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On the Internet, We’re Always Famous

The fennec fox is the smallest fox on earth and cute as a button. It has mischievous dark eyes, a small black nose, and impish six-inch ears—each several times larger than its head. The fennec is native to the Sahara, where its comically oversized auricles play two key roles: they keep the fox cool in the baking sun (blood runs through the ears, releases heat, and circulates back through the body, now cooler), and they give the fox astoundingly good hearing, allowing it to pick up the comings and goings of the insects and reptiles it hunts for food.

The children’s section of the Bronx Zoo features a human-sized pair of fennec-fox ears that give an approximation of the fox’s hearing. Generations of New Yorkers have pictures of themselves with their chins resting on a bar between the two enormous, sculptural ears, taking in the sounds around them. I first encountered the ears as a kid, in the eighties. In my memory, inhabiting the fox’s hearing is disquieting. The exhibit is not in the middle of the Sahara on a moonlit night. The soundscape is not deathly quiet, dusted by the echoes of a lizard whooshing through the sand. The effect is instant sensory overload. You suddenly hear everything at once—snippets of conversation, shrieks, footsteps—all of it too much and too loud.

Imagine, for a moment, you find yourself equipped with fennec-fox-level hearing at a work function or a cocktail party. It’s hard to focus amid the cacophony, but with some effort you can eavesdrop on each and every conversation. At first you are thrilled, because it is thrilling to peer into the private world of another person. Anyone who has ever snuck a peek at a diary or spent a day in the archives sifting through personal papers knows that. Humans, as a rule, crave getting up in people’s business.

But something starts to happen. First, you hear something slightly titillating, a bit of gossip you didn’t know. A couple has separated, someone says. “They’ve been keeping it secret. But now Angie’s dating Charles’s ex!” Then you hear something wildly wrong. “The F.D.A. hasn’t approved it, but also there’s a whole thing with fertility. I read about a woman who had a miscarriage the day after the shot.” And then something offensive, and you feel a desire to speak up and offer a correction or objection before remembering that they have no idea you’re listening. They’re not talking to you.

Then, inevitably, you hear someone say something about you. Someone thinks it’s weird that you’re always five minutes late for the staff meeting, or wonders if you’re working on that new project that Brian started doing on the side, or what the deal is with that half-dollar-sized spot of gray hair on the back of your head. Injury? Some kind of condition?

Suddenly—and I speak from a certain kind of experience on this, so stay with me—the thrill curdles. If you overhear something nice about you, you feel a brief warm glow, but anything else will ball your stomach into knots. The knowledge is taboo; the power to hear, permanently cursed.

It would be better at this point to get rid of the fennec ears. Normal human socializing is impossible with them. But even if you leave the room, you can’t unhear what you’ve heard.

This is what the Internet has become.

It seems distant now, but once upon a time the Internet was going to save us from the menace of TV. Since the late fifties, TV has had a special role, both as the country’s dominant medium, in audience and influence, and as a bête noire for a certain strain of American intellectuals, who view it as the root of all evil. In “ Amusing Ourselves to Death ,” from 1985, Neil Postman argues that, for its first hundred and fifty years, the U.S. was a culture of readers and writers, and that the print medium—in the form of pamphlets, broadsheets, newspapers, and written speeches and sermons—structured not only public discourse but also modes of thought and the institutions of democracy itself. According to Postman, TV destroyed all that, replacing our written culture with a culture of images that was, in a very literal sense, meaningless. “Americans no longer talk to each other, they entertain each other,” he writes. “They do not exchange ideas; they exchange images. They do not argue with propositions; they argue with good looks, celebrities and commercials.”

This revulsion against the tyranny of TV seemed particularly acute in the early years of the George W. Bush Administration. In 2007, George Saunders wrote an essay about the bleating idiocy of American mass media in the era after 9/11 and the run-up to the Iraq War. In it, he offers a thought experiment that has stuck with me. Imagine, he says, being at a party, with the normal give and take of conversation between generally genial, informed people. And then “a guy walks in with a megaphone. He’s not the smartest person at the party, or the most experienced, or the most articulate. But he’s got that megaphone.”

The man begins to offer his opinions and soon creates his own conversational gravity: everyone is reacting to whatever he’s saying. This, Saunders contends, quickly ruins the party. And if you have a particularly empty-minded Megaphone Guy, you get a discourse that’s not just stupid but that makes everyone in the room stupider as well:

Let’s say he hasn’t carefully considered the things he’s saying. He’s basically just blurting things out. And even with the megaphone, he has to shout a little to be heard, which limits the complexity of what he can say. Because he feels he has to be entertaining, he jumps from topic to topic, favoring the conceptual-general (“We’re eating more cheese cubes—and loving it!”), the anxiety- or controversy-provoking (“Wine running out due to shadowy conspiracy?”), the gossipy (“Quickie rumored in south bathroom!”), and the trivial (“Which quadrant of the party room do YOU prefer?”).

Yes, he wrote that in 2007, and yes, the degree to which it anticipates the brain-goring stupidity of Donald Trump ’s pronouncements is uncanny. Trump is the brain-dead megaphone made real: the dumbest, most obnoxious guy in the entire room given the biggest platform. And our national experiment with putting a D-level cable-news pundit in charge of the nuclear arsenal went about as horribly as Saunders might have predicted.

But Saunders’s critique runs deeper than the insidious triviality and loudness of major TV news, both before and after 9/11. He’s making the case that forms of discourse actually shape our conceptual architecture, that the sophistication of our thinking is determined to a large degree by the sophistication of the language we hear used to describe our world.

This is, of course, not a new contention: the idea that dumb media make us all dumber echoes from the very first critiques of newspapers, pamphlets, and the tabloid press in America, in the late eighteenth century, to the 1961 speech by then Federal Communications Commission Chair Newt Minow, in which he told the National Broadcasters of America that, basically, their product sucked and that TV amounted to a “ vast wasteland .”

I thought, and many of us thought, that the Internet was going to solve this problem. The rise of the liberal blogs, during the run-up to Barack Obama’s election, brought us the headiest days of Internet Discourse Triumphalism. We were going to remake the world through radically democratized global conversations.

That’s not what happened. To oversimplify, here’s where we ended up. The Internet really did bring new voices into a national discourse that, for too long, had been controlled by far too narrow a group. But it did not return our democratic culture and modes of thinking to pre-TV logocentrism. The brief renaissance of long blog arguments was short-lived (and, honestly, it was a bit insufferable while it was happening). The writing got shorter and the images and video more plentiful until the Internet birthed a new form of discourse that was a combination of word and image: meme culture. A meme can be clever, even revelatory, but it is not discourse in the mode that Postman pined for.

As for the guy with the megaphone prattling on about the cheese cubes? Well, rather than take that one dumb guy’s megaphone away, we added a bunch of megaphones to the party. And guess what: that didn’t much improve things! Everyone had to shout to be heard, and the conversation morphed into a game of telephone, of everyone shouting variations of the same snippets of language, phrases, slogans—an endless, aural hall of mirrors. The effect is so disorienting that after a long period of scrolling through social media you’re likely to feel a profound sense of vertigo.

Not only that: the people screaming the loudest still get the most attention, partly because they stand out against the backdrop of a pendulating wall of sound that is now the room tone of our collective mental lives. Suffice it to say: the end result was not really a better party, nor the conversation of equals that many of us had hoped for.

Which, I think, brings us back to the fox ears.

The most radical change to our shared social lives isn’t who gets to speak, it’s what we can hear. True, everyone has access to their own little megaphone, and there is endless debate about whether that’s good or bad, but the vast majority of people aren’t reaching a huge audience. And yet at any single moment just about anyone with a smartphone has the ability to surveil millions of people across the globe.

The ability to surveil was, for years, almost exclusively the province of governments. In the legal tradition of the U.S., it was seen as an awesome power, one that was subject to constraints, such as warrants and due process (though often those constraints were more honored in the breach). And not only that, freedom from ubiquitous surveillance, we were taught in the West, was a defining feature of Free Society. In totalitarian states, someone or something was always listening, and the weight of that bore down on every moment of one’s life, suffocating the soul.

Well, guess what? We have now all been granted a power once reserved for totalitarian governments. A not particularly industrious fourteen-year-old can learn more about a person in a shorter amount of time than a team of K.G.B. agents could have done sixty years ago. The teen could see who you know, where you’ve been, which TV shows you like and don’t like; the gossip that you pass along and your political opinions and bad jokes and feuds; your pets’ names, your cousins’ faces, and your crushes and their favorite haunts. With a bit more work, that teen could get your home address and your current employer. But it’s the ability to access the texture of everyday life that makes this power so awesome. It’s possible to get inside the head of just about anyone who has a presence on the social Web, because chances are they are broadcasting their emotional states in real time to the entire world.

So total is the public presence of our private lives that even those whose jobs depend on total privacy cannot escape its reach. The open-source intelligence outfit Bellingcat has used this fact to track down a wide array of global malefactors, including the two Russian agents who appear to have poisoned a Russian defector in the U.K., Sergei Skripal, with a nerve agent, in 2018. Bellingcat was able to identify both men through data it purchased on the gray market, obtaining their aliases and photos of each. But the breakthrough came when it was discovered that one suspect had attended the wedding of the daughter of their G.R.U. unit’s commander. In a video—posted on Instagram, of course—the commander walks his daughter down the aisle on a lovely dock, to the sounds of a bossa nova cover of “Every Breath You Take.”

