A regional or cultural celebrity

Just as one may become a regional or cultural celebrity, one may also become a celebrity in their niche market and have limited fame apart from it.

While Lisa Leslie is a WNBA player who has transcended her niche and has gained recognition even among those who do not follow women's basketball, a player such as Janeth Arcain is less likely to be well known among those who do not follow the WNBA.

Deitrick Haddon may be a popular gospel singer and considered a celebrity among gospel music fans however he may not be well known among those that do not listen to gospel music.

Celebrity Levels, Ranking

English-speaking media commentators and journalists will sometimes refer to celebrities as A-List, B-List, C-List, D-List or Z-List.

These informal rankings indicate a placing within the hierarchy. However, due to differing levels of celebrity in different regions, it is difficult to place people within one bracket. A Nicaraguan actor might be a B-list action film actor in the US, but be an A-list star in the Czech Republic.

An objective method of placing celebrities from any country into categories from A-List to H-List based on their number of Google hits has been proposed, but while this method is quantitative, it only works for individuals with distinctive names, e.g., Jason Mewes, not Kevin Smith.

Sarah Palin - A Celebrity gained international fame

Sarah Palin was once a celebrity almost strictly in Alaska has gained international fame.

Sarah Palin, after being thrust onto the world's stage as a candidate for Vice President of the United States.

Cultural or Unique Celebrity - Tehran Ghasri

Another example of celebrity can be merely cultural or unique to a particular diaspora. Tehran Ghasri has a highly celebrated Iranian television program accessible by Iranian satellite.

Tehran Ghasri's program is mostly in farsi restricting by nature most of his viewers to be of Iranian, Afghan, Turkish, Armenian, Assyrian or Kurdish descent.

Tehran Ghasri's celebrity is acclaimed in the diaspora of farsi speaking people spread through out the world, including the United States, Canada, Europe and Iran. While visibility of the show is worldwide understanding is limited to farsi speaking people.

Tehran Ghasri's recognition is mainly cultural or in this case restricted to those of a particular lingual identity. Therefore his celebrity maybe deemed worldwide it only reflects a small fraction of people.

Become global celebrities only after became Hollywood actors in English-speaking films.

In a smaller country, linguistic or cultural community, a figure will be less likely to gain a broader celebrity. Shakira and Daddy Yankee were known largely in the Spanish-speaking world before becoming popular in English-speaking communities, by performing English language songs.

Similarly, Spanish actors Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, Elsa Pataki, Xoel Pamos and Javier Bardem who were country-level celebrities in their native Spain, were able to become global celebrities only after they became Hollywood actors in English-speaking films.