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CHANGINGUNDERSTANDINGSOFFAMEINSAWEEKLYMAGAZINESOVERTHE20THCENTURY:
FROMHUISGENOOTTOHEAT
ByJoeyKok
AdissertationsubmittedinpartialfulfilmentoftherequirementsforthedegreeDoctorofPhilosophybydissertationoftheUniversityoftheWitwatersrandinJournalismandMediaStudies.
Johannesburg,October2018
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DedicationToBernoandSebastian.Youaremystars.
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AcknowledgementsIcouldnothaveembarkedonorcompletedthisprojectwithoutthesupportandguidance
frommysupervisor,ProfessorSusanvanZyl.Abigthankyoualsotoeachandeveryperson
–family,friends,colleaguescurrentandformer,thelibraryandsupportstaffatWits–who
hashelpedmesearch,thinkandquestion,freeduptime,offeredadvice,extrareading
material,pointers,awillingear,ashouldertolean(orsometimescry)onandtheoddcupof
coffeeorglassofwine.Youallreallypulledmethrough,andIwillforeverbegratefulfor
suchacommunity.
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Contents
Introduction..............................................................................................................................7
Chapter1:TheEpicHeroinHuisgenootintheearly20thcentury........................................21
1.1EarlyHuisgenoot’sEpicHeroes.....................................................................................23
1.2PaulKruger:AfrikanerEpicHero...................................................................................40
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................50
Chapter2:TheStarrisesinSouthAfrica:Drummagazineinthe1950s................................56
2.1StardomtheDrumway.................................................................................................60
2.2DollyRathebe:“JustaboutAfrica’smostfamousandexcitingwoman”.....................75
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................82
Chapter3:EmergingCelebrity:Star,Celebrityandthespacebetween:PeopleSAinthelate1980s.......................................................................................................................................85
3.1EmergingCelebrityunpacked.......................................................................................95
3.2BarbraStreisanddoesEmergingCelebrity..................................................................116
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................120
Chapter4:CelebrityProper:heatSAintheearly21stcentury.............................................122
4.1UncoveringtheCelebrityProper.................................................................................129
4.2ProducingtheCelebrityProper...................................................................................140
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................157
Chapter5:TheFigureNow...................................................................................................161
5.1DispersalandhybridityinTheFigureNow..................................................................162
5.2Drawingthelineat‘real’illness..................................................................................174
5.3TheHeroreturns,butnotinepicform.......................................................................183
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................187
Concludingreflection............................................................................................................189
Bibliography..........................................................................................................................199
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Introduction
TheSouthAfricanversionofweeklyBritish‘celebrity’magazineheatwaslaunchedinMay
2004,andIjoinedtheteaminDecemberofthatyear,asthechiefcopyeditor.Iwasafull-
timeheatSAstaffmemberforthetitleforthreeyears,andalsoworkedthereinaregular
freelancecapacitythereafter.Iheldanumberofseniorpositions,includingactingdeputy
editorandmanagingeditor.IntheprocessIbecamefamiliarwiththenews-selection,or
‘copy-tasting’process,amongstotherthings,andultimatelybecameinterestedinwhat
appearedtometobeagrowingfocusonscandalandwhatwereportrayedasphysical
flaws.
Thescandalsincludedphotographicexposésofentertainers,mostlyfromtheHollywoodfilm
industry,behavingoutrageouslyintheirprivatecapacitybutofteninpublictoo,inmany
casesbecausetheyhadapparentlybeendrinkingtoomuchortaking‘illegalsubstances’.The
‘defects’themagazineregularlyrevealed,againthroughphotographicevidence,weremost
oftenphysicalones,includingcelluliteand‘badskin’,aswellasquestionablejudgment,
especiallyintermsoffashion.
Moreover,heathadaveryspecificanduniqueeditorialvoice,anironic,tongue-in-cheek,
irreverenttonethat,crucially,appearedtocelebrateitsownfocusonscandalandpersonal
imperfectioninrepresentingtheentertainer.
Itwasalsotheonlylocalmagazinethathada100-percententertainment-personalityfocus;
fromitsadvertisingandpromotionalpagestostaplemagazinefeaturessuchasnews,
fashion,beautyandevenhoroscopes:everysectionorelementofthemagazinehadsome
formofentertainment-personalitycoverageasitshook.
Withitsidiosyncraticapproach,andthedistinctiveentertainerfigurethatemergedinthe
coverage,themagazinedidextremelywellinitsfledglingyears,sellingmorethan100000
copiesinaweekonoccasion,asignificantnumberforthelocalmarket.heatSA’sentryalso
causedaconsiderablefrissoninthelocalweekly-magazinemarket.PeopleSA,arguably
heat’sclosestcompetitor,switcheditsfrequencyfrombi-monthlytoweeklytocoincidewith
thelaunchofheatSA.Inaddition,followingtheheatlaunch,twonewlocalweekly
magazineswithentertainmentcontentwereestablished:Move!,in2005,andMense,an
Afrikaans-languageeditionofPeopleSA,in2006.
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Moreover,likeitsparentbrandintheUnitedKingdom,heatSAalsoappearedtobea
trendsetteramongtheweeklymagazinesintermsofitsstrongfocusonscandaland
imperfection.Besidesthealready-mentionedMove!,PeopleandMense,theotherweeklies
includedthealmostcentury-year-oldbrandHuisgenootanditstwoEnglish-languagestable-
mates,YOUandDrum.Badlybehavedentertainersstartedappearingmorefrequentlyandin
moreprominentpositionswithinthesetitles.Inkeepingwithinternationaltrendsatthe
time,scandalcouldbearguedtohaveconsiderablyboostedthesalesofSouthAfrican
weekliesintheearlyyearsofthe21stcentury.Alltheseapparentshiftsinentertainment
news,bothonthelocalandinternationalprint-medialandscape,wereinteresting,andcould
bereadasprovidinganindicationofthewayinwhichmagazinesapproachedor
representedfamewaschanging.
Yet,despiteageneralshiftintheweeklymagazineindustryinthefirstdecadeofthe21st
centurytowardsgreaterinclusionofnotionsofscandalandphysicalimperfectioninits
coverageofentertainmentpersonalities,cleardistinctionscouldstillbedrawnbetweenthe
natureofthecontentproducedbythemaincompetingtitlesorbrandsonthelocal
landscape.AsheatSAstaffmembers,wecriticallyexaminedandanalysedourlocal
competitiononaweeklybasisinanattempttoaccuratelypredicthowthesetitleswouldbe
coveringtheweek’sentertainment-personalitynews,inordertodistinguishourselvesby
meansofuniquecoverage,therebypiquingreaderinterestand,hopefully,sales.
Aswecomparedtitles,westartednoticinghowtheysetthemselvesapartbyfollowing
distinctiveformulas.Huisgenoot(thetitlecanlooselybetranslatedas‘homecompanion’),
theoldestandalsobiggestofthebrandsintermsofcirculation,forinstance,alwaysseemed
tohonouritsfamily-magazineheritagebytreatingscandalouscontentwithrestraint.Its
English-mediumstable-mates,YOUandDrum,aimedatmiddle-classwhiteandblack
readershipsrespectively,followedsuit.PeopleSAanditsAfrikaansedition,Mense,appeared
tomimicheatinsomewaysbydistinguishingthemselvesfromtheexclusivelypositive
entertainment-personalitynewsformulaoftheeponymousAmericanbrandbyincluding
elementsofscandalandalsoincreasinglyexposingphysical‘imperfection’inthesupposedly
beautiful.Aimedatanaspiringmiddle-classblackreadership,Move!’sentertainmentnews
sectionalsohadapreferenceforscandalstories.
Asweanalysedthevariousmagazines’distincteditorialofferingsandwitnessedwhat
appearedtobereaders’growingappetiteforentertainment-personalityscandal,Ibecame
curiousastohowithadallemergedandchangedtoculminateinheat’sspecific
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representationoffame.AndsotheideaforthisPhDtopicwasignited,aprojectfocusedon
tracingbackwhat,inweeklymagazines,camebeforethetypeoffigurethatemergedinheat
SA’scoverageduringtheearlyyearsofthe21stcenturyandondocumentingsubsequent
transformations.AllheatSA’scompetitorshadbeenonthemarketformorethanadecade,
andHuisgenootalmostacentury,andanopportunitywasidentifiedtofollowanypossible
shiftsinhowfamewasrepresentedinthesemagazinesovertime,reflectingonlocal
magazinehistorywhiletracingthepeoplecoveredinthesetitles.Ifoundmyselfinthe
position,notonlyofbeingpartoftheteamproducingthecoverageinheatSAandcritically
reflectingonwhatweandourcompetitorsweredoingatthetimeintermsofrepresenting
fame,butalsoofgoingbackalmostacenturyintothearchivesofHuisgenootandexamining
whichpeopletheyhadcoveredandhowtheyhadcoveredthem.
NotonlydidIlookback,however.Asubstantialpartofthisthesishadalreadybeenwritten
whenheatSAcloseddown,andsuddenlytherewasnolongeraweekly,pure‘celebrity’-
newsmagazineinthecountry.Thispresentedanopportunityto‘gazeahead’byfurther
extendingtheanalysistoincludeanypossibleshiftsinunderstandingsoffamethatcouldbe
tracedintheremainingmagazinesfollowingtheclosureofheatSA.
Thethesistookshapeasresearchintocoverage,focusingonhowweeklymagazines
conceivedofthefigurestheycovered,howtheircoverageofpeoplechangedovertime,and
asaresulthowtheideaof‘fame’,asrepresentedinmagazines,seemedtoshift–asdidthe
typeoffigurethatwasrepresented.
Intracingtheshiftsincoverage,attentionwaspaidtothechangesinthenature,content
andstyleofweeklymagazines’formulaearoundfamousfiguresacrossthe20thcentury.
Whilelookingthroughthecoverage,anumberofspecificelementsweretakeninto
consideration.Firstly,therewastheselectionofcharacters,thuslookingatwhowascovered
andalsowhytheywerecovered.Itwasdifficulttofindanappropriatetermforwhypeople
werecovered,fortheir‘representation-worthiness’.Mostoften,thesepeoplewarranted
coverageonaccountofwhatitwasthattheydidforalivingortheirpublicactions.The
changesinthereasonsforbeingfamousinthefirstplace,interestingorworthyof
representationintheeditorialofferingorthemagazine’sselectionofcharacterstocover,
formedthebasisofthediscussion.
Crucially,shiftswerealsotracedintermsofthechangesincharacteristicsortraitsthe
magazinesemphasisedand/orchosetoignoreintheircoverageofpeoplewhowere
selectedforinclusion.Thisselectionoftraitsorcharacteristicsispartofhowmagazines
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couldbesaidtocoverorre-presentthegroupofalreadyknownpersonalitiesselectedfor
inclusion.
Thirdly,therewassomeconsiderationofthewayinwhichthecoveragewasexecuted
changedovertime.Changeswerenotedinhowthemagazinesseemedtorepresent‘well-
knownness’intermsofpageandwordcountsdedicatedtocoverageofanindividualperson.
Notonlydiditconcernpagecounts,wordsandimages,howtheseindividualelementswere
usedintherepresentationwasalsoexamined.Inotherwords,theparticularstyleof
coveragewasobservedandalsohowthischangedovertime.Theseobservationswereused
tosupportthedifferentunderstandingsoffamethatseemedtoemergefromthetextual
evidence.
Thisisessentiallywhattranspiredduringtheanalysisofthematerialgatheredforthis
project.Changesincoverageorrepresentationovertimeweresometimessubtleand
sometimesmorepronounced.Buttheyweresignificantenoughtomakeitpossibleto
convincinglyargueforvariedunderstandingsoffametosurface,ordifferentkindsof
dominantfamousfigurestoemerge.HenceIsawmyself,inaway,answeringtothe
followingchallenge:settingouta‘taxonomy’ofunderstandingsoffame,acategorisationof
sorts,basedprimarilyonweeklymagazinecoverage.
Thisisnotthefirstproposedcategorisationoffame.However,asthisisinpartamedia
studiesproject,thehopeisthatitwillcontributetotheexistingbodyofknowledgeinterms
ofaspecialisedfocusonSouthAfricanweeklymagazines,andinparticularthebroad
understandingsofwell-knownnesssuggestedbytheircoverage,ofpeopleoverthe20th
century.Itmightseemsomewhatsingulartospecificallyfocusondefinitionsoffamein
readingthecoverage,buttheshiftsinnotionsofwell-knownnessthatseemtojustifya
categorisationareadmittedlysystematic,fittingintointernationalmagazinepublishing
trends,whichinturnformpartoftheconstantlychangingsocio-culturallandscape,and
generalunderstandingsoffame.
