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I am certainly happy for Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his new girlfriend, who apparently is some sort of singer, I believe.

They seem happy, and being in a relationship with a professional football player is bound to boost her career. What’s her name? Baylor? Waylon? Something like that.

Now, before the Swifties in the crowd fire up their torches and begin marching on my house, let me say that, of course I know who Taylor Swift is. And I know she is the hottest thing on the planet right now short of Chili Pepper X, recently dubbed the hottest pepper on earth by the Guinness Book of World Records. The new pepper, which beat out the Carolina Reaper, rates an average of 2.69 million Scoville Heat Units, according to tests performed by Winthrop University in South Carolina. We can only hope no unsuspecting fraternity pledges were harmed in the course of testing.

Yes, I of course know Taylor is stupendously famous, and I also know her every move is chronicled by mainstream media, entertainment reporters and sports journalists alike. If she’s not feeling her best she can’t even “Shake It Off,” without everybody in the known universe knowing about it. Do you see what I did there? No? Ask your kids.

We the perpetually non-famous have always loved renowned people, always have, always will. I’m sure a caveman with a killer profile was the envy of all the troglodyte groupies way, way back when.

Over the centuries we have fawned over the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, William Shakespeare, Sir Isaac Newton, George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte and Albert Einstein.

Around the turn of the 20th Century the public’s focus shifted from leaders, scientists and playwrights to actors, singers and entertainers. It is said Sarah Bernhardt was the first modern celebrity. Upon her death in 1923 mourners lined the streets of Paris to pay their respects as the coach containing her coffin passed by.

The Roaring 20s brought us Clara Bow, Rudolph Valentino, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Charlie Chaplin, not to mention Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey and Charles Lindbergh.

Through the 1930s and 1940s we followed the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Henry Fonda, Jean Harlow, Cary Grant, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.

Then along came Frank Sinatra, a skinny kid from Hoboken, N.J., whose blue eyes had all the girls literally swooning at his feet. He was followed by Elvis, then by the Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

And on it goes. The fan magazines of the last century have given way to Instagram and TikTok, but we remain fascinated by the famous, whether they be great or not-so-great.

Then there was the ultimate power couple, JFK and Jackie, who showed us a hint of Camelot until the president, and the dream, died nearly 60 years ago.

Don’t get me wrong. We all have our favorite celebrities. But perhaps some of our ardor should be saved for people who are doing great things every day, albeit in relative anonymity.

How about teachers, who are doing their darndest to impart to our kids something worth learning, something that doesn’t require uploading, likes or views.

Or farmers, who have to battle not only the elements, but the vagaries of the market and the capriciousness of government regulations to put food on our tables.

How about our police and firefighters, who would and do put their lives on the line for us? And our military veterans, whom we honor this week. They served, often under some awful conditions, to keep us free.

What about the city employees who pick up our trash every week? Do you want to do it? Me neither.

Then there are those who volunteer at local food banks, working to put sustenance on the tables of those who are struggling. Or those at Our Daily Bread, who fill the immediate needs of the hungry five days a week. Those who volunteer with Enid Mobile Meals help satisfy two needs, food and a bit of companionship.

Volunteers at Hospice Circle of Love visit those who are in their last days and weeks of life, helping give a lift to patients and easing a burden on patients’ families. I volunteer at HCOL, but I strictly help with fundraisers. I haven’t got the guts to do what these blessed people do.

The point is if you want to admire someone, to aspire to be like them, to follow their exploits, to marvel at their accomplishments, perhaps it is time to get off TikTok and Instagram, turn off Hulu, sign off Spotify and look a little closer to home.

There are celebrities all around you, they just aren’t the famous kind.

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