The 'lifestyle guru' Russell Brand is now under police investigation and (in desperation?) has taken to hawking magic amulets. Still, it has to be better than his announcement that he had become a Christian. As the Greek satirist Lucian pointed out, such a move did little good for one such would-be 'celeb' (Latin celeber, 'busy, crowded'), Peregrinus.
He was born c. ad 95 and, suspected of killing his father, went into exile. In Palestine he linked up with a group of Christians and soon became a figure of some authority, a prophet and church-leader widely admired for his understanding (and invention) of scriptures. Lucian, commenting on how easily people are fooled, claims that he became revered as a god 'next to that man who was crucified in Palestine and started it all'. He was thrown into prison. This made him even more popular. 'Followers' poured in from all over to load him with money, defend him and get him released.