[Jack_]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

On that premise then Jack: you would regard Fred West as a celebrity then?

Yes. As odd, weird, or as sick as that may be, all famous killers or criminals can also be classed as celebrities as people know who they are. The McCann's are famous, as are the Fritzl's. Like I said, there's people that are celebrities for perhaps the wrong reasons (as is evidently the case with these people), but they are celebrities nonetheless, as people know who they are.

Originally Posted by Ammi

..not sure I agree, the word 'celebrity' would suggest they have a talent, ability, gift which is celebrated

That might well have been the case 20/30 years ago, but it definitely isn't anymore, and people that think it is really are living in the past. Back then there wasn't really any other way of becoming a celebrity unless you were talented (as far as I'm aware anyway), but now in the age of reality TV and the like, there are many other ways of becoming famous, well-known and a celebrity. Whether or not you agree with the fact that people with no talent warrant becoming celebrities is an entirely different matter, I guess that's something that comes down to personal opinion, but whether or not these people are celebrities is not something that can be disputed.