A close friend of mine once cried so dramatically when I told her she would never marry the lead singer of her favourite metal band that you'd have thought she'd just been jilted. Granted, we were 13 and she was in the depths of hormonal angst, but her reaction was genuine nonetheless. Somewhere in her journey to becoming a devoted fan of the band's music, she'd developed a personal connection with the frontman and become convinced they were meant for each other.
These new visual media offered an illusion of intimacy, allowing the audience to be more than just spectators - they felt as if they knew these celebrities. A bond was created, one that has mushroomed since. Back then, access was still tightly controlled.
However strong your lust for Elvis, there was a line that couldn't be crossed. The tabloid press may have driven a bulldozer through that model of gatekeeping, but social media blew it up almost completely.
In the desperate quest to be relatable, many high-profile people now offer up more and more of their personal lives online, hoping their fans will like them more for it.
Collection
[
|
...
]