Programme 1: 5th June 2006

Click here to listen to the show.

The hopes and dreams of 55,000 young people rest on how they perform over the next few weeks.  And we're not talking about the stage or screen here.   On Wednesday, the Leaving Cert exams begin.

While they all have different plans for their future, an extraordinary number of these students have one thing in common:  They want fame and they want it now.

This series explores why so many people are so interested in fame.

Throughout the series, Geri and her guests take a look at the phenomenon of fame - from sports stars to reality TV. As well as talking to those in the fame game, we'll be looking at those who make it all happen - the press.

The lure of celebrity is widespread among Irish teenagers according to the results of a survey carried out by the makers of our new series, Fame!

The survey targeted 1,300 teenagers aged between 13 and 19 living in Dublin, Drogheda, Donegal, Galway, Limerick and Cork.  

85% of boys and 80% of girls surveyed said they want to be famous.  

Reacting to this survey result, Louis Walsh maintained that the figures seem on the low side.     "They all want to be famous" said Louis "especially the girls - because they can."

56% of boys and 40% of girls surveyed said they would leave school if they had a chance to be famous.   

"Of course, lots of teenagers would say that they'd leave school for any reason but I'm sure that most wouldn't actually go through with it" said Geri Maye, series presenter of Fame!     

However, Larry Bass who's the executive producer of You're A Star has experience of young people doing just that.   "School unfortunately takes second place while they're in the competition"  he said.  "It's not something we advocate, but it's something they decide themselves".

In the survey, the teens were asked to state three reasons why they want to be famous.    61% of respondents said that money was their main motivation.     This was followed by success (55%), being famous would be fun (52%), I'd be on TV (24%), it would prove people wrong (22%) and people would find me more attractive (15%).
 
1,500 Irish people tried out for Big Brother when they held auditions here last year.   "Given the easy route to fame that reality TV claims it can give you, it was surprising to discover from our survey that this isn't the route most of the young people we polled want to take" said Geri Maye.

Only 5% of teens said they would opt for reality TV as a gateway to fame and celebrity.   In fact, more teens (6%) would prefer to be writers.

The most popular route to celebrity was, in order of choice - acting, becoming a pop star and becoming a sports star. 

But then again, a considerable number who answered the survey said they would be happy being any of the above.  Just as long as they're famous.

Only 1% of teenagers polled said that they would like to be politicians.

When asked what people they admired, Roy Keane, Bob Geldof and Bono were the top three choice.   "Interestingly, the survey revealed that Irish teenagers still reserve admiration for talent over instant fame" said Geri Maye.  

Their other top choices were Eminem, Brittney Spears, Ronaldho, Brad Pitt, Hillary Duff and Podge and Rodge.    Oprah Winfrey and 50 Cent were in joint 10th place. 

35% of the teenagers polled believe they will be famous one day.   

Larry Bass says that this sort of optimism is to do with the fact that as a nation, we've shaken off our inferiority complex and our young people have emerged as ambitious and confident.  "Ireland is a country now with a confidence" said Larry.    "When I left school in 1981, there were 100 in our 6th year class.   90% of them went away to work.  That was the culture of the time.  Now the kids have much bigger dreams."    

"The celebrity industry is a massively powerful one with agents, producers and TV stations determined to promote the cult of fame"  said Geri Maye.   "It's a commercial machine that hundreds of wide-eyed people enter into.  In the coming weeks, we'll be examining various aspects of the industry and people's growing fascinating with fame and celebrity."

FAME!
CELEBRITY SURVEY RESULTS

Total number surveyed: 1284    
Age range:   13 to 19

Q 1.    Name three famous people you admire.

Top 10 choices:

1. Roy Keane
2. Bono
3. Bob Geldof
4. Eminem
5. Brittney Spears
6. Ronaldino
7. Brad Pitt
8. Hillary Duff
9. Podge and Rodge
10. Oprah Winfrey and 50 Cent
   
Other favourites:

Brian O Driscoll   
Wayne Rooney
Ronaldo    
Jordan
Ronan O Gara   
Julia Roberts
Christina Agulera   
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Anniston   
Beyonce
David Beckham   
Lucy Kennedy
Steven Gerrard   
Damien Duff

Q 2. Do you want to be famous?
 
BOYS:        Yes:   85%               No:   15%

GIRLS:       Yes:   80%           No:    20%

(if people answered yes to above question, they were asked to complete the remainder of the survey)

Q 3.  Would you leave school without your exams if you had the chance to be famous?

BOYS:  Yes:   56%  No: 36%  Maybe:  8%

GIRLS:  Yes:    40%      No:  53%  Maybe:  7%

Q 4.  Why do you want to be famous?
(we asked people to pick no more than three reasons)

Money:          61%

Success:       55%

Being famous would be great fun:  52%

I'd be on TV:      24%

It would prove people wrong:   22%

People would find me more attractive: 15%

Q 5.  Would you like to be a famous?
(We asked people to pick one of the following.  A good proportion of those surveyed said they couldn't confine their answer to just one choice)

Actor:      38%       
Pop star:      31%      
Sports person:     21%
TV/Radio personality:   12%
Writer:       6%
Reality TV Show Contestant:   5%
Politician:       1%

Do you think you'll be famous one day?

Yes:  35%      
No:   49%     
Maybe:  12%     
Don't know:  4%