Online advertising isn’t quite the same as advertising anywhere else. On the web, ads are everywhere. In fact it is safe to say that the Internet is one gigantic billboard.

Online advertising also differs from regular advertising in that glitzy, gimmicky logos or images or even taglines don’t cut it. Usually, the people who use the Internet are looking for specific items of information and just tune out the various gimmicks that companies use for their commercials.

This may be because when the net was young and still mostly dial-up, the ads were banner types which were pretty but really heavy. Though broadband has now replaced dial-up, Internet users prefer ads that are light and easy and preferably unobtrusive to their research.

What is the same, whether you advertise online or offline is that people connect with people. In general, they respond better to ads that appeal to their values or feature something they can relate to. They relate better to commercials that feature people.

For example, if your product is about health care, they are more likely to respond to a doctor than to anyone else. If your product is about basketball shoes, they are more likely to respond to a basketball player. Basically, you choose a spokesperson that your prospective buyers will believe or listen to. The only exception to this rule seems to be celebrities. For some reason, people will believe almost anything celebrities say, whether or not they themselves are suited for the product or not.

Now, hiring a celebrity to endorse your product can be a really expensive thing. Most celebrities charge high, after all you are trying to ride on to their popularity. Their manager will make sure that they get the most out of being your commercial model.

Unlike regular advertising, however, there is a way to cash in on the popularity of celebrities without having to pay an exorbitant rate. They are called celebrity fan sites. These are sites about a celebrity that may or may not be owned or maintained by the celebrity who is featured. Usually these sites are run by a fan of the celebrity, hence the term celebrity fan site.

Here is a truth that artists who last long in the industry know. The fans control their world. The acceptance of the public of their image, their composition, their design, their performance determines how much money they will earn.

The fans are also the ones who search the Internet the most about information about their favorite, and some not so favorite celebrities. Celebrities are among the highest searched items on the net. Over 40 million queries about them are made a day.

Thanks to search engines, these celebrity fan sites get quite a bit of exposure. They talk about their favorite singer, actor, model, or athlete. They have interesting information that attracts even more fans of their favorite star.

That’s a lot of traffic that businesses can utilize. All the companies need to figure out is which ones of the many celebrities will their target group be likely to visit. This will help you get the necessary exposure that your product needs.

One way to look at it is as sponsorship. A lot of TV shows or segments are sponsored by various companies. They allow these TV shows or segments to stay on the air. In exchange, these shows flash their logos of their sponsors during commercial breaks.

Online advertising has an advantage here. Unlike TV where the sponsor has to wait for their commercial spot, online advertisers have their ads constantly on the page on specified areas. Visitors can see them all the time as they surf the celebrity fan site. Depending on the agreement, some sites will even allow the advertiser to have their ads on various pages of the site, so no matter where they travel on the actual site, they still see your product on display in a prominent area.

Putting an online ad on celebrity fan sites is a lot less expensive than paying for airtime on television. The cost is a lot lower and you get more exposure since you are not limited to just your national public. Keep in mind that the Internet is on a global scale.

These celebrities have fans all across the world. The celebrity fan sites, being on the net, have a global reach. If your business caters to the international market here is another reason why you may want to place your ad on a celebrity fan site.

People like to be in touch with people. They like to know what’s going on with their favorites. So of course, they will look up news on their idols and voila! When they visit the sites about their favorite star, there’s your ad. Isn’t that great exposure?

People often idolize celebrities because they see something in these people that they would someday like to achieve, whether it is a physical, mental, social or maybe just a financial thing. They long to be as beautiful or as smart or as attractive to the opposite sex. Some may just long to be as fit or as skilled an athlete. Whichever aspect it is that they admire in these stars, if your product is something that can help them come close to achieving that goal, they may just click on your ad.

You will need to do some research to find the best celebrity fan site on which to place your ad. You do want to get the most for your money and there are hundreds of celebrity fan sites out there. You are looking for the one that attracts the most number of fans who are also part of your target market.

