Elmo Lincoln, the first on-screen Tarzan was in the middle of negotiation with First National Picture in the early 1920,s. Lincoln’s agent was in the throes of very heated negotiation and it was not going well for their side. An idea descended upon the agent which would shape the entertainment business as we know it. It was a stroke of genius and its repercussions are still being felt today.
The agent took a pair of Lincoln’s pants, cut a hole in the pocket and at 11:00 AM , the morning of the final negotiation had Lincoln walked right in front of First National’s office in New York. Lincoln was instructed to have silver dollars fall out of the hole and onto the ground. Lincoln did as he was told and soon he was mobbed by greedy New Yorkers waiting to grab one of the lost dollars.
At 11:05 am the agent mentioned the ruckus that he heard outside and both he and the First National executive looked out the office window. Lincoln was thronged, which from that viewpoint looked like legions of adoring fans. The deal was signed in Lincoln’s favor and the cult of the movie celebrity was born.
Celebrities have been around since Alexander the Great, whose profile became was reproduced in coins, tableware, and jewellery. The difference is that the contemporary celebrity is not necessarily associated with any form of talent, achievement, or power. In other words, famous people have always been celebrated, but the last decade has seen an unprecedented rise of the empty celebrity cult, that is, our tendency to worship people just because they are famous, without any regard for what they are famous for. The lovely Kardashian family is case in point.
At one time motion picture celebrity was based on the ability of the movie-goers to have some affinity with the actors on screen. People actually transferred dreams and aspiration on to the flickering images of Katherine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart, June Alyson and of course John Wayne. These people had a enduring quality and we knew little about their personal life other than the information their publicists wanted us to know. Betty Davis never balanced a wine glass on her keester while naked in full view of the American public and for that I am grateful.
We now know too much about these people on the big screen,know too much about what they think and what they do. Media has put a microscope up to their lives and we as an audience do not like what we see. They have become weak , frail and somewhat embarrassing. Audiences have moved away from finding affinity with actors and the grip Hollywood held on the aspirations of its audience has weakened greatly. Movie celebrities in short have become ridiculous.
Does that mean people are no longer interest in celebrity…..no, but they are no longer willing to have Hollywood define them. They do not trust Hollywood and I think they are more than wise to the machinations of Tinsel Town.
Last July Variety commissioned a survey and found the five most influential figures among Americans ages 13-18 are all YouTube stars, outpacing major celebs including Jennifer Lawrence and Seth Rogen. The highest-ranking figures were Smosh, the online comedy team of Ian Andrew Hecox and Anthony Padilla, They have minimal exposure in the mainstream media, another comedy duo, known as the Fine Bros., Benny and Rafi, finished a close second, followed by the Swedish videogamer who has the most subscribers on all of YouTube, Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg — otherwise known asPewDiePie. These Youtube stars have huge following of fans that hang on every action, every bit of news .Fans have found these Youtuber because that are seeking an affirmation of a communal interest and some form of affinity with these burgeoning celebrities. Their followings are huge, and more interactive. These people have no papparazzi following them, not sex tapes are being purposefully leaked and we do not know much about there private lives. We are back to a time when viewers could transfer their aspirations to what they see on the screen…..but its not a movie screen.
It was found by Variety thatYouTube stars scored significantly higher than traditional celebrities across a range of characteristics considered to have the highest correlation to influencing purchases among teens. YouTubers were judged to be more engaging, extraordinary and relatable than mainstream stars, who were rated as being smarter and more reliable.
Teens enjoy an intimate and authentic experience with YouTube celebrities, audience have gotten wise the Hollywood PR Machine. Teens also say they appreciate YouTube stars’ more candid sense of humor, lack of filter and risk-taking spirit, behaviors often curbed by the crushing corporatism that is Hollywood.
It was also noted that if any of these Youtubers made the jump to Hollywood, their fan base would leave them in droves.
Celebrity is alive and well but it ain’t living in Hollywood. There are no more coins to drop.
