Traditionally, really big celebrities have kept a lofty distance from their admirers. They may have constantly spoken about them in interviews, but they didn't necessarily want to have any actual personal contact with them. You can't really imagine Bette Davis bonding with any of her fans, can you? You can't imagine Madonna holding her admirers' hands and weeping over them.
But for the younger generation, bonding with the hoi polloi (or at least acting like you're bonding with the hoi polloi) is a big part of their public persona.
Think of Lady Gaga, the self-styled "Mother Monster" and her giant army of Little Monsters. In a recent interview in US Elle magazine, Gaga said that when fans arrive at the New York restaurant owned by her parents, her dad rings rings her up (wherever she is in the world) and asks her to say hello to them. And in fairness to Gaga, she actually does. She also personally goes through the various fan art and pieces of clothing sent in by fans and ends up wearing or using most of them. Rhianna's fans, meanwhile, call themselves the Rhianna Navy (just imagine the uniform).
And yet some stars clearly find this brave new world a bit confusing. Take the gloriously ridiculous Mariah Carey, or 'Cousin Mariah' as we call her in my family. Hey, there aren't that many famous Careys out there, we've got to claim anyone we can find. Recently, Mariah teamed up with US comedian and chat show host Jimmy Fallon to surprise some of her devoted fans.The fans thought they were getting to listen to a preview of Mariah's new single, but really she was singing live in the next room, and strolled in to greet the fans half way through the song, whereupon they all totally lost it, so awestruck were they by the presence of their idol. Understandable, of course.
It's actually quite sweet, really. Watch what happened here:
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Oh, Mariah! The best part of the whole thing, as Louise McSharry pointed out, is when Mariah "hugs" her weeping, awestruck admirers, if by "hugs" we mean "gingerly touches them while barely bending her arms". Yes, Mariah wants to get close to her fans, but not TOO close. Not, like, actual genuine physical contact close. Her reluctance seems slightly OTT even by her own standards - I'm fairly sure NBC had made sure none of them were the sort who would, I dunno, whip out a scissors and cut a lock of Mariah's glossy curls in order to make a terrifying home made shrine.
Anyway, despite Mariah's weird half hugs, it looks like her fans were happy. Which I suppose is all that matters. Because as everyone who's ever politely asked for an autograph and been rudely turned away, there's nothing so crushing for a fan as to be dismissed by someone you adore from afar.
Olivia Munn and Taylor Swift demonstrate the awkward hug to perfectionAdvertised
So have you ever met one of your idols? Did they live up to your expectations? Should stars have to fawn over their fans, or do they have the right to ignore them when off duty? Do you think the likes of Gaga and Katy Perry are sincere when they go on about their fans, or is it just savvy marketing? And how would you describe Mariah's weird hugging style?
