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Facts And Myths About Being Famous


by aque_mizuhara

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Many Neopians dream about being rich and famous, not even knowing the real pros and cons of it.

Popular people. Famous people. Maybe even – a big word – celebrities. How are their lives? What changed when they became popular? - these were the questions I've asked and I've wondered if the real answers have anything to do with how it is seen.

Not that I know it, so I was forced to seek answers elsewhere. Traveling through Neopia made me meet many famous people - comic authors, one-of-a-kind pets, High Scores Table's top gamers, the richest, owners of the biggest galleries and so on. I interviewed them, and thanks to that I was able to write this article - showing you how it is to be famous.

1. Famous people get lots of messages - FACT!

More than you can count and definitely more than fits into the Neomail inbox. They divide into three categories:

A. Fanmail - which is fairly not dangerous and when written well, can be a positive motivation, yet gets quite boring after a while.

B. Hatemail - which is the opposite of Fanmail and can be pretty annoying, yet I heard you get used to it and learn to laugh at it after a time.

C. Questions – mostly from fans, but not strictly fanmail. They're a bunch of (really) weird questions that just bug the Neopians, like "What's your favourite pie?” (this one is authentic!) or (this one is quite popular) "Can my pet date your pet?” (and is a bad thing to ask, since it's not allowed!)

2. Famous people get gifts - FACT!

As weird as it sounds, random people pop up and send their idols some gifts - be it a pretty plushie, some fan art, an item for their gallery, or a Paint Brush worth millions to show their appreciation.

3. Famous people are rich - MYTH!

If it's not his or her fortune to be famous for, most famous people aren't really rich. Getting gifts happens, yet not always in the same amount and value. Plus, many people feel unworthy to get these items or just it seems wrong for them to sell them, so gifts they get mostly lie in their Safety Deposit Boxes. No riches beyond a normal, hard-working Neopian here.

4. People want to get their hands on famous fellows' property - FACT!

It doesn't matter what, if it's an item, Neopoints or pets. Even fictional items, Neopoints and pets. People just want them. Maybe it's the fame that lures them; maybe it's only the spotlighting of this or that thing and person. No matter what fame has to do with beggars, they exist. And are mostly ignored.

5. Famous people are highly visible and recognisable – MYTH!

While it is a normal thing for people from the Avatar Chat to know the username of a person with most avatars, or for the Neopian Writers board people to know some most notable NT authors, a decent percent of people just don't pay attention to usernames. Unless you state who you are and prove it, you have high chances of being invisible.

6. People want to befriend with famous persons - FACT!

Whether it's by Neofriend requests or Neomail, they DO want to be their friends. Why? Some because of the fictional profits they think they'll get (see point 4), some because of the ability to brag about it, some just because they think the person is nice (this group is hardly found) or they want to bathe in his or her glory. People tend to think that being a pretended friend of someone grants them the right to expect some bonuses, like items which the famous one doesn't need or fanart or Roleplay, which the person in question has hardly any time for.

So, if you want to be famous, prepare for that. Or block Neofriend requests.

7. Famous people know much more – MYTH!

In popular belief, with fame comes knowledge. The Top Gamer has to know all the cheats (a thought that he or she is just so darn good at said game never crosses one's mind), a Top Avatar Collector has to know how to get the latest avatar (even if it was just announced and the person has just launched Neopets), a famous NT writer has to know what to write so you'd be accepted (or maybe, just maybe, it's their talent that gets them in the NT?... Naaaah.)

Associated with point 3.

8. Famous people get more votes in the Beauty Contest – FACT!

Well, they're famous after all. If they just post a reminder on their lookup, chances that people will see the submission rise to some astronomic numbers, which highly increases the odds of getting votes just because people like their other work like comics or novels or actually anything they do. Or maybe just them.

And what if the person posts the ad everywhere they can? Or even advertises on the boards, attracting even more fans?

9. Famous people have greater chances of their submissions getting into NT or winning a contest – MYTH!

As far as I'm concerned, The Neopets Team plays fair and square. And thus, it doesn't matter who you are or what you've done earlier – it's the submission that matters. It's only in people's minds – all about self-esteem. Because if you get accepted once, you think "why can't I try again?”, and, wonders!, the more you win, the more you believe in victory. So, it's just that they think better of themselves.

And, which is quite obvious, you don't hear about people NOT getting into NT or NOT winning the spotlight, do you?

10. Famous people have everything – MYTH!

It is believed that if you're famous, you have to have everything. But it's not like that. Famous people still are just the same as everyone – maybe can't afford the inflated, but adorable wearable, maybe are worse than Abigail at an avatar-giving game, maybe just too lazy to draw another comic for NT. Hard to believe? Well, let's say it like this: fame doesn't give you additional hours per day, so you still have to divide the usual 24 between chores and fun.

Those are the top ten issues that I came across when investigating Neopian fame. Do you have questions I didn't answer? Want to know something more about being famous in Neopia? Neomail me and we'll see what can be done and, who knows, maybe there will be part two!

 
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