Itisimportanttoemphasisethisprojectasbeinganexaminationofchangingnotionsof
fameasapparentinweeklymagazinesinSouthAfricaoverthe20thcenturyandintothe
21st.Ispecificallyreiteratethispointaboutthefocusofthisprojectbeingfameaswitnessed
inmagazinecoverage,andinSouthAfrica,asthegeneralhistoryoffameofcoursestretches
backmuchfurtherthanthe20thcentury.Thishistoryalsoencompassesorreliesona
varietyofmedia;comparedtooldermediasuchascoins,bustsandportraits,magazinesare
arelativelynewmediumtodisseminateandcirculateindividualfame.
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Yetalthoughitisrelativelynewasafame-disseminatingmedium,themagazineingeneral
canbesaidtosubscribeinitscoveragetounderstandingsoffamethatprecedeits
commercialisation;inotherwords,magazinesselectpeoplewhomightalreadybefamous
forcoverage,orcoverpeopleforthesamecharacteristicsforwhichtheymighthavegained
fameinprecedingcenturies.
Inadditionitiscrucialtonotethatsomeofthedefiningcharacteristicsofthekeyfiguresin
thecategorisationIamproposinghereemergeinearlierrepresentationsoffame;theidea
ofscandal,forinstance,mightarguablyonlystartappearinginmagazinecoveragefromthe
middleofthe20thcenturyonwards,andonlybecomedominantinthismediumtowardsthe
endofthecentury,butthatisnottosaythatscandalandtransgressionareabsentfromthe
generalhistoryoffame.Onthecontrary,fromgreatloverstobrazentrainrobbers,thereare
countlessexamplesofpeoplewhobecamefamouswellbeforethe20thcenturyspecifically
forbehaviourthatwasconsideredtobeonthecontinuumoftransgressionandcouldbe
describedasanythingfromrisquétocriminal.
SouthAfricaseemstofollowthebroadinternationalmagazinetrends,yettheevidencethat
wasgatheredrevealedcertainSouthAfricanidiosyncrasies.Subsequently,therewasan
examinationofhowtheprocessoflocalisingcoverage,adaptingittosuitthetastesand
preferencesofthetargeteddomesticreadership,seemedtotakeadvantageofspecific
notionsthattheliteratureidentifiesasunderlyingconstructionsoffame.
Whilethemainfocusoftheresearchisonthecoverageitself,theanalysishasalso
attemptedtocontextualisetheshiftsintermsoflocalandglobalmediaandpublishing
trendsaswellasrelevantsocial,culturalandhistoricalfactorsinfluencingmagazine
coverageandrepresentationsoffame,particularlyinSouthAfrica.
Inpickingoutthedominantformsoffameforanalysisfromthemagazinecoverageover
time,theaimistogobeyondamerecategorisationbyarguingthatthereissomekindof
continuityof‘personalitytraits’,anotionofcumulativenessandlineageinthesuccessive
understandingsoffame.Withnooneunderstandingoffamefallingcompletelyaway,the
projectcouldbedescribedasakindofgenealogyoffameoverthe20thcenturyandintothe
21st.
Asetofquestionsguidedtheoriginalprocessofgatheringtheevidence.Specifically,there
wasanattemptattracingtheemergenceofthefirstunderstandingoffameinSouthAfrican
magazinecoverageandanalysetheformthiscoveragetook.Consequently,theshiftsin
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coverageovertimecouldbetraced,identifiedandanalysed,resultinginatimelineor
trajectoryofsuccessivemagazineunderstandingsoffame,andakindofline-upoffigures
embodyingthesechangingunderstandings.
Putdifferently,theanalysisseemedtorevealrelativelydistinctiveordominant
understandingsoffamethatbroadlyappearedtocorrespondwithspecifictimeperiods
stretchingacrossafewdecadeseachoverthe20thcentury.Inotherwords,theprocess
involvedperiodisation.Althoughitgreatlyfacilitatesanalysis,itshould,ofcourse,benoted
thatperiodisation,astheideaofcategorisingthepastintodistinctandmeasured‘chunks’of
time,isariskyenterprisethatconstantlyinvitesredefinition,asthereareoftenexceptions,
andtheperiodsoverlap.Similarly,therewerealsoexceptionsandoverlappingbetweenthe
identifiedcategoriesasthecenturyprogressed.Thesepitfallsofcategorisationand
periodisationare,tosomeextent,mitigatedbythefactthattheresearchfocusedonthe
dominantunderstandingsoffameduringbroadtimeperiodsandtookintoaccountother
understandingsthatarethere,butdonotemergeasstrongly.
Thetextualevidencewasdrawnfromweeklymagazines(ortitlesthatwouldeventually
becomeweeklies),partlybecausethispublishingfrequencyhadbecomesoclosely
associatedwiththeideaofentertainmentnewsbythe21stcentury.Allthelocalweekly
magazineswithrelevantcontentwereinitiallyconsideredforinclusion.‘Relevantcontent’
referstoapreferenceforcoverageofpeopleandpersonalitiesinsteadofspecificsubject
matter,hencetheexclusionofmagazinesincludingFarmer’sWeekly,Landbouweekblad,
Scopeandtheweeklyfinancialtitles.Theselectionofmagazineseventuallyconsultedwas,
inpart,influencedbytheavailabilityofarchivalcopies.Accesstoarchivalcopiesofweeklies
thatwerenolongerpublished,suchasOutspananditssuccessorPersonality,waslimited,
forinstance.
Asafirststepintheresearchprocess,materialwasgatheredfromafewrandomlyselected
issuesperyearofeachofthetitlesconsidered.Apreliminaryanalysisofthecoveragewas
conductedinordertoidentifypossiblebroadtrendsrunningacrossalltitles,aswellas
significantexceptions.Whilethetrajectoryoffameseemedtounfoldinaroughlysimilar
wayacrossallmagazinetitlesfromwhichmaterialwasdrawnforanalysis,goingintothe
21stcentury,foursuccessivefiguresdominatedthetrajectory,acrossfourdifferentlocally
producedtitlesduringspecifictimeperiods:Huisgenootintheearly19thcentury,Drumin
the1950s,PeopleSAinthe1980sandheatSAintheearly2000s.Accesstothearchivesof
thesetitleswasgainedthroughthelibrariesoftheUniversityoftheWitwatersrandin
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Johannesburg,theBailey’sAfricanHistoryArchivesandthecollectionsoftherelevant
magazinepublishers,namelyMedia24andCaxton.
Oncethetrajectoryandtherelevantmagazinetitlesthroughwhicheachofthefourfigures
wouldbeexploredhadbeenestablished,theevidencegatheredfromselectedissuesduring
theinitialresearchprocesswereanalysedin-depth.Thisarchivalmaterialwas
supplementedwithadditionalarticlesdrawnfromthelaunchissueofeachoftheselected
magazinetitlesaswellasotherrandomlyselectedissuespublishedinthefirstdecadeof
eachmagazine’sexistence.Theevidenttrendswerepositionedwithinthebroadersocial,
historicalandculturalcontextinSouthAfricaandalso,whererelevant,totheinternational
publishingenvironment.
Asthenewmillenniummovedtowardsitsthirddecade,however,andanattemptwasmade
toanalyseapost-heatunderstandingoffameasitwasunfolding,itseemedclearno
distinctivefifthfigureemergedinthecoverage.Instead,thereseemedtobeindicationsof
attrition.And,inaddition,onecouldpickoutindividualcharacteristicsinthecoveragethat
werefamiliar,astheyweretypicalofsomeoftheexistingfiguresinthetrajectory.Withthis
nextunderstandingoffamearguablynottakingonanyspecificallynewdimensions,there
wasalsonoonemagazinetitle‘leadingtheway’,ashadbeenthecaseinthetrajectoryup
untilthispoint.
Withthetrajectoryunfoldingchronologically,thechapterdivisionbelowisguided
respectivelybythefourmainfiguresthatappearedtodominatemagazinecoverageover
the20thcenturyandintothe21st,plusadiscussionoftheunfoldingpost-heat
understandingoffame,whichrevealstheabsenceofthecapacitytocategorisewithany
clarity.
Chapter1recognisesanearly20th-centurypreferenceinthemagazineindustry,bothlocally
andinternationally,fortheinclusionineditorialselectionofpeoplereminiscentinsome
waysoftheprotagonistsoftheepicpoetryofHomerandhiscontemporaries.Byextension,
thiscategoryexcludesthekindofpeopledominatingmagazinerepresentationsoffameby
theendofthecentury.Hence,firstly,theoccurrenceofpioneersandsoldiersandothers
whofitthebroaddefinitionoftheheroicinonewayoranother.Andthen,secondly,an
emphasisontraitsthatsupportthisnarrative:exemplariness,bravery,selflessness,moral
strengthandfibre,courage,humilityandsoforth–allappliedinpubliclifeandforthe
commongood.
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Inaddition,thisfirstchapteraimstoshowhowthisearly20th-centuryrepresentationof
fameinSouthAfricanmagazinesisasimpleformofwhatmightbeare-presentationofan
alreadyestablishedepicheroicimage.ThetermEpicHero1wasselectedtorepresentthis
categoryoffamehere,andwhenitisrenderedinitalicsandwithinitialcapitalletters,it
signalsthatitembodiesthecharacteristicsdescribedanddiscussedinChapter1.
Thechapteralsoexploreshow,atthispoint,themagazine’sselectionofpeopleandthe
coverageitselfseemedtoassumethereaders’almostexclusiveinterestinpeople,that
sharedtheirvalues.Thechapterpointsouthowthoseconsideredworthyofrepresentation
inthemagazinesarepresentedasidealandexemplary,suggestingthattheyhaveearned
thereadership’sloyalty,commitmentanddevotion.
ItreflectsonhowthefigureofwhatiscalledtheEpicHerofindsresonanceamongthe
fledglingAfrikanernationinSouthAfricabyreferringtocoverageselectedfromveryearly
issuesofDeHuisgenoot,whichwasfirstpublishedin1916.EarlyHuisgenootselectedthe
peopleitcoveredfromtheranksof(mostly)menwhohadcontributed,invariousways,to
thebirthandcontinueddevelopmentoftheAfrikanernation.Themajorityofthesemenhad
alreadyachievedakindofEpicHerostatusoftheirownmakingbeforethemagazinewas
founded;infact,mostofthepeoplewhowerecoveredinearlyissuesofHuisgenootwere
deadbythetimethemagazinelaunched.Huisgenootmerelyperpetuatedandaugmented
theimagethesefiguresalreadyheldinthecollectiveimaginaryoftheAfrikanerreadership
byshapingtheirstoriestofitamagazineversionoftheEpicHero.EarlyHuisgenootcoverage
takestheformoflengthyandwordyhagiographiescontainingmanyexamplesofepicheroic
andselflessdeedsandparticipationineventsofcardinalimportancetotheAfrikanerculture
andnation,notleastofwhichisthe19th-centuryGrootTrek(GreatTrek),whichcanbeseen
toechoHomer’sOdyssey.
WithspecificreferencetothelatepresidentoftheSouthAfricanRepublicPaulKruger,the
chapterdiscusseshowcoveragesurfacingtheEpicHerofigurealmostexclusivelycelebrated
hispublicactionsthatwereoftenpresentedasbeingextraordinary,anddrewhimasan
exemplarypersonworthemulating.Thechapteralsoalludestohowthenotionof‘settingan
example’,whichsurfacedstronglyinearlyHuisgenootarticles,fittedintotheAfrikaner-
nationalistprojectofthetime.
1Thisconventionofitalicisationandinitialcapitalisationisfollowedthroughoutthethesisforthetermsusedforalltheindividualfiguresinthetrajectorytoindicatethattheyrepresentthespecificsetofcharacteristicsidentifiedforeachofthecategories.
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ElementsoftheHero2wouldcontinuetocharacterisethemagazinerepresentationsof
fame,albeit,crucially,withouttheepicdimension.Wemightstillsometimeswitnessbrief,
unusualandunexpectedadditionstotheheroiccannon.YettheHeroslowlymadewayfor
whatseemedtobeaverydifferentfigure,selectedforeditorialinclusionsolelyonthebasis
ofexistingfameintheentertainmentbusiness.