If you find the celebrity fan site you like, make sure to check out the contact details of the site owner right away. Most of them will have a link on their site marked as “contact us”. Once you get in touch with them, you just need to negotiate for a prime spot on their site. Don’t wait too long! Other businesses want that spot.

How one expert made a splash on CNN’S Paula Zahn Now, and how you can, too

Cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Robert Kotler’s New York based publicist, made contact with the Paula Zahn Now program on CNN to schedule an appearance. Here’s what happened next.

1. Map out the segment with the producer

*I was referred to one of the *bookers* who did a quick screening and then put me in contact with an associate producer. Over several phone conversations, we worked out the subject matter of the 3-4 minute interview.*

NOTE: Once you’ve passed the *audition* with a booker you’re passed to an associate (or other less senior) producer. Often after that first “audition” you must be screened by producers at higher and higher levels. If you’re chosen then you begin to create a segment together.

2. Help the producer shape the segment

*The *backbone* of the spot was my recently published book, SECRETS OF A BEVERLY HILLS COSMETIC SURGEON, The Expert’s Guide to Safe, Successful Surgery. The associate producer and I had discussed what I consider to be the non-frivolous and important consumer issues of the book, such as how to select a properly trained surgeon and how to be certain that the facility in which the surgery is to be performed is properly credentialed and hence safe. And even the issue of having an anesthesia specialist in the patient’s service to assure comfort and safety. Those are the key gems for the consumer-reader-viewer.*

NOTE: Robert choose important issues of concern to Zahn’s audience angling his ideas to suit her show. It’s up to you to suggest ideas that would make a great segment. Listen to the producer’s ideas and don’t be shy about gently suggesting alternatives. A pro-active guest who knows his material is prized. Be sensitive though to how attached the producer is to his idea and suggest yours accordingly.

3. Expect the Unexpected

*On the air, the focus of the segment was somewhat different than I had been lead to expect. Paula Zahn, who is as smart, charming, and attractive off camera as on, was a hospitable and engaging interviewer. However, as comfortable as I was made to be, the questioning by Paula got stuck on *which celebrities have had what done.* And, they put up photos of some selected celebs and asked me to comment on them–including ones I had not seen prior.*

NOTE: Always be prepared for the unexpected. This is a frequent tactic of TV shows. If they had told Robert ahead of time what they were planning he may not have agreed to be their expert. Instead they lead him to believe that they would focus on what he considered important issues. To be fair to the show they may have planned to cover what was discussed, but changed their mind at the last minute. Or they may not have had time or didn’t feel it was necessary to inform their guest of show changes.

Also, talk show hosts are expert at making you feel comfortable. It’s their job to help you be a good guest (relaxed and credible)–as ones who are nervous don’t come across well. A typical tactic is to put you at ease and then ask an unexpected question to get a candid response–which often makes for good television. Be ready. You can be candid and still speak to YOUR talking points.

4. Prepare your answers and bridge to them

*While I have had professional coaching on *guesting,* and understood how to redirect the questions, I decided to just *go along* with the trail of questions Paula posed. I could see that this was going to be a *light interview,* not hard news. Not that it was distasteful or unpleasant, but, frankly, it seemed redundant and wasteful of audience time. I felt the public deserves more significant information than yet another review of Joan Rivers’ ultra–raised eyebrows or Michael Jackson’s nose remnant.

While I did not expect a formal *book review* I felt the viewers would have appreciated knowing how to avoid the bad surgical results that everyone is so familiar with.

As I would have told the viewers, *If presumably smart and wealthy people can have such bad cosmetic surgery, how does the *average citizen* avoid it?* In the end, it was not a particularly informative session–a bit fluffy–and I saw that as an opportunity lost. But, hey, while it says Cable NEWS (italics mine) Network on the door, it is still first and foremost entertainment. Show biz. So, always be cognizant of that, I just rolled with it and enjoyed myself.*

NOTE: The show wanted the sexy celebrity angle, but Robert could have bridged to the information he thought was important with a phrase such as *Mistakes can happen to anyone, including celebrities like Michael Jackson. To prevent these mishaps for yourself you can*…and then he could have delivered the key points he wanted to cover such as the importance of a good anesthesiologist.

