Emily Huang Response #1

Dyer’s analysis of stars as a phenomenon of production was particularly fascinating to me in its explanation of how celebrities are constantly playing myriad roles and positions, something that is also reframed when examining the ways in which celebrities are consumed in culture. One of the greatest paradoxes of the concept of celebrity is that of human or not – stars are at once mythical figures walking down red carpets clad in dresses or stepping out of cars that we can only dream of owning, while being at the same time relatable people who frequent the same coffee shops and gyms that we, the “normal” people do. The obsession over celebrities serves to further this contrast, dehumanizing a star by turning their persona into a perfect ideal that can be projected upon, while keeping them as the idols we aspire to be with, be among, or become. This, along with the knowledge that a star is still a real, imperfect person, results in a warped perception of what of their image is produced and what is untainted.

This conflict between person versus object extends beyond public perception into the world of production itself. Dyer discusses how “stars represented a form of capital possessed by the studios,” mere pawns used to market a film or guarantee its worth as an investment (10). Describing a human as capital, an investment, or having market value is not the typical venue in deciding human worth, but rather the way to define something that human beings have produced or have the potential to produce. It could be argued that it is the star’s talent or abilities that this then refers to, but many people have talents that production industries will not seek to claim because they must be attached to a marketable persona to become valuable.

This paradox brings me to question the benefits and detriments of its effects, wondering if stardom and celebrity are ultimately harmful to the stars themselves, or to the public that adores them. We already are privy to (and hungrily consume) the stories of stars that cannot handle the pressure, whether they break down, gain a few pounds, or battle with addiction. How might these negative effects stem from the precarious positions we place our celebrities in, and how does this obsession with perfect imperfection reflect on our own struggles for validation?