Celebrity blogs and their impact on the perception of fame

The celebrity blog—that is, online journals written by celebrities, not to be confused with ones simply written about celebrities—is an evolving art form that gives readers a sense of the famous author’s thoughts, daily activities, and general personality. This emerging social platform could be considered akin to an instant, work-in-progress form of the autobiography.

History

The term “web log” was first coined in 1997 by Jorn Barger, a self-publishing author who defined the phrase as “logging the web,” which came from commentating on sites he surfed on the Internet. The term was later condensed in 1999, somewhat accidentally, when another self-publisher, Peter Merholz, wrote the phrase as “we blog,” meant to be nothing more than a play on words. The latter half stuck and came into popular usage shortly thereafter. [1]

Why do they blog? Why do we read?

At any given time, we can peer into the lives of our favorite celebrities. We can read their thoughts on everything from politics, to food, to the gum stuck to their shoe. A blog is possibly the most comprehensive way to read about a person of interest, though it lacks the overarching hindsight of an autobiography.

Its impact on craft

How does the existence of a celebrity blog affect how their work is perceived?

The impact is largely related to the quality and purpose behind the individual blog. Some celebrity bloggers use the platform as another branch of self-promotion, some consider themselves citizen journalists, speaking out on issues that matter to them, some use it as a way to provide insight into the process of their craft, and still others consider it a way to showcase their additional talents. [17]

The Big Picture

In the grand scheme of things, celebrity blogs may not be as important to the cultural landscape as those the celebs writing these blogs might like to think. It all boils down to the simple question: do we really need this?