5. Follow the host’s lead *and* make your points

*Yes, I could have diverted the conversation and tried to say what I thought needed to be said, but one has to weigh the benefit of taking that path and possibly being disfavored by the program and hence not be welcomed back or just going with the flow knowing that just *being there* and having the cover of the book flashed on screen is quite satisfactory for my purposes of promoting the book.*

NOTE: You can satisfy the host and yourself by balancing the information with what the host wants and what you want. If you transition gracefully by taking a few seconds to comment on their question and then a few seconds to focus on your point everyone will be satisfied.

6. Let the host and show promote your product

*Another unanticipated plus of appearing on the program was that during the entire day, the interview segment was promoted heavily and the repetition of my name throughout the day was a bonus that cannot be disregarded. I saw each hourly announcement as a *free advertisement.* I was happy.

Bottom line: Breathing or not breathing, dead or alive, being a guest on a nationally televised interview — regardless of the quality of the interview–is worthwhile to any author or public figure. And, it is fun and a memorable experience for those of us from outside the media world. The producers liked the segment and, after all, it is their show.*

NOTE: Often times guests are overly promotional in an effort to make the most of their on-air time. You won’t be invited back if you plug yourself or your product obviously. Find out ahead of time how your product will be positioned on the show. Let the host do the promoting. Your job is to give great information about the product, service or cause that incites your audience to take action.

BEFORE the show, and at the time your booking is confirmed, ask that your website, 800# etc. be displayed on the screen (this is called a chyron). Realize though, that some shows have policies not to do this. Ask also how your product will be positioned on the show. Always bring your product with you in the event they’ve lost the one you sent. This will insure that your product will get the publicity that you want. Better yet, if you can create interactive scenes that involve your product that are entertaining and witty you will be a hero.

7. Enjoy the recognition and propose a new segment

*Finally, and probably most importantly, my 87 year old parents thought I *looked very good on TV.* They liked my suit and tie selection. So, everyone was happy!*

NOTE: Make your parents proud. The kind of exposure you receive on national shows is invaluable for credibility — with your parents, competition, clients, and other national shows. And you can increase your recognition by calling up other talk shows and suggesting a different angle of the topic you just covered. Also, while you’re in studio propose another segment with a totally new angle. The time to pitch a segment is right then when everyone is happy with your appearance. Try and get a committed date on the spot.

If you think that Vegan eating is something that only strange looking people who resemble the hippies from the 1960′s do you are quite wrong. There are a lot of very well known people who just happen to be successful vegans. What is quite surprising is that many of them are not well known for being vegan, but this is just further proof that just because you eat vegan does not mean you are going to become an outcast to the world.

There are several actors who are successful vegans. They include people such as Alicia Silverstone, Joaquin Phoenix, Lindsay Wagner, Natalie Portman, and even Pamela Anderson. As you can see, there are several very well known actors who are vegans. Pamela Anderson as well as Alicia Silverstone have both been very big supporters of the cause, but many tend to forget that Pamela is so involved. However, she has gone to some extreme lengths to speak out against cruelty against animals and has even recently voices displeasure with Kentucky Fried Chicken, the latest restaurant to draw her attention.

There are a lot of singers who are well known vegans as well. Starting with Brandy, Bryan Adams, Chrissie Hynde, Rikki Rocket, Rick Rubin and also Steve Jocz from Sum 41 and the unique and always entertaining Weird Al Yankovic. A final artist that is quite well known is the Artist formerly known as Prince. This is an amazing list of some extremely talented people who are all quite thrilled to enjoy a healthy vegan lifestyle.

This is certainly not all-inclusive though; after all, there are plenty of athletes that are active vegans as well. There is Sally Eastall an Olympic marathon runner, as well as Pat Reeves whom is a champion power lifter. Additionally there is also Judith Shakeshaft a champion mountain biker as well as runner. Additionally we also have Carl Lewis an athlete who are all able to stand up proudly and proclaim that they are vegans. While you may have never considered athletes to be the type to adopt a vegan lifestyle, it is rather obvious that vegans can come from all walks of life.