Chapter2unpacksthisnewperceptionoffame,commonlyknownasstardom,showinghow
itdistinguisheditselffromitspredecessor.Thisdistinctionconcernsnotonlytheprofessions
ofpeopleselectedfortheeditorialoffering,whichnowincludeentertainmentpersonalities
asopposedtotheearlierpastors,poetsandpoliticians,butalsotheexposureofboth
privateandpublicspaceandactivity.
Thechapteralsolocatesthefirststepsintheshiftinmagazinecoveragefromare-
representationofanexistingunderstandingoffametoamoreactiveco-producingrole.It
doessobyremindingushow,eversinceentertainersfirststartedbecomingwell-andwidely
knownfiguresintheearly20thcentury,therebydisruptingthe‘pantheonofHeroes’that
camebefore,magazineshavebeenoneofthemostimportantmediatocirculate
informationaboutthem.
Butthechapteralsoidentifiescharacteristicssharedbythefirsttwomagazine
representationsoffameinthe20thcentury,notablyacontinuedrelianceonreadership
devotiontooradmirationforthefamousfigureinadditionto,orperhapsbasedon,an
apparentcontinuingemphasisonanelementofextraordinariness.Thechapteralsoengages
withthis‘extraordinariness’anditsmeaningwithinthenotionofstardom,notablyhowit
shiftstostartincorporatingtheideaofvisualqualitiessuchasglamourand‘radiance’.
Thechapteruncoversthecachetthisfigurehadforthemainlyblackreadershipofthe1950s
SouthAfricanmagazine,Drum,whichmay,atfirst,seemanunusualchoiceforthe
explorationofstardom,withitshistoricaloriginsintheoverwhelminglywhiteearly
Hollywoodmoving-picturesindustry.YetthechapterattemptstoshowthattheStarfigure
thatemergesinthepagesofDrumthroughanearlyformof‘newjournalism’practisedina
veryspecificlocationinJohannesburg,andspecificallythecoverageoflocalsongstressand
2Toindicatethatthistermisusedtoindicatebroaderunderstandingsoftheheroicwithoutanepicdimension,andthusnotaseparateunderstandingoffameanalysedinthisproject,itissimplyrenderedwithaninitialcapitalandwithouttheitalicisation.Thisconventionisalsofollowedthroughout.
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filmactorDollyRathebe,whoissketchedasextraordinarilyglamorousandgifted,isjusttoo
compellingtooverlook.
Towardstheendofthecentury,however,pureglamourbeginstolosegroundtotheideaof
flawinthewaywell-knownnesswasportrayedinmagazines.Weseethefirsttentative
suggestionsofakindoffamethatisnotembodiedinpeoplewhoaregenerallyadmired,like
theEpicHeroandtheStar.Rather,weseeamoveawayfromtheongoingrepresentationof
whatmightbeconsideredperfectandideal,andinitsplacetheinclusionofthenotionof
theimperfect,problematicortaintedinsomeway.Sowhileweseethesameentertainers
beingselectedforinclusioninthecoverage,thefocusofthearticlesmovestowards
revealingimperfectioninsteadoffocusingonperfection.Thistransitionalfigureremainsa
Star,yetpreparesusforthemoreradically‘flawed’entertainerthatoriginallyledtomy
interestinthisproject.
Chapter3isdevotedtothistransitionalfigure,whichpavesthewayforamorecomplexand
establishedforminthe21stcentury,hencethedecisiontonamethiscategoryinthe
trajectoryEmergingCelebrity.Thischapterpointstotheincreasingabsenceoftheheroic
andthediminishingappearanceoftheadmirableinmagazinerepresentationsoffame
towardstheendofthe20thcentury.
Itidentifiesthefigurethatslowlycomestakeitsplacealongsidetheall-glamorousStarand
thefewremainingepicmomentsinmagazinecoverage,asonethatislessexemplary,less
admirable,lessreveredandinsomecasesmoretragic.
Thechaptertraceswhatcanbeconstruedasakindofsecular‘fallfromgrace’ofthefamous
figuretowardstheendofthe20thcentury,specificallyintermsofbehaviourdisplayedin
privatelife,anaspectthatisalsogivenincreasingexposureinmagazinecoverage,oftenat
theexpenseofpublicisingthepublicimage.Thechapteralsoattemptstoshowhowthereis
notonlyashifttowardscoverageorperhapsexposureoftheprivateexistenceof
entertainersbutalsothefirstindicationsofamovementpurportingtouncovertheinner
psychologicallifeoftheseperformers.Thislattermovement,ofuncoveringorexposingan
emotionallife,isacrucialone,specificallybecauseitappearstohaveasignificantinfluence
onthedisappearanceofanepicdimensionintherarecoveragesurfacingtheheroic.
Byengagingwithalltheseaspectsinthecoverage,thechapterattemptstoshowhowthe
readershipseemstoveerfromadmirationanddevotiontosomethingmorecomplex
towardstheendofthecentury.Readers’expectationsseemedtoincludethedesiretobe
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entertainedbutalso,crucially,tobeshockedand,ultimately,remindedofthepossibly
imperfectandthus‘real’selvesoftheentertainers.Thischapteralsodemonstrateshowlate
20th-centuryreadershipexpectationtobescandalisedandalsotoseeauthenticitywas
fulfilledbythemagazines’increasingturntothenotionoftheimperfect,especiallyinterms
offailedromanticrelationships,aswellasmisbehaviourintheprivaterealm,oftenthrough
excessiveandconspicuousconsumptionofproductslegalandillegal.
Thefocusoncertainkindsofpersonalfailureandimperfectionthatdistinguishedlate20th-
centurymagazinerepresentationoffamefromitspredecessorsisexaminedinorderto
demonstrateinwhatwaystheyareusedtoreinforceboththeordinarinessand
extraordinarinessthathavebynowcometocharacterisetheconstructionofthe
entertainmentfigure.
Aswithprecedingchapters,Chapter3takesintoaccountthesecondaryliterature,which
attributestheemergenceofthenotionofscandalinmagazinecoverageofentertainment
personalitiestothedecline,fromthemiddleofthecentury,oftheso-calledHollywood
studiosystem,whichcommercialisedthefigureoftheStar.Itisnotedherehowthis
developmentintheglobalfilmworldappearstohavebeenthecatalystformagazines
becomingevermorecomplicitintheprocessofproducingthefamousfigure.Thechapter
attemptstosurfacehow,towardstheendofthecentury,giventhefilmstudios’reported
lossofcontrolovertheentertainerimage,magazinesarguablyhadmorefreedominterms
ofmaterialthatcouldbeconsideredforinclusionincoverage.Byintroducingtheideaof
scandal(tomeetwhatmagazinesunderstoodtobereaderexpectation),thischaptermakes
thekeyargumentthatthesemagazinessuddenly,andperhapssomewhatinadvertently,
foundthemselvesbecomingarchitects,insteadofmereproducersexecutingfilmstudio
orders,astheyhadbeenbefore,oftheentertainerimage.
AlloftheseshiftsareexploredinthischapterwithreferencetothelocaleditionofPeople
magazineinthe1980s,whichappearstohavedeviated,sinceitslaunch,fromthe
predominantlyscandal-freeformulaofitseponymoustitleintheUnitedStates.Giventhe
argumentthat,towardstheendofthecentury,anelementofscandalcametooccupyan
evermoreprominentpartinthemagazinerepresentationoffame,thisdeviationisan
interestingandimportantoneandamainreasonPeoplemagazinewasselected.
AndthentherewaswhatIhavecalledtheCelebrityProper,theearly21st-centuryfigure
thatfirstignitedmyinterest.Usingcoveragefromthelocalfranchiseofheat,amore
establishedandcomplex,andsometimesevenarguablyradicalised,formoffameis
18
exploredinChapter4,whicharguesthatearly21st-centurymagazinerepresentationsof
famerevolvedaroundvisual(photographic)exposureofscandal,nowalmostexclusivelyin
theprivatelife,withpubliclifedetailsmerelyhintedatorpriorreaderknowledgeassumed.
Thechaptershowsthattheearly21st-centuryrepresentationwas,inaddition,basedon
visualexposureofwhatwasoftenpresentedasphysicalimperfection.Itwasafigure
constructedaroundvisualevidenceofimperfection,bothintermsofbehaviour,almost
exclusivelyinprivate,andofthebody.
FollowingonfromthemorerudimentaryEmergingCelebrityofChapter3,Chapter4
specificallyemphasisesthedevelopment,modulationandevensometimesradicalisationof
notionsthatfirststartedemerginginlate20th-centuryrepresentationsoffame,including
theever-changingpossibilitiesfortheinterpretationoftheordinary–extraordinarydivide
andtheideaofacontinuousandapparentlydeeperpenetrationoftheprivaterealm.The
privaterealmreferstothehomeordomesticspace,butcouldalsobeextendedtothe
privatespacesofthebodyand,crucially,eventotheinnerprivateemotionallifeofthe
entertainer.Thisemotionallife,thechapterargues,isexploredevenmoreconsistentlyand
relentlesslyinthenewmillenniumcomparedtolate20th-centurycoverage.
DrawingprimarilyonthecoverageitselfbutalsoonpersonalexposuretotheCelebrity3-
mediaindustry,thechaptercontinuestotracetheevermoreactiveparticipationof
magazinesintheproductionoftheearly21st-centuryentertainmentfigure,withspecific
referencetohowtheweeklyfrequencyarguablycontributedtoandpossiblyproduceda
veryparticularkindoffigureandunderstandingoffame.
Asthefirstdecadeofthenewmillenniumdrewtoaclose,however,higher-frequency
media,andinparticularsocialmedia,arguablybecamearealthreattotheby-now
traditionalweeklyCelebrity-newsmagazines.Withmostentertainersoptingtohave
personalsocial-mediaaccounts,theycouldbeseentoreclaimtheirpositionasproducersof
theirownimageandrelegatedtheweeklygossipmagazinestoessentiallybecoming
consumersand,inasense,re-presentersofpre-definedfameonceagain.
InSouthAfricatheriseofsocialmediacertainlycontributedtotheclosure,in2014,ofheat
SA.ThetitlewastheonlyoneinthecountrythatwaswhollydedicatedtoCelebritynewsin
3Throughoutthethesis,thetermCelebrityisrepresentedwithinitialcapitalletterandwithoutitalicisationtoindicatethatismeanttosignaltheoverarchingcategorythatcomprisesboththeEmergingCelebrityandtheCelebrityProperwiththecharacteristicsthatdefinethemasdiscussedinChapter3and4respectively.
19
allitssections.AlltheweeklymagazinesthathavesurvivedheatSAhaveonlylimited
sectionsdevotedtoentertainmentorshowbusinessnewsandpersonalities.Internationally,
whileexclusiveCelebrity-newsweeklieshavesurviveddespitetheadventofsocialmedia,
evenacursoryglanceseemstorevealthatthingsarenotthesameasduringthefirstdecade
ofthenewmillennium,whichsomehavetermedthe‘Celebritydecade’.
Atthetime,Ianticipatedthat,onthelocallandscapeatleast,heatSA’sclosuremightresult
inthenextshiftinweeklymagazinerepresentationoffame.Therewasanexpectationthata
new,dominant,post-heatfiguremightsurfaceinweeklyprinted-magazinecoverage.In
otherwords,heat’sclosureofferedanopportunitytolookattheunderstandingoffamethat
wasunfoldingaswemovedtowardsthemiddleofthe21stcentury.
Aswiththehistoricalpartoftheproject,theresearchprocessagaininvolvedanexamination
ofwhowasconsideredrepresentation-worthy,whatwasincludedinthecoverageandhow
thiscoveragewasexecuted.Applyingresearchandanalysismethodstotheunfolding
understandingoffameprovidedanopportunitytoreflectontheprocessaswellasonthe
trajectoryoffamethathadbeentracedacrossthe20thcentury.
TitledTheFigureNow,Chapter5examinesthisunfoldingrepresentationoffame.However,
itprovedchallengingtoidentifyanynewandtypicalpersonalitythatisconsideredcoverage-
worthyand,also,anydistinctlynewquality,aspectorcharacteristicthatismentionedinthe
coverage.Rather,itseemsthereisareturn,generally,tocoverageincludingtheStarandthe
EmergingCelebrity,withselectelementsoftheCelebrityProperandoftheHero,but
cruciallynotoftheEpicHero,alsooccasionallyappearing.
