I personally don't think I could stand to be famous. I am shy and would find it a highly stressful life filled with personal intrusions. I am, however, attracted to the money fame can afford. I would love to be in a few hit movies, make a couple million and then drop out of show buisness and live my life. So many celebrities panic if thier lives aren't invaded every day because it may indicate that thier fame is dwindling. It may take years and years to get famous but once you are there you have the option of taking the money and running. You rarely hear of anyone, however, willingly dropping out of the limelight after a brief success. Success just propels "stars" deeper into the industry and they become unable to comprehend themselves apart from the fame. The three people you mentioned may be slightly different. I think people like Elvis sought notority and only put up with the fame ( needing recognition for music and talent but hating personal attention). Sadly, people can't escape the personal side of things, humans want to relate to other humans, especially famous humans. Kurt Cobain wanted his music and message to get out but he didn't want to be personally linked to it. It was a sad case of detachment and shame; a need to shine and a need to hide both at the same time.

I think what you say about Cobain is really insightful: a need to shine and a need to hide, both at the same time. And it's true: he wanted to express something important, he wanted his art to get out, but when it did, the response gave him little joy. He was oddly detached, I agree. And shame is in there too... Anyway, I appreciate your thoughtful reply.

To follow up on the previous comment, I was struck by this passage in your interesting post: "Artists want fame, they seek it, they purposely do things to achieve it, but then when it comes, they can't get away from it fast enough."

Do all artist want fame? I don't think so. In fact, I would imagine that many artists, if not most, would be happy to live their lives creating art in relative obscurity as long as 1) they felt the art was connecting with an audience and, 2) they weren't struggling to pay the rent every month. Given the difficulties of achieving these without some measure of fame in today's world, many artist appear to want fame, but I'd argue that most of them just want fulfillment and some financial security, not fame itself.

It's always struck me that there's something inherently pathological about people who seek fame -- as opposed to those who seek excellence (scientific, artistic, athletic, intellectual, etc.) and get famous as a by-product. For example, I think there's a big difference between someone who wants to be president because she thinks she can bring positive change to the world, and someone who wants to be president just because she wants to be president.

We live in a social system that celebrates those who are, by definition, likely to be imbalanced enough to come to our attention. Strange world, indeed.

You're right. I was being too inclusive. Not all artists want fame. They want their art to be seen or read, and they want to be paid a livable wage for it. In fact, I'm sure a large number of artists would be happy with relative obscurity, given that the above two outcomes were in place.

And I agree, too, with your point about seeking fame for fame itself. That would seem to speak to some sort of fundamental insecurity or deprivation.

Thanks for your comments.

The problem isn't the artist. The problem is the audience. We "love" our heros so much that we chain them to a pedestal. We enslave them for our enjoyment. What a mad society we are that creates victims out of heros.

Keep the chains of fame and the money that goes with it. I value freedom.

"Before the celebrity knows it, he's having grandiose fantasies, he can't feel empathy, he's full of rage, she's starring in ''Glitter.'' The celebrity has begun to share all the symptoms of severe narcissists."

From article Acquired Situational Narcissism, by Stephen Sherrill [NY Times]
http://talentdevelop.com/articles/acquired.html