The Celebrity
Eddie Candor- the first 'Modern Star_
In confessional culture we use media to publicize our lives as well as that of others. It is important to look at the roots of how we became so interested in the personal lives of others as a society and how the media both created and perpetuated this interest. An important aspect pf this idea lies in the appearance of the "celebrity" in our culture. The communication revolution of the 19th century gave rise to the "celebrity culture" and people take interest in the lives and details of actors and entertainers. Entertainers were once mythical characters completely separate from reality and the realm of the audience, however with the creation of celebrity culture, actors and entertainers took on a role beyond the stage as well as off-stage characters in the media.
Confessional culture and voyeurism are intrinsically connected to the idea of the "celebrity". As we examine the social cultivation of the modern "celebrity" in the 19th and 20th centuries, we can see the early appearance of confessional tendencies in the media.
The Creation of the Celebrity and Celebrity Culture
“Celebrity is as characteristic of our culture and our century as was the divinity of the Greek gods in the sixth century B.C”- Daniel Boorstin
Historically as a society we have looked to public figures as means of self-definition. Americans of the Revolutionary Republic idolized military heroes, statesmen and romantic fictional protagonists who embodied idealized values of self reliance, public selflessness and virtue. However, by the mid 20th century, the cultural pedestal belonged no longer to war heroes and politicians but to movie stars and baseball players. In the middle of the 20th century there is a changing face of fame, particularly the metamorphosis from traditional “larger than life” heroes, to cultural icons to “celebrity personalities" 2 .As Boorstin states ' the hero creates himself, while the celebrity is created by the media." 3 These ideas are echoed today in the age of internet and Realty TV made stars. The transformation from the hero to the celebrity was catapulted by the communication revolution of the time and mass-production of media.The rise of this celebrity based culture was made possible by America’s shift from a producing to a consuming based society. In a consumer based society, focus shifted from character towards personality, and self realization rather than selfless public virtue. In a culture preoccupied with personality, celebrity became a measure of success2. Instead of admiration for accomplishments, celebrities were admired for their fame and recognition. Fame was equated with success, and something to aspire to. The creation of the celebrity culture was further facilitated by centralization of the entertainment industry in New York such as the Broadway community. This media-generated fame became a raging popular vogue. The mass media of the late 1920’s further transformed the relationship between the American public and their public figures. Capitalizing on network radio, professional sports and Hollywood motion pictures, the press and its syndicated gossip columnists produced the desire to know the renowned- who they were, how the lived and what they thought3.
The Demystification of the Actor and rise of the "modern stardom"
Actors were traditionally viewed as mystical,untrustworthy persons of questionable identity. Chameleons in their profession, they did not posses a stable identity or persona offstage and had no connection with the audience. However, this began to change with the rise of celebrity culture in America. Actors began to transcend the stage, and people took interest in their offstage selves. By the turn of the late 1870s-80s as soon as mass publications appeared, a fascination for entertainers emerged, media consumers began to demand articles in magazines and books about the private lives of actors, stories such as relationships and purchases of Broadway stars. The tabloid culture gave rise to people taking interest in the private lives and everyday existence of the stars. Entertainers went from being mysterious and somewhat "identity" lacking to a source of fascination and aspiration. People wanted to know what the celebrity was doing, wearing and spending time with. In addition to tabloids, actors continued to cross boundaries as offstage personae by voluntarily publicizing their lives as well. Why? As the celebrity culture developed, confessional tendencies started to become an integral part of public figure-audience interaction. Actors legitimized themselves in the eyes of the audience by participating in the publication of their lives. As people know more about them, they achieved a sense of intimacy with the audience and development more trust.
"Celebrities speak to utmost seriousness to the falsity of modern experience, to the synthetic and mass-produced character of the twentieth century consciousness"- Boorstin
Gaining trust and sense of closeness became important to the celebrity in response to backlash of the celebrity culture. Celebrities were often accused of being frivolous and lacking depth and dimension. In addition, their authenticity was often questioned, as they could be seen as carefully crafted product of the media, and projections of our idealized selves. Audience members sought to discover the reality and truth of the celebrity either to expose their flaws or develop a proximity to them. This explains the quote that in show biz actors are "built up and torn down". The public appreciates a celebrity's willingness to open themselves to the audience, transforming them as distant, 'idealized creatures" to more genuine people they can relate to and trust.