So,intheend,asthechapternotes,itseemsalmostimpossibletoarguefortheemergence
ofadistinctlynewfigurecharacterisingthepost-heatperiod.Intheapparentabsenceofa
newtypicalfigure,thechapterargues,itisperhapsmoreappropriatetospeakofan
‘understanding’offame,whichappearstoencompassadispersalofqualitiesthat
characteriseexistingfiguresinthetrajectory.Inaddition,thechapteralsonoteshowthis
lastunderstandingoffameischaracterisedbyakindofhybridity,atermthatpointsto
individualpersonalitiessurfacingastwo(or,onveryrareoccasions,more)differentfigures
fromtheexistingtrajectory.
Asthereappearstobenodistinctlynewfigure,incontrasttothepreviouschapters,noone
localweeklymagazineemergesasastrikinglypre-eminent,dominantexampleofthisnew
understandingoffame.Consequently,thechapterdrawsoncoveragetakenfromallthe
20
localweeklymagazinetitleswithsubstantialentertainmentcontent,inanattemptto
explorepotentialshiftsinhowfameisrepresentedand,aswiththeotherchapters,taking
intoaccounthowthesemovementscorrespondwith,ordifferfrom,theinternational
Celebrity-newsprint-medialandscape.
21
Chapter1:TheEpicHeroinHuisgenootintheearly20thcenturyThedifferencebetweenthefigurethatemergedinearly21stcenturymagazinecoveragein
SouthAfricaandtheonethatsurfacedalmost100yearsbeforecouldnotbemore
pronounced.Wherethemorerecentfigurewascoveredintermsofbadbehaviourinthe
privaterealmandfordisplayingsupposedphysicalimperfections,itsearliercounterpartwas
inawayitsantithesis.Thisisbecausemagazinecoverageoftheearly20thcenturyinSouth
Africaseemedtohaveasingularfocuson‘perfection’andthemodelbehaviourdisplayed
almostexclusivelyduringpublicengagementsandappearances.
Thisemphasisonexemplarinessinthecoveragebroughttotheforeafigurewhoappeared
toexcel,tosetanexample,tobeamodelintermsofbehaviourandlifechoicesmade.Allof
thesecharactertraitsarestronglyreminiscentofthosedisplayedbythe‘hero’,whohas
broadlybeendefined,bySusanDrucker(1994:83),amongstothers,asa“centralpersonage
takinganadmirablepartinanyremarkableactionorevent;hence,apersonregardedasa
model”.Theseactionsincluded“braveandnobledeeds”wellintotheMiddleAges,Drucker
andRobertCathcart(1994:1–3)note,andalso,later,ideasof“extraordinarybravery,
firmness,orgreatnessofsoulinconnectionwithanypursuit,work,orenterprise”andthe
abilitytotranscend“ordinaryhumanqualities”andembody“thedivine,theideal,thequest,
thecourageous,thevirtuous,thesuperior”.
Insomeinstances,theactionsofthefamousfigurethatemergedinmagazinecoverageof
theearly20thcenturyseemedheroicintheepicsense.Asenseoftheepicemergesstrongly
whenthepresenceofthedivineishintedatindescriptionsofactionandthereismentionof
theembodimentofsharedcivilizationalvalues,twoofthemaincharacteristicsWilliam
HarmonandHughHolman(1999)identify.Inaddition,ithasbeenarguedthatevidenceof
aninnerlifeintheprotagonistoftheepicisabsentoratleastnotconflicted.WilliamDixon,
(1912:295)forinstance,describesthisfigureas“amanofdeedsnotoffeelings,whose
innerlifeiswithouthesitations,whoreactsuponcircumstanceswiththedirectnessand
simplicityofachild”.Thislastcharactertraitisofgreatsignificance,asgoingforwardinthe
centurymuchwouldchangeinthisregard.
ThenotionoftheepiccanalsobelinkedtoakindoftrialorwhatJosephCampbell(in
Drucker1994)callsthe“archetypaljourney”thatcharacteriseswhatCampbelldescribesas
the“monomyth”:
22
Thestandardpathofthemythologicaladventureoftheheroisamagnificationofthe
formularepresentedintheriteofpassage:separation-initiation-return:whichmight
benamedthenuclearunitofthemonomyth.Aheroventuresforthfromtheworldof
commondayintoaregionofsupernaturalwonder:fabulousforcesareencountered
andadecisivevictoryiswon:theherocomesbackfromthismysteriousadventure
withthepowertobestowboonsonhisfellowman.(Campbell,inDrucker1994:84–
85)
Theideaof‘bestowingboons’onfellowmembersofsocietyorharnessingpersonalefforts
forthegreatergoodimplies,tome,thenotionoftheheroicactionshappening,forthemost
part,inthepublicasopposedtointheprivatesphere.Bravery,greatnessandpioneering
spirit;alloftheseattributesassociatedwiththeheroicaregenerallyexpressedinthepublic
arena:onbattlefields,inwildlandsandinunchartedwaters.Notonlyisgreatnessalmost
exclusivelyachievedinthepublicarena,butinreallifethesefigurescanalsogenerallybe
glimpsedonlyinpublicspaces,typicallysquaresandarenas,asLanceStrate(inDrucker&
Cathcart1994)remindsus.
ThepeopleselectedformagazinecoverageinSouthAfricaintheearly20thcenturyandthe
actionsandcharactertraitsforwhichtheywereselectedgenerallyhadsomethingofthe
heroic,andmosteventheepic.Inotherwords,asenseoftheepicsurfacednotonlyfrom
thewhoorthekindofpeopleselectedforinclusioninthemagazinebutalsofromthewhy,
orthekindsofactionsorbehaviourforwhichtheywerecovered.Moreover,thisnotionof
theheroicintheepicsensewasalsogreatlyamplifiedbythehow,orthewayinwhichthe
coveragewasexecuted,animportantelementthatwillbeaddressedintherestofthis
chapter.SothisfirstfiguretoemergeinthetrajectoryisnamedtheEpicHero.
Campbell’s“regionofsupernaturalwonder”mayarguablystillbetheexclusivedomainof
theprotagonistsoftheoriginalGreekepics,butmanyofthepersonalqualitiesassociated
withthesemencontinuetoappear,centurieslater,inmanyothergenres,extendingnotjust
intoliteraryfictionbutevenintothecoverageofrealpeople,inthemassmediaand
magazines.
Theymay,ofcourse,notdisplayeverysinglecharacteristicassociatedwiththeoriginalepic
Homerandhispeersbroughttolifeintheirpoetry,butinbroadterms,thepeople
consideredtowarrantrepresentationcanbasicallybesaidtobelivingtheirlivesin
accordancewiththemaincharactersappearinginthesepoems.Theyare,infact,
representedasmodels,astheirlivesareworthyofbeingrecountedandcelebrated,and
23
theyembodytheidealofthecivilisationorcommunityfromwhichtheyhail.Invokingthe
necessarysenseofelevation,AmyHenderson(2005:38)callsthemthe“GreatMenona
Pedestal”,andherrenditionofthistitle,witheverysignificantwordcapitalised,certainly
seemsjustified.Examiningthe“changingfaceofcelebrityculture”intheUnitedStatesover
the20thcentury,shenoteshow:
HeroesoftheRevolutionaryera[intheUnitedStates]wereinvokedtogivethenation
asenseofhistoricallegitimacy[…]Heroesofthiseraweregentlemen,scholars,and
patriots—traditionalrepresentativesofsuchbasicsocialinstitutionsasthestate,the
military,andthechurch—andtheirlivesservedasexamples[…]Inanageoptimistic
aboutanindigenousculture-in-themaking,thenation’snovelists,poets,essayists,
critics,historians,andpreachersallenteredintothediscoursewithgusto,seekingto
constructnotonlyanationalnarrative,buttocreatetheepic’sprotagonist.
(Henderson2005:38–39)
1.1EarlyHuisgenoot’sEpicHeroes
TheSouthAfricanmagazineHuisgenoot4followedasimilarpathonthelocallandscape,as
itscoveragebroadlyfollowedaformulathat,besidesembodyingtheideal,celebrated
courage,bothphysicalandmoral,andthevictoriousemergenceafterextended‘battle’with
opposingforces,threatsandchallenges.Itsappropriationoftheepicformulahadearly
Huisgenootcelebratingpeoplewhoembodiedtheentirecommunityfromwhichtheycame;
andtheirindividualbattlesrepresentedthoseoftheentirecommunity,inthiscasethe
Afrikaansreadershipofthemagazine.Inthisway,theepicformulawasmadecontextually
specifictothemagazine’sreadership.
Concernforthefateofanationorpeople,whichisoneofthekeycharacteristicsofepic
poetry,seemedtohaveparticularresonanceforearlyHuisgenoot,andthisisreflectedinthe
magazine’sselectionofpeople.Withoutfailtheseindividualsaremostlymen,againin
keepingwiththeclassicheroictradition,whocouldbeportrayedasrolemodelstobe
emulatedbytheemergingAfrikanernation.Themagazineincludedtheminitscoverage
basedspecificallyonwhattheyhadachieved;so,importantly,asenseofmeritorworthis
implied.Thesepeoplemeritedrepresentation;intermsbothofwhatwasincludedinthe
4ThemagazinewasofficiallylaunchedasDeHuisgenoot,reflectingthelanguagemedium,namelyDutch,atthetime.Afewyearsafterthelaunch,onceAfrikaansgainedgroundandbecametheofficialmediuminthemagazine,thenamewaschangedtoDieHuisgenoot,withtheAfrikaansarticle‘die’(the)replacingtheDutch‘de’.In1977,thenamechangedagain,simplytoHuisgenootwithoutthearticle.
24
coverageandalsothewayinwhichthecoveragewasexecuted.Theycouldbesaidtohave
beenrepresentation-worthy.
Thesemodelcitizenswhomeritededitorialselectionwerealmostalwaysestablishedpublic
figures,andtheirpublic-nessisaninterestingpointtoconsider,giventhemagazine’sstrong
focusondomesticlife(thenameHuisgenootlooselytranslatesto‘homecompanion’)or,put
differently,theprivatesphere.Fromtheoutset,themagazineplayedaveryimportantpart
inbuildingandeducatingtheAfrikanernation.Partofitsdirectivewastoestablish
Afrikaans,boththefledglingindependentlanguageandthenascentculture,andassuchit
prescribedhowtospeakandwrite‘proper’Afrikaans,whattoread,andessentiallyhowto
liveyourlifeasanAfrikanerintheearly20thcentury.AsMuller(1990)remindsus,the
magazinehadaveryparticularquest:toupliftitsreadership.5Inaddition,itcanbe
describedasaninformalculturaltextbookofsortstohelpguidetheAfrikanernation’searly
struggleforindependencefromboththeirDutchandBritishcolonisers.
WhenoneconsidersthefledglingAfrikanernationandHuisgenoot’sstakeinit,thereare
definitelyechoeswithBenedictAnderson’s“imaginedpoliticalcommunity”,whichhe
definesasa“deep,horizontalcomradeship”.Itisanimaginedcommunity,Anderson(1991:
6–7)explains,as“members[…]willneverknowmostoftheirfellow-members,meetthem,
orevenhearofthem,yetinthemindsofeachlivestheimageoftheircommunion”.These
imaginedcommunities,Anderson(1991)argues,becamepossiblelargelybecauseofmass
mediapublishinginthesharedlanguageoftheparticularcommunity,withthe
establishmentofthisnewlanguage,Afrikaans,ofcoursebeingoneofthekeyfunctionsof
earlyHuisgenoot.
