Thanks for your input Russell; however, I'm sticking with the text book definition of hero, which most certainly discounts those you've mentioned.

Those people may be your idol, but their purpose for doing what they did was to gain fame and nothing they did was a selfless act. I might also add that many "stars" (although I'm sure they have a sensitive spot) do things for charities, etc. as a tax deduction and for even more publicity.

You (that's collective) may call them "heros" but as I sad previously, they are not heros in the true sense of the word.