In previous columns, I’ve focused on subjects that at one point in time would seem laughable or absurd, yet now make up what society understands as reality. From flat screens to social networks, we are living out the dreams of science fiction writers of the past. But, today I bring to you a rant on a different kind of evil amongst us. This one, so incredibly insidious that it threatens to shake the very foundations of the entertainment industry and re-shape our perceptions of fame: the “Pseudo-Celebrity.”
A “pseudo-celebrity” differs from a normal celebrity in the sense that they really didn’t do anything to deserve the fame in which we grant them. Even the phrase, “famous for being famous” falls short of providing an adequate description of pseudo-celebs. Some are simply “talentless talkers” while others are products of our own creation. We are all becoming a self-made hybrid of consumers and producers.
This phenomenon began in the mid- to late- ‘90s when shows like “Survivor” and “The Real World” first started garnering the attention of the public and gaining the adoration of the press. At first, we thought we were just watching the average Joe get his 15 minutes. Little did we know that slowly, we were creating a monster that I fear will never be stopped. This past summer, while watching what I thought was Nicholas Cage giving his career another toss out the door in “Kick-Ass,” there was a certain piece of the otherwise stifling dialogue that stuck with me. The protagonist, Dave Livewski, says something to the effect that children went from wanting to grow up to be the next Superman or Batman to aspiring to be Paris Hilton. No little kid wants special powers anymore. Hell, they don’t even really play outside these days. Our youth would much prefer the overnight fame and success story to actually being known for doing something noteworthy.
After two seasons, the cast of “Jersey Shore” have shown that, while they may be in their mid 20s, it is still beyond their scope of capabilities to work in a T-shirt shop and an ice cream parlor. The group of guidos and guidettes can’t really do anything besides party, have sex and work out, yet they’re gaining wealth and notoriety at a quickening pace. Is this really what we call entertainment?
While, blogger Perez Hilton did attend NYU and was almost ahead of the whole online media craze, does he really offer that much to the entertainment industry that he should have as much credibility as he does? This Hollywood outsider and failed actor, who falls into the “talentless talker” category, struck fame from sitting in front of a webcam and broadcasting his apparent jealousy and envy of the "in-crowd" over the Internet.
Maybe this is all just a sign of the times. The Octomom proved that there are women out there willing to give birth to eight children for just a few minutes of fame. This is clearly an indicator that we are a major part of this problem.
Even musicians these days don’t have to be musically inclined.
Bands like 3OH!3 or Asher Roth have had major success and crossed over into the mainstream with little to no actual talent. The standard of music that record companies are willing to put their name and stamp of approval on has decreased severely since our parents’ generation. Has "American Idol" desensitized us to real, true and raw talent so much that we forgot what it is completely?
If I have offended any aspiring “Snookis” out there, I’m not sorry. This is a problem that must be stopped. By allowing these people to continue to run amuck on our television screens and our computers, we are severing grandeur from fame and equating celebrities to commoners.
Send fan mail to bkarris@asu.edu.
