrity comes from McQuail (2010), as he refers to a celebrity as someone who can communicate a message to a large portion of the population. McQuail states that a celebrity is a person who has been “an object of adulation and fandom” (p. 550). Adulation and fandom will lead to greater and greater exposure, envy, and obsession from society. Celebrity envy and idealization As young people, we are a very goal-oriented society. Perhaps one goal that every young person has at some point is that of becoming famous and recognized. Lebron James got it very young, as he has been followed by cameras and journalists since he was 14 years old. Dubbed the best basketball player of all time, Lebron was given the nickname “The Chosen One” and graced the cover of the magazine. Sports Illustrated magazine at the age of 16. More people came to see him play high school basketball than to watch the local NBA team: the Cleveland Cavaliers. As Lebron's game progressed, the pressure on him also increased, especially when he was selected middle of paper...... in the public eye, they live an authentic and ordinary life but are still capable of doing extraordinary things. things once they are in the spotlight. Conclusion The power that celebrities have over the younger population is linked to the goals and aspirations of young people. Having fame and fortune is every child's dream. We envy celebrities and imitate their every move. We know their personal lives and keep an eye on them. We envy their lives but are happy when they fail. Lebron James has never met most of the people who despise his every move and yet, those people wouldn't want to meet him. Schadenfreude and envy are two reasons why society is so captivated by celebrities. Whether you envy a celebrity or applaud their failure, you expand their fandom. And for Lebron, hatred became the norm but more importantly, so did winning NBA championships..