Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Who wants to be famous?
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About Me
- Nick
- I am a Professor of Communication and Director of the MA in Emerging Media program at Loyola University Maryland with a keen interest in popular culture and advertising. I am the author of the book, Advertising in Everyday Life. My current research interests center around masculine gender identity; specifically, the ways in which men are depicted in television commercials as wolves, cavemen and sometimes caught with their pants down.
13 comments:
Fantasies of stardom will never fade. What’s interesting to look at is the road to stardom, which seems to be a lot clearer and closer than it was years ago. For example, let’s take a look at Justin Bieber. This 15-year-old artist made his debut by posting homemade videos on YouTube. If you have the internet, you have YouTube. We’re all pretty well-versed in the website by now.
Bieber posed videos of himself singing on songs by artists like Usher, Ne-Yo, and Stevie Wonder. The result: over 10,000,000 views! Although he initially posted these videos for his family and friends to view, others quickly picked up on his talent. His manager spotted him on YouTube, immediately contacted his family and signed him. I think this goes to show just how easy it is to become famous. We post videos of ourselves doing the most random things on YouTube. It’s just a matter of them falling into the right hands.
This easy road to stardom, however, sometimes blurs when we see artists like “Nichole337” post videos on YouTube. Personally, I have nothing against her rather off-tune and shrill music videos. They make me laugh, although I’m not positive if they are meant to be funny. Comments on her video posts range from “stop please” and “oh dear” to “awesome job” and “you are the best.” I just wonder how far her videos will take her—if anywhere at all.
What do we really make of this? Although talent is beneficial to fulfill fantasies of stardom, it may not be the only factor. Get your webcams ready!
I feel that some people never lose that drive to be famous, no matter what, but that most people change out that goal for a more humble realistic one, such as being a good mother/father or having a successful career. There are so many variations of "famous" nowadays that one could become famous by doing any number of things from creating a popular blog or webseries to being discovered by a talent agent on the streets. I am not surprised, though, that most teens would not attribute talent to fame, because of all of the celebrities that are famous just because of their last name or because of some reality TV scandal they are involved in. But is that really the kind of fame that people long for? I have a feeling that most teens would prefer to be known for doing something people admire rather than something people gossip about.
I hypothesize that those who change their goal to something more realistic may often be those who have more opportunities, and those who cling to their dream of fame could be those who feel they have no realistic goal they can attain that could satisfy them as much - no ability to pay for schooling, or trouble finding a rewarding job or relationship, for example.
I cannot honestly say that I really ever wanted to be famous when I grew up. Being wealthy would be nice, but fame does not really entice me. Though I may be one of the few to think this, I find that having a skewed perception of fame is what intrigues these 16 year olds. They see young Hollywood starlets driving around in Bently's on MTV Teen Cribs. The illusion of having it all because you stared in a movie, or sung a new tune that lasted on the radio for two weeks increases as society indulges in all of what the media puts in front of us.
Fame and fortune to anyone may seem like a dream, and though anyone can really be a one hit wonder, we see how fame has ruined the lives of celebrities each and every day. Who is on the latest cover on People Magazine, or the latest post on Perez Hilton are conversation topics that I personally find myself involved in. It's embarrassing to admit that I am a normal Hollywood junkie follower, but it doesn't mean that I find it necessary to be one of them..
The American culture has always had been fascinated with celebrity. In the past decade that fascination has become an obsession. Today we have sites like Perez Hilton that chronicles the every move of the celebrities we love. Reality TV does not help this because you can instantly become famous for not doing anything and then all of a sudden have a record deal. This also cheapens what it means to be a celebrity because you do not necessarily have to have talent. Reality stars like Heidi Montag and Kim Zolciak (Real Housewives of Atlanta) have recorded songs just because they are famous and have money. Would these people be famous or have recorded deals if they were not on reality tv shows? Probably not. Many celebrities are trying to be a triple threat instead of perfecting one trait. There are so many celebrities that are singers, dancers, actors, clothing line designers and CEOs.
It is not wrong with wanting to have the “good life”, but one thing the younger generation is missing is the fact that they have to work for it. When I was little I think I wanted to be a lawyer, but as you get older and you see the fame and celebrity you cannot help but kind of want it. For me I want to be more successful than famous. With everything there is also a downside to celebrity that people fail to realize. Many stars have gone through depression, drug addiction, encountered stalkers for the price of fame. I have always said that becoming famous is like selling your soul to the devil. Especially now you will never be able to do something without the paparazzi being there or people creating rumors. It is sad because there are people in the world with talent, but do not ever get the chance for stardom. Celebrity and Fame used to mean something, now it just means who is the most entertaining for the American public whether we love or hate them.
