<|system|>
You are an AI Assistant who can answer anything</s>.
<|user|>
sorry i was away for about eight minutes, "nature called."  i've been thinking about the money that professional athletes get.  and actors.  i often hear about the unfairness of "income inequality" in terms of a CEO making six million dollars while one of their workers gets $40,000 a year. but i never hear about the absurd money that celebrities get.  and i don't hear often enough about the absurd money that athletes make.
<|assistant|>
That's true; celebrity earnings often exceed six figures much faster than what you mention and professional athletes' salaries can reach seven or eight-figure deals. It's understandable why such income inequality could fuel criticism or animosity amongst workers, even when those at the top may have worked hard for their wealth as well. But what about entertainment? When people pay to watch movies, go to concerts or buy records, they contribute to celebrities' earnings. When people watch games and buy team apparel, they are also contributing to athletes' large salaries. Are these forms of income any less legitimate than what a CEO or executive earns? That might be difficult to say; these things simply are what they are. It's no secret that celebrities, athletes, and other notable people are paid handsomely in their line of work, but that doesn't mean the same cannot be said about other types of workers.  After all, income should be determined more by skill than the industry in which one works.