My distain for celebrities is well documented on this forum. It stems from my years cooking for them in LA/Hollywood. I had the opportunity to cook for some very nice/humble people but for the most part I was another one of their "servants". I learned real quick that they thrive on the attention and being fawned over. I can't stand that. They also felt that, as you put it, their opinions matter to us all. That has just gotten worse the past few years.
On to athletes and my distain for them. I use to be a HUGE sports fan. I moved to LA in 1983. In the middle of the Laker/Celtic rivalry. It was an amazing time to be here and watch the Lakers play! Magic, Kareem, Byron, Worthy. A TEAM. Larry, McHale, Ainge. A TEAM. Then Kobe showed up. People worship him. Me? What a whiney B word! Cried foul every time he was touched. I saw that attitude become pervasive in the NBA. The feud between him and Shaq sealed the deal. Bye bye NBA. No worries I've still got the NFL and MLB. Then one day after 17 years of Buffalo Bills disappointments and Monday morning depression I said ***** it. No need to follow a bunch of overpaid grown whiney men playing a game. Sundays the past 5 or so years have been awesome. Following a football team, though fun, is also very stressful. You GOTTA win every Sunday. Baseball? Not so much. We got our asses kicked? Who cares. We play again tomorrow. Baseball was the last, and most difficult sport, for me to move on from.