From famous actors and actresses to singers and even athletes there a lot of very well known people who are providing veganism with the positive publicity that it needs to encourage a show of respect. There are course plenty of other people who are active vegans as well, but this is a great way to see exactly who else happens to be a vegan that you are proud of. With all of the attention that celebrities receive it is refreshing to see many of them using their fame to help further a healthy cause such as vegan.

There are even many different politicians that are active vegans as well. As you can see, there are plenty of people to keep you company as you look around. The numbers of people who are practicing veganism are certainly growing and you are in the company of a wonderful group of people. Trying to make your own special mark on the world might seem impossible, but this group of celebrity vegans helps to prove that everyone is capable of making a difference. Even if they only inspire a single person with their own personal choice, it is still one additional person to join the vegans around the world.

When it comes to bling, it seems it’s Madonna vs. Sandra Bullock.

More than any other celebs out there, they personify what experts say are two of the major trends in jewelry today: the Glam Goddess Look (Madonna), notable for the truly spectacular Platinum necklaces and bracelets worn to accentuate the most elegant evening gowns; and the Denim Chic Look (Bullock), a more laid-back style-think funky Platinum jewelry with skinny jeans-that’s a whole lot easier for women not making $12 million a movie to replicate.

“Jewelry is a vital part of any ensemble,” said jewelry and style expert Michael O’Connor. “Celebs love Platinum jewelry because its natural white luster enhances the brilliance of diamonds.”

Madonna and Bullock aren’t the only celebs that add luster with Platinum. “Desperate Housewives” star Eva Longoria might wear a simple black cocktail dress but add a pair of statement Platinum and diamond earrings by Peter Norman & Co. or a necklace by Fred Leighton.

A-listers who prefer jeans know to layer on the bling with stiletto drop earrings, multiple necklaces and cuff bracelets by Kwiat.

Platinum, known for being rare, hypoallergenic and lasting forever, provides more bang for the buck because its white luster doesn’t compete with colors and fabric textures. A simple set of Platinum hoops by Suna Bros. Inc. or cufflinks by Daniel K are good starters for non-celebs.

The stars are both in Hollywood and the firmament. Both types of stars, from a distance, look exotic, beautiful and perfect. The idea of a film actor being a “star” is connected to the fact that they are someone so famous that their name and image instantly connects with and attracts the public. Like the stars that are celestial bodies, they light up the darkness-the film star does so in a darkened movie theatre, while the stars above are the constant lights in the eternally black night sky.

Everyday – on television, in print media, across the Internet – we see images of perfect Hollywood bodies. Halle Berry, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and Denzel Washington are just a few of those people who have set the standard to which many of us believe we should aspire.

Of course, part of the business of being a film celebrity is creating the right look, style and image. Film is a visual medium and half of the battle for a star is looking like that perfect image that we all have of them. It’s their bread and butter and when a movie star starts to age, put on weight or lose their hair, they no longer fit the mold that they’ve created and inhabited for years. Often, their livelihood is thought to be in doubt.

But for most of us, looking like a million bucks is not a primary concern. It usually won’t affect our job status, and as our bodies change most of us don’t have millions of fans that we’re frightened of alienating. But many people dream of looking glamorous, beautiful, iridescent-as perfect as they can.

Here are five things that you can do to give yourself the star treatment without spending a celebrity’s salary.

1) Cubic Zirconia Jewelry: Remember Marilyn Monroe (talk about a star!) when she sang Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes? Well, Cubic Zirconia is a girl’s best-kept secret. Cubic Zirconia jewelry looks like an expensive, brilliant, faultless piece but carries a fraction of the cost. Tasteful and elegant, they’ll give you that star look you long for, while never giving away your thrifty secret. These manufactured stones look precious in their beautiful settings. Wear them with confidence and grace.

