You may not like what I’m about to say, but I’m going to say it anyway. You don’t have to agree with me. Just hear me out. It won’t take long.
I have many social media pet peeves, but here’s one I am most definitely allergic to:
People posting pictures of themselves with celebrities.
Before we talk about why people feel the need to do that, I have to tell you that most celebrities do not impress me. As a broadcast journalist I have interviewed many of them in the studio or at their showroom homes, and I can honestly say that most of them are jerks.
Mind you, they weren’t born that way. It kind of comes with the job of being admired, having money and “influence,” and being treated like royalty wherever they go. But just because they are famous doesn’t mean they’re interesting, or even nice as a person.
In my experience, lots of celebs are shallow and are nothing like the image the marketing department wants you to believe. Some actors are absolutely brilliant when they say the lines that have been written for them, but when you interview them as themselves, they have very little to say. Many of them just want to be left alone and not be bothered, and who can blame them?
But instead, they are contractually obligated to promote whatever it is they’re doing to ensure the success of the production, so that whoever has put money in it, will see a nice return on investment. Most of the relationships these celebrities find themselves in, are entirely transactional: I do something for you, so you’ll do something for me.
You’ll do the interview for me and pretend to like me, so I’ll give you a platform to promote your motion picture. We’re not friends. We are using each other. You get free publicity, I get better ratings which will bring in more advertising revenue making the shareholders happy.
Caatching! Caatching!
So, as a celebrity you are always suspicious of people’s motives. “Does he want to date me because he likes me for who I am, or because I’m rich and famous?” When the whole world knows who you are, you have to be on the lookout for shady characters who could blackmail you, or try to hurt your reputation. And then there are these crazy fans that stalk the object of their affection and become violent when rejected.
In the midst of that is you, dear reader, who can’t wait to bother someone famous for a selfie. Let’s be honest. It’s not about that famous person, really. It’s so you can tell the world: “Look at ME!” You’re secretly hoping that some of that celebrity sparkle will rub off on you as you step into their artificial aura.
You’re seen with someone important, so that must mean that you are important. You’re seen with someone interesting, so you must be interesting. You don’t need to do that. Why?
Because you are enough.
You don’t need to stand next to a famous person to show the world that you matter. I won’t like you more or less if you show me proof that you’ve met some Hollywood celebrity. Don’t you get that?
Owning a big car or a big house and posting it all over social media doesn’t make you a kind or interesting person. I don’t care if you fly business class and drink champagne all day long. I care about how you treat the stewards and stewardesses; the people who are lower on the totem pole; the people who can’t help you become more successful and even richer.
Of course some of you will tell me:
“But Paul, I met this celebrity and took a selfie after the show and he was really nice!”
Of course he was. It’s part of his contract to be likable. Likable is bankable. I’m sure there are a few famous people who get a kick out of meeting their fans, but I guarantee you that the majority just wants to go home after an exhausting show, and watch late night television on the couch. How do I know? Because I’ve asked them about it, and they are just like you and me.
They say that the biggest price they had to pay for their success, is their lack of privacy. It’s something you and I take for granted, until we become the center of attention.
Thank goodness I’m an invisible, utterly unimportant voice actor!
PLEASE NOTE
My blog is being targeted by aggressive spam bots, and so I had to put an equally aggressive spam filter in place. This means that when you comment, you will receive a response that your comment has been flagged as spam. Don’t worry. All I need to do is approve your comment, and it will show up.
Paul,
You are very visible and very important to me! I enjoy reading your perspectives about various topics of the voiceover industry.
I would definitely take a picture with you.
I am flattered, Pat.
In general I agree with this. I do think though, that it makes a difference what your relationship is with the celebrity when posting it as it changes the meaning behind the post. For instance if you are good friends with the celebrity and you are posting a picture with them it could have the same meaning as posting a picture with any of your non famous friends or family. Or if you just acted in a project with the celebrity and post a picture with them that can lead to more gigs because people see you are acting in bigger projects. These situations have more meaning than just posting a random selfie with a celeb you meet on the street I think.
You make an important point, Rob. The meaning of the act is determined by the context. If there is an established relationship, things are very different. You don’t intrude or impose, but you merely document the existing connection. My point is that strangers wanting to take pictures with famous people with whom they have no direct or personal connection, are often doing that to show the world that such a connection exists. It’s like a certain CEO posting a picture of Meryl Streep suggesting that there’s been a zoom meeting to celebrate a nomination for a prize she’s most likely never heard of. It becomes a cheap publicity stunt that benefits the CEO.
Yes I do agree with that 100%.
I can completely relate to this blog post, Paul. I’ve had celeb friends so I’ve seen what happens to them in public. Years ago when I lived in Cleveland I was out with a friend who was a VERY popular news anchor. We were simply out trying to have an after work cocktail. Even at this quiet, upscale lounge/restaurant, he actually had to call over security because we couldn’t go five minutes without someone interrupting our conversation. He was very nice to people, but got increasingly annoyed that we couldn’t just be two people out trying to relax after work.
Some people think that celebs owe fans something, and that something just happens to be their privacy. It’s a huge tradeoff.
I think a reporter asked Julia Roberts once if she thought it was okay to make so much money for each movie she was in. She said (and I paraphrase), “I don’t make any money. I am only being compensated for the inconvenience that comes with the job.”
I spent 23 years in radio broadcasting and had many photo ops. I passed on most of them backstage. I have a pic of me and Johnny Cash on stairs getting ready to go on stage. Our station photographer took an “unplanned” pic of the two of us. My deceased Mom got the biggest kick out of that photo. I had no sense of “I’m important because I’m in a pic with Johnny Cash.” It was more a time stamp from my mid 80’s that Mom thought was cool. Same thing with my getting Arnold Palmer’s autograph as a young boy at Firestone country club in Ohio where I grew up as a junior golfer. By the way, I was honored to be on the same steps as Johnny Cash-“the Man in Black.” I HATE having my picture taken. But for some, I made an exception back then. The ones that bother me are the pics of your great meal/food you just had at XYZ restaurant. Pssst. I don’t care.