I think a thought that typically crosses through every teenagers mind is the fantasy of fame and fortune. It is interesting however, that so many teens/young adults, and even much older adults are finding their fifteen minutes of fame in reality shows.
Teens fall in love with the idea of what they see on the surface, they do not factor in the internal effects that come with fame. Such effects include slander, constant scrutiny, flawless image to maintain etc. I am guilty of having such thoughts as a teen, of course it would be wonderful to be a renowned actress in today's society; however I feel once a teen actually starts maturing, the desire quickly fades. The tradeoffs (if a person is even lucky enough to catch a break) of such a lifestyle almost seem to outweigh the benefits.
The interesting point made in this blog to consider is the idea that not talent but luck is what makes a person famous these days. Reality shows generate impressive viewership, people are more inclined to be the contestant on American Idol than a talented musician in a well-known band. I think this fantasy of fame will only increase within the next few years.
A Teenager’s desire to be a star does not surprise me. I think as children and young adults, we are told to reach for the stars and that anything is attainable. For this reason, I am not surprised that people want to stars—famous in movies, television, and music—it would seem to be a dream come true, equipped with money and luxurious living.
However, what does surprise me is the diminishing value and concern for how one becomes a star, or perhaps not a star at all but rather—famous. Currently, we live in a society that has increasingly found itself dependent upon and expecting of instant results, instant access—quick and easy success. I think this shift in understanding for what it means to be truly successful and for the diminishing realization that anything worth having is worth working for and investing one’s time in, has led our youth to deem fame equivalent with stardom. With shows like the Jersey Shore, it becomes apparent that some people have no concern for how they become famous or portray themselves, as along as they are looked at and spoken about.
Personally I cannot relate to this. I prize privacy above almost all else. I must, however, admit that I am guilty of feeding into the popularity of gossip magazines and Web Sites. I have an interest in what these famous people are doing, mostly because their actions are so obscene they provide entertainment. I also find myself feeing sorry for them and for the fact that they will do anything, including degrading their character, to be spoken about. Take the Gosselin family for example; these parents sought fame and endorsements—loosing sight of what should have been their priority, which is a healthy family life. In the end, they were famous, a broken home, and divorced parents of eight, but famous nonetheless.
At some point in most people's lives I would think being famous has crossed their mind. As a teenager I definitely thought about it. It seems so much easier than going to school and having to work so hard for everything. I was actually more interested in the perks that come along with being famous such as the nice clothes, cars, and having money rather than people knowing who I am.
These days with everyday people becoming stars through shows such as Real Housewives, Jersey Shore, or through YouTube (Bieber) it makes becoming famous seem even easier. Everyone wants a video on YouTube and hopes that someone will notice it and they will be given the next big break into stardom.
However, as I got older I realize that being famous is definitely not as great as it seems to be. I would love to be successful and live a comfortable life, but not at the expense of my privacy.
First of all I think that those people who spend their entire lives trying to be famous (well into their 20s and even 30s) have some strange insatiable want and need to be loved. Especially when aspiring to be a reality tv star. To me that is just low. Getting famous from a lucky interview, raunchy video audition tape and the scrappiness to brawl in the middle of the street. Now don't get me wrong, its not as bad as getting famous from making a sextape, that is by far the lowest of the low. Its a shame that there are actually people out there that have such a crazy obsession with being famous that they will do anything, say anything to anyone, and sleep with anyone.
Just the fact that people actually want to be like these people who have absolutely no talent and barely there morals. I can predict almost exactly how it is going to end up for todays reality stars. First they are at their peek, on cloud 9, then they start to get older and they become washups with a bunch of money. As they get older the younger generations will laugh and ask how much plastic surgery u have had, or did you hear "so and so" went to rehab?
I hope that people would come to their senses and realize that being a celebrity is not all fun and games. They have a completely scheduled life, cameras are constantly on them, lies and rumors spread like wild fire and you can hardly do and say the things that you want to anymore because so many people are watching you. Look at Britney Spears. She is perfect example. That poor girl went crazy because she was so controlled. I don't know about you but I like my freedom thank you.
I also completely agree with Anika in that it is a better dream to become successful and not so much famous. I can imagine that the spotlight can get pretty hot.