2) Tasteful Clothing: Trendy garb can be fun to wear and, in a way, there’s nothing wrong with it. But consider what most of the beautiful people wear. Sure, there’s always a trendsetter, but most celebs wouldn’t be caught dead in something that looks bad on them, no matter how popular the style may be. Also, you’re bound to go broke keeping up with fads. Invest in clothing that, first, compliments your frame; don’t go for the latest fashion if it doesn’t make you look good or runs counter to who you really are. The cut, line and form should conform to your frame, making you look your best. You need to define the clothes you wear as much as they define you.

3) Pamper Yourself: Treat yourself to a new set of nails, cleansing facial and therapeutic massage. You can get the full treatment for under $200. Some places offer group rates, allowing you to save money, while you share the experience with a few of your best friends. You can even make it a full-day and night experience. Indulge yourself at the spa, do some shopping and go to dinner. Individually, you’ll all look and feel fantastic, and together you can admire and praise one another.

4) Hey, knock it off! When you see those stars make their way down the red carpet wearing designer attire and accessories, you’re thinking, “Hey, if I had their money, I’d look awesome too!” Take some time to shop around. You can find clothing and accessories that look identical to Hollywood fashions but for a small percentage of the cost of the designer originals. Knock-offs are inspired by the look, style and feel of master designers but are made from less expensive materials, show fewer details and are not as carefully crafted. You can even find beautiful recreations of the star’s diamonds in Cubic Zirconia jewelry. To the naked eye, it’s tough to discern the real thing from the fake. Simply, fake it!

5) Break a leg! When someone says, “break a leg,” to an actor, they don’t mean literally. It’s a way to wish a performer good luck without saying the dread words “good luck.” (It’s bad luck to say “good luck” to an actor.) But the idea of “breaking your leg” as an actor relates to the performer being relaxed and confident. (The “broken leg” occurs when an actor bends his leg at the knee, making the break and revealing himself to be calm and self-assured.) The thought being that you can’t act without being sure of yourself. One of the things that makes a Hollywood celebrity a star is the confidence they exude. They look good because they are poised and secure in everything they do. So break a leg in real life. Carry yourself with energy, focus and assurance. If you look good and radiate positive energy, you’ll feel good and make others feel the same way.

The bottom line for those aspiring to celestial heights is that they want to make themselves feel special, like those elite on the big screen, in the magazines and on television. One thing to keep in mind-all of those “stars” have many private moments when they look nothing like that perfect image they portray to the public. The only place people always look perfect is in the movies.

Back to ancient times bewitching jewelry has been used by both men and women to adorn their body. From gemstones to crystals talismans and amulets adorned the body. And thanks to the celebrities who have taken up this trend once again. Metaphysical estate jewelry amulets and talismans are once again gaining popularity. No let me rephrase that they are “hot!”

From celebrities like Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, and Angelina Jolie, these celebrity sedu hair styles have become more popular than ever. Proving to be this summer’s big fashion trend these sedu hairstyles are the must have for ever fashion conscious person.

You’ve seen then on the catwalks, you probably even seen pictures of sedu hairstyles in magazines but how do you get to have these fantastic looks?

Celebrity sedu hair styles are something that all fashion conscious women are looking to create and the good news is that now you can. With the introduction of the new sedu hair straightening iron you too can create celebrity sedu hairstyles and without the need for a highly trained hair stylist.

It really is simple and easy to do and once you have your sedu hair straightener you are well on your way. Paris Hilton sedu hairstyles, Britney Spears sedu hairstyles can all be yours in just a few simple steps. If you’re fashion conscious and want to look like the stars then you will need to know how the stars are getting their fabulous sedu hairstyles.

The most popular celebrity sedu hair styles to date have been Jennifer Aniston sedu hair styles and Jennifer Lopez sedu hairstyles but now nearly all the celebrities are following in their footsteps and sporting sedu hairstyles. If you want to join the celebrities and create your very own sedu hairstyles then you will need to purchase a sedu hair straightener. With this revolutionary new straightening iron you will be able to create celebrity sedu hair styles of your very own and from the comfort of your own home. From the popular flick sedu hairstyles to the chic and messy sedu hairstyles you will be able to recreate them all in your own hair.

