Zelebs

Posted by Lewis on October 20, 2006

In Reply to: Z-lister posted by Smokey Stover on October 12, 2006

: : : : z-lister?
: : : : is this an opposite to a list?
: : : : then why not a lister?
: : : : why not z-list?
: : : : help plz
: : : : thanks

: : : The "A list" is the compilation of celebrities and luminaries who attend the movie openings and lavish parties in Monaco. Jet setters. They are, therefore, A-listers.
: : : Z-listers are, by extreme contrast, those slobs at the other end of the social spectrum. The scruffy guy who installed your cable. The bible-thumping mumbler on the subway platform. Me.

: : As far as the other part of your question goes, there are a number of pages on Google that mention "a-lister" (a person who gets onto the a-list) and z-list, where Bob, the mumbler and the cable guy go (and have a gosh darn good time, I bet). Pamela

: Kathy Griffin, stand-up comic, actress and television personality (she has her own comedy show), describes herself as being on the D-list.
: SS

I disagree with some of the above - A-list celebrities are those that PR agencies believe will enhance an event by their presence (due to their influence or public interest in them) which often results in free tickets etc. there is not a single A-list, but PR companies probably each have their own. there is no official A-list status, but publicity value is sometimes measured in 'month column inches' and there is a 'stock of fame' record which people can access.

B-list celebs are those that are well-known people but not as big a draw as the A listers. People can move between those lists depending on the success of, for example, their latest movie.

D-list celebs are the lowest order of people who PR companies will want to attend an event - they are or were well-known, but not a draw for the paparazzi.

the expression 'z-list celebs' was for people who have had their '15 minutes of fame' years before and in whom their is no long-term press interest. somebody who once appeared on television many years earlier, but whom nobody remembers and who has not been in the news since might be called a z-lister - a recent expression for which I heard as being a 'zeleb'.

I don't think there is any genuine 'list' used in PR below the D- and 'z-list' is merely an extension of the concept beyond its actual limits for effect - hyperbole, I would suggest.