What Is Fame?

During last night's boring ass episode of Making The Band -- I hope whoever edits those commercials for upcoming episodes is paid the big bucks (was I the only who thought that this ep was gonna be so good with fights after the pouring of the water and dude telling the boys he would pray for them?) -- Aubrey (as per usual) said something like, if we weren't famous and selling platinum albums I would still be happy we were sisters. The sentiment is a nice one, altho I don't believe her, but the first thing to come out of my mouth was: did she say famous? Like, really? My friend said, yeah well they kind of are famous because everyone watches MTV. I was like, that is like saying Bootz and Buckey an'em are famous cuz everybody watches VH1. Now I'm not saying that Danity Kane don't deserve their due....cuz they do. I think I've said a thousand times how much I enjoyed their first CD and am already feelin the few samplings of the new album that I've heard. I am saying that something about Aubrey saying they were famous just didn't sit well with me. But what else is new? Most things don't sit well with me. Anyway.... I know we live in a culture where anyone can be famous at any time for doing absolutely nothing BUT just in that moment, I felt like isn't fame something that should be earned? And really, I think there is a difference between being well known and famous. And you can be well known or famous for some bullshit and total mediocrity, but I think there is a thin line between the two. For example, yeah, Danity Kane is well known because everyone under the age of, let's say, 35 watches MTV. But ask a random person in the street who Aubrey is and you will get a blank stare and some crickets. For one, does this bitch even have a last name? Do we care? Then you say OK, Aubrey from Danity Kane, do you know her? If they are 35 and under the odds are that he/she might (altho it is more likely that a female would know who she is). Do you think if you asked a random person outside of the United States who Aubrey was that person would know? But ask a random person anywhere all over the world, pretty much any age, any sex, any race, who Janet Jackson is? You can even ask them who Paris Hilton is, and yeah, they will know. Not to mention, you can ask who Janet and/or Paris is sans last name and people will know exactly who you are asking about. I think I thought way too much about this BUT I just felt like we as a culture need to stop feeding this fake fame bullshit. I spend my days bloggin about randoms, no names, the famous and the infamous, so I'm a bigger culprit than most, but I just really look forward to a time when being famous actually means something again. When those who are famous don't actually have to say they are famous.