Achieving fame can be very strange. In recent years, a good number of people who achieved celebrity status did not even have to show their spectacular talents. It might be a case of being at the right place at the right time. Or it might be due to the fact that they appeared in a racy or a crazy video with someone already famous.
One of the strangest and head-shaking ways that people achieved their celebrity status is through a leaked sex tape. What was considered to be an intimate and private act in the past has now become a surefire way to achieve some kind of fame. Of course, for those who want to have an instant shot at fame, leaking a sex tape with another unknown person might not work. Thus, to heighten the chances of being searched, being recognized and even probably becoming a star of their own reality show, the partner should be someone who already has a certain level of fame. It worked for Kim Kardashian and look where she and her family are now- literally everywhere.
Speaking of this family, probably another strange way to gain fame is through reality TV. Joining a talent competition can get someone, somewhere, like a single or an album and a few television interviews for a year. However, those who really thrived and made it big are those who acted weird, crazy or overly dramatic. For example, the cast of “Jersey Shore” may have been heavily scrutinized for their obnoxious behavior for years. But one can’t deny the fact that they were famous at one point in their lives. Or how about Honey Boo Boo, from the show “Toddlers and Tiaras”, who later on had her own reality show featuring her entire family. Reality TV shows are highly addictive and being part of one could be a ticket to that elusive thing called fame.
One strange way that people become famous through TV shows is either by getting pregnant early or having lots of kids. The shows “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom” might be cringe-worthy but stars of these shows, like Farrah Abraham who happened to appear in both shows, have been recognizable to the crowd. Kate Gosselin, star of “John and Kate Plus 8” achieved international fame when her reality show, which ran for five seasons, featured her and her husband’s family with their eight children. Lastly, there’s Octomom Nadya Denise Doud-Suleman, who gained media’s attention when she gave birth to a full set of octuplets in January 2009.
Marrying a very rich octogenarian or someone more than twice their age has been a ticket by young, ambitious girls and boys towards fame because everybody loves gossiping about the newest gold digger in town. For those who followed this path, having their faces splashed all over tabloids and newspapers with negative issues are a small price to pay compared to the undeniable opulence and quick new rise to fame.
A lighthearted albeit weird way that some people became recognizable was when they were photographed with the right facial expression at the right place and at the right time. For example, there’s Antoine Dodson with his rather exuberant interview after an intruder attacked his sister. The words that came out from Antoine’s mouth were immediately rendered with a beat and the “Bed Intruder Song” became viral on YouTube. There’s also Zeddie Little, known as the “Ridiculously Photogenic Guy”, who looked unbelievably gorgeous when randomly photographed while running a marathon. And of course, who could forget “Overly-Attached Girlfriend” and “Grumpy Cat” who were turned into memes. Although their 15 minutes of fame might have been gone by now, it is no denying that they achieved recognition without much effort.
Another strange way to become a celebrity and having followers is by creating a new religion, or maybe a cult. People will believe on the version of the truth that is most convenient to them. There are those who achieved fame by creating a cult and having a horde of followers who blindly did things according to their leaders’ bidding. People like Charles Manson were described to have had delusions of being prophetic, but at the same time, they were also viewed as charismatic. These two can be deadly combinations, as one would see after the horrifying mass killing sprees that Manson and the members of “The Family” did in the late 1960s.
Which leads to another point, which is that crime can also lead to fame. Humanity has a craving for mystery and sometimes, it could lead to an interest towards criminals. Even though they are feared by the public and are being hunted by the law, criminals have also been glamorized and their stories were followed by many. The famous outlaw couple, Bonnie and Clyde, has been constantly romanticized all throughout history. They have been depicted as glamorous, blood-hungry criminals, although, in reality, they have always been on the run and during their later years, only robbed small locations as a means of survival. Just like them, the duo Butch and Sundance were also depicted as hard-hitting criminals, although the pair made it a point to never hurt or kill their enemies. The glamorization and romanticized images of them have been conjured by the media to make their lives seem more interesting to the public, leading to their own brand of fame.
Fascination towards crime and criminals continue to this day. Stories of criminals such as Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Lee Harvey Oswald and the likes continue to be of human-interest. Even while in prison or after their death, they left unforgettably chilling stories that are still being cited and being researched by people all over the world.
The road to fame can be very unpredictable. One moment a person is just a complete stranger, and then suddenly, he is all over the news. Some worked undeniably hard to showcase their talents before achieving success, while some had it easy. There are different routes towards becoming famous. Of course, it would be great to be known for being talented. However, if that does not work out, these strange ways have been considered as fool-proof options for achieving this elusive social status.
