by Erin Weatherhogg

Created on: August 25, 2009

As a little girl and as a teen, I had visions of becoming a star. I wanted to model; I wanted to sing and dance; I wanted to act. I even auditioned for the John Casablanca's modeling agency and school (and, incidentally, was accepted - however the astronomical tuition cost prevented me from actually going). I used to fantasize about walking the red carpet arm in arm with some gorgeous actor or singer and smiling at my adoring fans as they clamor to be noticed by me. I pictured winning Oscars and Grammys and living in a huge beautiful house in Hollywood with three luxury cars in the garage.

This is what most people tend to think of when they imagine the life of a celebrity. Perfection.Opulence. Wealth. Beauty. Fame. Adoration by (seemingly) all. However there is so much more to being famous than glamor and privilege.

The Illusion of Perfection

Celebrities are people too. They're just like you and me, only they happen to be especially talented in sports or the performing arts. They wake up in the morning with messy hair. They have bad days. They can be insecure, no matter how gorgeous and talented they are. They go on bad dates. But in order to be marketable as performers, they must make people want to be just like them; in other words, they must give the illusion of perfection. Their skin must appear flawless. Their hair must always be in place. They must sport the hottest trends by the most sought-after designers. Heaven forbid Hollywood's It Girl so much as go to the grocery store looking less than fabulous, or she'll end up on the cover of the next "Stars Without Makeup!" issue of the rags, which rarely have anything flattering to say about a bare-faced pop star. But their beauty cannot appear only skin-deep. They must always have something clever or "cool" to say, and that something must always be acceptable to the public. One slip of the tongue can cost them their careers.

But absolutely no one, no matter how pretty or talented or smart or sophistocated or rich, is perfect. Everyone has flaws; everyone makes mistakes and bad decisions ocassionally. So living up to the public's perception that they are perfect can cause an immense amount of stress for the star. Many end up suffering from anxiety and depression and terrible insecurities caused by the knowledge that they can never be exactly what their fans want them to be.

The Persona

My sister often refers to starlets like Miley Cyrus and Demi Lavato as "Disney-manufactured stars." But the fact is,

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