Lady Gaga, Influential or Popular Celebrity

Lady Gaga‘s influential according to Frobes. Forbes announced Lady Gaga as the number one influential celebrities, knocking off Oprah Winfrey from their top honors this week.  Lady Gaga, who has the title of largest fan group on Twitter, 10.2 million follower and some 34.3 million Facebook fans, is popular on the Internet, but should we say Lady Gaga is  influential or should we say she the most popular social networking celebrity?

When I think of the word influential, I think of my parents, teachers, family, religious leaders and business colleagues that have touched my life in a way that changes have occurred.  Influential people do not sell anything or need extravagant clothing to catch my attention, but simply lived their life in a way that inspires.

Lady Gaga is a social media marketing phenomenon that can drive teenagers to download song at records rates.  Her fashion statements have not changed the way we dress and her political, regions, or educational intellect has not changed the way we view the world.  Her popularity sells merchandise and allows her to live a lifestyle that the average person cannot fathom. Her name on Forbe’s list makes international news, but yet an unknown parent somewhere in the world is influencing the next superstar.

So let us not praise a celebrity status, with a multi-million dollar PR team. Let us honor the people who influenced them as a child and allowed them to become Forbe’s most Influential Celebrity.