The Summer Block Party of 2024
We're blocking celebrities now and what that might mean for the future of fame
Ah, summer! A time for family fun with firework shows, beach trips, and block parties…although for 2024, it seems we’ve got a different kind of block party. The latest TikTok trend seems to be a mass celebrity blocking. People are coming to the realization that you can just…block your least fav celebrities and they won’t be able to monetize off you because even when you’re not following them, they can still make money when they pop up on your feeds. Or something, idk, I’m not a techspert. Regardless, like most trends, some phenomena just stay inside the e-bubble. And while this Summer block party might not have as big of an impact as my fyp is hoping for, there’s still something to talk about when it comes to our shifting perspective of celeb culture.
The Dinosaur Age
Way back when our grandparents were younger (although mine were in rural Mexico so things were a little different for them), when Hollywood was blossoming and stars were rising, celebrity culture was very different than what it is now. I’m not going to get into the history of it because that’s not what this newsletter is for. We gossip here, not dig through archives, but anyway. Obviously, there was nowhere near as much technology and invasion of privacy as there is now. There were movies you could watch your favorite stars in movies, magazines, and advertisements. Buy this Elizabeth Taylor perfume and smell just like her. Check out Elvis in this new movie with so and so. Read all about the love affair between Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio. There was a somewhat healthy distance between people and the stars. You knew (or at least you thought) that the lives of celebrities were glamorous, but it wasn’t something that was shoved in your face. Sure some people dreamed of that life, but there was a bigger barrier between Hollywood and Normal…hood?
Then as we got to the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, we began to really lean into “getting the scoop” by following the stars and interviewing them as the television industry boomed. Pop culture began to really become integrated into our everyday lives as televisions became more common to have. Talk shows with celebrity interviews grew popular, live coverage of events like Princess Diana’s death or the OJ Simpson trial, were gaining interest, and paparazzi were becoming more invasive.
Paparazzi Culture in the early/mid-2000’s
The early 2000’s was a great time for technological development, and like all the other aspects of society that were adapting, so was our way of consuming celebrity news. At this time, new computer technology is developing, with sites like Perez Hilton popping up to bash and gossip about pop culture phenomena like Brangelina and Jennifer Aniston. TV networks were growing and programs like Entertainment Tonighte and TMZ were created to specifically focus on celebrities. With more and more Americans gaining access to television, cable, and the internet, the barriers between Hollywood’s inner workings and the rest of us were thinning. Paparazzi were becoming increasingly aggressive and invasive in order to compete with the other celeb outlets. Talk show personalities were not afraid to ask personal questions or humiliate their celebrity guests. Why? Because at this point, viewers were hungry for more.
The early 2000’s gave us the abillity to really get a deep look inside the messy lives of our favorite artists and movie stars. We could see who was dating who, read about their latest divorce, and watch them if they spiralled down a hole of financial ruin and addiction. We lived vicariously through them at the cost of ripping them apart and reveling in their troubles. But at this time, scandals lasted longer and the news cycle was slower.
The Covid-19 Pandemic & The 2024 Block Party
By now you’ve probably seen an interview or two about “real celebrities” complaining about the rise in influencer culture. Jennifer Aniston said they have no real talents and Billie Eilish has complained at an award show or two about how annoying they are. Well, my famous friends, unfortunately while you were in your early-to-mid-2000’s Hollywood bubble…the world was also being introduced to a new form of entertainment through the creation of apps like Youtube, Twitter, and Instagram. Yes, these platforms became a great way to connect with already established celebs (I literally created Twitter in hopes that I could interact with the members of One Direction), but they also became a great way for the average person to become a celeb themself.
We can sit and argue all day about whether influencers add value to society, it doesn’t matter, because an entire generation of consumers find them entertaining enough to put them in the same spaces as celebrities. But since the rise of influencers, and the increased popularity of TikTok post-2020, the definition of the term “celebrity” has shifted greatly. There are an exponential amount of personalities, artists, micro-influencers, and traditional celebrities constantly vying for the general public’s attention. The scandal cycles are quicker, the limelight runs as fast as a Chick-Fil-A drive-thru, and we are no longer in the age of memes going on Ellen. Influencers have to be creative and intentional and traditional celebrities are worse off unless they’re good at social media or amongst the ranks of the big names like Zendaya, Florence Pugh, and Timothee Chalamet.
Apart from this new era of fame and fortune, one of the biggest shifts in celebrity culture was brought on by the pandemic, increased costs of living, and the growing gap between the rich and general population. One thing about Gen Zers’ is that we were primed for no bull sh*t! We see right through everything and have been worried about the state of the world since we were in kindergarten learning about the ice caps and impending extinction of our favorite animals. We’re stressed, we’re graduating during a super strenuous time and we can’t afford to live the way we want to…so when the Kardashians come around waving their wealth in our faces, or J Lo is verbally abusing all the wait staff in New York City, we have some opinions to share.
Now within the entertainment space, a lot of celebrity statuses, both new and old, are being reevaluated. And if you have skeletons in your closet, best believe someone is going to bring them out for the world to see. That’s why I find it annoying when celebrities whine about cancel culture. It’s not that people are bullying them (although sometimes that is the case; I won’t deny that the internet is a cruel place), it’s that people demand accountability and authenticity now. Digital footprints are very much real and if a hate train gains enough traction, it can end a career. You can’t hide your awful personality when everyone and their mother has their phone out ready to capture everything.
Most of the times though, cancellations don’t really get too far, which is why I roll my eyes when a comedian complains about it. Usually celebrities make it out okay because most of their content is still being monetized, BUT like I said, rising cost of living. People are being more careful with where they spend their money and it’s not very wise to flaunt your wealth to an audience struggling to make ends meet. This mass celebrity blocking, powerful or not, is reminding the celebrities who’s in charge and if they’re not willing to step up and take accountability…it’s not going to look so hot in the future. This generation has already proven it can successfully achieve a boycott and they might just prove that they can humble the famed and unfortunate.