We’re less than a week away from the 2014 Emmys and just in time for some last-minute campaigning. Earlier this week, Jimmy Fallon’s “Robot Chicken” aired a skit with Robert Pattinson and Katy Perry. It was a fitting cap to their joint performance at the Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber.
The three-minute sketch opens with Perry lamenting that she doesn’t have time to get pre-game snacks for the Emmys because she’s so busy working on her Oscar speech. She then turns to Pattinson and asks him to grab the snacks because she “can’t do everything.” The camera cuts to him as he’s seen in character from “Prada” wandering the aisles of a grocery store looking for something to satisfy Perry.
Pattinson eventually finds a chocolate bar that perfectly fits the description of what she’s looking for. He hands it to her and she takes a bite, only to discover that it’s a robot bar. Meanwhile, Fallon is trying to get the attention of a young child who’s acting out in the store. She eventually gets the boy to come over and sit with her.
After the initial shock wears off, the audience starts to laugh. The sketch then cuts away to Perry in character from the upcoming film “Prada,” lamenting that the Prada snack isn’t what she really wants. The camera then pans back to the child, who’s now joined by his father. They both laugh at the absurdity of it all.
The best part of this skit is how it encapsulates the odd dichotomy that is contemporary celebrity – the perfectly polished and curated public image alongside the chaotic and sometimes dangerous private life. It’s this juxtaposition that makes celebrities so fascinating to study. And it’s a dichotomy that’s certainly been on display for a while now. If you’ve been following our Trending Now blog over the past month, you’ll know that we’ve been covering the many ways in which social media has shaped our understanding of celebrity. From the way we consume images of celebrities to the new platforms that have emerged to help us make sense of the endless supply of content that floods our newsfeeds, Instagram has changed the way we relate to celebrities. Perhaps it’s even done away with the need for traditional celebrity.
While it’s important to acknowledge the influence of social media when contemplating the evolution of celebrity, it’s also crucial to remember that celebrities have always been there. Social media simply brought us closer to our favorite stars.
Why Is Social Media Important To Consider?
Even before the advent of social media, celebrities were able to have a profound impact on our culture. Through their films and music, celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Jackson were able to cast a long shadow over many aspects of our society. And over the past year, many celebrities have used their prominence to help fuel social change.
Consider the case of Miley Cyrus. In 2013, the pop star was at the forefront of a major youth culture shift when she became the first celebrity to publicly support LGBT rights. In light of this, it’s not unreasonable to assume that her followers – many of whom are now young adults – would feel empowered to do the same. If we examine the platform that Cyrus uses the most – Twitter – it’s clear that many of her nearly eight million followers are indeed motivated to take action. According to a 2014 Harris Interactive study, 70% of digital millennials use social media to learn about current events, and 72% feel that social media has made them more informed about topics like politics and government.
The Evolution Of Celebrity
With the ever-increasing influence of social media, it’s fair to say that the line between celebrity and ordinary people is blurred. Gone are the days in which celebrities are simply famous for being famous. Today, celebrities are celebrated for being themselves and for expressing who they are through their work. It’s an authenticity that resonates with followers, and it’s made celebrities even more valuable – and desirable – to our culture. So how has this all changed? How does celebrity evolve in the digital age?
It’s important to remember that celebrity has always been about perception. In the past, a celebrity’s image was determined by the public, and it often had a lot to do with how the public saw them in real life. In modern times, however, celebrity’s meaning has shifted to how others perceive us online. If you want to be famous today, you have to have a very active social media presence.
Many famous people, like Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus, have leveraged their celebrity to become successful businesses in their own right. Just last month, it was revealed that Swift is now the most followed female celebrity on Instagram with 126 million followers. Likewise, Cyrus is the most followed celebrity on Twitter with over 8 million followers. The businesses that these celebrities founded allow them to transcend the influence of their celebrity status and become fully independent, digital forces. It’s an evolution that’s made the lives of many famous people incredibly exciting. And it’s opened up endless possibilities for the future of celebrity.
The Impact Of Social Media On Celebrity
The impact of social media on celebrity can be seen in many ways. Here are just a few. In the 1960s, television was the dominant form of media, and it was considered uncool to be famous. Today, thanks in part to sites like Twitter, our digital landscapes are filled with fascinating celebrities. With the rise of reality TV and the inflow of paparazzi shots from TMZ and other sites, our culture has been enriched by the presence of famous people. It’s a theme that continues in the way that we consume content now. Thanks to platforms like YouTube, where anyone can become a celebrity in their own right, we’re surrounded by inspiring stories of people who changed the world for the better. Think of the late Robin Williams or Steve Jobs.
It’s also important to remember that the way we consume content has changed thanks to social media. In the past, people only went to the cinema to see the latest Hollywood blockbuster. Today, thanks to sites like Instagram, people have found a new way to experience entertainment. Through images and videos, we’ve been able to feel like we’re at the cinema, experiencing the latest blockbuster with Hollywood’s biggest names. It’s a new form of catharsis. As former president Barack Obama said last year at the Democratic Party’s annual dinner: “Now you can be a celebrity in your own right. You can set your own schedule. You can promote what you want without having to answer to anyone. You can do all this from the comfort of your home, which means no tedious public appearances for the sake of getting your name in the press. The world is changing, and so is our culture.”
It’s clear that Barack Obama is correct. Thanks to the rise of social media, our culture has evolved to prioritize the lives of celebrities, and it’s made us question the nature of celebrity itself. While it’s important to study the effect that social media has had on our culture, it’s also crucial to not lose sight of the rich and complex history of celebrity. It’s a history that goes back many years and that continues to this day.