The young couple didn’t just post clips of their wedding (which was gorgeous, by the way) to Instagram. They also uploaded a highly stylized video, set to upbeat music, that shows them in bathrobes getting ready for the ceremony as well as the big moments of the wedding itself. To establish the suspect’s attendance at the ceremony, Bellingcat scanned other posted snapshots of the wedding and compared them with images in the video. Sure enough, the identity of the man in question, Anatoliy Chepiga, matched that of the alias he’d used to travel to the U.K. for the attempted murder.

Bellingcat published its findings, and, presumably, a whole host of Russian military and intelligence officials—maybe all the way up the chain to Vladimir Putin—realized that the utterly innocuous social media posts of a happy young couple had tripped off the identification of someone indicted for attempted murder and wanted by the British authorities.

This is an extreme example of a common phenomenon. Someone happens upon a social-media artifact of a person with a tiny number of followers and sends it shooting like a firework into the Internet, where it very briefly burns white-hot in infamy. There are some who find the sudden attention thrilling and addictive: this will be their first taste of a peculiar experience they then crave and chase. And there are others, like our newlyweds, who very much do not want the attention. They belatedly try to delete the post or make it “private,” but by then it’s too late for privacy. A message they intended for friends and family, people they have relationships with, ended up in the hands of strangers, people who don’t know them at all.

Never before in history have so many people been under the gaze of so many strangers. Humans evolved in small groups, defined by kinship: those we knew, knew us. And our imaginative capabilities allowed us to know strangers—kings and queens, heroes of legend, gods above—all manner of at least partly mythic personalities to whom we may have felt as intimately close to as kin. For the vast majority of our species’ history, those were the two principal categories of human relations: kin and gods. Those we know who know us, grounded in mutual social interaction, and those we know who don’t know us, grounded in our imaginative powers.

But now consider a third category: people we don’t know and who somehow know us . They pop up in mentions, comments, and replies; on subreddits, message boards, or dating apps. Most times, it doesn’t even seem noteworthy: you look down at your phone and there’s a notification that someone you don’t know has liked a post. You might feel a little squirt of endorphin in the brain, an extremely faint sense of achievement. Yet each instance of it represents something new as a common human experience, for their attention renders us tiny gods. The Era of Mass Fame is upon us.

If we define fame as being known to many people one doesn’t know, then it is an experience as old as human civilization. Stretching back to the first written epic, Gilgamesh (whose protagonist was, in fact, an actual king), history, particularly as it is traditionally taught, is composed almost entirely of the exploits of the famous: Nefertiti, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Muhammad, and Joan of Arc.

But as the critic Leo Braudy notes, in his 1987 study, “The Frenzy of Renown,” “As each new medium of fame appears, the human image it conveys is intensified and the number of individuals celebrated expands.” Industrial technology—newspapers and telegraphs, followed by radio, film, and TV—created an ever-larger category of people who might be known by millions the world over: politicians, film stars, singers, authors. This category was orders of magnitude larger than it had been in the pre-industrial age, but still a nearly infinitesimal portion of the population at large.

All that has changed in the past decade. In the same way that electricity went from a luxury enjoyed by the American élite to something just about everyone had, so, too, has fame, or at least being known by strangers, gone from a novelty to a core human experience. The Western intellectual tradition spent millennia maintaining a conceptual boundary between public and private—embedding it in law and politics, norms and etiquette, theorizing and reinscribing it. With the help of a few tech firms, we basically tore it down in about a decade.

That’s not to say the experience of being known, paid attention to, commented on by strangers, is in any sense universal. It’s still foreign to most people, online and off. But now the possibility of it haunts online life, which increasingly is just life. The previous limiting conditions on what’s private and what’s public, on who can know you, have been lifted. In the case of our young Russian lovebirds, one might safely assume that, until Bellingcat started snooping around their wedding videos, they had been spared the experience of the sudden burst of Internet fame. But, like them, just about everyone is always dancing at the edge of that cliff, oblivious or not.

This has been entirely internalized by the generation who’ve come of age with social media. A clever TikTok video can end up with forty million views. With the possibility of this level of exposure so proximate, it’s not surprising that poll after poll over the past decade indicates that fame is increasingly a prime objective of people twenty-five and younger. Fame itself, in the older, more enduring sense of the term, is still elusive, but the possibility of a brush with it functions as a kind of pyramid scheme.

This, perhaps, is the most obviously pernicious part of the expansion of celebrity: ever since there have been famous people, there have been people driven mad by fame. In the modern era, it’s a cliché: the rock star, comedian, or starlet who succumbs to addiction, alienation, depression, and self-destruction under the glare of the spotlight. Being known by strangers, and, even more dangerously, seeking their approval, is an existential trap. And right now, the condition of contemporary life is to shepherd entire generations into this spiritual quicksand.

As I’ve tried to answer the question of why we seek out the likes and replies and approval of strangers, and why this so often drives both ordinary and celebrated people toward breakdowns, I’ve found myself returning to the work of a Russian émigré philosopher named Alexandre Kojève, whose writing I first encountered as an undergraduate. In 1933, Kojève took over the teaching of a seminar on Hegel at the École Pratique des Hautes Études, in Paris. Though Kojève would live his life in relative obscurity, ultimately becoming a civil servant in the French trade ministry and helping to construct the architecture for a common Europe, his seminar on Hegel’s “Phenomenology of Spirit” was almost certainly the most influential philosophy class of the twentieth century. A Who’s Who of Continental thinkers, from Sartre to Lacan, passed through, and Kojève’s grand intellectual synthesis would deeply influence their work.

In his lectures, Kojève takes up Hegel’s famous meditation on the master-slave relationship, recasting it in terms of what Kojève sees as the fundamental human drive: the desire for recognition—to be seen, in other words, as human by other humans. “Man can appear on earth only within a herd,” Kojve writes. “That is why the human reality can only be social.”

Understanding the centrality of the desire for recognition is quite helpful in understanding the power and ubiquity of social media. We have developed a technology that can create a synthetic version of our most fundamental desire. Why did the Russian couple post those wedding photos? Why do any of us post anything? Because we want other humans to see us, to recognize us.

But We Who Post are trapped in the same paradox that Kojève identifies in Hegel’s treatment of the Master and Slave. The Master desires recognition from the Slave, but because he does not recognize the Slave’s humanity, he cannot actually have it. “And this is what is insufficient—what is tragic—in his situation,” Kojève writes. “For he can be satisfied only by recognition from one whom he recognizes as worthy of recognizing him.”

I’ve found that this simple formulation unlocks a lot about our current situation. It articulates the paradox of what we might call not the Master and the Slave but, rather, the Star and the Fan. The Star seeks recognition from the Fan, but the Fan is a stranger, who cannot be known by the Star. Because the Star cannot recognize the Fan, the Fan’s recognition of the Star doesn’t satisfy the core existential desire. There is no way to bridge the inherent asymmetry of the relationship, short of actual friendship and correspondence, but that, of course, cannot be undertaken at the same scale. And so the Star seeks recognition and gets, instead, attention.

The Star and the Fan are prototypes, and the Internet allows us to be both in different contexts. In fact this is the core, transformative innovation of social media, the ability to be both at once. You can interact with strangers, not just view them from afar, and they can interact with you. Those of us who have a degree of fame have experienced the lack of mutuality in these relationships quite acutely: the strangeness of encountering a person who knows you, who sees you, whom you cannot see in the same way.

We are conditioned to care about kin, to take life’s meaning from the relationships with those we know and love. But the psychological experience of fame, like a virus invading a cell, takes all of the mechanisms for human relations and puts them to work seeking more fame. In fact, this fundamental paradox—the pursuit through fame of a thing that fame cannot provide—is more or less the story of Donald Trump’s life: wanting recognition, instead getting attention, and then becoming addicted to attention itself, because he can’t quite understand the difference, even though deep in his psyche there’s a howling vortex that fame can never fill.

This is why famous people as a rule are obsessed with what people say about them and stew and rage and rant about it. I can tell you that a thousand kind words from strangers will bounce off you, while a single harsh criticism will linger. And, if you pay attention, you’ll find all kinds of people—but particularly, quite often, famous people—having public fits on social media, at any time of the day or night. You might find Kevin Durant, one of the greatest basketball players on the planet, possibly in the history of the game—a multimillionaire who is better at the thing he does than almost any other person will ever be at anything—in the D.M.s of some twentysomething fan who’s talking trash about his free-agency decisions. Not just once—routinely! And he’s not the only one at all.

There’s no reason, really, for anyone to care about the inner turmoil of the famous. But I’ve come to believe that, in the Internet age, the psychologically destabilizing experience of fame is coming for everyone. Everyone is losing their minds online because the combination of mass fame and mass surveillance increasingly channels our most basic impulses—toward loving and being loved, caring for and being cared for, getting the people we know to laugh at our jokes—into the project of impressing strangers, a project that cannot, by definition, sate our desires but feels close enough to real human connection that we cannot but pursue it in ever more compulsive ways.

So here we are, our chins pressed into the metal holster between the fennec-fox ears, the constant flitting words and images of strangers entering our sensory system, offering our poor desiring beings an endless temptation—a power we should not have and that cannot make us whole.

An earlier version of this article misspelled Newt Minow’s name and incorrectly described the substance involved in the poisoning of Sergei Skripal.

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Media and Celebrity Influence on Society Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Media and celebrity, media and celebrity impacts on decision making, works cited.

There are various people all over the world who have become popular due their utterances, beliefs or even political ambitions. The various activities undertaken by the various individuals in performing their day to day life activities are the major source of their celebrity.

