Welcome to the Dark Side
Celebrity has always fascinated me, particularly the American variety, which is rooted more in the movie/TV world than anything else. Throughout my lifetime, the movie star sat atop the mountain of American celebrity. The glitz, glamour, and riches all piled into one thrilling package. Then came the age of the cell phone and reality TV, fame became more democratized (how very American), and the brightness of the movie star began to fade. So much of the mystery that made the movie star such an attraction was gone entirely. Finally, with the advent of social media and the 24/7 media cycle, the mystique of the movie star completely disappeared, and suddenly, they were "Just Like Us."
I don't mean to focus this newsletter on the fall of the movie star. That could be a whole newsletter in and of itself, but I found myself thinking about it this past week because of two things released this week: The trailer for the film, Blonde and Will Smith's Apology Part 973. Both provide two fascinating dark studies on "movie star" celebrity. First, let's start with the trailer for the movie, Blonde. Watch Below:
BLONDE | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube
Ana de Armas does a decent job of capturing Marilyn Monroe's confidence and deep insecurity. It looks like a solid film but also reveals a dark side of early movie star celebrity; the studio system built to control every move and the overall image of their precious investments. It didn't matter if you had any issues or problems; they were all quickly swept under the rug in service to the studio and whatever "picture" they happened to be promoting. It was the ultimate "Faustian" bargain: adoring fans and sometimes obscene amounts of money in exchange for a total loss of privacy and control over your career and life. In Marilyn's case, there were most likely handsy studio execs who looked at her as a toy to be passed around (Hello, Kennedy brothers) without any sense of worry for her well-being. Yet, this was the age when the movie star catapulted to the top of the American cultural mountain, and it only accelerated once the studio system collapsed.
The modern movie star/studio industrial complex was born, but the same issues still existed. Personal matters were no longer swept under the rug; they seemed to burst out in the open with stars checking into rehabs, domestic issues, and untimely deaths. All while the moviegoing public couldn't look away. And then it seemed to shift. Whereas in Marilyn's time, movie stars were a version of American royalty. Admired from afar but not necessarily worshipped in a way that would excuse any behavior. The studios kept so much behavior under wraps because they knew it would affect the movie's performance, but it shifted, as so much did in the 60s, from a ton of admiration to excusing outlandish behavior, and then movie stars could get away with anything. Suddenly, societal expectations were no longer put on the movie star. They became otherworldly. Rules still apply to royalty, sometimes even more so, but with the movie stars, there were no longer any rules, which brings us to the darker side of celebrity and Will Smith's latest apology.
Will Smith released an Instagram apology earlier this week, which was his most in-depth apology since the Oscars. Yes, he had released a few statements, but this was the first time he was on camera with an apology. Matt Belloni's "What I'm Hearing" Newsletter has a good rundown of the issues with his statement, which can be read here. To my larger point, which several sources have also made since that night, imagine any other person walking up in a public setting, assaulting another person, and walking away. We all know what that would look like, yet here we are. Let's review his actions immediately following the incident: He stays at the ceremony, gives a speech in which he kinda sorta apologizes but then tries to justify his actions, and THEN parties the night away at the Vanity Fairy soiree. Only after he realized that the public turned against him did he begin to issue his mea cuplas. This latest one is undoubtedly related to his next movie, Emancipation, and the need to get the promo started if the film has any shot at success. While it is positive that there was public backlash, the problem is that we, the audience and the industry as a whole, let him believe that he could do whatever he wanted and face zero consequences. This is where the darker side of celebrity rears its ugly head; the belief that rules don't apply to them and a never-ending cascade of yes men and women who did their bidding without question.
I think both of these situations prove that we, as an industry and an audience, need to recognize that celebrities and "movie stars" are just people and should be treated as such. While there will always be an element of our culture that wants to elevate them to another level, holding them to the same standards we all follow daily is a step in the right direction. Bring them back to planet Earth and all the responsibilities that come with it.
Warners Bros: Party Likes it 1999
And just like that, we're back to the 90s at Warner Bros. First, Mike DeLuca, formerly of Timer Warner subsidiary New Line Cinema rejoins the fam. This week, vaulted exec and former President and COO Alan Horn rejoins as a consultant or, to use his phrase, a consigliere. You can read a quick interview with Alan over at the Hollywood Reporter. I am, as usual, slightly conflicted by this news.
While I have nothing but the utmost respect for Alan Horn and have heard great things from people who have worked with him, and likewise with DeLuca, who introduced the world to some of my favorite working directors, it still feels like we're stuck in the never-ending washing machine of the same group of execs running the industry. I made this same observation on Twitter when it was announced that Adam Fogelson was jumping from STX to Liongsage as Vice-Chairman. Granted, I fully grasp that experience is necessary, and this being a business of relationships, it is critical to hire folks who know the other big players in this biz, but it is depressing that all of these folks are at or nearing 50 with no one slated to step into their shoes. I'd love to see someone like an Alan Horn publicly taking someone under his wings and passing along his knowledge and experience so that the industry benefits from his background but also can be prepared for the future.
Years ago, the industry could count on movies and TV shows to lure people to work in the business, but now, with the industry changing and its cultural influence waning, not to mention the cost of living in LA or NYC, recruitment is going to become an issue. We'll be stuck with a bunch of studio exec kids, born and raised in the industry, not people from other parts of our wild and wonderful country who helped revolutionize and build the industry. It's well past time for us to open our eyes and realize that the future is nonexistent unless we start building the next generation of leaders and offer them an opportunity to gain institutional knowledge to ensure the industry's survival.
Pages from the Commonplace Book
Sticking in the modern context, we turn this week to American author and journalist Tom Wolfe, an alum of my alma mater, Washington and Lee University. This little gem comes courtesy of his collection of essays entitled, Hooking Up.
"I hate to be the one who brings this news to the tribe, to the magic Digikingdom, but the simple truth is that the Web, the Internet, does one thing. It speeds up the retrieval and dissemination of information, partially eliminating such chores as going outdoors to the mailbox or the adult bookstore, or having to pick up the phone to get hold of your stockbroker or some buddies to shoot the breeze with. That one thing the Internet does, and only that. All the rest is Digibabble."
Digibabble may be my new favorite word. Wolfe wrote the above segment in response to Silicon Valley's prominent founders waxing poetic about how the Internet would revolutionize society. Wolfe disagreed with that philosophy, and I agree with him. The only thing coming out of Silicon Valley lately is hot air from Mark Zuckerberg or the latest app that will be hot for five seconds. Making us lazy and angrier at each other...yes. Life changing...I think not.
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