Celebrity Today
As media consumers we often question authenticity of media messages and figures, and are more likely to trust figures who seem genuine. Today this idea is evident in that marketers increasingly opt for celebrities versus models to promote and represent products, especially celebrities who are likable and that audiences can relate to. Marketers believe that a product will be successful if represented by a public figure consumers wish to emulate but also trust and deem authentic. In the past advertisements focused more on imagery that made consumers buy a product in order to reach their idealized self. Although this is still a key strategy, marketers are aware that with the rise of invasive marketing and propaganda, people have become "wary" of the persuasion and trickery of the advertisement industry. Therefore, they attempt to combat this by trying to foster a sense of trust in consumers. For example, Queen Latifah was chosen as a spokes-model for cover girl because she is representative of women, ".
Another way celebrities have fostered intimacy with the public is with their increased interactivity with fans online and blogs and social media such as Twitter. Celebrities create Twitter accounts and upload statuses regarding what they are doing, upcoming projects and even personal details such as responses to rumors circulating in the media. Fans can be "followers" of their favorite celebrity's twitter account and stay updated on their lives and whereabouts. Many of the "tweets" are directed towards fans and create a sense of proximity between the celebrity and the fan as well as make the celebrity seem more approachable. This is an noted confessional trend that is evident in the Web 2.0 era of contemporary culture that I explore in my website.
Confessional culture and voyeurism are intrinsically connected to the idea of the "celebrity". As we examine the social cultivation of the modern "celebrity" in the 19th and 20th centuries, we can see the early appearance of confessional tendencies in the media.
The Creation of the Celebrity and Celebrity Culture
“Celebrity is as characteristic of our culture and our century as was the divinity of the Greek gods in the sixth century B.C”- Daniel Boorstin
Historically as a society we have looked to public figures as means of self-definition. Americans of the Revolutionary Republic idolized military heroes, statesmen and romantic fictional protagonists who embodied idealized values of self reliance, public selflessness and virtue. However, by the mid 20th century, the cultural pedestal belonged no longer to war heroes and politicians but to movie stars and baseball players. In the middle of the 20th century there is a changing face of fame, particularly the metamorphosis from traditional “larger than life” heroes, to cultural icons to “celebrity personalities" 2 .As Boorstin states ' the hero creates himself, while the celebrity is created by the media." 3 These ideas are echoed today in the age of internet and Realty TV made stars. The transformation from the hero to the celebrity was catapulted by the communication revolution of the time and mass-production of media.The rise of this celebrity based culture was made possible by America’s shift from a producing to a consuming based society. In a consumer based society, focus shifted from character towards personality, and self realization rather than selfless public virtue. In a culture preoccupied with personality, celebrity became a measure of success2. Instead of admiration for accomplishments, celebrities were admired for their fame and recognition. Fame was equated with success, and something to aspire to. The creation of the celebrity culture was further facilitated by centralization of the entertainment industry in New York such as the Broadway community. This media-generated fame became a raging popular vogue. The mass media of the late 1920’s further transformed the relationship between the American public and their public figures. Capitalizing on network radio, professional sports and Hollywood motion pictures, the press and its syndicated gossip columnists produced the desire to know the renowned- who they were, how the lived and what they thought3.
The Demystification of the Actor and rise of the "modern stardom"
Actors were traditionally viewed as mystical,untrustworthy persons of questionable identity. Chameleons in their profession, they did not posses a stable identity or persona offstage and had no connection with the audience. However, this began to change with the rise of celebrity culture in America. Actors began to transcend the stage, and people took interest in their offstage selves. By the turn of the late 1870s-80s as soon as mass publications appeared, a fascination for entertainers emerged, media consumers began to demand articles in magazines and books about the private lives of actors, stories such as relationships and purchases of Broadway stars. The tabloid culture gave rise to people taking interest in the private lives and everyday existence of the stars. Entertainers went from being mysterious and somewhat "identity" lacking to a source of fascination and aspiration. People wanted to know what the celebrity was doing, wearing and spending time with. In addition to tabloids, actors continued to cross boundaries as offstage personae by voluntarily publicizing their lives as well. Why? As the celebrity culture developed, confessional tendencies started to become an integral part of public figure-audience interaction. Actors legitimized themselves in the eyes of the audience by participating in the publication of their lives. As people know more about them, they achieved a sense of intimacy with the audience and development more trust.