This is not usually the case as some people usually engage in illegal or even life threatening activities so that they can be recognized by the general public or a specific category of the society. The most popular people are found to influence so many things and perspectives of others.

The influence is usually not positive and thus can have adverse effects on the individuals or the community at large. This paper seeks to analyze the effects of media and celebrity to the society. It critically analyzes the impacts on decision making of various personnel from the celebrity influence checking whether it makes the personnel involved to make informed decisions.

There are various technologies used in the current world that are used to pass information among various people. These may printed like newspaper, audio like radio or audio visual like the television. These means of communication have been found to be very efficient and are mostly capable of passing information to large number of people within a very short period of time.

This is usually due to their well established networks all over the region. Some of these Medias are available to all persons worldwide while others are only available to specific geographic regions. Another means of communication that have found its way all over the world is the internet.

This service connects various people all around the globe and is very fast in communication. This service also provides social sites where different persons interact and share their views and opinions on various aspects that may be affecting them and the society at large.

These Medias usually pass various informations about different people in the society. The news may be praising or cursing different activities or events undertaken by various people across the world.

These media usually have no tight regulation about the access of the information and this usually makes the information land to the wrong audience. Some people usually depend on these Medias as their main source of information. Such people are found to base their arguments on the information provided without critically analyzing it (Miller, Hess and Orthmann 10).

This thus means that the presence of a mistake in the passing of the information may have very bad implications on the decisions that such people are likely to make. Such phenomenon usually occur when the source of information are celebrities whose followers usually take in whatever he or she says and are usually to his or her defense incase of any problem.

The environment in which the children are brought up in is usually important and it determines their argument basis and character as they grow up. The first argument that a child is taught as he is bought up usually sticks to their minds and they usually reject any other proposal.

The new approach to their already known version of an idea, person or activity usually finds its way in after persuasion. This thus requires the children to be exposed to the right kind of information so as to mould their characters and arguments in the positive way.

Young children are usually found to be fond of imitating various people for various reasons and these people who are their celebrity usually influence their characters. In the case that the celebrity is involved in activities that are illegal or against the culture, norms or traditions of a given community or society, then the children are most probable to be of ill character in future.

Many things that are usually heard or seen again and again are usually assimilated into a person’s life. This is one of the means in which the celebrities usually make their impacts on various peoples mind. When such opinions or activities are usually repeated, they are usually taken to be truth. The truth is that these opinions are not usually right and thus pose a very big danger if used to implement various things.

The opinions or views may be on political, social or economic issues. When celebrity or experts such as scientists and researchers are usually implicated in the production of a certain piece of material, people are usually found to be in favor with it without analyzing it. Due to the fact that these people are usually expert in these fields, people usually take the information without any modification.

This is evident in various advertisements where people make decision depending on the celebrities used in making the advertisement. The scarcity of an idea or such personnel is one of the means used by the celebrities to win and influence different people’s minds.

There are various reasons why people usually imitate celebrities. The celebrities are found to have strong influence on various people decision making and lifestyles. Lack of confidence in anything that one undertakes may cost him too much.

It usually results in one failing in whatever he is undertaking not because he has insufficient knowledge or capabilities but because he views himself inferior compared to others.

This usually gives the celebrities an upper hand in influencing the mind of the people involved. Peer pressure if not well controlled can lead people in to using invalid information. This problem is especially found among the youths whose activities and behavior is mainly influenced by the company of his age mates which he keeps and interacts with.

During their chatting, the youth’s discussions are usually based on the celebrities in various industries such as music and movies among others. In between the youths, some of them are found to be very convincing to others about information they got about certain celebrities from various media outlets (Program Committee 7).

To avoid critics from fellow peer group members, the youths usually imitate and take the information provided to them which sometimes turns out to be very bad and usually affects their future as they may find themselves undertaking illegal activities.

Body conformations are mostly inherited from our parents and grandparents. According to some celebrities, being slim is considered to be good looking especially for ladies. Most ladies are found to be very much concerned about their looks and are undergoing various activities such as surgery and lack of feeding to obtain their admirable conformation.

This usually leads to many complications and diseases which may sometimes lead to death. This is due to provision of wrong information to the public by the news agencies which usually make people to make unsound decisions (Good & Nichols 4).

In the political field, political celebrities have been found to lead people into crisis. These cases usually are executed for personal gain to a person or a group of people. The main cause of the prevalence of such occurrences is lack of proper information and ignorance among the community or society members (Leslie 1).

The media is found to give the image of the celebrities as good or bad. The media usually presents information in audio, visual, written or audio visual impacts which have great impacts on the children and the youths. To the young, these impacts are usually very significant in modeling their personality.

The young children are found to look up to celebrities as their role model and usually have no one to guide them so that they can make good judgment on the information they are given.

The youths on the other hand find the peer pressure to be one of the greatest forces driving them. The youths and the children should be given proper guidance so as to avoid them from getting into activities that may ruin their lives.

On the other hand, the media personality should be very careful of the utterances they make when performing their shows. In general media affects our perception of various activities and thus to maintain good culture, everyone should join hands to make our children’s future brighter.

Good, Thomas & Nichols, Sharon. America’s teenagers–myths and realities: media images, schooling, and the social costs of careless indifference . London: Routledge, 2004. Print.

Leslie, Larry. Celebrity in the 21st Century: A Reference Handbook . California: ABC-CLIO, 2011. Print.

Miller, Linder., Hess, Karen & Orthmann, Christine. Community Policing: Partnerships for Problem Solving . Stamford, United Kingdom: Cengage Learning, 2010. Print.

Program Committee. Studying Media Effects on Children and Youth: Improving Methods and Measures, Workshop Summary . Washington: National Academies Press, 2007. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2018, May 28). Media and Celebrity Influence on Society. https://ivypanda.com/essays/media-and-celebrity/

"Media and Celebrity Influence on Society." IvyPanda , 28 May 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/media-and-celebrity/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Media and Celebrity Influence on Society'. 28 May.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Media and Celebrity Influence on Society." May 28, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/media-and-celebrity/.

1. IvyPanda . "Media and Celebrity Influence on Society." May 28, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/media-and-celebrity/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Media and Celebrity Influence on Society." May 28, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/media-and-celebrity/.

With Social Media, Everyone’s A Celebrity

Social media has made constant exposure a common experience. To learn how to deal with the attention, maybe we should look to the first celebrities.

On Facebook and elsewhere, we design self-flattering profiles, post status updates, upload photos of ourselves and get tagged in others’ uploads, labor to choose the right “25 random things about me,” which are, of course, not random at all. Video cameras are marketed with a one-touch-upload-to-YouTube function. It is not so much that everyone gets fifteen minutes of fame or that anyone can be a star but that everyone already is a star: we ordinary people are growing accustomed to not just watching but also being constantly watched.

In this conclusion to “ The Unwatched Life Is Not Worth Living: The Elevation of the Ordinary in Celebrity Culture ,” Joshua Gamson neatly sums up an oft-stated reservation about our social media era: Now that the public broadcasting of daily life has become a routine and broadly accessible activity, rather than the preserve of a notable elite, will we all become corrupted by the scrutiny and exposure that go along with celebrity?

Playing to the Crowd

Social media has undoubtedly made the phenomenon of constant exposure a far more widespread experience. As Elaine Replogle observes in her analysis of criticism of a cancer blogger, “ Fame, Social Media Use, and Ethics ,” “[s]ocial media allow anyone to disclose life trivia for all to see, making it possible for people to be perceived as begging for attention, of transgressing traditional boundaries of public and private, of acting somehow ‘inappropriately.’” Citing Jodi Dean in “ Twitter and the New Publicity ,” Joseph Faina writes that “publicity has become the defining ideology for Internet users, leading to a constant preoccupation with visibility.” This preoccupation in turn creates new kinds of psychological issues, as Melissa Gronlund describes in “ From Narcissism to the Dialogic: Identity in Art after the Internet “:

One puts things online so that other people can see them, and comment on if they wish—but one has no idea, of course, who will.…In most physical conversations, social convention or basic human empathy guarantee a response to most comments, regardless of their quality. On the internet, it’s just shots in the dark—a big, blind pantomime, where success is measured by a time-lag applause-o-meter. It is no surprise that anxiety has emerged as a leitmotif in writings on the internet.

It’s only in the past decade or so that this problem of playing to the crowd has become widespread: Before the advent of YouTube, reality television stars were the only “ordinary” people to appear on screen with any regularity, and before blogs and social networks, we only paid attention to the eating or beauty routines of movie stars or rock stars. While we can therefore blame social media for making the problem of celebrity into a mass phenomenon, anxieties about the hazards of public exposure long predate the internet. Look back at the history of celebrity, and all the hand-wringing over social media scrutiny sounds like an all-too-familiar tune.

The History of the Celebrity

It’s not a long history. As Charles Kurzman et al. note in their article “ Celebrity Status ,” “celebrity is a recent phenomenon.” While the idea of fame has a long tradition, “celebrity acquired new significance in the era of mass media. Abraham Lincoln became the most widely recognized U.S. president because his photograph was so widely disseminated.” The nineteenth century also saw the emergence of the first literary celebrities, like Charles Dickens , Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Alfred Lord Tennyson.

As in our current social media era, the emergence of celebrity culture was inseparable from the technological developments that made it possible. Queen Victoria became the first celebrity monarch, thanks to what John Plunkett describes as “the burgeoning print and graphic culture of the 1830s and 1840s.” In “ Of Hype and Type ,” Plunkett notes that “[t]he Queen’s role was not just to submit to her appropriation by newspapers, periodicals and artists: royalty now had to actively encourage the creation of themselves as media beings.”

