Monday, May 12, 2008
What's good for Michael Jordan is good for America
Dec 18, 1997 | Celebrity used to be associated with accomplishment. A noteworthy book, stellar batting statistics or a bold achievement in science or mountain climbing was the price of a ticket into the hall of fame. Now celebrity is just another mass media-driven industry, a commodity subject to the whims of the marketplace. The greatest recognition goes to those whose images help sell products that have nothing to do with what made these people celebrities in the first place. It's fame as fuel, feeding the maw of popular culture and driving up profits for producers and sellers alike.
Is this such a bad thing? The economics of fame is the specialty of Tyler Cowen, an economist at George Mason University and author of the recently published book "In Praise of Commercial Culture" (Harvard University Press). Cowen is working on a new book about the culture of celebrity, tentatively titled "Servants of Fame."
With the American media's habit of bestowing celebrity awards about to reach its end-of-the-year fever pitch, Salon spoke with Cowen about the ever-cheapening price of fame, and its ever increasing financial rewards.
In "In Praise of Commercial Culture" you write that bottom-line commercialism, with its accent on celebrity, has been good for contemporary culture. How do you justify that?
Applause eggs on performers to produce more compact discs, more paintings, more movie performances. In essence, fans get those extra and better performances for free. That's the primary benefit of commercialized fame. The more people clap, the more performers will produce because many performers are fame-seekers. And that is a cheap way of getting somebody to do something for you.
How does the performer contribute to this new economy of fame?
Their images can be bought and sold for profit. Celebrities are now used to endorse other products. We've all seen Michael Jordan's endorsements of Wheaties and McDonald's hamburgers, but here's just a few of the other products he endorses:
Christmas stockings, edible cake decorations, golf club covers, beanbag chairs, shower curtains, pot holders, aprons, rulers, kitchen towels, sleeping bags, plates, temporary tatoos, canteens, play tents, insulated travel mugs, napkins, table cloths, popcorn tins, foam furniture, first aid kits, flip books, gift wrap, greeting cards, memo pads, book bags, pencil sharpeners, erasers, wall calendars, posters, buttons, key chains, wallet cards, magnets, ring binders, tissue holders, diaries, scribble pads, address books, envelopes, flashlights, kites, yo-yo's, gliders, toothbrush holders, trading cards, gold, silver and bronze coins, collector plates, wastebaskets, Sony and Sega playstations, pinball games, action figures, night lights, soap dishes, backboards and hoops, toy rockets, walkie-talkies, curtains, laser guns, acrylic juice cups, gum, cookies, bandages, picture books, poster books, school boxes, comforters and, of course, sneakers.
And who gets the better of the deal?
They both do very well. In essence, the people who make these products are not just selling the product; they're selling a picture of Michael Jordan. It's remarkable how much a celebrity endorsement and image is worth. It helps sell their product, and it makes Michael Jordan more famous.
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