‘Coming Out’ in Hollywood – Helping to Re-Launch Celebrities’ Careers
As seen on People.com
The acceptance of homosexuality in Hollywood has come a long way in the past decade. From Ellen Degeneres, to Lance Bass, T.R. Knight and Neil Patrick Harris, the embracing of gay celebrities by the media has worked in their favor to bolster their careers.
If proclaiming his homosexuality to the world wasn’t enough, sticking his never-before-seen son on his arms was a priceless decision of his publicists. As seen by the recent covers of Ok! magazine and US Weekly, a newborn celebrity baby picture sells. Therefore, by coupling the brief, direct headline with the money shot, Clay Aiken’s status may have jumped from the C to perhaps the B-list.
Is any publicity good publicity? I believe that coming out to the public has proven to be a positive form of public relations that has, in turn, enhanced the careers of fading stars.
Take Lance Bass from the boy-band ‘N Sync. Two years after ‘N Sync broke up, Lance Bass had practically fallen off the face of the planet. However, coming out in July 2006 on the cover of People magazine re-launched his career. From Hairspray on Broadway, to appearances in blockbluster hits including Tropic Thunder and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Lance’s public ‘outing’ proved to help his career.
Another case study from the past to consider is the former child doctor, Neil Patrick Harris. Known simply as NPH by his fans, Harris’ career has been a roller coaster for the past 15 years after Doogie Howser, MD was canceled. After a series of flopping films, Harris came out to the public on the cover of People magazine in November 2006. Since then he has been nominated for two Emmy Awards, a People’s Choice Award and a Teen Choice Award for his supporting role on the hit comedy How I met Your Mother. Is the sudden upturn of events a coincidence or the result of much needed publicity?
As the past has proven, coming out in Hollywood is positive publicity. Furthermore, coming out on the cover of one of America’s top weekly publications is even better. The top responsibility of Aiken’s publicist is to book as many primetime interviews and magazine covers as possible. This will ensure that Aiken’s press worthy story doesn’t fade in the light of other events.
Celebrity Publicists: Spinning Young, Unwed Mothers into the Latest Fad?
It is no doubt that society has been affected by the recent glorification of pregnancy in Hollywood. The art of spinning a potentially career-threatening event like an unplanned pregnancy into a blissful miracle is starting to become second nature for many celebrity publicists.
One can argue that it is the publicists’ job to help stars maintain a positive image. But how much influence does a public relations professional have on the moral values and ideals of America?
Does a cover shot and eight page spread in OK! magazine positively spin the fact that Jamie Lynn Spears got pregnant at the age of 16? Furthermore, do the designer baby clothes and ornately decorated nurseries lend the belief that shopping for, and potentially having a baby, can be fun – at any age?
Of course being truthful and transparent with information is a core belief to a publicist, but when does the spinning become inappropriate and dangerous to society? Does omitting the fact that these young celebrity mothers’ lofty salaries let them afford numerous nannies and additional help, prove to be unethical?
According to a CBS News article, the rate of teenage pregnancies in America rose sharply in 2006 for the first time in 15 years. So the question really comes down to- does the glamorization of pregnant teenage stars cause the influx in pregnancies, or are young celebrities simply reflecting society’s current trend?
Simpson’s Flannel and Daisy Dukes Prove Hazardous to Country Fans
For Jessica Simpson, winning over country music fans could take a little more than a flannel shirt, daisy dukes and designer cowboy boots. Simply stated, country fans are just not buying it. From the boos and heckles at her debut country performance at the Country Thunder USA Festival this summer, to the negative reviews of her Grand Ole Opry appearance earlier this week, the country community is turning their back to the native Texan.
On paper, Simpson is perfect for the traditional country fan. As you can see from Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and the legendary Dolly Parten, it’s nearly undisputable that the blond bombshell look sells. Similarly, like past country artists, her Texan heritage gives her believable ties to the South.
Furthermore, when it comes to the traditionally conservative nature of country musicians, the teenage Simpson from the ’90s was a perfect fit. Not only was she the daughter of a preacher, but she was outspoken about saving herself for marriage. However, one reality show and failed marriage later, her transition into a Hollywood socialite is hard for country fans to swallow.
Perhaps Simpson and her stylist have confused the audience of her movie “The Dukes of Hazzard” with that of the country music crowd. Believe it or not, country singers are not all clad in flannel and cutoffs. In fact, wearing a western pearl snap shirt and daisy dukes on the cover of Elle magazine, a publication that targets the opposite of country fans, is mockingly insulting.
Simpson is clearly having an image crisis. Do current country superstars like Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift parade around the stage looking like an extra to a Western X-rated movie? I think not. Underwood and Swift’s fashion and image have evolved as country music has evolved. No longer is Dolly Parton with her scantily clad outfits, disproportional body and teased hair an image of beauty. Today it’s the girl-next-door beauty that is turning heads in the country world. This is what I like to think of as the ‘believable’ pretty, hence it doesn’t involve pounds of makeup, a girdle and a gallon of hairspray.
Not only does the publicist of Simpson need to steer away from overcompensating for her twang-less country voice with overtly western attire, but she needs to respect the conservative nature of the audience. For example, last week Simpson made her first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry in a skin-tight, low-cut dress that left little to the audience’s imagination. If the over-the-top, flashy getup wasn’t enough, the near ’warddrobe malfunction’ was the force that pushed some critics over the edge.
My recommendation to Simpson and her publicist is to try to understand her audience. Although she is new to country music, she is not new to the South. Personally, as a Texan resident and country fan, her sexualized version of country music is insulting. Country is about the lyrics, the quality of voice and the passion in the song. The best of country music occurs when a singer is stripped of background vocalist and elaborate sound equipment. To convince Nashville and the rest of country fans that Simpson is the real deal, cover the cleavage, throw on a t-shirt and take the stage with only a guitar in hand. Let her talent -assuming she has some- do the convincing.
