Who Even Knows What Famous Means These Days? They Do.

Is Brittany Tomlinson a celebrity?

Tomlinson, better known as Brittany Broski, commanded national headlines (including one in The New York Times) for tasting some kombucha in a TikTok video, then parlayed that 2019 viral moment into a Super Bowl ad, two popular podcasts, red carpet interviewing gigs and, now, the launch of a music career with a cover of the Harry Styles song "Adore You."

But Tomlinson, or Broski, is not a household name — or if she is, it's only in the rooms where people use TikTok. As micro news cycles and inf luencers edge their way into mainstream media spectacles, the line between 15 minutes and bankable celebrity is a fuzzy one. Figuring out who is famous in earnest can be a full-time job.

It is one for Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber. In their podcast "Who? Weekly," the two pop culture journalists parse the celebrity gossip ecosystem to categorize people into two categories: "who" for sweatily grasping would-be stars and "them" for bona fide celebrity names.

"Now, it's easier to become a 'who,'" Weber said. "Everyone has at least a thousand hard-core fans. You don't even have to be that famous to have a dedicated audience."

The podcast, which started in 2016, is a roundup of developments for notable "whos" — and for teasing out who is a "who ." Recent episodes have weighed the celebrity of the actor Jason Isaacs, who entered the zeitgeist for his awkward commentary on his nudity in "The White Lotus," and that of the former "America's Next Top Model" contestant Yaya DaCosta, who addressed modern viewers' criticism of that reality show. Both are interesting, but nowhere near front-page news.

Weber and Finger say it's only recently that influencers and meme subjects have reach approaching that of actors and musicians.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

Want all of The Times? Subscribe.