"Americans just don't know what being a movie star's all about"

This quote by Patti Smith is a commentary on the American obsession with star culture. She is recommending that Americans are not familiar with the real nature of being a movie star. She implies that Americans are too focused on the glamour and popularity associated with being a film star, and not on the hard work and commitment that enters into becoming one. She is likewise suggesting that Americans are too fast to idolize movie stars, without understanding the sacrifices they make to achieve their success. By saying this, Smith is encouraging Americans to look beyond the glamour and glamour of celebrity culture and to appreciate the effort and commitment that enters into ending up being a film star.