The same dynamics turned writers and actors into public figures. In “ Longfellow, Tennyson, and Transatlantic Celebrity ,” John Morton writes that “Longfellow’s celebrity as a ‘pop poet’ was a reality in Britain and yet was also generated by the press, which simultaneously catered to the desire of its readers to get ever closer to him while also generating this desire through its coverage.”  In “ Modern Celebrity and Early Dickens ,” Timothy Spurgin cites Julia John’s description of Dickens as the first self-made global media star of the age of mass culture. And as Sharon Marcus writes in “ Salomé!! Sarah Bernhardt, Oscar Wilde, and the Drama of Celebrity ,” mass media was crucial in transforming theatrical performers into celebrities:

For most of the nineteenth century, celebrity representations existed primarily to induce people to see stars perform live. Sound and film recordings of stage actors were rare for most of the nineteenth century, and commercial photographs, though compelling, did not substitute for hearing and seeing stars in person. Indeed, the images of stage actors that circulated throughout the nineteenth century did not efface theatrical aura but supplemented it; the haunting absent presence that defines photography and the exaggerated use of color, line, and scale in posters only intensified aura of singular reality around performers appearing in person.

Well into the twentieth century, observers (including journalists themselves) were deeply suspicious of the role of mass media in elevating or celebrating society’s notables. A 1921 article in Scientific American , “ The Price of Fame ,” bemoaned the cruelty of the public eye: “ A case in point is that of Mme. Curie. Her visit to America to receive her gift of radium might have been an unalloyed pleasure and a much-needed holiday. Instead of this it has been made, largely through the efforts of the American press, a continuous nightmare.” (Never mind the tiny detail of that gift of radium being poisonous.)

Media Scrutiny and the New Fame

The form of notoriety that emerged from this kind of media scrutiny was qualitatively different from the kinds of fame that were previously sought after. As Judith Roof writes in “ Fame’s Ambivalents ,” “[c]ontemporary fame has nothing to do with older notions of fame where fame represented some distinct and unusual accomplishment of the subject in whose name fame was produced.” 

As writers, artists, political leaders, and other notables became well-known for their personalities as well as their accomplishments, this new and more intimate form of notoriety became the occasion for anxieties that are very similar to our current worries about the corrupting effects of social media exposure.

Precisely because celebrity was still a novel experience in the nineteenth century, the writers who were its first beneficiaries (or perhaps, its first victims) explicitly wrestled with these anxieties. Spurgin notes that by the time he wrote Nicholas Nickleby , Dickens had “begun to suspect that celebrity will rob him of his dignity,” which is why his books often included characters who exemplified what Spurgin terms “the humiliations of fandom and celebrity.” What Dickens hoped for, instead, was lasting fame based on actual accomplishment. (#AchievementUnlocked, we might fairly say now.)

The severing of notoriety from accomplishment is what made this kind of fame suspicious in the eyes of other nineteenth century artists, too. “Once one becomes a celebrity, from whatever field, then one’s membership in that field is less relevant than one’s status as celebrity,” Nicholas Dames writes in “ Brushes with Fame: Thackeray and the Work of Celebrity .” Dames argues that the emergent “dynamics of celebrity” form a central preoccupation of Thackeray’s work, “whereby the celebrity is at once exalted and punctured, and whereby the machinery of publicity that creates celebrities is at once targeted as an ill and exploited as a tool.”

Even as the “distinction between celebrity and fame became less important,” Sharon Marcus argues, a new concern emerged around the the “interplay between two kinds of celebrity: a celebrity of exemplarity and a celebrity of impudence, sometimes combined in the same figure.” Queen Victoria served as exemplar when she modelled her maternal domesticity, Marcus writes; in contrast, artists like Byron, Liszt, George Sand, and Oscar Wilde “shamelessly chose their differences and elected to exhibit that choice.”

Dividing the universe of notables into “good” and “bad” celebrities thus gave both the public and elites of the nineteenth century a way to quarantine their anxieties about celebrity itself. Today, a similar dynamic is at work in the way we perceive newly minted online celebrities and influencers.

The Good, the Bad, and the Meme

Joshua Gamson differentiates between using the internet as “a launching pad for performers who manage to build an audience online that they then use to break into the off-line entertainment world” and internet-specific forms of celebrity like “the anti-celebrity, a collective in-joke, in which the most unlikely candidate becomes the most celebrated,” or “the self-made, do-it-yourself celebrity, who has pursued fame outside, despite and sometimes in opposition to the established celebrity system.” And Elaine Reprogle speculates that criticism of cancer bloggers stems from squeamishness about how much non-famous people should share online, and wonders whether “the expectations for maintaining ‘privacy’ [are] actually stricter for people who are not famous.”

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What makes us uncomfortable, it seems, is not the fact that people attract attention online, but rather, that they actively pursue that attention. As philosopher Joshua Halberstam wrote in his 1984 essay “ Fame ” (before social media was even invented!):

It is…the active pursuit of fame (or wealth) that gives rise to our reservations. For in pursuing fame one indicates not only his valuation of fame but its valuation over other competing values. The active pursuit of fame requires real expenditures of time, effort and determination—all resources we have in limited supply. In choosing to channel one’s energies toward the attainment of fame, other, more important values must be abandoned.

It’s easy to apply that kind of analysis to YouTube stars, Instagram influencers, or lifestyle bloggers — to pillory their determined pursuit of followers, subscribers, likes, and mentions as a shallow pursuit of the very kind of celebrity that nineteenth-century artists actually feared. But there’s little difference between determinedly self-promoting online celebrities, and those of us who simply glow when our Facebook posts or Insta posts get a few more likes than usual: The scale of our ambitions might be different, but the craving for attention is the same.

Rather than indulging in the now-familiar pastime of criticizing one another for the attention and exposure we pursue online, let’s try to learn from the experiences of our nineteenth-century predecessors. For all that Dickens, Thackeray, and their contemporaries worried about the corrupting and evanescent character of celebrity, they’re now thoroughly ensconced in the canon as respected authors. If those authors could survive the debasement of the nineteenth-century media, perhaps we can all survive the unsparing gaze of social media, and even make peace with our all-too-human craving for the spotlight.

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Youth, Celebrity Culture, and New Populism

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• Surjit Singha 4 &
• V. Muthu Ruben 5  

This essay examines the interaction between celebrity culture and new populism, significantly impacting young people’s conduct and aspirations. The influence of celebrity culture on how young individuals perceive themselves and their objectives is amplified by social media and influencers. Concurrently, new populist movements attract disillusioned youth seeking a change in conventional politics. The interaction between the celebrity-like strategies employed by new populist leaders and celebrity endorsements heightens their influence on the younger generation. However, this interaction may lead to conflicts between materialistic values and the socioeconomic promises of the new populism. Addressing these challenges requires promoting media literacy, responsible endorsements, and educational support, empowering youth to navigate these influences critically and collaboratively to shape a better future.

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Singha, S., Ruben, V.M. (2024). Youth, Celebrity Culture, and New Populism. In: Chacko Chennattuserry, J., Deshpande, M., Hong, P. (eds) Encyclopedia of New Populism and Responses in the 21st Century. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-9859-0_443-1

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11 Great Essays About Celebrities You Should Read

From Blac Chyna's rise to the end of Brangelina.

BuzzFeed News Reporter

How Blac Chyna Beat The Kardashians At Their Own Game , by Sylvia Obell

“And so the Kardashians, a family often accused of stealing black men, black features, and black culture, got beat at their own game by a black woman. And not just any black woman, but a video vixen who was never supposed to see the inside of the country clubs the Kardashians frequented growing up.”

Michael Chabon Is An Underdog On Top Of The World , by Doree Shafrir

“Today, Chabon is 53 and one of the most venerated and successful living writers in America, a brilliant storyteller with a litany of nerdy interests (comics, rockets, science fiction) that he weaves into his books in a manner that seems effortless. His new novel, Moonglow — a fictional memoir about Chabon’s family — has already been nominated for the Carnegie Medal of Excellence, and was called “elegiac and deeply poignant” in Michiko Kakutani’s New York Times review. He has four children and a happy marriage and a beautiful Craftsman home in Berkeley, California, and a full head of salt-and-pepper hair. You kind of want to hate him.

He is a true, unrepentant nerd, who has only ever been looking for his people.

But it is hard to hate him.”

Chris Evans' Version of Masculinity Is What We Want Right Now, by Bim Adewunmi

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Why Do We Keep Trying To Solve A Problem Like Mariah ?, by Pier Dominguez

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Kristen Stewart's Complicated Appeal , by Shannon Keating

“Regardless of how she personally identifies, Stewart is among the most famous women who date women in the world — and the way she navigates expressing that identity, whether on the red carpet or in front of the camera, says a lot about how much the film industry has and hasn’t done to make room for queer female sexuality in Hollywood.”

Drake Belongs To Black Women , by Hannah Giorgis

“ Drake is still arguably the most powerful genre-bending artist in the current pop culture landscape, a sex symbol whose bulked-up, bearded ascent into Heartthrob Status came as a destabilizing surprise. RiRi included, the black women who bring him to his knees are beholden first and foremost to themselves, regarding his public affections with a sense of amusement. Because to be a black woman in the entertainment industry or elsewhere is to have to work twice as hard for that recognition. When men like Drake dish it out so generously, if also nauseatingly, it’s noteworthy despite its prickly bits.”