5Muller(1990:256–257,translationfromAfrikaansmyown)writeshow:“Huisgenoot[…]was‘nhuismetruimtevirveelmeerasnetdietaal.AfrikanersendieAfrikanerlewemoesopalleterreinetot‘nhoërenedelerpeilverhefword.HullemoesaandieinvloedvandieWestersekultuurblootgestelword.Huldenkemoesgenuanseerdraakendeurkennisgestutword.Diebeeldendekunsteenuitvoerendekunstemoes‘nplekinhullelewekry.Hulgeskiedenismoesaanhullevoorgehouwordomhulletelaatverstaanwieenwathulleis.Hullemoeshuleieidentiteitontdekomnienamaakselsvananderteprobeerweesnie.Hullemoesbewusgemaakwordvandieuitnemendegaweswathullandinoormaatontvanghet,dievermoëenbegeerteaankweekomditvir‘nhoërlewensgehaltetegebruikendiebedagsaamheidontwikkelomtebewaarwatnievernietigdurfwordnie”.(Huisgenoot[…]wasahousewithspaceformuchmorethanjustthelanguage.AfrikanersandAfrikanerlifehadtobeupliftedinallspherestoahigherandnoblerlevel.TheyhadtobeexposedtotheinfluenceofWesternculture.Theirthoughtshadtobecomenuancedandsupportedwithknowledge.Thefineanddramaticartshadtohaveaplaceintheirlife.Theirhistoryhadtobehelduptothemtohelpthemunderstandwhoandwhattheyare.Theyhadtodiscovertheirownidentitysoasnottobeimitationsofothers.Theyhadtobemadeawareoftheoutstandinggiftsthattheircountryreceivedinabundance,cultivatetheabilityanddesiretouseitintheinterestsofahigherqualityoflifeanddeveloptheconsiderationtopreservethatwhichshouldnotbedestroyed.)
25
InitsmissiontoaidinthecreationoftheAfrikanernationbyestablishingthelanguageand
providinggeneralupliftmentandguidancetoitsmembers,then,Huisgenoothelduppublic
figuresasexamplesormodelsforproperlivinginaneraofnewfoundindependence,and
includedsubtleencouragementtoitsreadershiptoemulatetheirbehaviour,whichwas
almostexclusivelyonlyeverseeninpublicspaces,intheprivaterealmofthehome.
EarlyHuisgenoot’seditorialdecisiontoreservecoveragealmostexclusivelyformenwho
hadalreadydiedfurtherservestoamplifytheideaoftheepic,asitcontributed,inaway,to
myth-andlegend-making.Thesedeadmen’sactionswerethingsofthe(oftenverydistant)
past,andtheimagethepublicheldofthemwasalreadyfixed;therewasnounfolding
narrativeandnocurrentorfutureactionsthatcouldpossiblycontradictwhatalready
existed.Soinsteadofanunfolding,episodicnarrative,whichwouldcometostrongly
characteriseweeklymagazinecoverageacenturylater,whatweseeinearlyHuisgenootis
thenotionofthelifestoryand,infact,thecompletedlifestory,withabeginning,amiddle
andanend.Thecompletioninherentinposthumouscoverageenablesthenotionof
biography,whichinearlyHuisgenootbecamepropagandisthagiography,definedalmost
exclusivelybyreverence,respect,uncriticalandunwaveringsupportandflattering
embellishment.
Recountingthestoriesofthedeadalsosuggeststhepassingoftalesfromonegenerationto
thenext,whichinturncontributestoasenseoftheheroic.AsNickTrujilloandLeahVande
Berg(1994:221)remindus,inrelationtotraditionalunderstandingsoftheheroic,
“Narrativesabouttheherowerepassedfromgenerationtogeneration,andthehero,in
deathmorethaninlife,becameanexaltedfigureintheculture’shistory”.
Fromthe1916launchissueofHuisgenootonwards,weseecoverageofthepioneering
VoortrekkerswhohadlefttheCapeColonytoescapeBritishimperialismalmostacentury
beforethemagazinewasfounded,andtheBoersoldierswhofoughttheBritishinthetwo
fin-de-siècleAnglo-Boer(nowknownasSouthAfrican)wars.Politiciansandtaalstryders
(literallytranslatableaslanguagewarriors)werealsotakingupthepentosettherulesanda
bodyofliteratureforalanguageintheprocessofdistinguishingitselffromitsDutchorigin.
ThemencoveredinearlyHuisgenootwerewarriorsinthebattletoestablishthefledgling
Afrikanernation,itsidentity,itslanguage,itsreligion,anditsverymoralfibre.
Thus,inissueafterissue,weseemenbeingheraldedfortheirabilitytousetheirrespected
positionsinsocietyaspoliticians,pioneers,soldiers,authorsandartiststofightforthe
greatercauseofAfrikanernationalism.Fromthelauncheditiononwards,thesepeople
26
appearedonthecoverofHuisgenoot,and,unlikeonthecoversofweeklymagazinesa
centurylater,theyappearedonebyone.Duringthefirstfewdecadesofthemagazine’s
existence,theseframedandposed,professional-studio-photographed,black-and-white
portraitsdominatedtheotherwisepareddownandunclutteredcovers,withhardlyany
othervisualortextelementsbesidethetitle/masthead.Reminiscentofthepaintedportraits
initiallyexclusivelymadeof“emperors,kingsandgenerals”,asRichardHowells(2011:112)
argues,thesephotographicportraits,aswellasthewaytheywereemployedintheoverall
coverdesign,servedtorevereandexalt,andintheprocesssupporttheheroic
representation.
Thelistofportraitsappearingonthecoversofthemagazineinitslaunchyearcanbereadas
anindicationofaneditorialformuladrivenbytheheroic.Ofthetwelvemonthlyissues,
threecoversfeaturedpoliticians(SouthAfricanRepublicpresidentPaulKrugerinMay1916
andOrangeFreeStatepresidentsJ.H.BrandandF.W.ReitzinJulyandNovember1916
respectively),threefeaturedVoortrekkers(PietRetiefinJune1916,KarelTrichardtin
October1916andAndriesPretoriusinMarch1917),twofeaturedchurchministers(Ds.
(Rev.)D.J.KestellinDecember1916andDrAndrewMurray6inFebruary1917),three
featuredpoetsandauthors(JanCelliersinSeptember1916,JanHofmeyrinJanuary1917
andMeltBrinkinApril1917)andtherewasoneAnglo-BoerWargeneral,PietJoubert,on
theAugust1916cover.Politicians,preachersandpioneersonthecover,aswellasAfrikaans
poetswhocontributedtotheestablishmentofthelanguage:thistrendcontinued,withthe
oddBoergeneral,Afrikanerlawyerandartistalsoappearing,foragoodmanyyears.With
thecharacteristicallyepicconceptofaprotractedjourneytofreedomfilledwithmany
dramatisedhardships,theGreatTrekprovidedtheperfectsettingfortheemergenceofthe
EpicHerofigure,asdidthemilitaryscenariosofthetwoAnglo-Boerwars.Fromthe1830s
onwards,theDutch-speakinginhabitantsofthethenCapeColonystartedmovingeastwards
byoxwagonandonfootintotheinteriorofwhathasnowbecomeknownasSouthAfrica,in
ordertoescapeBritishrule.ThesepioneerswereknownasVoortrekkers(theliteral
meaningis‘frontpullers’,or‘thosewhopullinfront’)orBoers.
Fromitsinception,Huisgenoottookadvantageofthesehistoriceventstosketchakindof
romanticisedsharedpastpopulatedwithalistoffiguresallcontributinghandsomelytothe
establishmentoftheAfrikanernationintheirownindividualways.Crucially,themagazine’s
6DespitehisEnglish-soundingname,DrMurraywasborninGraaff-ReinetinSouthAfricain1828andwasaprominentministerintheDutchReformedChurch,whosemembersinSouthAfricawerealmostexclusivelyAfrikaans-speaking.
27
focus,initshagiographiccoverageofthesemen,wasalmostexclusivelyontheiractionsin
thepublicsphere,withverylittlespaceaffordedtodetailsoftheirprivatelives.
Whenthereisdetailoftheprivate,itisalmostalwaysusedinsomewayinsupportofthe
publicimage.Themagazine’sJuly1916profileofcommandant-generaloftheSouthAfrican
RepublicPietJoubert,forinstance,employedakindofgrand,elevatedstyle(usingphrases
suchas“grotedaden”(greatdeeds),“reusachtigeopofferingen”(giantsacrifices)and
“hartstochtvoordievrijheid”(passionforfreedom)thathaveepicovertonestoemphasise
theconnectionbetweentheGreatTrekandtwowarsanddwellsonhowtogetherthey
providedtheperfectenvironmentfortheemergenceofGeneralJouberttheEpicHero.It
alsoportrayedGeneralJoubertasbeingtheveryembodimentoftheearly19th-century
Afrikaner’sstrifeforfreedomfromBritishrule.Oftenassociatedwiththejourneyunderlying
theepic,theideaof“leavingasboysandreturningasmen”alsoemergesfirmlyinthis
profileofGeneralJoubert:
Datwaseentijdvangrotedadenvanreusachtigeopofferingenenvanrustigeliefde.
Toeniseenvolkgeborenuitdehartstochtvoordevrijheidenhetlijdenendedoodvan
velen.DiebladzijdeuitdegeschiedenisvanhetvolkvanZuid-Afrikaisgewijd,daarze
geschrevenismethetbloedvanheldenenheldinnen.PetrusJacobusJoubertwaseen
kindvandezetijd,eenkindvandevrijheid.Wiehemwilverstaanmoetnimmerdit
uit’toogverliezen.DoorzijnganselevenheengaatdeinvloedvandeGroteTrek,die
zoveelkinderenriepentotmannentaak.
Thatwasatimeofgreatdeedsandgiantsacrificesandofquietlove.Itiswhena
nationwasbornfromthepassionforfreedomandthesufferinganddeathofmany.
ThepagesfromthehistoryofthenationofSouthAfricaareholy,astheywerewritten
inthebloodofheroesandheroines.PetrusJacobusJoubertwasachildofthistime,a
childoffreedom.Whoeverwantstounderstandhimshouldneverlosesightofthis.
ThroughouthiswholelifehewasinfluencedbytheGreatTrek,whichcalledsomany
childrentomen’swork.7
Whilethelinkbetweenelementstraditionallyassociatedwiththeepicandrepresentations
ofVoortrekkers,soldiersandstatesmenisfairlystraightforwardandeasilyimagined,the
extensionofthiskindofcoveragetoincludepoets,authors,artistsandclergymenseemto
contributetowhatLeoBraudy(1986),inhishistoryoffame,callsanthe“toplayer”ofwhat
7“LevenschetsGenl.PetrusJacobusJoubert”,DeHuisgenoot,July1916.AlltranslationsofexcerptsfromHuisgenootarticlesaremyown.
28
wasconceivedofasanaturalhierarchyinearlyunderstandingsoffame,whetheritbethe
Roman“famethroughpublicactions”(Braudy1986:56),theChristian“fameofthespirit”
(1986:150)ortheliterary“fameofthewise”(1986:167).
YetitisessentiallyintermsofthesameformulathatAfrikaansclergymen,poets,authors
andartists,allofthem‘intellectual’menwhowouldnotnaturallybeassociatedwiththe
generallymorephysicalfigureoftheEpicHero,seemtobeportrayedinearlyHuisgenoot.In
apieceonartistPieterWenning,8forinstance,thereaderisremindedthatWenningisof
FriesiandescentandthatFriesland,aprovinceoftheNetherlands,isinhabitedby“eensterk,
kernachtigenonbuigzaamras[…]hetwelkreedsvelegrotemannenaanHollandheeft
geschonken”(astrong,pithyandobstinaterace[…]whichhasalreadygivenmanygreatmen
toHolland).Anotherartist,DanielCornelisBoonzaaier,islaudedforthewayinwhichhis
worktranscendstheartisticandiscreatedintheinterestsofthenation:“Omzijnwerkten
volletewaarderen,moetmenzekernietuit‘toogverliezen,dathetnietalleenbedoeldisals
kunst,maarmenigmaalookom’tpubliekdeeenofanderepolitiekeofmaatschappelike
gedachteklaardervoorogentebrengen”(Tofullyappreciatehiswork,oneshouldnotlose
focusonthefactthatitisnotonlymeantasartbutoftenalsotoilluminatesomekindof
politicalorsocialidea).9Noteworthyindividualcontributiontothepublicgoodcanalsobe
readintheprofileofpoetJanF.E.Celliers,10whoisdescribedasa“‘ndigterwatdieharklop
vansijnvolkbeluisterhetenwatweetomdittevertolk[…]Ja,JanCelliersis‘ngrootmens”
(apoetwhohaslistenedtotheheartbeatofhispeopleandwhoknowshowtointerpretit
[…]Yes,JanCelliersisagreatman).Itisnotedthathisabilitytointerpretthe“heartbeatof
hispeople”wasspecificallyhonedduringhistimeasasoldier,anothertypicalcharacteristic
oftheepic,intheSecondAnglo-BoerWar.Inhispoems,theanonymous“levenschets”
(literallytranslatableas‘lifesketch’;Huisgenootusesthistermforitslife-storyprofile
pieces)argues,heisthe“vaderlander”(loveranddefenderofhishomecountry)who
empathisedwithandfoughtalongsidehispeople.Heexperiencedtheirgrief,suchasthe
death-wishofthewomenandchildrenwhoweresenttotheBritishconcentrationcamps,
andinhispoetrycanbeheardthelongingforfreedom,the“weeklag”(grieving)forthe
deceasedandthebeliefinthe“loutering”(purification)andreconciliationthatwouldsee
flowersgrowonthegravesofthosewhogavetheirlivesforthecountry.
