SCREEN AND FABRIC

The Dark Side of Fame.

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 01:46:00 +0100

Two recent stories have caught my attention about the prices people will pay for fame and fortune.

This week former N-Dubz bandmate and UK X-Factor judge, Tulisa Constavolos, became embroiled in yet another celebrity sex-tape scandal. The singer and TV personality recorded the intimate tape with an ex-boyfriend which he then decided to sell, at the peak of her fame, to a pornographic website.

Another A-Lister, Kim Kardashian, this week became victim to a cruel ‘flour-bombing’ attack by a PETA activist during the launch of her new perfume. The shocking incident follows weeks of bad press for the reality star, who has been accused of ‘faking’ her marriage to NBA star, Kris Humphries, in a bid to generate press and profit.

Both women have enjoyed immense successes in the world of celebrity, living lavish lifestyles and lapping up attention from their devoted fans. But the world’s mass-media, and the general public, soon turned against them. This is an oh-so familiar story especially for females, with Cheryl Cole, Kate Moss, Rihanna and Paris Hilton being just a handful of the victims.

The recent proliferation of citizen journalism and social networking websitses have added fuel to the fire, as anyone with Internet access can now directly ‘tweet’ the stars abusive messages, or insult them on Blogs. The following link is to a YouTube clip from Jimmy Kimmel’s hit US talk-show, during which a host of celebrities read negative ‘tweets’ that they have received:

Celebrities Read Tweets About Themselves (by JimmyKimmelLive)

Whether celebrities ‘deserve’ such negative comments is beside the point. The worry is that social networking websites have promoted a culture of bullying, as people can now hide behind their screens, and face little to no consequences for their behaviour.

Photo

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:36:13 +0000

Too much, too young?

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 22:11:00 +0000

I re-discovered a photoshoot yesterday that I’d completely forgotten about. Miley Cyrus, teenage pop sensation, has never been one to shy away from controversy, and her 2008 photoshoot for Vanity Fair magazine was no exception. Miley was only 15-years-old when this risque photograph was taken:

Miley is entirely topless in the shoot, covering her body with just a flimsy white sheet. Was she too young for a topless shoot? Also, the Disney star’s red lipstick is smudged, and her hair is slightly messy, something that could be sexually suggestive.

Miley later issued a statement claiming that she was ‘embarrassed’ by the photographs, and apologised to her fans. Everybody makes foolish mistakes in their youth, but very few of us make them in the public eye. Interestingly, the photoshoot also included pictures that she took with her dad, implying that he knew Miley was posing for the sexy shots. Should Miley have taken the whole blame when one of her parents was clearly involved?

A similar, more recent, story involves another teen sensation, actress Dakota Fanning. The starlet featured in Marc Jacobs’ advertising campaign for his new perfume, Oh, Lola!

In the shot, the actress sits with a large bottle ofOh, Lola!perfume positioned suggestively between her legs. It didn’t take long for the shots to cause outrage, and were eventually banned by the ASA (Advertising Standards Agency) for sexualising a child. Dakota was only 17 when the ad-campaign was released, making her older than Miley, but was she old enough?

The Kardashians

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:14:00 +0000

One of the hottest media topics at the moment has to be the Kardashian family. Since the failure of Kim’s spectacular 72-day marriage, the family has become embroiled in a media circus; Kim, for her supposedly orchestrated wedding to US basketball star, Kris Humphries. Khloe, for the allegations that her father, the late Robert Kardashian, is not really her biological father. Kourtney, for the announcement of her pregnancy with her second child to long-term partner Scott Disick. Mother Kris, for her self-proclaimed ‘momager’ status. And the youngest of the Kardashian Klan, Kendall and Kylie, daughters of Kris’ second husband Bruce Jenner, for their emergence into the world of modelling, and for their old-for-their-years red carpet style.

Regardless of the controversy that surrounds the family, I have to admit that their Reality-TV series, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami, and Kourtney and Kim Take New York, always delivers enjoyable viewing. So I am extremely pleased to say that I recently entered a Twitter competition and won the first season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians on DVD! Courtesy of MyDaily.co.uk, and Premier PR.

Despite accusations that their so-called ‘reality’ television shows are actually carefully crafted and falsified, the family is actually extremely media-savvy. They are not the air-heads that many would perceive them to be. The girls know exactly how to act the part, and regularly earn style kudos in the most popular of women’s magazines. A couple of my favourite recent Kardashian looks are as follows:

Kourtney maintains her stylista status in this gorgeous billowing pastel-coloured skirt. She teamed the skirt with staple black Louboutins and a black tie-front, long-sleeved crop top, a perfect combination for the always-awkward transitional stage between A/W and S/S.

In this picture, Khloe opts for a SS12 double-trend whammy: a metallic pepulum belted dress, with gorgeous dip-dyed locks (a trend I’m indulging in next week). As if we weren’t envious enough of her look, Khloe carries a gorgeous red Chanel bag. Khloe, probably the most self-conscious of the Kardashian sisters, proves that she’s a fashion-force to be reckoned with.

Kendall Jenner, the second-youngest of the Kardashian sisters, opts for a very short black playsuit at a recent event. But she works the look with a pair of metallic Louboutin heels, and her staple Kardashian long glossy brown locks. A true model in the making!

Whether you ‘like’ the Kardashians or not, they are one of the hottest talking points of the year so far. And you know what they say, all publicity is good publicity.