The Slow Fade of Tom Hanks , by Anne Helen Petersen

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What Does A Queer Pop Star Look Like in 2016 ?, by Shannon Keating

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Essay on Celebrity Culture

Students are often asked to write an essay on Celebrity Culture in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Celebrity Culture

What is celebrity culture.

Celebrity culture is the widespread interest in famous people’s lives. It’s like a big community where stars from movies, sports, and music become very popular. People follow what these celebrities do, wear, and even think. This culture has grown a lot because of magazines, TV, and the internet.

The Impact on Society

Celebrities can influence how we dress, talk, and act. Many people want to be like them. Sometimes this can be good when they inspire us to do better. But it can also be bad if people focus too much on trying to live like a star instead of being themselves.

The Role of Media

The media, like TV shows, websites, and magazines, make money by sharing stories about celebrities. They tell us who is dating who, what someone wore, and other details. This keeps the stars in the spotlight and makes us want to know even more.

Pros and Cons

Having role models can be positive. It can push us to work hard and dream big. But sometimes, paying too much attention to celebrities can make us forget about real-life heroes like teachers, doctors, and family members who make a difference every day.

250 Words Essay on Celebrity Culture

What is celebrity culture, why people love celebrities.

Many people look up to celebrities. They see them as role models and want to be like them. Sometimes, fans copy their style or the way they act. Celebrities can inspire people to follow their dreams and work hard.

The Good Side

Celebrities can do great things. They can raise money for people in need and bring attention to important issues. When they share their stories, they can teach us lessons and make us feel like we are not alone.

The Not-So-Good Side

But, celebrity culture can also have problems. Sometimes, it makes people care too much about looks and buying expensive things. It can also make people think they need to be perfect like the stars, which is not real.

Staying Smart About It

It’s okay to enjoy celebrity culture, but it’s important to remember that stars are just people. They make mistakes too. It’s good to admire them but also to think for yourself and know what’s really important in life.

Celebrity culture is a big part of our world. It can be fun and inspiring, but it’s best to enjoy it while also being smart about it.

500 Words Essay on Celebrity Culture

Many people love following celebrities because it gives them something fun to talk about with friends. It can also be exciting to see someone with a glamorous life. Some fans feel a strong connection to their favorite stars, almost as if they know them personally. This can make fans very loyal and supportive of the celebrities they admire.

The Good Side of Celebrity Culture

Celebrity culture can have a positive side. Celebrities often use their fame to help others by supporting charities and bringing attention to important issues. When a famous person talks about a problem in the world, a lot of people listen, and this can lead to good changes. Celebrities can also inspire their fans to follow their dreams and work hard.

The Not-So-Good Side of Celebrity Culture

How celebrities influence fashion and trends.

Celebrities often set the latest trends in fashion and style. When a celebrity wears a new type of clothing, hairstyle, or accessory, many people want to copy that look. This can be fun and a way for people to express themselves, but it can also make people feel pressured to buy new things all the time to stay in style.

Reality TV and Social Media

Reality TV shows and social media have made celebrity culture even bigger. These platforms make it easy for anyone to see what celebrities are doing at almost any time. This can create a feeling that we are part of their lives. But it’s important to remember that what we see on TV or online is not always the real life of these celebrities; it’s often carefully chosen to make their lives seem more exciting.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

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The collection of essays in the book moves from the largest domain of celebrity culture in India - Bollywood - through celebrity life writing and biopics and, finally, to the politics of and by celebrity culture. The book begins with an exploration of films made around celebrity victims to the vernacular cosmopolitanism of Bollywood stars’ philanthropic and humanitarian work and, finally, to celebrity charisma and its role in the current era of ‘post-truth’ Two studies of celebrity biopics and auto/biographies - from sports stars to Bollywood stars - and their disease memoirs are included. Finally, a section of essays are devoted to celebrity cultural politics, including Indian writing as a celebrity, the Narmada River as a celebrity, the desacralization of celebrity statues, Arundhati Roy’s celebrated and celebrity activism and the self-fashioning of Indian authors in the age of digital culture.

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Frontmatter pp i-iv

Contents pp v-vi, preface pp vii-viii, acknowledgments pp ix-x, introduction: stars, styles, society and spectacle pp 1-12, part 1 - bollywood and celebrity pp 13-14, 1 - victims, bollywood and the construction of a cele-meme pp 15-32, 2 - brand bollywood care: celebrity, charity and vernacular cosmopolitanism pp 33-50, 3 - celebrity, charisma, and post-truth relations: agnogenesis, affect, and bollywood pp 51-64, part 2 - celebrity and lifewriting pp 65-66, 4 - what the stars tell: celebrity lifewriting in india pp 67-74, 5 - biopics pp 75-82, 6 - bollywood stars and cancer memoirs pp 83-90, part 3 - celebrity, culture and politics pp 91-92, 7 - indian writing in english as celebrity pp 93-106, 8 - watery friction: the river narmada, celebrity, and new grammars of protest pp 107-130, 9 - mobility and insurgent celebrityhood: the case of arundhati roy pp 131-144, 10 - desecration and the politics of ‘image pollution’: ambedkar statues and the ‘sculptural encounter’ in india pp 145-156, 11 - authors, self-fashioning and online cultural production in the age of hindu celevision pp 157-174, index pp 175-177, full text views.

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Celebrities have always been influential figures in society, with their lifestyles, opinions, and actions often shaping popular culture. From movie stars to musicians, athletes to influencers, these high-profile individuals have a powerful platform to influence their followers and fans.

With the rise of social media, celebrities have even more power than ever before. They can connect with millions of people instantly, sharing their views and experiences on a global scale. But just how much influence do they really have, and what impact does it have on our society?

The celebrity effect

Celebrities have a unique ability to capture the public’s attention and influence their behavior. Whether it’s a new fashion trend, a viral dance move, or a political endorsement, celebrities can shape our collective consciousness in ways we may not even realize.

For example, when a celebrity endorses a particular brand, it can have a significant impact on sales. A study by Nielsen found that celebrity endorsements can increase sales by up to 20%. Similarly, when a celebrity speaks out on social or political issues, it can raise awareness and inspire action among their followers.

Social media and the celebrity effect

Social media has taken the celebrity effect to a whole new level. With platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, celebrities can reach millions of people instantly, sharing their lives, opinions, and causes with their followers.

This level of access and influence has its pros and cons. On the one hand, it allows celebrities to connect with their fans on a more personal level, creating a sense of community and belonging. On the other hand, it can also lead to the spread of misinformation and the glorification of unhealthy behaviors.

The impact on society

The impact of celebrity influence on society is a topic of much debate. Some argue that celebrities can use their platform to bring attention to important issues and effect positive change. For example, actors like Angelina Jolie and Leonardo DiCaprio have used their fame to raise awareness about global issues like climate change and human rights abuses.

Others, however, argue that the celebrity culture perpetuates unrealistic standards and values that can be harmful to society. The pressure to conform to certain beauty standards, for example, can lead to body image issues and low self-esteem, particularly among young people.

The role of the media

The media also plays a significant role in shaping the public’s perception of celebrities. The constant coverage of their lives, both good and bad, can influence how we view them and their actions.

In recent years, there has been a growing movement to hold the media accountable for the way they report on celebrities. Some argue that the constant scrutiny can have negative effects on their mental health, while others point out the unfair and often sexist treatment of female celebrities.

The bottom line

There’s no denying the power of influence that celebrities have on shaping culture and society. Whether it’s through fashion, music, politics, or social issues, they have the ability to inspire change and impact millions of people.

But with great power comes great responsibility. As consumers of media, it’s important to be aware of the messages and values that are being promoted by celebrities and the media. By doing so, we can make informed choices about who we choose to follow and how we choose to engage with their content.

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How 2020 Was the Downfall of Celebrity Culture

If I had to pinpoint the moment celebrities boarded the Titanic of fame and were about to hit the iceberg that would sink their glorification with no chance of survival, it would have to be that "Imagine" video. On March 18, Wonder Woman 's Gal Gadot posted an Instagram video that featured her and way too many others singing "Imagine" by John Lennon , an effort to remind people that "we're all in this together." Laid up in my bedroom with a fever of 102 degrees and a cough that was making it increasingly hard to breathe , I watched Gal sing with her celeb pals and wondered, "Who the f*ck asked for this?"

It wasn't the first (or the last) moment of 2020 that made me feel like I was watching the sinking ship that is the cult of celebrity, but it was definitely a landmark in time. As the world grappled with the crisis of a pandemic and a worldwide movement against police brutality sparked by the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, celebrities seemed to lose any self-awareness of how out-of-touch their fame has made them.

Arnold Schwarzenegger enlisted the aid of his pet donkeys to remind us to stay home, Rita Wilson brushed off her rap "skills" in quarantine after contracting COVID, and Jennifer Lopez documented her family's adventures in quarantine to the point where her fans began to revolt in the comments. Celebrities undoubtedly saw these peeks into their lives as examples of how they're just like the rest of us staying at home, scrambling for entertainment and solace from the dumpster fire that is the landscape of our country, but it harshly backfired.

"Are we supposed to feel a kinship with celebrities who fought their cabin fever in palatial mansions?"

With each cutesy at-home concert or comedic sketch depicting how stir-crazy celebs were getting , the schism between the famous and the rest of the world grew. Sure, celebrities were just as obligated to stay at home as the rest of us were, but many of them were lucky enough to do so in palatial mansions that held the same sources of entertainment as a small town. Are we supposed to feel a kinship with celebrities who fought their cabin fever while lounging by their glorious pools, keeping fit in their state-of-the-art home gyms, or being catered to by their renowned chefs?

