Why do we have "celebrities"?

Do you ever really stop and think about how much time society wastes on lifting up and making rich people who "pretend" for a living? Or just because somebody can sing, or play a kids game/sport professionally, or stand in front of thousands of worshippers every Sunday? I just don't get it. Why do we make them rich? Why are they elevated to the godly status? They are just PEOPLE...imperfect boneheads who screw up and do the same things WE do. The difference is they do their job in front of a camera and we allow them to get paid more than most of us will see in a lifetime. For example, Tom Cruise getting $20 million for ONE movie? I can't even think about it without getting nauseated. He's a scrawny, short high school DROP OUT and every time he makes a movie millions pour into the theater making him filthy rich for a few months of work. I could list tons of people like that. Sports stars...wow...what pinnacles of morality they are...NOT! Yet we fill the stadiums. WHY???????