Join ranks with the celebrities now and start creating your own sedu hairstyles with the sedu hair straightening iron. Who knows you could be the next celebrity.

Located west of Los Angeles on the coast of southern California, the name Malibu brings to mind beaches, bikinis, and beer – and a few movie stars! Boasting an astounding 21 miles of coastline along the Pacific Ocean, it’s one of the most popular beachside towns in America. One of the geographic highlights of this area is that most of the Malibu beaches facing south – offering a touch of paradise for those who love the sun!

Despite it’s reputation for being a star-magnet, Malibu tends to be a secluded town – many celebrities make their home, or weekend retreat, in Malibu, and the privacy of those stars is well protected with gated areas that only the lucky few with personal invitations can get through – as long as you walk below the high tide line however, you can walk the beaches in front of many of the homes belonging to the rich and famous! Some of the beaches are private however, including some nudist beaches, but these beaches are in secluded locations. If you want to check out the Hollywood scene and perhaps rub shoulders with the rich and famous in an informal setting, you’ll find that Malibu is a great the place to go – you never know who you might bump into on the beach!

Although Malibu isn’t a place to find attractions and theme parks, it is a place where you can enjoy some of the finest coastal views that the world offers, and the area is not without a few highlights – including the Malibu Pier which was damaged by storm, but has now been restored, and the Sierra Retreat with it’s beautiful gardens.

Because of the strict parking laws enforced in Malibu, it may be worth paying a little extra for an accommodation nearer the beach if you’re just there for the sun and surf and leave the car hire for tourists who aren’t so well-informed!

With stunning ocean views, and endless sun-filled golden beaches, Malibu is the ultimate beach vacation – and the possibility of bronzing up next to a celebrity just add to the fun of a relaxing vacation.

Watch any of the major movie, television, and music award shows on television today and one of the first things you’ll notice about the celebrities on the red carpet, aside from their extravagant (and sometimes outlandish) attire, are the amount and size of the jewelry they are wearing. Hip-hop jewelry, more commonly known as bling-bling, is definitely not understated fashion. The bigger and the flashier it is, the better. Preferred by many of today’s celebrities, hip-hop jewelry adorns the fingers, necks, arms, even the teeth of many stars.

Oversized studs and chains are the trademarks of hip-hop jewelry and are preferred by celebrities such as Sean Combs, or P. Diddy. At the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards, he sported a diamond ring, bracelet, and watch from Jacob and Company. Rapper 50 Cent is another celebrity who is hardly ever seen without his hip-hop jewelry. On his web site, 50 Cent offers more affordable, though just as flashy, bling-bling for those of us who do not earn the megabucks that he and his fellow celebrities rake in. There are also many other web sites that offer low-priced hip-hop jewelry inspired by popular rap artists.

Hip-hop jewelry comes in many shapes and sizes, all of them meant to catch the eye and attract attention. Heavy chains of silver or gold (or both) can oftentimes be seen on celebrities such as LL Cool J and Ja Rule in their music videos. Hip-hop jewelry web sites offer fully‘spinner’ watches and rings are big best sellers in the hip-hop jewelry category. Also available are customized, removable gold, silver and platinum teeth which may be studded with jewels and gemstones, so even the pearly whites can have their share of hip-hop jewelry.

Women celebrities are keeping pace with their male counterparts when it comes to wearing hip-hop jewelry. Stars such as Beyonce, Lil’ Kim, Ashanti and Missy Elliott are regularly seen in pictures wearing large diamond jewelry items of various colors. Even young female celebrities are getting on the bling-bling bandwagon. Teen stars like Jo Jo and Hilary Duff are said to be avid hip-hop jewelry enthusiasts and count themselves among the large number of bejeweled stars today.