As circumstances became worse, grocery store aisles ran bare, and folks took to the streets to fight for Black lives, the public began demanding more from their celebrities. No longer was sharing a link or an image on social media to "raise awareness" enough, nor was boosting ineffectual initiatives acceptable reasons for praise and accolades. Fans began to demand that celebs "open their purse" for the causes they claimed to support and use their large platforms to boost the voice of activists and change-makers who were actually educated in those causes. From athletes to actors and singers, Black celebrities led the charge when it came to protesting in the streets , demanding action be taken to address racial inequity and discrimination within the entertainment industry, and launching initiatives that do exactly that.

Other celebrities had a bit more of a learning curve . Posting black squares on their Instagram pages wasn't enough to satisfy fans who called for their favorites to acknowledge their privilege and join the fight, or lose them forever. It became the norm to see a Notes app apology as folks called out celebrities for insensitive jokes, bad takes , offensive comments and behavior; the dreaded "cancel culture" conversation reared its head again and again. No longer were fans happy to accept the flaws of their favorites without question, and if a celebrity got caught slipping, all their dirty laundry began coming out. When Variety and BuzzFeed News published reports about the poor treatment of workers on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in April and July, respectively, it fueled the flames for people to let loose on their terrible experiences with the talk show host. It was the perfect example of how quickly a "beloved icon" could fall from grace during a year when people could get #eattherich and #guillotine2020 trending on Twitter.

Right now we all need a little kindness. You know, like Ellen Degeneres always talks about! 😊❤️ She's also notoriously one of the meanest people alive Respond to this with the most insane stories you've heard about Ellen being mean & I'll match every one w/ $2 to @LAFoodBank — Kevin T. Porter (@KevinTPorter) March 20, 2020

Of course, Ellen is also a great example of how cancel culture doesn't exist, since she was able to get back to her talk show with nary a peep of complaint, but I digress.

This became the year in which the differences between celebrities and their fans had never been more obvious, and for some celebrities, dangerous. Not literally dangerous — even if it is funny to see the #eattherich memes on Twitter. The real peril for celebrities came from their inability to understand how they're expected to move within such trying times, and it remains so as a new year approaches. Our attention has never been more laser-focused on everyone and everything that can give us entertainment, information, or even a bit of solace. We are watching celebrities more closely and thoughtfully than ever before, and any step they take can be the one that leads to backlash. The bar for fans' standards may be in hell sometimes, but 2020 has definitely raised our expectations.

As the dumpster fire of 2020 fades and we head into 2021 , the value of entertainment rises as the importance of celebrity crashes. If you're not blessed with John Legend-esque pipes , we don't want to hear your feel-good renditions, no matter how many of your friends join in. If you don't have Lady Gaga levels of audacity and costume changes , I don't want to see your PSA. If you're not opening your purse , I don't want to hear your spiels. And if you aren't putting actions behind your words or taking the time to think about how tone-deaf your messaging could be , do us all a favor and just be quiet . Your publicist will thank you.

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Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — Celebrity — Why Celebrity Culture Is Harmful To Youth

Why Celebrity Culture is Harmful to Youth

• Categories: Celebrity Youth Culture

About this sample

Words: 2740 |

14 min read

Published: Dec 16, 2021

Words: 2740 | Pages: 6 | 14 min read

Works Cited

• American Psychological Association. (2021). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). APA.
• Duncombe, S. (2004). Dream: Re-imagining Progressive Politics in an Age of Fantasy. The New Press.
• Malacoff, J. (2019). 15 Disturbing Facts About Body Image. Best Life. https://bestlifeonline.com/body-image-facts/
• Manly, C. M. (2019). Joy From Fear: Create the Life of Your Dreams by Making Fear Your Friend. FriesenPress.
• Scruton, R. (2007). The Culture of the New Capitalism. The New Criterion, 25(1), 2-8.
• Sternheimer, K. (2011). Celebrity Culture and the American Dream: Stardom and Social Mobility. Routledge.
• Turner, G. (2004). Understanding Celebrity. SAGE Publications.

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The 30 Celebrity Memoirs That Are Actually Worth Reading

These books will change your perspective on some of the biggest A-listers.

Celebrity culture is a fascinating thing, and while it’s easy to get your fill by following various gossip blogs, scrolling endlessly on social media, and going down Wikipedia rabbit holes about your favorite actors, musicians, and other public figures, there’s nothing quite like hearing about the celebrity experience from the people living it. Enter the celebrity memoir. A very specific genre of book and even kind of memoir , the best celeb memoirs not only give readers a peek behind the curtain—exposing the inner workings of Hollywood, Buckingham Palace , Washington, D.C., and beyond—but also offer up juicy, hilarious, and sometimes heartbreaking stories that even their most dedicated fans have never heard, painting a much more nuanced picture of a person previously only seen on a TV screen or magazine cover.

Read on for a list of 30 of the best celebrity memoirs ever written—including a National Book Award winner, many, many New York Times bestsellers, and even newly published, must-read titles . Pro tip: If you’re an audiobook fan, many celebs narrate their memoirs, making for an even more intimate and immersive reading experience.

Gilpin, who you may recognize from Netflix’s Glow , described this book as both her “opus” and “chaos.” But it’s the best kind of chaos: a wise, funny, exuberant exploration of the many different selves that the actor shuffles through every era, year, and day of her life as she carves out a fulfilling path for herself—an experience that’ll be all too relatable to so many women everywhere.

Michelle Obama gives her side of the story in this 2018 book, in which she charts a path from her humble beginnings in Chicago to the Ivy League and, eventually, the White House. Not only did the Obama-narrated Becoming audiobook win a Grammy, but the memoir also spawned a Netflix series—in case you just can’t get enough of the former FLOTUS’ story and refreshingly optimistic outlook.

Comedian Trevor Noah was born in South Africa to a Black mother and white father in 1984, a year before interracial relationships were decriminalized in the country—hence the title of his memoir. It goes into detail about his experiences growing up under apartheid and, along the way, also serves as an ode to his fiercely loving mother.

There are enough memoirs by the hilarious and badass women of Saturday Night Live to make up their own genre, complete with titles from Amy Poehler, Gilda Radner, Leslie Jones, and more, but Tina Fey’s entry in the category is one of the very best. Though less revealing than many of the other celeb memoirs on this list, Bossypants is still full of hard-won life lessons and, of course, plenty of the comedy queen’s signature dry humor.

More like “crying anywhere you choose to read this book.” Keep the tissues close by for this one, in which the Japanese Breakfast frontwoman unpacks her close, complicated relationship with her late mother, who showed love largely by cooking copious amounts of Korean food, which Zauner describes in beautiful, loving detail throughout the book.

Comedian Ali Wong penned this series of essays for her two daughters—who appeared in utero in her first two Netflix specials—but, luckily for the rest of us, it was published for everyone to read. Filled with her signature raunchy humor, Wong zigzags across a wide range of material, from intimate details of her sex life to the trip to Vietnam that helped her better understand her mother.

Finding Me sees Davis looking back on her journey from growing up in an unstable home to becoming one of the greatest actors of our time, highlighting the bravery and unstoppable ambition that it took to keep pushing forward despite the many setbacks she faced along the way. Fittingly, it was the audiobook recording of the memoir that earned Davis the Grammy she needed to achieve EGOT status in 2023.

A year before his tragic death, the former Friends star published a memoir detailing the emotional highs and lows of his life: from growing up as a child of divorce to a behind-the-scenes look at his time on the beloved sitcom, through to his years long struggles with addiction.

The Molly Shannon that we all know and love is full of silliness and light, but that seemingly boundless joy was hard-won by the comedian, who early in life lost her mother, sister, and cousin in a tragic car accident. As she tells it in this equally heartbreaking and hilarious memoir, her grieving father encouraged her free-wheeling personality and mischievous antics, allowing her to grow into the powerfully optimistic, joyous superstar she is today.

Behind the shocking title is the former Nickelodeon star’s description of a controlling, abusive mother who dominated McCurdy’s every thought and action for most of her life. The book is separated into two sections, “Before” and “After,” organized around McCurdy’s mother’s 2013 death, and while she recounts her story with heartbreaking detail, she sprinkles in bits of humor and ends on a hopeful note, looking back from a much happier and healthier place.

After more than 60 years in the public eye, there’s still plenty to learn about Sally Field. She opened up about a lot of it in this memoir, which tells the heartbreaking stories of the abuse she endured both in her childhood and throughout her career, breaks down her complicated relationship with her mother, and describes the powerful anchor that acting has always been for her.

After decades spent in the spotlight, it makes sense that Demi Moore’s memoir would be filled with charmingly nostalgic anecdotes and shocking bombshells in equal measure. And the Brat Pack member wasn’t afraid to go deep: She writes in detail about her childhood trauma and struggles with addiction and body image, while also offering up new insights into her well-publicized relationships with leading men like Bruce Willis and Ashton Kutcher.

Mindy Kaling has so far written three essay collections comprising reflections on her childhood, musings on love and friendship, and her thoughts on modern womanhood. You should definitely start with this 2011 book, her first memoir, which is equal parts hilarious, relatable, and heartfelt as it parses through Kaling’s relationship with her mother, her constantly changing body image, and more.

