Unemployed superstar given a hearing (4)
I believe the answer is:
idle
'unemployed' is the definition.
('idle' is associated in meaning with 'unemployed')
'superstar given a hearing' is the wordplay.
'superstar' becomes 'idol' (I've seen this before).
'given a hearing' indicates a 'sounds like' (homophone) clue.
'idol' is a homophone of 'IDLE'.
(Other definitions for idle that I've seen before include "no longer employed?" , "Trivial" , "goalless" , "Explosive stuff" , "Turn over" .)