If you have to tell us
Saturday, 10.15.05 @ 11:56PM I got an announcement at work that told about some community event. Part of it said "music by famous Kentucky deejay *(can't remember now)*". (?) First off, I've been a deejay in Kentucky for quite a few years, and I've never heard of him. Second, if you have to anounce that someone is famous, he isn't famous enough.
It made me think of the Faith Hill song �Mississippi Girl.� Here is the chorus:
A Mississippi girl don't change her ways
Just 'cause everybody knows her name
Ain't bigheaded from a little bit of fame
Still like wearin' my old ballcap
Ridin� around my kids piggyback
They might know me all around the world
But y'all I'm still a Mississippi girl
OK, she's explaining how famous she is, and how humble she is about it. Isn't that a humble thing to do? When I mentioned it, my boss said "She didn't write the song." Yes, but it was written for her to sing, and she chose to sing it. She is so sure she's famous that she didn't even see the snarks coming. I remember well when the remake of The Stepford Wives came out, with the one photo that was always included in any publicity. The reviewers talked about Nichole Kidman, Glenn Close, usually everyone in the picture EXCEPT Faith Hill. The Hollywood types were not at all familiar with her. She's big in Nashville, and and country music concerts bring out the country fans everywhere. But elsewhere, its a completely different world. The song tells the story about how she went to California and they put her face on the big movie screen. Maybe she's trying to remind us to buy the DVD.
You have to consider that popularity within a genre often doesn't translate outside of it. The professional wrestler who signs autographs for an hour after a bout can go to the grocery in the morning and not be recognized. It tickles me every once in a while when someone on a yahoogroup will declare that they are "famous on the internet", as if that means anything. Earlier this week, a guy called me and assumed I would know him by name, since he plays music at the local bars and was on a regional TV show last weekend. But I don't hang at the local bars (much), and I watch very little TV. Sorry.
Fame shouldn't NEED to be advertised, but humility is a quality that defeats itself IF it is advertised. If you tell someone how humble you are, you aren't. The song "Mississippi Girl" is also trying to convince us Faith hasn't let fame go to her head. Joe Walsh did a song in 1978 about the insular life of a famous rock star called "Life's Been Good", containing the line "Everybody's so different; I haven't changed." His was a satire which made a simple but effective statement. Faith apparently never heard the song, or she would recognize the similarities. I can believe that, because she said she never heard Janis Joplin's version of "Piece of My Heart" before she covered it. You'd believe it too, if you heard Faith's version.
The person who tells everyone about how much they give to the church, how many hours they volunteer, or how long they spend in prayer should also learn this lesson. If you are doing these things in order to be regarded highly, then you are looking for a reward. Now, if someone ASKED, or if you are in a position to teach about expressing faith, I'll give you a pass. Jesus admonished the hypocrites, who prayed loudly and beat their chests so everyone would know how pious they are. Your intent means something. Self-promotion has its place (I do enough of that myself), but at least be honest about it.
Anyone who feels the need to brag about their fame, morality, humility, wisdom, income, beauty, or intelligence ends up looking foolish. But go ahead, because it makes us poor stupid anonymous folks feel better.
Some Celebrity snark sites
Snarkywood
Go Fug Yourself
Dateline Hollywood
Snarkfest
Conversations about Famous People
The Superficial
Fametracker
Thought for today: You have reached the pinnacle of success as soon as you become uninterested in money, compliments, or publicity. -Thomas Wolfe
Search celebrity fame Faith Hill snark Joe Walsh
Reader Comments (1)
Fame is a funny thing. Many pastors are touted as being well-known, but they are so only in their little worlds and subcultures. That is like being popular in high school, but outside of its walls, you are just another teenager. But we seem to carry that bloated egos well into our adulthood.