Smith’s 2010 memoir is the only entry on this list to earn a National Book Award—and, by our count, the only celebrity memoir to ever accomplish the feat, period. And for good reason: In it, the punk rocker documents her relationship with the photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in the 1960s and ‘70s, offering a rare look into that period of artistic rebellion and the coming-of-age of two of the greatest artists of their time.

Tiffany Haddish made a massive splash with her scene-stealing role in 2017’s Girls Trip and, in the short time since, has racked up an Emmy and a Grammy, as well as countless other acting roles and hosting gigs. But far from an overnight success story, the comedian’s breakout came after more than a decade of hard work and, before that, a difficult childhood and early adulthood that included periods of homelessness—all of which she described in her powerful 2017 memoir.

Padma Lakshmi is known for her impeccable sense of taste, and this book documents just where she got it, from the headstrong matriarchs who taught her how to cook to the world travels that further expanded her palate. It’s filled with luscious descriptions of food that’ll leave your mouth watering and, even better, sprinkled with recipes so you can recreate some of Lakshmi’s favorite dishes in your own home.

350 pages may not seem like enough to capture a career that has spanned more than half a century, but Sir Elton John somehow made it happen, packing his long-awaited memoir with his entire life story, from childhood to his final farewell tour, including many sordid tales of sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

EmRata first made a splash on the celebrity scene with her appearance in Robin Thicke’s controversial “Blurred Lines” video, in which she bared all—and subsequently pronounced her participation in the video a feminist act. Years later, in this thoughtful, incisive essay collection, she rethinks that statement, examining the insidious nature of the male gaze and modern beauty culture, the ways women are taught to conform (consciously or otherwise) to the patriarchy, and her own participation in perpetuating those ideas.

Megan Rapinoe may be best known for her feats on the soccer field—including her Olympic gold medal and two Women’s World Cup wins—but in this book, she celebrates the powerful moves she’s made off the field. That includes publicly coming out as gay to become a forceful voice for marriage equality, kneeling in solidarity with NFL star Colin Kaepernick’s protests for racial justice, suing the U.S. Soccer Federation over its gender pay gap, and so much more. Prepare to be majorly inspired.

While some celebrities gloss over the hardest parts of their public lives in their memoirs, preferring to focus on stories of triumph and external achievement, Jessica Simpson doesn’t shy away from delving deep. In Open Book , she candidly explores how she felt about many of the infamous moments of her career, from her “blonde moments” on Newlyweds to her headline-grabbing on-and-off relationship with John Mayer to the incessant tabloid coverage of her physical appearance. She also pulls back the curtain even further, opening up about her struggles with addiction and her complicated familial relationships. Trust us: You’ll want to keep the tissues handy for this one, especially if you’re listening to Simpson’s own emotional audiobook narration.

Exploring and coming to terms with your sexuality and gender identity can be difficult enough in private, and here, Page describes how that process was made even more challenging as it coincided with his growing career in the public eye. In the powerful 2023 memoir, the Juno star recounts the gender dysphoria he experienced starting in childhood, the pressure he felt to conform to Hollywood’s standard model of a young starlet, and, ultimately, the freedom that came with coming out as trans and living his truth.

Paris Hilton’s life may seem on the surface to be the stuff of real-life fairytales, but in this 2023 book, she exposes the much less glamorous truth underneath all the diamonds and “That’s hot”s. Among the heavier topics covered are Hilton’s experiences with ADHD, her treatment in the controversial “troubled teen industry,” and her journey to self-acceptance after living behind the facade of her public persona for years.

All three of Carrie Fisher’s memoirs are worth a read, but this one, her final work, paints an especially intimate portrait of the iconic actor. Released just a few weeks before her untimely 2016 death, it pulls heavily from the diaries Fisher kept from early in her career and sees her piecing together that roller-coaster-like era of her life—including the groundbreaking reveal that she’d had a brief affair with her Star Wars costar Harrison Ford while filming the first movie in the series.

Before Abbott Elementary became a runaway success, the show’s creator and star, Quinta Brunson, was a social media star and BuzzFeed content creator. She describes those experiences in this 2021 essay collection, which varies in tone from hilarious descriptions of her online and IRL escapades to more serious, thoughtful ruminations on mental health and modern-day America.

In the memoir genre, Britney Spears ’ book was outsold in 2023 only by Prince Harry ’s tell-all about his life in the royal family. In addition to being filled with truly wild stories from throughout his life, Spare was particularly shocking in how Harry so candidly pulled back the curtain on purported rifts and dysfunction among the normally tight-lipped British royals.

In addition to being a beloved actor, Stanley Tucci is also known as a world-class foodie. After putting out a couple of cookbooks, he took his food writing escapades even deeper, publishing this book, filled with the stories of significant foods and meals throughout his life, in 2021.

Minka Kelly’s breakout role—as the wealthy “golden girl” Lyla Garrity on Friday Night Lights —was a far cry from her own upbringing, as, in addition to being raised by a mother who struggled with addiction, she was also bullied at school and experienced abuse at the hands of her high school boyfriend. She opened up about it all in this 2023 memoir, which she’s described as a tribute to working-class single mothers like her own “who were dealt a bad hand.”

King of Queens star Leah Remini made headlines a decade ago when she publicly split from the Church of Scientology after many years as a loyal adherent. Here, she offers the whole story in eye-opening detail, spanning her first introductions to the church, her rise through the ranks, and, eventually, the questions that got her labeled a “Suppressive Person” and cut her off from her friends and family.

The subtitle of this book is “stories that are funny, complicated, and true,” and that’s exactly what Gabrielle Union provides. Her sharply written essay collection spans a variety of topics, including her experiences growing up Black in a predominantly white neighborhood and being a working woman in Hollywood and beyond.

Among the most anticipated celeb memoirs of all time, Spears’ 2023 book gave new insight into many of the ups and downs of her life so meticulously documented by the tabloids for the last two decades. In it, the pop star delves into her high-profile relationships , her experience of motherhood, and, of course, the long-running conservatorship that kept her under her father’s thumb for many years.

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Andrea Park is a Chicago-based writer and reporter with a near-encyclopedic knowledge of the extended Kardashian-Jenner kingdom, early 2000s rom-coms and celebrity book club selections. She graduated from the Columbia School of Journalism in 2017 and has also written for W, Brides, Glamour, Women's Health, People and more.

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Usher and Janet Jackson headline 30th Essence Festival of Culture

FILE - Attendees walk around the 2018 Essence Festival at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on Friday, July 6, 2018, in New Orleans. The 30th Essence Festival of Culture, celebrating the best of Black culture’s policymakers, thought leaders, creatives, business minds, health experts and musical talent, will take place this Fourth of July weekend, 2024, in New Orleans. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Usher performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. Usher will be headlining the 30th Essence Festival of Culture, Fourth of July weekend, 2024, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

FILE - Janet Jackson performs at the Essence Festival in New Orleans, July 8, 2018. Jackson will be performing at the 30th Essence Festival of Culture, Fourth of July weekend, 2024, in New Orleans. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Frankie Beverly performs at the Essence Festival at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, July 7, 2019, in New Orleans. Beverly will be performing at the 30th Essence Festival of Culture, Fourth of July weekend, 2024, in New Orleans. (Photo by Donald Traill/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Victoria Monet performs during the BET Awards on Sunday, June 30, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Monet will be performing at the 30th Essence Festival of Culture, Fourth of July weekend, 2024, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The best of Black culture’s policymakers, thought leaders, creatives, spiritual gurus, business movers and shakers, health experts and, of course, musical talent are poised to converge in New Orleans over the Fourth of July weekend as part of the Essence Festival of Culture .

The festival kicks off Thursday and runs through Sunday. This year, it celebrates 30 years of entertainment, networking and thought-provoking conversations to inspire solutions for issues facing urban communities. The underlying premise remains the same: purposeful partying.

Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to hold a conversation with Essence CEO Caroline Wanga during the Global Black Economic Forum on Saturday at the festival. The visit comes amid calls by some for the replacement of President Joe Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket following his debate with former President Donald Trump. Those types of in-depth dialogues, covering a wide-range of topics, can be expected throughout the event.

“This experience was built to celebrate 25 years of Essence magazine, Black womanhood,” said Hakeem Holmes, vice president for the Essence Festival of Culture. “Black women built this festival, Black women poured into this festival. They had a good time at this festival, made relationships and networked — all at this festival — and then they brought what they learned home with them.”

Since its beginning, the festival has morphed into a multi-generational event that seeks to touch the entire Black family, by offering “a little bit of everything for everyone,’' Holmes said.

Much of that transition, Holmes said, is thanks to the city that’s hosted the event every year except one. In 2006, Houston hosted the festival, while New Orleans dealt with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Lisa Alexis, director of Mayor Latoya Cantrell’s Office of Cultural Economy, said 30 years of Essence has had a $327 million impact on the city.

“It started as a party with a purpose, but over the years they’ve expounded on that,” Alexis said. “We now have the Black Global Economic Forum , the film festival, a wellness area, a marketplace. Our businesses have the opportunity through this partnership to be a part of the vendor market, and we’re able to share and support one another as our cultural entrepreneurs look to grow.”

That kind of paying it forward is what helps keep the festival relevant, Holmes said.

“Relevancy is driven by our relationship to this community,” said Holmes, a New Orleans native. “We are constantly listening. … We have what folks want to see throughout this event. We have people who are coming to have conversations about things they can actionably take as next steps when they return home. And, we have the parties, too!”

Holmes said keeping long-term fans engaged in the festival is always a challenge.

