2005年NPR美国国家公共电台三月-Why Buy Fashion from Celebrities?

Celebrities¹ looking for income beyond record contracts, movie deals and commercial endorsements², often start their own fashion lines. Rock musicians, actors and sports stars have all thrown their hats into the ring. But commentator³ Rosecrans Baldwin says he's not sure he'll be expanding his wardrobe any time soon.

In the bowels⁴ of Los Angeles must exist a secret bunker and inside is a small, sleek⁵, white computer that each week prints out a list of rules for all celebrities to follow if they want to remain famous. This week , Rule Number One: be thin. Rule Number Two: If you can't be thin, try star in a reality TV show about trying to lose weight. And Rule Number Three: Start your own fashion company. Comedian⁶ Steve Harvy sells suits. Boy George with a line called "B-Rude" has clothes for boys and girls and those in bewteen. Rap King Shan Puffy Corns is perhaps the best known example of the celebrity-turned garment mogul.In 2003 ,his fashion company Shan Jiang made 300 million dollars.And at the Academy Awards this year, he not only wore a tuxedo⁸ of his own design, he also bragged⁹ at the host Christ Rock with rocking Shan Jiang too.I don't own any Shan Jiang clothing.I have seen a few Shan Jiang's suits and felt temptation.They look nice,well-made and attractively cut.So who knows, maybe some day I'll be famous too .And over martinis one night in the Hamptons, Puffy will pass me a cigar, light it with a 24-carat blowtorch and ask me to wear one of his tuxes too. Because for me and presumably for many people who pick up an *（某商标名） occasionally and feel guilty for days, the question is kind of obvious."Why would we buy these people's clothes?"We know they won't design the items themsleves,so why should we expect their shirts to be any nicer than what's at the Gap?"Anyone knows celebrities don't dress themselves.They have stylists,and assistants and make-up consultants¹⁰.They even get free clothes from real fashion designers.Of course it's not just clothes being branded with notable names.Jessica Simpson has created a line of beauty products.David and Victorial Beckham will soon have their own fragrances¹¹.A few weeks ago , my wife and I attended the lunch party for Paris Hilton's new perfume.It was held at Duvet,a club in Manhattan, where instead of providing stools and boots for its customers,there were mattresses¹² and private group bedrooms. That's right. Paris Hilton,a young woman who became famous for an X-rated sex tape ,hosted a major business event in a room full of beds. After a few hours, I am sad to say I left without seeing Paris,though I did get to smell her perfume. We normal people don't often get to meet our favorite celebrities. So when a famous person sells his own product, with his own star studded name on the box, it is our chance to finally bring him into our home,really get to know him.In the case of Puff⁷ Daddy and his well- tailored suits,I take him to be a sharp guy,a person of good character.In the case of Ms Hilton,if her perfume is anything to go by,she plainly stinks¹³.

Rosecrans Baldwin is co-editor and publisher of the Morning News.org.

1 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

2 endorsements   

n.背书( endorsement的名词复数 )；（驾驶执照上的）违章记录；（公开的）赞同；（通常为名人在广告中对某一产品的）宣传

参考例句：

• He must make much money on those tennis shoe endorsements he does. 他替那些网球鞋珍重广告，就赚了不少钱。 来自互联网
• But celebrity endorsements remain an important promotional tool for marketers. 尽管如此，邀明星助阵仍是营销人员重要的推广手段之一。 来自互联网

3 commentator   

n.注释者，解说者；实况广播评论员

参考例句：

• He is a good commentator because he can get across the game.他能简单地解说这场比赛，是个好的解说者。
• The commentator made a big mistake during the live broadcast.在直播节目中评论员犯了个大错误。

4 bowels   

n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处

参考例句：

• Salts is a medicine that causes movements of the bowels. 泻盐是一种促使肠子运动的药物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cabins are in the bowels of the ship. 舱房设在船腹内。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 sleek   

adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢

参考例句：

• Women preferred sleek,shiny hair with little decoration.女士们更喜欢略加修饰的光滑闪亮型秀发。
• The horse's coat was sleek and glossy.这匹马全身润泽有光。

6 comedian   

n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员

参考例句：

• The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。
• The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。

7 puff   

n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气

参考例句：

• He took a puff at his cigarette.他吸了一口香烟。
• They tried their best to puff the book they published.他们尽力吹捧他们出版的书。

8 tuxedo   

n.礼服，无尾礼服

参考例句：

• Well,you have your own tuxedo.噢，你有自己的燕尾服。
• Have I told you how amazing you look in this tuxedo?我告诉过你穿这件燕尾服看起来很棒吗？

9 bragged   

v.自夸，吹嘘( brag的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He bragged to his friends about the crime. 他向朋友炫耀他的罪行。
• Mary bragged that she could run faster than Jack. 玛丽夸口说她比杰克跑得快。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 consultants   

顾问( consultant的名词复数 )； 高级顾问医生，会诊医生

参考例句：

• a firm of management consultants 管理咨询公司
• There're many consultants in hospital. 医院里有很多会诊医生。

11 fragrances   

n.芳香，香味( fragrance的名词复数 )；香水

参考例句：

• The bath oil comes in various fragrances. 这种沐浴油有不同的香味。
• This toilet soap lathers so nicely and has several fragrances. 这种香皂起泡很多，并且有好几种香味。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 mattresses   

褥垫，床垫( mattress的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The straw mattresses are airing there. 草垫子正在那里晾着。
• The researchers tested more than 20 mattresses of various materials. 研究人员试验了二十多个不同材料的床垫。

13 stinks   

v.散发出恶臭( stink的第三人称单数 )；发臭味；名声臭；糟透

参考例句：

• The whole scheme stinks to high heaven—don't get involved in it. 整件事十分卑鄙龌龊——可别陷了进去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soup stinks of garlic. 这汤有大蒜气味。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》