Despite the opportunity to establish themselves as powerful aristocrats, America's Founding Fathers rejected gentries and instilled the infant nation with republican principles. However, the recent Live 8 concert in Philadelphia, mere blocks from the site of the signing of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, demonstrates that an American aristocracy actually exists today. In lieu of an American Habsburg, Valois or Windsor, the names Spears, Cruise and Lopez, along with the entire class of American celebrities, embody the modern nobility, whose presence influences our entire society.
The Live 8 concert assembled a juggernaut collection of today's biggest celebrities, not to fundraise, but rather simply to raise awareness about Africa's plight. Despite the admirable intentions of the concert organizers, the need for the Live 8 concert itself offers troubling insight into American society. Why must it take performances by Jay-Z and Linkin Park to get our attention about suffering in Africa?
Live 8 underscores a revealing trend in our society. It seems like every cause, foundation or benefit enlists celebrity spokespeople to attract new followers from the American public. PETA has the vegan Pamela Anderson. Leo DiCaprio campaigns for hybrid cars. Perhaps President Bush should enlist the Rolling Stones as spokesmen to bolster support for his Social Security reform plan. In a seemingly knee-jerk reaction, celebrities are rolled out to draw Americans to causes they should generally support regardless.
In the past presidential election, P. Diddy offered a bold ultimatum to our generation, "Vote or Die," to increase the percentage of youth voters in America. Despite the massive drive to educate young Americans about the importance of voting, the same percentage of 18-to-29-year-olds voted in 2004 as in 2000. Programs such as Live 8 or "Vote or Die" are inherently handicapped due to the uneasy relatinship between society and its celebrities. Instead of Puff Daddy, biological daddy needs to stress the value of voting to most effectively engage young voters.
Juxtapose the highly successful "American Idol" series appropriately with the "Vote or Die" campaign to illustrate America's obsession with celebrity. About 250 million votes were cast throughout the last season of "American Idol," while 122 million Americans voted in the 2004 presidential election. Even the celebrity of P. Diddy proved no match for the celebrity-making power that "American Idol" instills in its adoring public. The youth are more enthusiastic about their power to choose their next celebrity "Idol" than their power to choose the next leader of the free world.
In today's decadent and materialistic society, celebrities have achieved what are the seemingly ultimate aspirations of "regular" Americans -- wealth, beauty and power. For this reason, Americans hold celebrities in the national fishbowl, obsessing over both their professional and personal lives. The artist often becomes more engrossing than his or her art. The public tours their "Cribs" and takes notice of their personal relationship breakups and subsequent make-ups. As the distinction between the "Today Show" and "Access Hollywood" has become increasingly blurry, a host of magazines, along with reality television shows, allow Americans to remain as updated on celebrity happenings as those of friends and family. Brad and Angelina are vacationing together in the English countryside, while Lindsay Lohan has lost weight. I wonder what my Uncle Phil has been doing?
Due to their wealth, beauty and power, celebrities are placed on a false pedestal. Whereas Americans previously looked to friends and family to help shape their identity, today young Americans look to imitate their favorite movie stars, leading to one of the most regrettable outcomes of America's obsession with celebrity. The American aristocracy projects an unrealistic paradigm of beauty and body image upon the serfs. As Britney Spears's midriff becomes increasingly exposed, hordes of pre-teen girls follow suit.
Leave it to MTV to provide the latest harbinger of the apocalypse through the controversial program "I Want a Famous Face." The show documents the saga of healthy young adults enduring the physical and emotional pain of plastic surgery to resemble their favorite celebrities. (Conspicuously absent from the roster of emulated celebrity visages: Michael Jackson.) A society that pressures its youth into physically transforming themselves to imitate the cover of "People" magazine needs to reexamine what it emphasizes as priorities in life. As the clich goes, "Fame isn't all it's cracked up to be."
Society has constructed its own golden calf through worshiping celebrity "Idols." If Americans display their compassionate side and focus less on "People" and more on "Newsweek," they can render star-studded events intended to raise awareness about good causes, such as Live 8, simply unnecessary.
