I just finished reading a book called Dead Famous. Its theme is celebrity. What is it? How does it differ from fame? Or renown? Was Julius Caesar a celebrity?
Unfortunately, I can’t really recommend the book. In fact, I can’t even muster sufficient energy to even write about it. One part of the book that I did enjoy was the various characters over the last couple of hundred years that became celebrities during their time but are pretty much forgotten today.
I’d like to spend a little bit of time writing about some of these celebrities of yesteryear. These were people that were mobbed in the streets, had songs written about them, had souvenirs made in their image, made prodigious sums of money (in some cases), and were just generally idolized. How many of them have you heard of?
Edmund Kean: He was the Tom Cruise of the 19th century. After years of barely even marginal success, he managed to score a gig at the almost failing Drury Lane Theatre. His performance of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice electrified audiences. His performances immediately became and remained sold out sensations. He followed that up in short order with performances of Richard III, King Lear, Othello, and Hamlet. He had several successful tours of the US. He was the progenitor of today’s overnight successes that are actually the result of years of hard work.
Franz Liszt: He was the Elvis Presley of the 19th century. A musical prodigy, he became a virtuoso concert pianist known for his lightning speed. With his charismatic personality, flamboyant playing style, and long flowing locks, he developed a near cult like following. He had a huge fan base of adoring female followers so obsessed with him they longed to get even a lock of his hair.
Evelyn Nesbit: She was the Kim Kardashian of the last century. A model, chorus girl, and actress, she was first discovered while she was in her early teens. For those of you up on your flapper culture, she was the prototype for the Gibson Girl. Seduced (actually raped) at about the age of 15 or 16 by the architect Stanford White when he was in his mid forties, she later married the wealthy scion Henry Thaw. Unfortunately, Thaw was abusive and mentally unstable. Consumed by thoughts of White, Thaw snapped and murdered him. The result was the first celebrity Trial of the Century.
Mary Ann Evans: Do you remember all of the trouble Scarlet Johansson got in with her comments about playing Asian film roles? Well, Mary Ann Evans could probably relate. Born in Australia to a Scottish father, she somehow found herself in India. Starting in the 1930s, somehow the blond haired blue eyed Australian Scot became an action star in the burgeoning Bollywood film scene under the name of Fearless Nadia. She was the first breakout Bollywood movie star.
Joseph Pujol: So you think that novelty musical acts are a new inspiration? Sure we have Weird Al Jankovic and (for those a little older) Spike Jones. Well how about a flatulist (or, even better, a fartiste)? Yes, you can probably guess what his instrument was. He was able to fart at will and with control. Among other crowd pleasers, he could play La Marseillaise and blow out a candle from several yards away. BTW, if you’re going to be a fartiste, Pujol is a pretty awesome last name.
This is just a small subset. There are many, many other men and women that captured our cultural zeitgeist. For a time, we were obsessed with them and wanted to learn every little thing about them. It seemed like they were everywhere and we could never get enough of them. Their moment then passes, and if they are not careful, not only do they disappear into obscurity but sometimes into desperate poverty.
So, if you’re worried that the primary cultural artifact from our time will be Kim Kardashian, hopefully you will have found this little post reassuring. In all likelihood, a hundred years from now, she will have as much renown as Evelyn Nisbet does today.
Oh yes, one more thing. Who were the Barrisons from the blog title? Like the Kardashians, they were a family (in fact, five sisters). A song and dance act, they were big in the 1890s. One of their signature songs was called, and I kid you not, “Would You Like To See My Pussy?”. They would sing the song and slowly lift their dresses. Once the audience was in an appropriate froth, they would hike their dresses higher and the small kittens that were strapped to their upper thighs would be exposed.
Stay classy celebrities!
dorkenstein 