With this authoritative status, they are also given the power to conform our ways of thinking of what’s cool and what’s not. When they put their names and faces to a company or brand, we suddenly must have it. If Jennifer Aniston is drinking Smart Water, then we want to drink it — after all, that’s probably what makes her skin so flawless and her hair so glossy. Deep inside we know that that can’t be the only water source that Aniston consumes, but we don’t care (never mind the idea that her supposed beauty is extracted from the consumption of a particular source…) We just want something to believe in — we want to believe that Smart Water will make us as beautiful as Jennifer Aniston.
Why is it then that it seems as though Celebrity-ism is suddenly rearing it’s outlandish head? Is it because in the present-day, we are confronted with difficult and unfortunate events that have resulted in desperate times for many people? With the economy in a constant down spiral, the violent shootings and crimes all over the nation, and the ongoing war in Iraq (never mind the escalation of war in Afghanistan and President Obama curiously awarded the Nobel peace prize) it leaves us questioning, where is God? With the absence of the sensibility of a holy spirit, and prayers going unheard left and right, it’s almost like the disintegration of the system of beliefs and religions that we have come to know and accept.
If one can’t find Gods to worship, who else can we look up to? With the unpredictability of the government and the soiled politicians riddled in scandals, it’s inevitable that we would turn to celebrities, who exude good morals and perfection. What began simply as an obsession for the rich, famous, and beautiful, as consumers has morphed into a belief system that celebrities can also show us what is right or wrong. They spew out messages of being passionate and successful, having a healthy lifestyle, participating in charities and showing goodwill to be right. Drugs, violence, and foolish mistakes are wrong. Sure, they might be doing all the wrongs things, but with a PR team that’s paid millions, their constant and steady stream of righteousness will never dry up. And in this current state of despair, other than the obvious laughter and escapism they provide for us through their music or their movies, some celebrities are even acting like modern-day saints. Angelina Jolie doesn’t have to adopt children from all over the world, but she opts to. Sandra Bullock didn’t have to donate $1 million of her own money to help those who were affected by the mass tsunami some years ago that killed hundreds and thousands of people in one day, but she did it. They opened up their homes and wallets, respectively, and shared their wealth and love with those who weren’t as fortunate — how can they not be idolized and loved?
In some cases, some celebrities seem to have already reached Godly status with an impressive congregation. Celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres are constantly called out to be angels and saints for handing out free giveaways to those in need. Watchers and fans send in letters or emails in hopes of having their stories, of being downtrodden and in debt, heard by their idols. While they don’t outright ask for the things they need, they imply what they are missing and what they need to ensure that their family leads on a happy life. It seems as though people no longer covet the gentle spiritual assurance from the Gods of our religion, they want the physical attainable product that will uplift our lives, such as money, new cars, and new houses. They are almost treating these two TV titans like Gods who can fix their unfortunate circumstances — if only their prayers can be heard. These women so effortlessly give and share their private life stories, fears, hopes, and thoughts — a divine connection and relationship that people would usually have with God. These two celebrities are strangers, however, due to the images the audience see on the screen, they feel like they do know them and can trust them to unload their inner-most desires without a hint of embarrassment.
In addition, Oprah and Ellen also receive expressions of gratitude from viewers for being a reliable and constant figure in their lives. The hour-long shows are a form of escapism — we want to tune in and hear their opinion on present-day conflicts, we want to hear their stories. When facing hardship, people go to church or mass in order to turn to the divine beings and feel like they are in a safe haven where they are not only protected but accepted. Just like some people will turn to these talk shows to relate to the stories of redemption and be motivated and uplifted, but also to feel as one with other viewers, as well as find security through humor and a familiar, reliable face.
When Oprah Winfrey brought the final curtains down on her talk show, it caused an upheaval amongst her fans. Some didn’t want to believe it, some believed she would go on to do greater things. Fans followed her from day one (some boarding the Oprah train a bit later). They went through her many ups and downs on her battle with her weight, they laughed when she laughed, they cried when she cried. They went on a journey with her for over 20 years as devoted viewers and believers that Oprah was capable of anything and everything. Although it’s ridiculous to parallel this to followers of Jesus for example who went along on his journey on Earth and through his resurrection, it makes sense in a metaphorical way.
Finally, in religion, there is always some kind of book or scriptures that provides its’ followers with information and guidance. Christianity has the Bible, Judaism has the Torah, and Celebrity-ism has the tabloid magazines. Bibles contain history, stories, and guidelines to how we should lead on divine lives. Tabloids also contain history, stories, and guidelines (albeit in a more sensationalist way). We can get the complete 411 on where celebrities’ history through stories and interviews. We are also given tips and advice on what to wear, what to eat, where to shop — anything and everything we can do to lead on lives that can be similar to our idols. Just like how bibles are placed ever so subtly in many hotels around the world to convert the non-religious or provide the believers with religious replenishment, tabloids are also scattered everywhere we go and irk the curiosity of even the nonconformists of Hollywood’s marketing ploy, and fulfill the hunger of the rest of us who crave all things celebrity.
Obviously, Celebrity-ism will never actually become a religion, but we as a culture and society are lacking stability and in an almost unstable move, one wonders if we are relying on celebrities to temporarily alleviate our pain. Psychologists have even announced the existence of Celebrity Worship Syndrome, which is a real disorder that’s defined as when a person becomes overly obsessed with a celebrity. It’s true that faith and religion is being shaken, tested, and even lost in our insecurity and confusion at the unhinged world, but at the end of the day, celebrities aren’t going to be the ones answering our prayers…it’s the image of us in them that must ultimately answer our own prayers.