Large, ostentatious pieces of jewelry did not start becoming popular only because of the hip-hop cultural phenomenon (think Elvis Presley and Tom Jones), but hip-hop has altered the jewelry market in a big way. Fans see what their favorite celebrities are wearing, and there are numerous options for them to emulate their idols – at least in terms of fashion. Jewelry has always been a part of popular culture, and today’s hip-hop jewelry and the celebrities who wear them are even more so in this age of instant information.

In March of 2006, Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate was raised to the level of Washington’s Mount Vernon and Jefferson’s Monticello. It officially became a National Historic Monument.

Of course, long before the Secretary of the Interior made this public announcement, Presley fans worldwide had made his home a popular tourist destination; Graceland already attracted more than 600,000 people every year. The designation of his home as a national landmark celebrates his widely-known contributions to American culture and music history.

Elvis Presley is among the most influential figures in 20th century music and pop culture. He was most famous as a musician and was indicted into three halls of fame: the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the GMA Gospel Hall of Fame. No other artist has been honored by all three establishments. Presley also triumphed on television and starred in 33 movies.

Shortly after his rise to stardom, Elvis felt a need for privacy. In 1957 he moved out of working-class East Memphis and purchased the 14-acre Graceland estate. The price tag: $103,000 – easily purchased with proceeds from his first hit record, “Heartbreak Hotel”. Graceland would be Elvis’s primary residence for the next 20 years. His parents lived there too, as did his wife-to-be Priscilla Beaulieu and eventually their daughter, Lisa Marie. Elvis Presley died in an upstairs Graceland bathroom in 1977.

The Graceland estate is located south of downtown Memphis and is just a few miles north of the Mississippi border. The grounds were named after Grace Toot, the daughter of the home’s original owner. Grace inherited the property while it was still farmland. She gifted the land to a niece, Ruth Moore, who had the mansion built.

The colonial-style mansion is constructed of tan limestone with white columns. Two stone lions seem to guard the front entrance. Elvis Presley expanded the living space from about 10,000 square feet to 17,000 square feet. He is known for his extravagance and a unique sense of design; some call it kitschy. The home reflected Elvis well; he became so comfortable there that when he traveled, his hotel rooms were pre-decorated with furniture sent from Graceland.

Elvis’s indoor and outdoor estate expansions were considerable. For privacy, he constructed a fieldstone wall around the grounds. (Today it is full of visitors’ graffiti.) He added a wrought-iron privacy gate to the outside drive; it’s decorated with iron musical notes. He installed a swimming pool with adjacent jukebox in his parents’ bedroom, and the famous Jungle Room has a waterfall. Elvis also kept several televisions in the basement and was known to watch three simultaneously.

Today, audio tours begin at the lion-flanked portico. Visitors then see Elvis’s living room and the adjacent music room. The tour moves to the kitchen and dining room, and then downstairs to the basement to see side-by-side TVs, a bar, and a billiards table. The tour continues upstairs in the Jungle Room. Elvis memorabilia are displayed throughout, with his sequined jumpsuits being especially prominent. Outdoors, people can see his trophy collection, horse stables, and a shooting range. A separate building displays his car collection and two small airplanes. Public tours show much of the mansion but avoid the top floor where Elvis passed away.

Elvis died at Graceland in 1977. Medical reports vary; he apparently had a drug-induced heart attack. He was buried at a public cemetery but people attempted to rob his grave. Presley’s remains were moved to his mansion’s Meditation Gardens, where the performer joined his deceased parents and grandmother. The August 16th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death is a particularly popular time for Graceland visits. Despite a downpour of rain through Memphis, the twenty-fifth anniversary of his death drew a procession of 40,000 people.

After Elvis’s death, Priscilla Presley managed the property and greatly increased its value by promoting tourism. Graceland opened to the public in 1982. The Presleys’ daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, inherited the estate when she turned 30 years old. She kept the mansion but sold 85% of the grounds to a private management company in 2005. The new owner, CKX, Inc., plans to make Graceland a theme park on par with Disneyland.