Thanks to our image obsessed society, is it possible for anyone to become famous for talent and not just an image?

There are plenty of talented people who aren’t all about image.
Seth Green is a great example.

Radiohead

I agree with @The_Compassionate_Heretic – there are a lot of actors who are famous simply for being good actors! It’s easier for men, granted, but it’s not impossible for women – I don’t like to name names, but for example, think Joan Cusack. She could never be a model, but she’s a damn good actress, and she’s a household name because of it. Same for musicians. Granted there will always be people who are famous simply for being famous…

I think you just have to be MORE talented if you aren’t considered attractive enough. I also feel like you can be forgiven more if you’re a comedian who isn’t that attractive (think Cedric the Entertainer, Lisa Lampanelli, and David Kochener) more so that your typical “movie star.”

I think that it is harder for someone who isn’t stereotypically beautiful to get noticed. I agree with @TitsMcGhee . You have to be more talented.

Also beauty is in the eye, blah blah blah. Jennifer Hudson is not typically beautiful, skinny and perfect. But I think she looks great.

Image obsessed society? I hate when people use terms like this.

Anyway, you are quite wrong sir. People who are famous are famous for something they did or can do. The exception comes for people who have no talent, like paris hilton, who get famous for no reason. I would say the number of talented famous people far exceed those who are just a pretty face.

@Parrappa: I definitely think that being attractive helps those who are talented (greatly or marginally) along their road to fame much more quickly than those who aren’t. There are plenty of mega-famous actresses who are sub-par (Megan Fox, anyone?), but have achieved such a heralded status because they are pretty to look at.

The people who get the most airtime are “Beautiful”, sure. (I use quotes because plenty of pop icons I find ugly. Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian, for example.)

But look at people like Quentin Tarantino. Very rich. Very well-known. Very ugly.
And the woman who’s in quite a few of his films, Uma Thurman. I wouldn’t call her ugly, but she’s not “a beauty”.

And of course, everyone is attractive to at least some people (For every pot, there’s a lid).

@Sarcasm: I find Uma Thurman gorgeous and intriguing in her own way!

Ladies and gentlemen, jellies of all ages, I give you Academy Award winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Not only is he a paunchy, balding middle aged guy, but his middle name is Seymour.

@TitsMcGhee I think of Uma (and Ellen Barkin too, as “a drop a way from ugly”, but incredible beauties at the same time.

of course there will always be exceptions like phillip seymour hoffman or susan boyle. In general I just think if someone become famous it should be for something worthwhile. Not “I have eight kids”. Or “im an obnoxious self-absorbed attention whore with autotune and an over-inflated sense of sexuality and self-worth” holds up flame shield

It is possible. It’s just not all that common. The pretty-but-talentless most definitely outnumber the talented-but-unattractive. Also, I think that unattractive men are given far more leeway than unattractive women, and that comedians of any gender are almost expected to be funny-looking as well as funny.

There is no prerequisite requirement for fame to be a result of achievement – it just means well known and talked about. This how people can get their “fifteen minutes of fame” they don something to bring brief attention to themselves.

Talent and real achievements are the only good reasons for fame. I don’t consider celebrities famous in a strict sense. They are a curious psychological phenomenon. In 50 years how many people will know their names? Only famous people are remembered.

Robin Williams
Queen Latifa
Camryn Manheim
The Late Dom De La Luis
Doris Roberts

Queen Latifah is hot. Anyone who can watch “When You’re Good to Mama” in the movie adaptation of Chicago and keep themselves from drooling needs to have their vision and/or libido checked.

And Dom DeLuise was adorable. Awww. I always wanted to snuggle him. He greatly influenced my taste in hats.