Celebrities, i bow down to your bravery

 When you look at the public personas of celebrities, dating back to as early as the 50’s or 60’s, you can definitely see the difference in publicising their personal lives. At first, it was the biggest deal if a celebrity is seen without their make-up and casual clothes. Now, celebrities post pictures THEMSELVES on their Twitter account or Facebook, doing ordinary things, which previously was almost considered a scandal! Like Marshal (2010) says, ‘Through new media forms, greater portions of the populace are now constructing online public personas’ (Marshal 2010, p.498).

Looking at my personal favourite artists on Twitter, I can now see things that I would never have seen. Unless, of course, you count those ridiculous three page spreads in a magazine, emphasising the ‘downfalls’ in the celebrity going to the grocery shops looking like a normal human being.  Recently started following Patrick Stump, lead singer of Fall Out Boy. I can see things such as pictures from their harmless fun at parties, to more personal such as pictures with their partners, in their pyjamas, and everyone’s favourite, no make-up! If you ask my opinion, I don’t think it is a big deal. It is refreshing and it shows that the artist has no shame in being a real person.

The most recent example everyone can remember is the story of Angelina Jolie and her decision to have a double mastectomy. As the story goes, Jolie announced three weeks after her procedure that she had undergone surgery. She was the first person to tell the world. Not the paparazzi, but Angelina. The news was released when she was ready, when she ‘decided to be proactive’ (Kluger et al 2013, p.1).

Many celebrities are now posting information or photos before the paparazzi, or just in their own personal time. It makes perfect sense to me. If I was a celebrity, I would probably do the same thing. I would get in before the paparazzi do. Joke’s on them.

 References

Kluger et al 2013, ‘The Angelina Affect’, Time, vol.181, no.20, retrieved 22 September 2013, http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=4fa7f3cc-7398-4b0e-bf7e-28d4bb6557a7%40sessionmgr104&vid=1&hid=102&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=87708475
Marshal 2010, ‘The Specular Economy’, Society, vol.47, no,6, retrieved 22 September 2013, https://d2l.deakin.edu.au/d2l/le/content/143750/viewContent/1985498/View
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