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Tuesday, February 28, 2012 TheJournal

Famous for being famous ON A BRIGHTER NOTE LORI WELBOURNE loriwelbourne.com

More than ever people are famous for… well, for being famous. Why? Reality TV is certainly one of the reasons. When I was a kid every famous person I knew of had to have a talent of some sort to end up that way. They might have been singers or actors, writers or filmmakers, politicians or business tycoons, but they had to be really good at something. I never imagined that I could be famous myself one day because I didn’t believe I possessed a talent that could attract a fan base of any size. And then along came Paris Hilton, and my theory was put to the test. I was

baffled by her sudden explosion of popularity. She kept popping up in celebrity magazines and I didn’t know who she was or why she was there. When I found out that she was the granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, the billionaire hotel magnate, I thought to myself: so what? Surely there were thousands of beautiful relatives of other rich, famous people who never ended up on the front cover of People magazine, but here was one who surpassed her grandfather in face recognition in a very short period of time and landed herself a TV reality series called The Simple

Life. Having an aversion to reality TV, I never saw an episode of the show, which featured Paris and her privileged best friend Nicole Ritchie temporarily living the everyday lives of ordinary folks. But that series, as well as a scandalous sex tape, catapulted her into a level of stardom that even the most talented stars of North America rarely achieve. Since the early days of Paris Hilton’s fame, there have been a ton of people who have achieved equal or greater success from reality TV shows, many of whom don’t seem to possess any particular talent at all.

“If you put someone on TV for long enough they’re bound to become famous,” a friend of mine once said. I think he’s absolutely right about that. Half the people I see in celebrity magazines nowadays seem to be famous for just being themselves on TV, and even someone like me who usually avoids this type of show gets to know who they are after awhile. It’s hard not to when you’re exposed to them in a variety of different ways. Take Snooki for example. I’ve never watched a minute of a Jersey Shore show, but I’ve seen her image and heard her name hundreds of times in magazines, on talk shows and even on the New York Times Best Sellers list. Perhaps she’s a poor example. Since I haven’t seen her show

M a r c h This will be a week to remember as old friends and new drop by. Roll out the welcome mat and prepare to have a lot of fun, Capricorn. You December 22– deserve it.

January 19

January 20– February 18

February 19– March 20

One more time, Aquarius. You are so close to reaching your goal. Pennies saved here and there will make a big difference later when you need it most.

Projects around the house wrap up, making way for a hobby. Time to clean out the closets and get cracking, Pisces. A new face proposes an old idea with a twist.

March 21– April 19

April 20– May 20

May 21– June 21

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Drop the pretense, Aries. Your body language is giving you away. Say what’s on your mind and you’ll be surprised at what happens next.

Try as you might, Taurus, you won’t be able to fool others, much less yourself, for long. Face up to your limitations, work within them and all will go well.

Gracious Gemini. You give, and you give, and you give some more, but these days, it seems like no one is giving back. Don’t let that stop you— you’re making a real difference.

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W e e k

June 22– July 22

July 23– August 22

August 23– September 22

or read her book, she might be incredibly talented and destined for fame regardless of the reality show she was cast in. Even if she’s not the best example of someone famous for just being famous, there is a long list of others, and you’re probably thinking of a few yourself. Call me old fashioned, but personally, I miss the days when people had to have a special skill in order to attract an audience. I used to watch old movies with my grandmother and the stars of her generation had to know how to act, sing and dance to make it in Hollywood. Some of them were incredible. There are stars of today who have earned their fame as well as many who haven’t even come close. The discernible difference in the quality of their work is what either attracts or repels me. So, let me ask you this: if you had to be famous, what would you want to be famous for? To hear what some of the people on the street told me when I asked, please watch my video at LoriWelbourne.com

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Pay them no heed, Cancer. Keep pursuing your idea, and you will prove to those naysayers that you’re on to something great. An order is completed.

Caution, Libra. You’re veering off course. Take steps now to get back on track or prepare to suffer the consequences. A sporting event takes an September 23– unexpected turn.

October 22 You’re the comeback kid this week, Leo. You manage to finish all of those tasks gone sour and take on more than your fair share of new responsibilities.

Your genius side kicks in, and suddenly you’ve got the answers for everything. Enjoy the accolades, Virgo. It’s your turn to shine. An invite makes you giddy.

October 23– November 21

Relax, Scorpio. A friend has got your back. Keep plugging along on the big picture and let them attend to the minor details. A phone call puts you on cloud nine.

A chilling tale reminds you that some offers are too good to be true. Remember that as you weed through the paperwork on your desk. Something is November 22– a-miss, Sagittarius.

December 21

FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY

Tragically, every year in BC countless dogs suffer and die after being thrown from the back of pickup trucks. Consequently, your pet should never ride unrestrained in the back or body of any vehicle. There are three simple options: 1. Put the dog in the vehicle with you. Use a crate or dog seatbelt as a restraint, or 2. Secure your dog in a kennel fastened to the centre of the truck, or 3. Secure your dog with a harness and short-tether leash to ensure safety from strangulation and death. For more information visit www.spca.bc.ca

www.spca.bc.ca