For my second travelogue I want to examine the phenomenon of people becoming famous through the Internet. For example, YouTube and MySpace are online tools that have broadened the possibilities for an “Average Joe” to get their 15 minutes of fame. These days it is possible to achieve fame not through Hollywood but through the simple means of new technologies. Everyone has the option of becoming a celebrity. People such as Tila Tequila, The Arctic Monkeys and Ashley Dupre are just some examples of people that have risen to fame because of the Internet. Some have been discovered online and others have utilized it as a tool.
Possibly Relevant Posts:
- Rihanna and Chris Brown…Spotted. 2PM at…. (5) | NateGsays
- I want it… And I want it NOW! (3) | NateGsays
- Code Lime… Stalker! (6) | NateGsays
6 Comments
This is such an interesting topic! I wish I had thought of this before you posted it haha. I would look into the idea of “internet it girls” like Cory Kennedy, etc– people who became famous in real life because of their internet personas. How have internet stars perpetuated the cult of celebrity? Fascinating stuff.
I also think this is interesting, as more and more people are turning to the internet for a quick 15 mins or more. Some turn their little bit of fame into a lasting career. You should probably take a look at the rise of Perez Hilton and his celebrity gossip website. He started it as a little blog of commentary on the lives of the famous, which ended up getting so many hits that the “regular” media outlets (TV, radio, magazines) had to start paying attention to him. It’s even been said that he has a definitive say in who would be the next big pop music star. He now has a book out as well.
I meant to add that internet allows “fame off of others’ fame,” meaning people do parodies or covers or commentaries of other peoples products/dances/songs/celeb lives and it usually rockets them to the top of the “most viewed” list.
I love this topic I’m so jealous I didn’t think of it! It might be interesting to think about the smallest of sensations as well, people who were youtube stars, and house hold names, but are still “the— boy” or “the —- girl.” Like the watermelon boy or the cuppy cake boy. I guess it has something to so with a temporary identity that the interest creates for this person, a new kind of fame that doesn’t stretch beyond a 60 second clip of them.
It’s also kind of funny how we care so little about these internet sensations lives, and there are entire websites devoted to the stalking of movie stars, or “Real life” celebrities on the internet.
I think this will be an interesting topic, but I think you must be careful to examine the fact that most people who become famous through the Internet, are not different than most celebrities in that they have a persona that becomes famous. The true individual is not the celebrity, rather it is their performance that becomes famous.
i too am so jealous of this topic! i agree with amanda that you need to be careful to analyze what got them their 15 minutes of fame. i think your example of tila was great because she networked in the cyber field and then took her 14 minutes and added another one on television. The audience got to meet her on the internet as well as in their living room making her a little bit more real then the Chocolate Rain singer or any other myspace hit. but i think you have a great topic that will be really interesting to see as it develops!