In conclusion, i just hope that these kids who are dreaming to be famous understand ALL of the factors that come along with being famous and not just all the glitz and glamour. As they always say, "be careful what you wish for." It's that the truth.
I find it hard to imagine a time when 16-year-olds will stop dreaming of being famous, especially when fame is so much more accessible than it has ever been before. In past generations, becoming "famous" took a lot of hard work, which often included tasks like obtaining an agent or recording contract, moving to Hollywood (for actors) or New York City, L.A., or Nashville (for musicians), and going on auditions to be cast in shows, films and plays or to be granted a spot in a concert lineup. I wouldn't disagree that many 16-year-olds then also had dreams of fame and fortune, but with limited means and the inability to start their journey toward stardom at a young age without parental consent, most gave up their fantasies for their reality. By the age of legal freedom, the vast majority of fame-seekers accepted their responsibilities, logically recognized the small probability of succeeding in show business, and they cast those dreams aside.
In our generation, however, it is so much simpler to gain fame or notoriety simply by posting YouTube videos, creating a MySpace Music profile with clips of your songs, and auditioning for reality shows like America's Next Top Model. Most of the above don't have an age restriction, don't require any real talent, and are a quick and easy way to spread your name and face out amongst the mass media. Though most of these people will lose their fame as quick as they gain it—giving them less of a chance to be a real star with longevity in their career—these are often the "celebrities" we often look up to today because they’re phenomenal at attracting media coverage and are not performing for the sheer love of the art.
After reading the many comments above I would have to agree that there will always be a vast number of young people who desire to be famous due to the heavy value we place as a culture on material possesions and attractiveness. Of course it sounds appealing to be rich and beautiful. Now when we are in an age of technology that allows many people to become star overnight (via Youtube, reality tv or otherwise) this phenomenon is fostering the idea that being a celebrity is a quick and painless process with high reward.
So why do many adults laugh at the prospect of becoming a celebrity in the future (actors and models aside?) It is because as we get older we see both sides of the celebrity equation, with fame comes fortune but also lack of privacy and heavy responsibility and pressure from the public. Celebrities are forced to go to more and more extreme measures to remain famous. Pink no longer has to belt her heart out on stage but now perform acrobatic feats while soaring above the crowd. Paparazzi physically follow celebrities around everywhere while the public follows their personal lives with a microscope every minute. I would never want to be a celebrity in the hollywood sense, yes it would be amazing to be widely known and acclaimed in my career field, but as many of us know nationwide fame and fortune come at a heavy cost.
The truth is as a kid i always wanted to become rich and famous, but my problem was I lacked the acting or musical talent required. There were many of nights where I made my parents sit down to enjoy my singing acting and (horrible) dancing as if i were performing to a real audience. This was something that all kids can relate to, however I agree that generations today have more possibilities for stardom. I could never have imagined what life would have been like growing up in todays society that is consumed with technology. The glitz and glam of hollywood attracts kids because of the ability to be world famous and the benefits that come from it.
No child wishes for the long work hours, the constant media scrutiny or the time spent away from family members and loved ones. They are attracted to the life of luxuries, not necessarily the worked and troubles that are almost guaranteed to follow. I think that in todays society there are so many possible ways for people to achieve some form of fame, but it is no longer based on talent and skills.
I think that kids would be less attracted to the glitz of Hollywood if they truly understand the lives the stars actually lead. I think it was one of the main points of growing up was realizing there was more the life then to be famous.
The truth is as a kid i always wanted to become rich and famous, but my problem was I lacked the acting or musical talent required. There were many of nights where I made my parents sit down to enjoy my singing acting and (horrible) dancing as if i were performing to a real audience. This was something that all kids can relate to, however I agree that generations today have more possibilities for stardom. I could never have imagined what life would have been like growing up in todays society that is consumed with technology. The glitz and glam of hollywood attracts kids because of the ability to be world famous and the benefits that come from it.
No child wishes for the long work hours, the constant media scrutiny or the time spent away from family members and loved ones. They are attracted to the life of luxuries, not necessarily the worked and troubles that are almost guaranteed to follow. I think that in todays society there are so many possible ways for people to achieve some form of fame, but it is no longer based on talent and skills.
I think that kids would be less attracted to the glitz of Hollywood if they truly understand the lives the stars actually lead. I think it was one of the main points of growing up was realizing there was more the life then to be famous.
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