8“Zuid-AfrikaanseKunst.PieterWenning”,DeHuisgenoot,September1916.9“Zuid-AfrikaanseKunst.DanielCornelisBoonzaaier”,DeHuisgenoot,July1916.10“Levenschets.J.F.E.Celliers.”,DeHuisgenoot,September1916.
29
Sopervasiveisthisleitmotifthatcertainelementstraditionallyassociatedwiththe
constructionoftheEpicHeroevenappeartopermeatecoverageof‘regular’folkswhenthey
eventuallystartedappearinginthemagazine,roughlyfouryearsafterHuisgenoot’slaunch,
inthattheywerecelebratedfortheiradmittedlyindirectstakeintheestablishmentofthe
Afrikanernation,thequestearlyHuisgenootsocarefullyportrayedinepicterms.Thefirstof
thesetobefeaturedonthecoverofthemagazine(theissueofJanuary1920)are
octogenariansSarelHendrikvanVuurenandhiswife,JohannaMagrieta,andtherelated
articlealludestoelementssuchastenacity,amodelwayoflifeandtheabilitytotranscend
adversity:
Onsoumense[…]hetvironsdiegrondslaggelêvandieAfrikaansekultuur,enasons‘n
suiwerkultuurwilopbouw,pasditonsomtebewaarwathulleaanonstoevertrouw
het.Hoekanonsonsroepinghierinbeternakomasommethulletepraat,enaan
anderbekendtemaakwathulleaanonsvertel?Hullelewenswijseis
navolgingswaardig.Metaldiewetenskapvandieverligteeeuwbringbetreklikmin
menseditsoveromsooudtewordasonsoumense,dieVoortrekkergeslagte,
nieteenstaandealdieontberingsindiedonkerstetijevanonsgeskiedenis.
Ouroldpeople[…]laythefoundationoftheAfrikaansculture,andifwewanttoerect
apureculture,itmakessenseforustopreservewhattheyhaveentrustedtous.How
canwebetterhonourthiscallingthantospeaktothemandtellotherswhattheytell
us?Theirwayoflifeisexemplary.Withallthescienceoftheenlightenedage,
relativelyfewpeopleareabletoreachsuchanadvancedageasouroldpeople,the
Voortrekkergenerations,despitealltheirhardshipsduringthedarkestdaysofour
history.11
MrsvanVuurenisoneoftheveryfewwomentoappearintheearlyeditionsofHuisgenoot.
Iwouldliketopauseforamomenttoreflectonthescantcoverageofwomenduringthese
earlyyears.IntraditionalWesternconceptionsoftheheroic,womenaremostoften“either
excludedorassignedlesserroles”,JoanFayer(1994:27)writes,astheyaregenerallyabsent
fromprominentpositionsonthebattlefield,inthepulpitandinreligiousmythology.
ThedearthofwomenanddominanceofmeninearlyHuisgenoot’scoverageoffamous
figures,however,canalsobeunderstoodintermsofthetraditionalassociationofwomen
withthedomestic,andbyextensionprivate,space,andthealmostexclusivepreferencefor
11“OnsOumenseSarelHendrikvanVuurenenJohannaMagrietavanVuuren”,DeHuisgenoot,January1920.
30
actioninthepublicsphereinordertosupportanarrativeoftheheroic.Thuswomenare
coveredsparinglyinearlyHuisgenoot,perhapssoasnottoattracttoomuchattentiontothe
domesticandthusprivatesphere,andontherareoccasionsthattheyareincluded,careis
takentofocusontheircontributiontothepublicgood,whichoftenmeanshowtheir
supportoftheirpartners(mostlyhusbands)allowedthelattertothriveandcontributeto
theestablishmentoftheAfrikanernationandAfrikaanslanguage.DunbarMoodie(1975:
17)writesofhowthewomanatthetime“providedadeepwellofmoralfortitudewhich
complementedandevensurpassedherhusband’smorepracticalexploits”.Intermsof
heroicrhetoric,thecoverageofwomeninearlyHuisgenootmightnothaverepresented
themasheroinesintheirownrightveryoften,butitdidarguablyservetosupportand
ultimatelystrengthentheemergenceofthefigureofthemaleEpicHerofromthepagesof
themagazine.Thatiscertainlythecaseforthefirstwoman,oneElizabethNeethling,to
appearonaHuisgenootcover(December1917),representingararebreakinthetraditionof
onlyputtingmenonthecoverduringtheearlyyears.Althoughinhercoverportrait,sheis
aloneandunaccompaniedbyherhusband(perhapssurprisinglyderigueurforthefew
womenfeaturedonthecoveratthetime),sheisidentifiedbyanhonorifictitleconfirming
hermaritalstatus(Mrs)andseemstohavemeritedinclusionbasedprimarilyonhersupport
ofherchurch-ministerhusband.Toalesserextentsheisselectedtoappearonthecoverfor
hercontributiontothecollectiveAfrikanermemoryofthemale-dominatedAnglo-Boer
wars,aboutwhichshehadwrittenabook.
Also,considerthecoverageoftheDeWetcouple,12accompaniedbyablackandwhite
photographofGeneraland“MevrouwC[Christiaan]deWet”(MrsC.[Christiaan]deWet).
Withthehonorifictitleandomissionofherfirstnamefromthearticleandmentionofher
undyingsupportofthegeneral,MrsdeWetisalmostexclusivelyidentifiedintermsofher
husbandwithverylittledetailgivenaboutherself.Herimageasstoicsupporterofthe
general(who,despitehisgreyinghairstillhasthe“vastberadentrekopzijngezichtdiedie
manvanmoedenkarakterkenmerkt”(determinedexpressiononhisfacethatcharacterises
thismanofcourageandcharacter)isfurtheraugmentedbythereferencetoherobscurityin
thearticle.Itclaimstobeoneofthefirstportraitsofthegeneral’swifetobepublished,as
sheisnotwidelyknownsinceherlabouroccursmorein“destilte”(silence),referringtothe
domesticandessentiallyprivatespaceofthehome,whichisnotafocusforthemagazineat
thispoint.
12“GeneraalenMevrouwC.deWet”,DeHuisgenoot,June1916.
31
Overall,theindividualpeoplethatwefindinearlyHuisgenootseemtobeportrayedinwhat
wemightnowseeasafairly‘one-dimensional’or‘notrounded’way,withcoverageseeking
tohighlightonlythegood,theideal,themodelortheperfect.AprofileofchurchministerDr
AndrewMurray13suggeststhatsucha“reusekarakter”(giantcharacter)mightdisplay
“anderhoedanighede,dieniealtijdwenselikisnie”(otherqualities,thatarenotalways
desirable),butitdoessoonlytoalertustohisownavoidanceofsuchrisks,asan
introductiontohisvirtuesandnear-perfection:
So‘nopgebruikingvansenuw-energie(soosplaasgevindhet,alshij‘npreeklewer)kon
lig‘nreaksieteweegbringindiehuis—’nbietjieoorgevoeligheidteenoorsijnvrouw,‘n
bietjieonegaligheidteenoorsijnkinders,‘nbietjienukkerigheidteenoordie
vreemdelinginsijnpoorte.Maarnee:ikhethemnooitvansijnewewigafgesiennie
[…]Hijwasdeurendeursuiweregoud.
Suchanexhaustionofnervouseenergy(thatmighttakeplacewhenhedeliversa
sermon)couldeasilyhaveledtoareactioninthehome—abitofoversensitivity
towardshiswife,abitofunevennesstowardshischildren,abitofhuffinesstowards
thestrangerinhisgates.Butno:Ineversawhimlosehiscomposure[…]Hewaspure
goldthroughandthrough.
ThefactthatthisratherglowingendorsementisattributedtooneDrKolbe,whois
describedinthearticleasoneofhisprofessional“adversaries”,onlycontributesfurtherto
theconstructionofDrMurrayasamanofgreatandunwaveringcharacterwhowouldnot
allowexternalcircumstancestodisturbhisequilibrium.IalsoreadDrKolbe’stestimonialas
asuggestionofthesuperiorandtheideal,charactertraitsDruckerandCathcart(1994)
includeintheirbroaddefinitionoftheheroic.Herewehaveacolleaguewhoisapparently
widelyknownasaprofessionalrivaltestifyingthatDrMurrayalwaysmanagestoavoidthe
kindofbehaviourwewouldnormallyexpectfromothersinhisposition;heissuperiortohis
peers,DrKolbeseemstobesaying,embodyingtheidealweshouldallaimfor,thatelusive
equilibrium.DrKolbealsomakesreferencetothefactthatDrMurrayis“puregoldthrough
andthrough”,withgoldofcoursesymbolisinganumberofcharacteristicsthatare
commonlyassociatedwiththeheroic:greathumanachievement(oftenrewardedwitha
goldmedalortrophy)andalsothedivineandtheperfect(embodiedinconceptssuchasthe
‘goldenrule’).
13“Lewenskets.Dr.AndrewMurray”,DeHuisgenoot,February1917.
32
Aninteresting,albeitbrief,allusioninthisextractistotheprivatespaceofthehomeandDr
Murray’sfamily(hiswifeandchildren),whichisratherunusualforearlyHuisgenoot
coverageandcertainlyalsofortraditionalrepresentationsoftheEpicHero.DrKolbe’s
referencetotheMurraydomesticspacehasaslightlygossipyqualityaboutit,asitis‘small’
talkaboutanotherpersoncorrespondingwithdefinitionsintheliteratureincludingthoseby
RalphRosnowandGaryFine(1976),RobertGoodman(1994)andMargaretHolland(1996).
Thedetailissuperficial,perhapsassumesmuchandmightevenbedescribedasspeculative,
asitisofcoursequitedoubtfulDrKolbewouldhavewitnessedalloftheinteractionsinDr
Murray’sdomesticspace.Butincontrasttohowgossipandspeculationwouldcometobe
appliedinmagazinecoverageoffamouspeoplelaterinthecentury,itisusedhereto
illustrateandemphasiseexemplaryqualities.Also,itisimportanttonotehowacomposed
publicdemeanourisassumedtocontinueintotheprivatespace.‘Bestbehaviour’,usually
reservedforpublicappearances,ismaintainedevenintheprivatespace,wheretherecould
beanexpectationoflettingone’sguarddown.UnderlyingthisanecdotefromDrKolbeI
infersubtleguidancefortheHuisgenootreaderintermsofexpectedbehaviourinthe
privatespace,basedonDrMurray’salways-impeccablepublicandprivatebehaviour.
Theperfecthumanbeing,orthemodelman,thatemergesincoverageof‘real’livingpeople
evenseemstopermeatetheconstructionofthefictionalprotagonistsintheshortstories
Huisgenootregularlypublishedinitsearlydrivetoactively“createculturethroughthe
writtenword”,asJanAdriaanPretorius(1973:18)argues.Thelackofwhatwewouldnow
calldepthanddimensionevidentinthemagazine’srepresentationofrealpeopleappearsto
beevenmorepronouncedintheprotagonistsofitsshortstoriesandserials.Anidealised
viewofhumankindiswhatthefictionalcharactersofthetypicalearly20th-century
Huisgenootshortstorydisplay,asPretorius(1973)pointsout:
Hierdiebeskouingvandiemensbringmeedatdiedualismegoedenkwaadniebinne
eenmensgepolariseerwordnie,maardieverdelingissódatslegséénvandiepole
binnediegeestesomvangvaneenmenskanlê.Daaromdie‘volmaakteheldeen
heldinne’aandieeenkantendie‘volslaeskurke’aandieanderkant.(Pretorius,1973:
195)14
Thisviewimpliesthatthegood–evildualitycannotbepolarisedinoneperson,butthe
divisionissothatonlyoneofthepolescanliewithintheemotionalcapacityofone
14AlltranslationsofsecondaryreferencesfromAfrikaansaremyown.
