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  • We've been talking about a well-known person you  like or admire and I'd like to discuss with you  

  • one or two more general questions related to this.

  • Let's consider first of all famous people in your country.

  • So in Malaysia what kind of people become famous?

  • In Malaysia definitely the politicians and also some actors and actresses are very famous.

  • Among the among Malaysians.

  • So what about in the past? Is that the same as in the past,

  • were politicians and actors and actresses always?

  • I think definitely in the past if we're talking about the 50s and 60s.

  • Movies were the number one communication tool between villages or towns.

  • So the people definitely knew actors and actresses better than the politicians.

  • Compared to now you, have TV and news where people follow politicians'

  • personal life more than an actor or actress.

  • Because in many cultures quite the opposite has happened

  • where politicians used to be quite well-known.

  • Whereas nowadays movie stars, television stars, are more well-known.

  • What do you think about in the future?

  • Do you think that that's going to continue, politicians will  continue to be?

  • I didn't definitely in the future because the world is becoming more globalized.

  • Malaysians would have a... I think have a tendency to

  • be exposed to more international programs and they know more international celebrities

  • compared to the local actors and actresses or local politicians.

  • So we would follow international politics, maybe American and British politics.

  • Or even the models or actresses internationally.

  • Well let's talk about celebrity culture.

  • Often famous people are used in advertisements.

  • Can you give me some examples of that?

  • Yeah, famous people like actors and actresses are used in advertisements.

  • And especially sports celebrities like Tiger Woods or Roger Federer

  • promoting sports equipment or sports shoes or clothes.

  • Other than that, I think it's more models and actresses that

  • sponsored perfume and clothes and...

  • And is that always true that whatever profession they're involved in

  • that's the kind of product that they tend to promote?

  • I don't think that's true because a lot of celebrity actresses support perfumes and

  • support clothes where whereby actually it should be models that do it.

  • Isn't that sort of glamorous kind of side of Hollywood that they can try to bring to the public?

  • I suppose that's what they're trying to do the marketing.

  • The people who are marketing the product are trying to bring in the glamour that that celebrity holds.

  • But yeah, I suppose a celebrity they do have that that grasp over you know,

  • peoples' mindset and what they should buy, the consumerism.

  • Now you're talking about their influence on the consumer.

  • What about on the young?

  • Do celebritiesdo you think produce negative effects in our youth?

  • Definitely I think they do.

  • As you can see like, lifestyle and health, celebrities are becoming thinner.

  • Models and celebrities, and when you open a magazine young girls would be exposed to thin

  • models and I think that that's normal for them to be thin and that

  • could cause them to go into anorexia, bulimia, or unhealthy practices

  • because they think being thin is the norm.

  • Whilst being healthy and being normal-bodied is actually the norm.

  • Now, what about young boys?

  • Do you think that celebrities can have an influence on young boys?

  • I think most definitely.

  • I think young boys could be influenced in a way materialistically.

  • Like, they would one of the big car that you know the celebrities drive.

  • And they won the bling and they want all the cool gadgets and tools

  • that there are out there, and it could make boys realize that

  • you know materialistic things are the only way to happiness.

  • Now, what about public opinion. How might celebrities be used to influence public opinion?

  • Celebrities are used actually to like if you can see PETA,

  • the protection of the endangered animals.

  • They use celebrities to get to the public.

  • There's like this promotion where they get celebrities to go naked.

  • To show that you know animals you know are stripped,

  • especially like seals and foxes and all that for their fur.

  • And you know it strikes a chord because it's a celebrity.

  • "Oh that person's doing that" "Let's look at the poster"

  • "Oh what's the message" "Okay I get it"

  • No, yeah.

  • Well, thank you very muchThat's the end of the Speaking test. Thank you very much.

We've been talking about a well-known person you  like or admire and I'd like to discuss with you  

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