Are We Stretching the Term “Celebrity”?

What do people like Bristol Palin, Annie Duke, Mark Dacascos, Maria Kanellis, Albert Reed, and Richard Hatch have in common? They were all on shows like Dancing with the Stars or Celebrity Apprentice.

Now, quick (without going to Google) can you tell me what any of them did to become famous? 

In my opinion, the two most "famous" (and I use that term loosely) people on that list are Richard Hatch (the first winner of Survivor) and Bristol Palin, Sarah Palin's daughter. In other words, Richard Hatch is famous for winning a reality show (and possibly more famous for spending time in prison on tax evasion charges) and Bristol Palin is only famous for being born to a notable politician (and that whole Levi Johnston kerfuffle).

So what notable skills do any of those people possess that would qualify them as a "celebrity" or a "star"?

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Yeah, I couldn't really come up with anything, either.

I mean I guess I get it, you're not going to get a big movie star like Brad Pitt to hoof it on Dancing with the Stars and Lady Gaga probably isn't going to sit in Trump's board room. I also suppose "Dancing with the Marginally Notable Personalities Whom you May or May Not Have Heard Of" would have been a bit much to print in the TV Guide, but I stand by my argument, we have really loosened the definition of "star" these days.