33
person.Thusthe‘perfectheroesandheroines’ontheonehandandthe‘complete
criminals’ontheotherhand.
Besidescoveringahostoffiguresthatatleastlooselyfittheclassicheroicformulaand
emphasisingasetofqualitiesassociatedwiththiskindoffigureinitscoverageofothers,
includingrenownedfiguressuchasAfrikaanspoets,artistsandpreachersandrelatively
unknownpeoplelikewivesofthefamousandevenSarelandJohannavanVuuren,the
magazinealsohadotherlinkswiththeepictraditionthatemergeinitscoverageof
prominentfigures.
Oneoftheselinkswaswiththeoraltradition.Atthetimeofthemagazine’slaunchinthe
early20thcentury,Afrikaanswasslowlyedgingtowardsamoreoralthanwrittentradition,
anditistheformerratherthanthelatterthathasmostoftenbeenassociatedwiththeidea
oftheepic,ashasbeenarguedperhapsmostfamouslybyMilmanParryandAlbertLordin
the1920s.Itisinthestoriesthemagazinechosetotellaboutthepeopleitdocumented,
and,importantly,thewayinwhichthesestoriesweretold,thattheEpicHerooforalculture
seemstoemergemoststrongly.EarlyHuisgenoot’stales,especiallythosedocumentingthe
Anglo-BoerwarsandtheGreatTrek,arecertainlyreminiscentofcampfirestories,
sometimesgivenmythicalandextraordinaryelementsbyembellishment,withwhichthe
eldersusedtoregaletheyouth.Seeforinstancethedramatisedexoticismthatemergesin
thisprofilepieceonVoortrekkerKarelTrichardt.15“Onshet‘nlandgaansoek,waaronsvan
dieEngelsmansbevrijdsalwees”,hesays,inanexplanationoftheTrichardtfamily’s
decisiontoleavetheCapeColonythatbelieshissteadfastadherencetoprinciples.“Onder
homblijonsgeendaglanger,almoetonsookindiewoestijndiedoodsterwedeurwoeste
barbareofongedierte”(Wewentinsearchofacountrywherewewillbefreeofthe
Englishman.Notanotherdaywillweserveunderhim,evenifwehavetodieinthedesertby
thehandoffiercebarbariansorbeasts).Thearticlerevealsthatintheenditwasnot
barbarianorbeastbutthemosquitoandthetsetseflythatledtothedeathofalarge
contingentoftheTrichardtclaninthefirsthalfofthe19thcentury.
AnanecdotebyaBritishgravediggerquotedinanotherarticle,onKommandantGideon
Scheepers,16sketchesavividandeerieimageofhisexhumation.CommanderScheeperswas
executedbyaBritishfiringsquadduringtheSecondAnglo-BoerWar,buriedandthen
15Stockenström,Eric,“Levenskets.KarelJohannesTrichardt”,DeHuisgenoot,October1916.16JAS,“WaarisScheeperssegraf?”,DieHuisgenoot,27April1928.
34
shortlyafterexhumedandreburied,apparentlyinordertopreventhisfamilyfromknowing
thelocationofhisremains:
Ditwas‘nverskriklikedonkernagtoeonsdielykweergaanopgrawehet.Onderwyl
onsbesigwasomdielykoptegrawe,het‘nvreeslikestormopgekom.Bliksemstrale
hetherhaaldemaledieaakligetoneelverlig.Onswasnouliksklaarmethierdiedeel
vanonstaak,toediestormoponslosbars.Struikel-struikeloordieongelykeveldhet
onsvyfmetdielykvoortgesukkel.Waarheenweeteknie,maareindelikhetonsonder
‘nklompiedoringbomesagtegrondgevind,ensogouasonskonScheepersweer
begrawe,endiegrondgelykgetrap.Niemandmoesdieplekvindnie.Ditwasdie
bevele.
Itwasaterriblydarknightwhenwewenttoexhumethebody.Whilewewerebusy
digging,aterriblestormwasgathering.Lightningboltslituptheawfulscenetimeand
again.Wewerebarelydonewiththispartofourtaskwhenthestormhitus.We
stumbledacrosstheunevenfield,thefiveofuswiththebody.WhereIdidnotknow,
butwefinallyfoundasoftpatchofsoilunderagatheringofthorntreesandreburied
Scheepersasquicklyaswecouldandlevelledthesoil.Noonemustfindtheplace.
Thoseweretheorders.
ThefactthatthelocationsofCommanderScheepers’executionandreburialwere
deliberatelywithheld,withthearticlementioningthathisparentswereapparentlystill
searchingforhisremainsatthetimeoftheirdeathtowardsthemiddleofthe20thcentury,
ofcoursefurthercementedhisstatusasamartyrandultimatelyasaEpicHerointhe
Afrikaanscommunity.
ThatthegeneralfigureoftheEpicHeroseemedtoresonatesoprofoundlywithAfrikanersin
thefirstfewdecadesofthe20thcenturyishardlysurprising.Thesocio-culturallandscapeat
thetimewasanidealbackdropfortheemergenceofasetofcharacters,hailingfrom
Afrikanerranks,whodisplayedepictraits.Atthebeginningofthe20thcentury,the
Afrikanerswerebusyestablishingtheiridentityasanation.Itwasmorethanadecadesince
theendoftheSecondAnglo-BoerWar,andmanyAfrikaans-speakershadorwereinthe
processofmovingfromruraltourbanareasandwereslowlystartingtobecome
accustomedtolifeundertheBritishruleoftheUnionofSouthAfrica.Thetransitionwasan
uncomfortableonethatwaspartlyresponsiblefortheriseofstrongfeelingsofpatriotism
amongsttheAfrikanercommunityatthetime,asVanderWesthuizen(1973:187)argues:
“Daarhetinhierdiejare‘nsterkbehoeftebydieAfrikanerontstaanomsaamtestaanen
35
homselfuitsyminderwaardigesosiaal-ekonomieseposisieoptehef”(Duringtheseyears,a
strongneedemergedamongsttheAfrikanertostandunitedandliftthenationupoutofits
inferiorsocio-economicposition).Itfollowsthatstrongfiguresthatcouldrestorehopeand
faithandprovideguidancewereingreatdemandatthetime.
NotsomuchindemandinearlyHuisgenootwerefiguresthatmighthavecontradictedthe
magazine’seditorialmissionatthetime,anditisasimportantandinterestingtoconsider
theseabsencesaswhowasselectedforandincludedincoverage.Theideaofbeing
celebratedorknownforlessexemplary,eventransgressiveorscandalous,characteristicsor
behaviour,orsimplyforcriminalactivities,goesbacktoearlierdaysinthebroadhistoryof
fameinWesterncivilization.Anexamplehereisthe18thcenturyItalianauthorand
adventurerGiacomoCasanova,whobecamesofamousforhismultiple,elaborateand
complicatedrelationshipswithwomenthatthename‘Casanova’hasnowcometomean
‘womaniser’.Thewell-knownAmericantrainrobbersofthe19thcentury,includingJesse
JamesandButchCassidy,arefurtherexamples.Itisimportanttonotethatinthecaseof
thesemen,therecouldbesaidtobeablurringoftheheroicandthetransgressiveandwith
thatcategoriesoffame,becauseCasanova’ssexualprowesscouldbesaidtohaveofferedat
leastthepossibilityofbeingworthyofadmirationandemulation,and,asPaulKooistra
(1990)remindsusinhisarticle‘CriminalsasHeroes’,robberssuchasJamescertainlyhada
senseoftheheroicaboutthem.Yetitisimportanttodrawadistinctionhere,asinallthese
cases,thepossibleheroismprecludesasenseoftheepicasitinvolvesanelementof
transgression.
Inadditiontocriminalsandcontroversialfiguresthatmaybeportrayedashavingsomething
heroicaboutthem,thereare,ofcourse,alsothoseknownfornothingotherthan
committingcrimes.ElizabethBarry(2008),forinstance,arguesthatpubliccourtproceedings
andexecutionsarewaysinwhichpeoplebecameknowninthepast,andtheimplication
hereisthatthisformofwell-knownnessgrewfromnothingbutcriminalbehaviour.Barry
writes,inherintroductiontoaspecialeditionoftheInternationalJournalofCulturalStudies
devotedto‘ACulturalHistoryofCelebrity’,that:
Theenginesoffame–royalrecognition,statehonours,religiouscanonization,the
laurelsofartisticachievement–infactoperatesidebysidewith[…]thepopular
press,thecirculationofprintedimages,theatreandmusichalls,publictrialsand
hangings–intheearlymodernandEnlightenmentworld,aswellasinourown.(Barry
2008:252,emphasisadded)
36
Inearly20thcenturySouthAfrica,theremusthavebeenanawarenessofpersonalstories
thatwerebasednotonidealorperfectbehaviourbutonvariousformsof‘negative’orat
least‘controversial’attributesandqualities.
IntermsoftheAfrikanercommunity,the19th-centuryCapecolonyfrontiersmanCoenraad
deBuys17atfirstglanceseems,forinstance,anexcellentcandidateforcoverageinearly
Huisgenootas,inaway,heseemstofitthemagazine’smodeloffame.Hewasapioneer,
widelydescribedas‘remarkable’and‘impressive’becauseofhislargestature(hewas
apparentlysevenfoottall)andalsohisself-confidence.InTheAfrikaners(2003),his
biographyoftheAfrikanerpeople,HermannGiliomeewriteshowtravellersdescribedhim
with‘awe’.WithhisDutchheritage,DeBuysissaidtohavebeenthefoundingfatherofone
ofthefirstAfrikaanscommunitiesandwasknowntohaveclashedwiththeBritishduring
thefrontierwarsofthelate18thcentury.However,hewasabsentfromearlyHuisgenoot,
anabsencethatcanmostlikelybeattributedtotheotherelementsforwhichhewaswidely
known:forbeinganinterracialpolygamist,andformostlysidingwiththeXhosapeople,
againstboththeBritishandtheBoers,inbattle.
IrefertoDeBuyshereinanattempttoillustratehowintheearly20thcentury,when
Huisgenootlaunched,therewereundoubtedlypeopleinSouthAfrica,alsointheAfrikaans
community,whowerealreadyknownnotnecessarilyfortheirexemplarinessbutrather,or
also,fortheirwaywardness,theirrebelliousness,theirinabilitytomeetsocietalexpectation.
Butthesepeopleseemtobelargelyabsentfromthelocalmagazinecoverage,andthefocus
ofthecoverageofindividualpeoplegenerallycanbesaidtobeoncontrastingqualitiesto
rebelliousnessandostensibletransgression.
Exemplaryandinspiringfigureswerewhatthereadersneededandwanted,theHuisgenoot
launchteamseemedtothink,withlauncheditorProfessorJ.J.Smithexplainingina
retrospectivememoir-stylearticlepublishedinthemagazineinthe1940show,“Deur
lewensbeskrywingevangrootAfrikaners[…]hetonsprobeerommetdiesmaakvanons
lesersenigsinsrekeningtehou”(ThroughprofilepiecesonprominentAfrikaners[…]wetried
tokeeppacewiththetasteofourreadersasfaraspossible).18
ThefigureoftheEpicHerowasalsostillconsistentlyparaded“om[lesers]weermetmoed
enidealismetehelpbesiel”(tohelpinspirereadersagainwithcourageandidealism)byProf
17FormoreonDeBuys,seeRianMalan’sMyTraitor’sHeart(1991)andWillemAnker’sBuys:‘nGrensroman(2016).18DieHuisgenoot,28November1941.
37
Smith’ssuccessorfrom1931,MarkusViljoen.InaninterviewwithJurieJoubert(1983:9),
Viljoenfurtherexplainshowhe:
moesdievolkvoortdurendherinneraandiemeesheroïeketydperkeinsy
geskiedenis–dieTrekenvandietweeVryheidsoorloë.Geleidelikhetekdus
beginmetgeskiedkundigebydraes,eersalgemeneartikelsombepaalde
gebeurtenisseteherdenk,daarnareekseherinneringevanoudstryders,artikels
ooraldieberoemdeveldslae,oordieleiersendiebannelingkampe.Hierdie
artikelshetonmiddelikweerklankgevindbydielesers[…]
hadtocontinuouslyremindthenationofthemostheroictimeperiodsinits
history–theTrekandthetwoBoerwars.SograduallyIbeganwithhistorical
contributions,firstgeneralarticlestocommemoratespecificevents,thereafter
seriesofmemoriesofretiredsoldiers,articlesaboutallthefamousbattles,about
theleadersandtheprisonerofwarcamps.Thesearticlesimmediatelyresonated
withthereaders[…]
AsasignificantpartoftheprocessinvolvedtheestablishmentoftheAfrikaanslanguageas
separatefromDutchandequalinstatustoEnglish,thenaturalprogressionwasfortheepic
formulatobeextendedtoencompassthetaalstryders:Afrikaanspoetsandauthors.