“It’s like expecting something new while maintaining the familiar,” he said. “I think it’s like going to church every Sunday. You’re gonna get a different sermon by the same person, but for whatever reason, every Sunday you’re touched differently. That is the essence of the festival. It’s a community gathering. It’s a homecoming. It’s a reunion. And I think that is what attracts and keeps people engaged.”

Holmes said the festival will be available in person and virtually (via essence.com ). “We’re giving folks everything they want in a consolidated amount of time during the day and then at night, they can go and have a good time,” he said.

That good time includes a Friday night concert inside the Superdome featuring Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Friends as they, too, celebrate 30 years of Cash Money Records and its Millionaires. Juvenile, Busta Rhymes, T-Pain, The Roots and Mannie Fresh are scheduled to perform. R&B singers Jacquees and Ari Lennox and country artist Mickey Guyton also will take the stage.

Usher headlines Saturday and celebrates the 20th anniversary of his “Confessions” album, which includes hits like “Yeah,” “Burn,” “Caught Up” and “Bad Girl.” “Confessions’’ has sold more than 10 million units in the U.S. Others scheduled to perform include Charlie Wilson, Ayra Starr, Big Boi, Donell Jones, Lloyd, Method Man, Sheila E. and TGT — a trio featuring Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank.

Janet Jackson is the headliner Sunday, the final night. Victoria Monét , Keke Palmer, Teedra Moses, Tank and the Bangas, Dawn Richard, SWV, Jagged Edge, Bilal and Anthony Hamilton will also perform. The four-day event will close with the return of the all-white party and a special tribute to Frankie Beverly & Maze, curated by Grammy award-winning producer and songwriter, Bryan-Michael Cox. Beverly has said that he is stepping away from performing live, and the group has been on a farewell tour.

For the festival’s first 15 years, Frankie Beverly & Maze closed the event with a massive performance, watched by thousands singing along to the group’s hits, including “Before I Let Go,” “Joy and Pain” and “Happy Feelin’s.” In 2010, a new event producer ended the tradition to the disappointment of many festgoers despite the talent tapped to close, including Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige and Lionel Richie.

“This is our big send-off to Frankie & Maze,” Holmes said. “It will be a mix of him singing and others singing to him. This will be a true, here-are-your-flowers moment.”

This year, Holmes said, organizers seek to celebrate milestones.

“To have both Usher and Janet on the same bill. Such pioneers in their genre. What we’re ultimately seeing in this 30th year is a passing of the torch in culture and musically. Having Victoria Monét on the same night as Janet. That’s what you’ll see on the night-by-night. Chronology of acts that are reminiscent, that speak to multi-generations and give the people who they want to see,” he said.

Taylor Swift Serenaded Travis Kelce During Third Eras Tour Show in Amsterdam

During the show, Swift was filmed by fans singing her hit “So High School,” seemingly directly at Kelce, who the song is supposed to be about. It was part of a mashup of “Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)” and “Everything Has Changed.”

Though he missed her first night at Johan Cruijff Arena, Kelce was there on Friday and was seen leaving with Swift. The couple exited after the show and stopped to wave to fans. Kelce got particularly caught up, throwing his hands up to encourage them. Swift intervened and he reached over to her for a hug and a kiss.

Kelce has been making many appearances at Swift’s show as she makes her way through Europe. Last weekend, he was in Dublin for some performances and the weekend before he attended all three of her shows in London’s Wembley Stadium. On the third night in London, Kelce arrived with Swift’s parents, Scott and Andrea. He then made a surprise appearance on stage during the concert dressed in a full tuxedo and top hat as part of her transition skit for “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.”

On a new episode of the New Heights podcast, Kelce talked about his big debut and having to carry his girlfriend off stage.

“I was up there with three professionals. You can do no wrong with Taylor on stage. [I kept telling myself], ‘Do not drop the baby. Hold onto the baby,’” he said. “She found the perfect part of the show to put me in. It was, like, the safest option.”

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Wimbledon 2024: See All the Most Stylish Celebrity and Royal Looks

Including Kim Cattrall, Lucy Boynton, and Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece

The prestigious tennis tournament often welcomes a royal and star-studded crowd, with everyone from Princess Kate and Meghan Markle to Ariana Grande and Emma Watson joining in on the fun.

Kate in particular is known to be a fan of Wimbledon, with the tournament typically marking one of her most beloved royal engagements of the year. But as the princess continues to undergo treatment for cancer , it’s currently unknown whether or not she will show up. Wimbledon organizers have reportedly offered “flexibility” for Kate’s schedule, should she decide to come. “We’re hopeful that the Princess of Wales will be able to present the trophies as the club’s patron, but her health and recovery is the priority,” Debbie Jevans, chair of London’s All England Club, where the tournament takes place, recently told The Telegraph . “We don’t know what we don’t know. All we’ve said is that we’ll work with her and give her as much flexibility as possible.”

In the meantime, Harper’s Bazaar has rounded up the best of the best looks when it comes to Wimbledon style. Keep scrolling to see them all—and make sure to watch this space for updates.

Kim Cattrall

Alexander Gilkes and Maria Sharapova

Justin Rose and Kate Phillips

Hannah Waddingham

Rebel Wilson

Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer

David Beckham

Lucy Boynton

Poppy and Charles Delevingne

Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark

Golda Rosheuvel

In Jasper Conran London on July 1.

Jameela Jamil

Baroness Floella Benjamin and Chris Levine

Pixie Lott and Oliver Cheshire

Alison Hammond

Kingsley Ben-Adir

As an associate editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, Chelsey keeps a finger on the pulse on all things celeb news. She also writes on social movements, connecting with activists leading the fight on workers' rights, climate justice, and more. Offline, she’s probably spending too much time on TikTok, rewatching Emma (the 2020 version, of course), or buying yet another corset. 

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WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for essence newsletters the keep the black women at the forefront of conversation., pinky cole, derrick hayes, celebrity friends and more collaborate to bring the next multi-million dollar business to life.

Every day, big business ideas that impact the world are created. There are thousands of trailblazers and innovators who come up with effective solutions to solve societal problems. From smartphones to the latest beauty products, founders, especially Black founders, have all impacted the world through one simple thought. If this doesn’t exist, how can I change that?

Notable entrepreneurs like Dr. Dre with Dre Beats and Rihanna with Savage Fenty and Fenty Beauty have reached the masses with their influence and ingenious ideas to make a name for themselves in a lacking market. On this panel, moderated by Slutty Vegan founder Pinky Cole and her husband, founder of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, CEOs from across the nation, and celebrity friends work together to ideate and make another business owner’s dream come true.

“American Sesh” is a new event series hosted by Cole that is now LIVE on stage. Audience members can engage with the panelists as they are separated into teams and collaborate to propose the next multi-million dollar idea. This impressive roundtable includes Keisha Knight Pulliam, Larry Morrow, Toya Johnson, Set Shakur, Tameka Foster, Emline, Julius Carpenter, and Dr. Jamal Bryant.

The rules of “American Sesh” is that both teams will receive a word. The team brainstorms a creative from the word to use the word as the next original business. The first word that the teams had to work with was pillow. Together, they thought of ways to scale the world pillow and how to capitalize off an existing product.

Bryant: This guy challenged us to come up with a pillow that could help black people sleep more than any other ethnic group in America. So, we created something called Black Noise. It’s a pillow that has its own soothing sounds to help you rest.

Pulliam: For our group, we have the cosmic pillow. What happens is when you fall asleep with your make-up on, you have oil from your hair getting on your pillow, and do that consistently, your skin doesn’t like it. It acts up, right? So this pillow… When I tell you it’s magic, it is what every person needs. It emits all of the essences and the things you need to ensure that your face will be rid of all that stuff.

Cole: What about there’s a pillow, and instead of ingesting marijuana, there is THC in the pillow. And guess what the pillow is called? Cloud 9. It’s a little pillow that gets you high while you sleep without putting all those toxins in your body.

The session continued with figuring out a business with the word essence. With this round, the teams developed experiential companies that could be exploratory for people worldwide.

Morrow: So we’ll do Essence Wellness Retreats, where people go with us, take trips, and eat great food. We will sell all kinds of products associated with Essence, like good essential oils. It’s designed to heal the mind, body, and soul. It’s a place where you come to take care of yourself, from oils to travel to different products and stuff, classes and whatnot, like yoga.

Carpenter: So, essentially, what we came up with is the Essence culture. It is going to be that the people who love our culture will be able to experience it all around the world. Such as Japan, Peru, Italy, and all over the world. Because they’re not like us, but they can experience us.

The discussion concluded with getting to know four audience members, learning about their businesses, and providing them with any support the panelists could. One of the participants, Michelle Clark, along with her husband, are owners of Double Dutch Aerobics and another business called Jumping Juice. They juice with 10,000 people every three months on a 10-day juice freeze. After learning more about the business’s goals, Cole and Hayes weighed in on how Clark could expand and reach a bigger market.

Hayes: I’m big on kids. So my dad died from cancer, and you were talking about the illnesses and stuff that you heal with the juices, right? So what about the kids of the parents who are sick could jump in this double dutch competition for their parents? The kids jump in to help their loved ones or focus on getting healthy because of what they have seen happen to their parents, and so on.

Not only did the business owners gain substantial advice from the power couple, but they also won a huge financial bonus for their companies.

Two Lewis: On behalf of Pinky and Derek, I’d like to tell you that you won this package worth $25,000. Let me tell you what it comes with: one Shopify e-commerce website for service, so 120 days. You also get one-on-one financial coaching, mentorship, self-paced learning management access, and eight-week small business training. They got your back, baby.

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