In today’s era, going viral might be the craziest obsession for people of all ages. The fame-thirsty people don’t have to be outstandingly talented or charming to get into the limelight. New-gen reality TV shows promote this behaviour on all mega-platforms, helping these ‘celebrities’ cash in big time. No matter how much you wonder why these people are making lousy movies or releasing tone-deaf songs, they know what they are doing. As viewers and spectators, we give them all the attention, even only to troll them. All this attention they’re getting is proving to be advantageous for them! Let’s understand how some people became famous for the wrong reasons.
1. TV shows you ‘love to hate’ make people famous for the wrong reasons!
Let’s talk about the club of celebrities who rose to status only because of bad TV, and Keeping Up with the Kardashians might top the list. They are the most renowned influencers in the world nowadays. The spur behind the show was Kim Kardashian’s leaked sex video. The entire family then capitalised on it to create their supremacy. Even though nobody knows their actual talent, we can’t deny that they are entrepreneurs.
Like the Kardashians, we can name mega-shows like Big Boss, Splitsvilla, Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, etc. Shows like these have never been able to have an excellent public image. Most of you hate them, but you can’t stop watching their content, even if only to rant about it.
2. Bad movies and stars that you can’t forget about
When Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya came out, I grabbed the first-day-first-show. I knew it might be the worst decision, but I still vividly remember the cringe-worthy magical town with all its glitz. Let’s face reality, Indian cinema is not the only industry creating the worst; Hollywood is as guilty of poor performances on overblown budgets. After all, content like this is what keeps the meme generators alive.
3. Music that is a curse to the ears and famous for the wrong reasons
If you want to troll bad songs, YouTube has much to offer. From Himesh Reshammiya, Dhinchak Pooja, and Taher Shah to Reh Dogg’s “Why must I Cry”, the list of music nightmares is quite long. 2011’s Rebecca Black’s “Friday” secured a place on Billboard Hot 100 with 162 million views despite being the ‘worst song ever’.
4. Being a close source to the STAR
Not just the celebs themselves but everyone around them becomes a target to the paparazzi; that’s how the irony of fame works! Whenever a rumour emerges, close family and parents become the primary source of information. Once in a while, Meghan Markle’s family keeps coming into the limelight with staged photos or interviews peeping into her life.
Toddlers and Tiaras, if the title wasn’t enough to pique your interest, the actual content of the TLC show was enough to leave you speechless. Despite some “Toddlers & Tiaras” moments that went too far, the show was a quick hit.
Mama June (June Shannon) rose to fame only because of her youngest daughter Alana (“Honey Boo Boo” Thompson). Alana was a young beauty pageant contestant on Toddlers and Tiaras. The mother-daughter does even their spin-off show. Even now, if you Google her name, you still get results like ‘who is Mama June’s ex?’, and “who is Mama June dating now?”
5. Famous for a moment and for the wrong reasons
Would the wealthy enjoy dabbling in controversy if money were the only payout? Probably not. Fame is the inspiration behind major scandals like Paris Hilton’s sex tape, prison sentence, and the reality show Paris in Love.
And who can leave out Rakhi Sawant while talking about ‘15 minutes of fame’? As one of Bollywood’s most controversial actresses, she sure seems to love the limelight for all the wrong reasons.
The thrill of being stalked, having people talk about you, or being curious about your life is a far cry from enormous wealth and a significant societal influence. In today’s influencer age, people are highly concerned about seeking external validation. While there’s nothing wrong in seeking attention in some cases, when it becomes your primary mode of fame and recognition, it can make you do outrageous things.
If you were to psychoanalyse this, you could interpret the constant need to stay in the public eye as the result of a lonely childhood with emotional inconsistencies and a disconnect between what you needed as a child and what you received. The worst part is that these celebs don’t notice that people are always trolling them. In today’s world, our culture greatly rewards unhealthy narcissism and the ‘thirsty for TV time’ mentality. We, as an audience, also play a significant role in making these unremarkable people famous for the wrong reasons.