"Celebrities speak to utmost seriousness to the falsity of modern experience, to the synthetic and mass-produced character of the twentieth century consciousness"- Boorstin
Gaining trust and sense of closeness became important to the celebrity in response to backlash of the celebrity culture. Celebrities were often accused of being frivolous and lacking depth and dimension. In addition, their authenticity was often questioned, as they could be seen as carefully crafted product of the media, and projections of our idealized selves. Audience members sought to discover the reality and truth of the celebrity either to expose their flaws or develop a proximity to them. This explains the quote that in show biz actors are "built up and torn down". The public appreciates a celebrity's willingness to open themselves to the audience, transforming them as distant, 'idealized creatures" to more genuine people they can relate to and trust.
Celebrity Today
As media consumers we often question authenticity of media messages and figures, and are more likely to trust figures who seem genuine. Today this idea is evident in that marketers increasingly opt for celebrities versus models to promote and represent products, especially celebrities who are likable and that audiences can relate to. Marketers believe that a product will be successful if represented by a public figure consumers wish to emulate but also trust and deem authentic. In the past advertisements focused more on imagery that made consumers buy a product in order to reach their idealized self. Although this is still a key strategy, marketers are aware that with the rise of invasive marketing and propaganda, people have become "wary" of the persuasion and trickery of the advertisement industry. Therefore, they attempt to combat this by trying to foster a sense of trust in consumers. For example, Queen Latifah was chosen as a spokes-model for cover girl because she is representative of women, ".
Another way celebrities have fostered intimacy with the public is with their increased interactivity with fans online and blogs and social media such as Twitter. Celebrities create Twitter accounts and upload statuses regarding what they are doing, upcoming projects and even personal details such as responses to rumors circulating in the media. Fans can be "followers" of their favorite celebrity's twitter account and stay updated on their lives and whereabouts. Many of the "tweets" are directed towards fans and create a sense of proximity between the celebrity and the fan as well as make the celebrity seem more approachable. This is an noted confessional trend that is evident in the Web 2.0 era of contemporary culture that I explore in my website.
Blast From the Past
Eddie Cantor (1892-1964) is argued to be one of the first "movie stars" and paved the way for "modern stardom". Cantor had a long career and is one of the few figures in American cultural history who found stardom in vaudeville, Broadway theater, movies, radio and television. Although well before Cantor the public and private lives of entertainers were already interwoven, no other individual had established such a strong offstage identity in such a variety of media forms.
After Candor, actors emerged as potential role models for public behavior, people who's public and private lives were interchangeable. Cantor, as a radio personality mined his private life for comic material and thereby create an intimate, mass-mediated, familial relationship with the audience3.Listen to some of his radio programs here. Candor cultivated this sense of false intimacy, for example by broadcasting staged images of his family that did not square with his actual wife and children and the real family life he led off the stage.
After Candor, actors emerged as potential role models for public behavior, people who's public and private lives were interchangeable. Cantor, as a radio personality mined his private life for comic material and thereby create an intimate, mass-mediated, familial relationship with the audience3.Listen to some of his radio programs here. Candor cultivated this sense of false intimacy, for example by broadcasting staged images of his family that did not square with his actual wife and children and the real family life he led off the stage.
Modern Stars Today
Queen Latifah is an openly gay actress. She was taken on as a spokes-model for Covergirl in 2006, as the company believes she is charismatic, highly relatable and representative of the modern american woman.
"I stand behind companies I believe in, and I get involved in projects where I know I can make a positive impact,"
Latifah on her role as the cosmetic company's role model
"I stand behind companies I believe in, and I get involved in projects where I know I can make a positive impact,"
Latifah on her role as the cosmetic company's role model
