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Lindsey Weber and Bobby Finger analyze modern celebrity fame
Authors Lindsey Weber and Bobby Finger argue that the traditional path to stardom has been disrupted by the decline of a unified monoculture. In their new book, ‘I Want to Be Famous: When Everybody and Nobody Is a Celebrity,’ the duo, who host the podcast ‘Who? Weekly,’ suggests that the distinction between different levels of fame has become increasingly blurred.
To describe this new landscape, they categorize famous individuals into two groups: ‘Whos’ and ‘Thems.’ ‘Whos’ refers to people who are presented as famous but lack true household status, such as influencers, podcasters, and reality TV stars. In contrast, ‘Thems’ are genuine, high-level celebrities like Beyoncé, Denzel Washington, or Tom Hanks.
The authors use actor Glen Powell’s recent career trajectory as a case study to demonstrate the difficulty of ascending from a ‘Who’ to a ‘Them,’ noting that while rising to prominence is easier than ever, achieving lasting, top-tier stardom remains a significant challenge.
Entities
Beyoncé · Bobby Finger · Denzel Washington · Glen Powell · Lindsey Weber
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The authors categorize genuine household names as 'Thems.' localnews8.com · kesq.com · kvia.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Lindsey Weber and Bobby Finger argue that the traditional path to fame has been disrupted. localnews8.com · kesq.com · kvia.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The authors categorize certain celebrities as 'Whos,' which includes influencers, podcasters, and lesser-known actors. localnews8.com · kesq.com · kvia.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The authors use actor Glen Powell's career trajectory to illustrate the difficulty of transitioning from a 'Who' to a 'Them.' localnews8.com · kesq.com · kvia.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Weber and Finger have authored a book titled 'I Want to Be Famous: When Everybody and Nobody Is a Celebrity.' localnews8.com · kesq.com · kvia.com