What defines "Celebrity" status these days, anyway?

The further you look back into history, the more a person would have to accomplish to have been considered a celebrity of sorts. Conquer a kingdom, fell and empire, repell an invasion, die for faith, feed a nation or save humanity and you'd be sure to make a name for yourself and achieve celebrity status, if not hero or saint.

My idea of celebrities who have earned their stature would include a list of names more like Jesus/Yeshua, Mother Theresa, Dalai Lama, Ghandi, Joan of Arc, Louis Pasteur, Leonardo DaVinci, Benjamin Franklin, Nicolai Tesla and many others who have in some way contributed to humanity, the world or the quality of life in some small part or overall. 

Even to a lesser extent, many actors and actresses contribute to not only entertainment as well as assorted charities, but to improving the human condition by causing people to think and question, to experience how people might feel when living in other conditions or while overcoming hardships.

Worthy celebrities have likely donated money toward feeding hunger, given grants to public schools and hospitals, fought to defend their country, family or way of life. Worthy celebrities might have spoken out against injustice or corrupt politics, stood beside their unknown neighbors in hard times, volunteered for youth groups, art programs and mentoring programs. In short, a truly deserving celebrity has done something to help or shine a positive light on topics important to bettering life, the world and humanity, things like health, education, employment, security or preventing hunger and homeless.

My question today is: "Who the %#@$ are the Kardashians?"
It's not a literal question, I am aware of their presence on every tabloid, their occassional mention in entertainment news shows and the like, but rather a question of what good have they done for humanity, entertainment, charity or the world? What accomplishment earns them celebrity status? I do not presume that there isn't a reason for their fame or infamy, I am simply saying that if there is a reason to consider them to be celebrities, then I am not aware of it. Do they have some remarkable talent that I've never witnessed or have they fed a starving nation somewhere? Maybe they secretly found a cure for cancer, HIV or HPV.

Don't even get me started on "Snookie".