15 Minutes of Fame, A Blessing or a Curse?
Can fame be harmful to some?
With the return of X Factor to UK television screens many questions will again be raised as to whether the chance to participate in such shows is beneficial to the individuals concerned and what does the public fascination with “Joe Blogg’s quest for stardom” say about society today?
When Andy Warhol made his prophetic statement, “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” surely even he could not have envisioned the endless production line of talent and reality shows that seem to have the world transfixed. Of course he would not have anticipated social media where “Big Brother” housemates such as Dexter Koh can attract in excess of 86,000 Twitter followers, treating them to recent tweets about nachos and breakfast.
Humiliation or Recognition?
To those enjoying their “15 minutes”, if they have put themselves in the “goldfish bowl” of modern day media then presumably they will enjoy their time in the limelight; but what do those peering into the “goldfish bowl” get from the experience? When they watch “Britain’s Got Talent” are they really excited to see the uncovering of the country’s next big thing or do they want to witness the deluded soul who is convinced he is the next Michael McIntyre as his mother laughs at his jokes, so the audience can laugh at his humiliation instead?
The wish to witness someone else’s misfortune is the same part of human nature that makes people laugh when someone trips in the street, or on a larger scale has a similar, if less dramatic, feel to Roman amphitheatres and stocks and pillories where public witnessing of human suffering was central. Many will say that those people who seek fame deserve any attention they get, but it is not always that straightforward.
The Demons of life in a Goldfish Bowl
As far back as 2010 mental health charities were criticizing “Britain’s Got Talent” after participant Alyn James, who had a history of mental health problems, claimed he was chosen to be humiliated. This may seem dramatic but in the United States Paula Goodspeed killed herself with a drugs overdose outside the home of the then “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul. Ms Goodspeed was an obsessed fan of Ms Abdul who had been filmed participating unsuccessfully on “American Idol” on several occasions.
Even those talent show entrants that are successful can succumb to the demands of the limelight. One of the earliest of these was Lena Zavaroni, child winner of “Opportunity Knocks” in 1974, who died in 1999 having suffered from anorexia from the age of 13. In today’s world of super thin models, and airbrushed celebrity portraiture, eating disorders are prevalent. The image conscious world of celebrity cannot be completely blamed for this and there are many sources of information about causes and treatments that confront the pressures of everyday life and the disorders that stem from not only social status, but familial and personal issues.
Fortunately, there is help available and with the right support, people can overcome these demons. For instance, Demi Lovato, who is currently on the other side of the talent show coin as a judge on the US X Factor, spoke of how her belief in God, and time spent in rehab, had helped in her battle against eating disorders and self-harming issues.
Thankfully for all US residents in the limelight or not, state wide treatment centres such as those in New Jersey allow for help with eating disorders and everyone can have access to the right help they need. However, it is still crucial to note how choosing to place oneself in such a bright, instant spotlight can have a potentially damaging impact that can either trigger or resurrect old demons.
Famous for more than just 15 Minutes
There may have been many issues with the health and stability of those seeking fame through the media of television talent and reality shows, but there are also many success stories. British “Pop Idol” winner Will Young is now a multi-millionaire who has combined a successful recording career with one in acting on the stage and screen.
He is currently entertaining audiences in a national tour of classic musical “Cabaret” in the role of The Emcee for which he was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in the London Production. Although they did not win X Factor, coming third in the seventh series of the British version, One Direction have become a multi-million dollar music phenomenon, selling in excess of 19 million singles and 10 million albums and becoming known as the new “British Invasion” in the United States.
The United States itself has witnessed success for talent show hopefuls in the form of such participants as Kelly Clarkson, the winner of the inaugural season of American Idol in 2002. Now, a decade later, she has a continuing successful music career with worldwide album sales of over 20 million and 84 number ones on the American Billboard chart.
So it is possible to achieve a lot more than just 15 minutes of fame by appearing on television reality or talent shows. As to whether it is a good thing for our schedules to be bombarded with such a plethora of these shows or whether some participants should be subject to public humiliation, maybe the jury is still out.
Suggested Further Reading: psychologytoday.com
