Month: May 2015

Twitter killed the Video star: How social media changed celebrity news, communication, and what it means to be famous

Once upon a time, celebrities were untouchable entities that the general population could only hear on the radio or see onscreen. Now, not only can fans keep up with their favorite celebrities through their phone screens, but they can interact with them that way as well.

Social media has infected everyone’s lives and has revolutionized the way human beings communicate. This does not exclude celebrities. With platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, celebrities can personally write their own posts, publish their own pictures, and generate dialogue with their fans (or haters) throughout the globe.

The "Oscar Selfie" - most retweeted tweet

The “Oscar Selfie” – most retweeted tweet

Celebrities use social media to stay relevant and maintain their fame, and some people use it to find it, with Justin Bieber as a shining example of one of the most famous people discovered from YouTube. Our image of the celebrity has transformed from “they’re above us” to “they’re just like us”–and with everyone’s access to a smartphone and wi-fi connection, they very well could be any of us.

How it used to be

Before accounts with customizable settings and verification checkmarks, celebrity titles were concrete–writer, actress, politician, and any information released from them was done so through a wary publicist or staged and prepped interview. Tabloids made profits off of fabricated, dramatized stories when they couldn’t get legitimate ones. The public relied on news reports for any updates of celebrities, and news outlets relied on whatever filtered information publicists would give them. Celebrities were only seen dressed up and at events, their personal lives a mystery unless caught in scandal.

How it is now

Of course, tabloids and other celebrity news outlets still capitalize on shock and scandal, even celebrity deaths, and online sources like Perez Hilton only amplify the prevalence of these stories. Public relations still play massive roles in celebrity image and promotion, and some celebrities rely on social media specialists to run their handles. But within these past few years a new primary source for news has emerged: the celebrity social media account.

Now, celebrities allow the public into their lives, posting what they’re doing, where they’re doing it, and who they’re doing it with, much like how any of us use social media. They make announcements, release new music or material, even debunk rumors on their accounts much like any publicist would. They unprecedentedly expose their personality online in ways never before seen from such high profile figures.

Now, stars post selfies with or without makeup, complain about their days, comment on current events, and make jokes. They establish connections with their fans, replying to them, favoriting, retweeting, or following them back, and post about their relationships, family, and love for their fanbase–which are usually equipped with cutesy, inclusive nicknames like Katy Perry’s KatyCats or One Direction’s Directioners. With a click of a mouse, celebrities can reach out to millions of people and have the potential to garner huge international followings.

How being a celebrity has changed

Lives of the rich and the famous are no longer elusive or mysterious; they are out in the open for all to consume. Being famous today means consenting to losing your privacy. And celebrities hardly ever carry one title anymore- Disney stars become singers, actors become directors, artists delve into entrepreneurship, activism, writing, you name it. And to garner as many followers online as possible, celebrities must also be foodies, fashionistas, comedians, world travelers, have a ridiculous amount of just as successful friends, and post it all over the internet for all to see and obsess over.

But besides debuting their impressive lives, celebrities show us something else: they’re people just like us. They go to the gym, they look ugly without makeup, they have bad days and good ones. Being a celebrity today means being a human being.

How becoming a celebrity has changed

Social media has also allowed human beings to be celebrities. Like the aforementioned Justin Bieber, many users have found fame (some only temporary) through their online posts. YouTube vlogging is now a lucrative career, and many have found their six seconds of fame through the video app, Vine. Fashion bloggers, makeup artists, fitness trainers, even funny looking animals have all found loyal followings on social media. Have you heard of the Kardashians, who have managed to become mind-bogglingly famous for having no talent at all? They must be doing something right, as four of them currently stand in the top-10 most followed people on Instagram.

The days of celebrities being on a pedestal are over and have been replaced by us all being on a platform together. Social media have blurred the lines between public and private, famous and unknown, glamourous and basic. Hollywood has given up the notion that celebrities are unattainable and inhuman, and the internet has created outlets for the public to amass their own fame and following. Twitter killed the video star, and it is only a matter of time before technology kills the “star” for good.