I have no problem with people who earn fame through hard work, but I can't keep up with the Kardashians

In China, they follow the everyday activities of actress Fan Bingbing. In the United States, it's either the ghastly Kardashian tribe or the televised lifestyle of a faded English rock star. But truth to tell, the celebrity world now bridges the cultural divide between East and West.

Recently, film stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie announced they were divorcing, sending celebrity gossip outlets into frenzy over the end of a phenomenon known as Brangelina.

Here in China Daily's London office, Chinese and European colleagues alike rushed to check various websites, proving the news of their divorce was as big in Chinese circles as it was in the West.

But when it comes to internet and social media celebrities, China leads the pack.

Fan is a case in point. A trained actress, with a string of hit movies to her name, she is also a pop star and a producer, and has parlayed her stunning looks into becoming a role model for her 53 million - yes, 53 million - followers on the Sina Weibo social media site.

Those millions of fans follow her makeup routines, which dresses she chooses, and gasp - electronically - at her glamorous jet-set lifestyle.

She's also achieved that magic goal of crossing into Western culture, starring in French and Hollywood films, becoming one of the highest-paid actresses in the world. In other words, like Pitt and Jolie, she's worked for it and earned it.

Another runaway success in China is Lu Han, a fresh-faced 26-year-old from Beijing who was a member of Korean-Chinese boy band EXO and recently racked up 20 million Sina Weibo followers, becoming an ambassador for various clothing and fashion brands along the way.

He also holds a Guinness World Record registered in 2014 for the comments attracted by a post on Sina Weibo in one day. That's 13,163,859 to be precise.

Flip to the other side of the coin to a US figure who has become famous for, well, being famous.

The manipulation of social media and the internet by Kim Kardashian is based on no discernible talent - she doesn't sing or act, and as many of my generation think, she doesn't do anything except get herself into the public eye as often as possible.

She has assembled an entourage of about 64 million followers on Instagram with a series of provocative poses and selfies. Her Twitter account has, I'm told, 48 million followers.

This kind of exposure, of course, translates into serious advertising dollars. But there's no substance.

For a long time in the UK, many people sneered at Victoria Beckham, one-time member of the Spice Girls, who after the girl group split up was in danger of becoming famous for being famous and being married to England football star David Beckham.

She clocks up a mere 12 million followers on Twitter, but here's the thing: You can't pin the "famous for being famous" label on her because she's taken the good fortune that came her way through the transparent world of pop music and translated it into a serious fashion brand, at which she works very hard indeed.

Human beings have always liked gossip, pretty much ever since newspapers, moving pictures and photographs evolved.

But I'm pretty sure the Kardashians - there are other sisters involved as well - are the best example of being famous for being vacuous, although they're following a lead set by Kim's one-time best friend, Paris Hilton.

Over the years, I've interviewed countless people on three continents, ranging from political heavyweights like Henry Kissinger to everyday people who have witnessed a major incident or been part of a war.

But I've never interviewed someone who is famous for being famous. And you know what? I never will.

The author is managing editor of China Daily European Bureau.

Contact the writer at chris@mail.chinadailyuk.com

(China Daily European Weekly 10/14/2016 page12)