Giliomee(2003:359)notesthat:“AttheheartoftheAfrikanernationaliststrugglewasthe
attempttoimagineanewnationalcommunitywithitslanguageenjoyingparityofesteem
withEnglishinthepublicsphere.Onlythenwouldthesenseofbeingmarginalizedbe
overcome.”Seeminglybornoutofasenseofmarginalisation,thesefeelingsofnationalism
gavewaytotheSecondLanguageMovement,VanEeden(1981)argues,inwhichprinted
mediasuchasHuisgenootplayedakeyrole.Atthetimeofthemagazine’slaunch,the
AfrikaansnationwasthelargestintheUnion,butAfrikaans-speakerswerebothlinguistically
andpoliticallydividedandseenaslaggingbehindonaculturallevel,soitwasfeared,as
Pretorius(1973)pointsout,thattheywerefeelingincreasinglyinferiorinrelationtoother
culturalgroupsinthecountry,particularlytheEnglish-speakingpopulation.
TheSecondLanguageMovementwaspartoftheriseofAfrikanernationalism,which
Moodie(inLouw,2004)describesasakindofcivilreligionincorporatingthehistoryofthe
Afrikaanspeople,theirlanguageandAfrikanerCalvinism,fromtheendofthe19thcentury
onwards.Specificallyinitsearlyyears,Huisgenootservedasamouthpiece,theideal
mediumforthetransmissionofthisideology,anditseemedtodosobydeclaringitsfocus
oneverythingthatitdeemedpure,goodandtrueintheAfrikanernation.Insodoing,the
38
magazineinawaysetthesceneforandbyextensionautomatically‘nominated’figuresthat
displayedthekindofqualitiesassociatedwiththeEpicHero.Notice,forinstance,the
singularfocusonstrengthanduntaintedness,bothkeycharacteristicsintheepic,inthe
closinglineofthe“OpmerkingvandeRedaktie”(RemarksfromtheEditorialTeam)inthe
1916launchissue:“[O]nsAfrikaansvolk[is]eensterkvolk,datdeschoonsteeigenschappen
inzichheeft”(OurAfrikanernationisastrongnation,withthepurestofcharactertraits).
Apreferencefortheportrayalofsubjectsasanembodimentofthe‘ideal’canalsoberead
asanindicationofthegeneralidealismguidingHuisgenoot’seditorialdecisionsintheearly
yearsofitsexistence.JohannesFroneman(2004:67–68,emphasisadded)writesofhowthe
magazineplaced,“swaarklem[…]intermevan[…]‘nidealistiesedrangomasselfstandige
volkmet‘neietaalenkultuurerkenteword”(strongemphasis[…]intermsof[…]an
idealisticurgetobeacknowledgedasanindependentnationwithanownlanguageand
culture).Hencethemagazine’seditorialselectionofsubjectswhocouldbesaidtofurther
thisquestanditsidealisationoftheirindividualcontributionstothepointwheretheyare
representedas‘model’citizens,ormodelAfrikaners.
Giventhisoriginaleditorialmission,Huisgenootseemedtofollowtheinternational
publishingtrendthatdominatedtheperiodaroundWorldWarI(1914–1918).Theodore
Peterson(1956)writesofhowmagazinesaroundthistimecouldgenerallybeclassifiedas
belongingtooneoftwobroadcategories,whichhenames“missionary”and“merchant”.
Whereasthelatterismainlyguidedbyfinancialorcommercialimperatives,theformeris
drivenbyidealism.EarlyHuisgenootbelongstothemissionarycategory,which,accordingto
Peterson(1956:209–210)“didnotnecessarilypropagateareligiousgospel[…]butafaithin
awayoflife”.Itsunwaveringfocusoneverythingandeveryonethatisidealandexemplary
inAfrikanerranksistestimonytothat.
ThetextualevidencedrawnfromHuisgenootrevealshowasignificantpartofthenation-
buildingdirectivethemagazinesetsitselfisfulfilledbyportrayingahandfulofAfrikanersas
“rolemodelsfortheyoung,inspirationforthecitizenry”,anotherdescriptionoftheheroic
offeredbyDruckerandCathcart(1994:2).
Yetinitsearlyyears,themagazineseemedlargelytoavoidcoverageofcontemporaryrole
modelsandinspirationalfigures,optingrathertoreachbackintime.Pretorius(1973:18)
describesthiseditorialnotioninHuisgenootas“shiftingbackinhistory”,givingpreference
tocoverageofthelateoverthatoftheliving.Inasense,this“shiftingback”madeearly
Huisgenootaconsumeroftheexistingepicrhetoricsurroundingitsselectionoffamous
39
figures;mostofthemencoveredhadalreadyconsolidatedtheirEpicHeroimageinthe
collectiveimaginaryoftheAfrikanernationbytheearly20thcentury,andHuisgenoot
merelyre-presentedthesealreadyestablishedfigures.
Theheroictendstobeconstantlyelusive,GaryWhannel(2002)argues,butless
philosophicalreasonsmighthaveinfluencedHuisgenoot’ssearchforitsEpicHerofiguresin
thehistorybooksandnotthenewspapers.Thiseditorialchoicemighthavebeenpartially
influencedbythemagazine’sproductionprocess;stillamonthlymass-mediapublicationat
thetime,itcouldnotdisseminatenewsinthewayanewspaperwould,namelyshortlyafter
anewseventtranspired.Consequently,itsfocuswasonsecondaryeventualitiesornews
events.Itswritershadtheleisureofdoingin-depthresearchandproducingarticles
contextualisingimportanthistoricalevents,VanEeden(1981)explains.And,althoughthe
weeklyprintinganddistributionfrequencyhadapowerfulinfluenceonthenatureof
magazinerepresentationsoffamegoingintothe21stcentury,asIargueinChapter4,
Huisgenoot’schangeoffrequencyfrommonthlytoweeklyin1923didnotseemtomakea
visibledifferencetowhoitcovered,whatitcoveredthemfor,orhowitapproachedthis
coverage.Therewasnosignyet,withthischangeofpublishingfrequency,ofanymovement
towardsthe21st-centurytrendofcoveringunfoldingnarrativesoflivingpublicfigures,
ratherthanposthumouslifestorieswithabeginning,amiddleandanend.Rather,the
editor’sletterinthefirstweeklyedition19announcesthatthehigherfrequency“getuigvan
groeikrag,ondernemingsgeesen‘nonwrikbarevertroueindietoekomsvanonsvolkentaal”
(atteststovigour,entrepreneurialspiritandasteadfastfaithinthefutureofournationand
language).Lookingtothefuturethroughgreatdeedsandpeopleofthepastisnotan
unfamiliarconceptinthenationalistagenda.TomNairn(1977:343)writesthatnationalism
ischaracterisedbybothprogressandregress.“[I]tisthroughnationalismthatsocietiestry
topropelthemselvesforwardtocertainkindsofgoals[…]byacertainkindofregression–
bylookinginwards,drawingmendeeplyupontheirindigenousresources,resurrectingpast
folkheroesandmythsaboutthemselvesandsoon”.
Although18thand19th-centuryAfrikanerhistorywascertainlyromanticisedbyHuisgenoot
duringthefirsthalfofthe20thcentury,itcouldbearguedthattheunderlyingelementsof
thishistorycreatedafertilebreedinggroundforanascentmythologyoftheAfrikaansEpic
Hero.Theunderlyingelementsincludethefrontiermentality(orweltanschauung)fostered,
asDanO’Meara(1979)notes,throughmanyyearsofisolationfromtheurbansphere,
19ThefirstweeklyeditionofDieHuisgenootwasdated23November1923.
40
numerousbattlesfoughtagainstlocalAfricantribesandarigidpatriarchalCalvinist
tradition.Towardstheendofthe19thcentury,thesmallAfrikaner/Boervictoriesoverthe
BritishachievedduringtheAnglo-BoerWarfurtherconsolidatedthegrowthand
developmentofthiscollectionofAfrikanerEpicHerofigures.QuotingMoodie,veteran
SouthAfricanjournalistandpoliticalcommentatorAllisterSparks(1990)wrote:
[DuringtheAnglo-BoerWar]Anarmyofbackwardfarmershadmeasured
themselvesagainsttheregimentsoftheworld’smightiestpowerandemergedwith
theknowledgethattheywereasgoodandbetter.Outofthewarcamenewheroes
toworship[...]itwasanationalepicofsufferinganddeath,andithasbeenwoven
togetherwiththeGreatTrekintothesacredhistoryoftheAfrikanervolk,thebasis
oftheirapocalypticvisionofthemselvesasachosenpeoplewithaspecialmissionto
fulfil.(Sparks1990:126,originalemphasisretained)
GiventheAfrikanernation’spatriarchalorigins,itisnotsurprisingthatHuisgenoot’sEpic
Hero,notunlikeclassicprotagonistsofGreekandRomanepics,wasalmostexclusivelymale
atthebeginningofthe20thcentury.Sparks(1990)wroteofhowboththeGreatTrekand
theAnglo-BoerWarservedtoreinforcethepatriarchalsystem,andtheeffectithadonthe
perceptionofthepast:
Foralltheirindividualism,theBoershadalwaystendedtobeapatriarchalsociety:
theyhadgivenfierceloyaltytotheirleadersduringtheGreatTrek;withineach
familythefatherwasalawuntohimselfandatotalautocratoverhisdomain.Now,
withthe[Anglo-Boer]war,thispersonalitycultwasreinforced.Justastheheroic
pastbecamesanctified,sodidtheheroesbecomedeified.(Sparks1990:127)
Huisgenoot’sapproachtoSecond-Anglo-Boer-WarandGreat-Trekhistory,particularlythat
publishedundertheeditorshipofMarkusViljoen,issuccinctlysummarisedbyFlorisvan
JaarsveldandreminiscentofWhannel’s(2002)observationthatthereisgreatnostalgiafor
anelusivepast:“Daarwas‘nromantieseverlangeterugnadieverlede,‘nverheerlikingen
idealiseringvandieRepublikeinsegeskiedenis”(Therewasaromanticlongingforthepast,
anexultationandidealisationoftheRepublicanhistory)(VanJaarsveld,inJoubert1983:
134).
1.2PaulKruger:AfrikanerEpicHero
Atleastintermsofcolumninchesofcoveragedevotedtohagiographicaccountshonouring
hislegacy,perhapsthemostcelebratedoftheearlyHuisgenootEpicHerowaspresidentof
41
theSouthAfricanRepublic(ZAR)PaulKruger,whodiedin1904,morethanadecadebefore
themagazine’slaunch.
Astark,singleblack-and-whiteportraitimageoftheZARpresidentinthemiddleofthepage
andsurroundedbyplentyofwhitespaceandtwothinframescreatedanarrestingand
decidedlyreverentcoverforthe1916launchissueofthemagazine.Thislaunchcoverseems
tosettheintentionforthekindoffigurewhomeritedcoverageandHuisgenoot’sinitial
editorialdirection.
Theaccompanyingarticleinsidethemagazineisa2000-wordprofileintheprominentpage-
threeposition.“Deheldenvan’tverleden,behorenaan’tnageslacht”(Theheroesofthepast
belongtofuturegenerations),readstheopeninglineofthishagiographicprofilepiece,20
makingitclearthatthemagazineintendstoactasaconsumerandre-presenterofafigure
thatitimaginesalreadyoccupyingtheimageofEpicHerointhecollectiveimaginationofits
readership.Anticipatingakeenfocusonthe‘everydayminutiae’thatwouldcometo
characterisemagazinerepresentationsoffameroughlyacenturyon,thearticlecontinuesto
justifythisre-presentationintherestoftheopeningparagraphs:
Beterdaneigentijdgenotendatvermogen,kunnendenakomelingendoorzienen
begrijpen,watleefdeindezielvaneengrote,dievoorhenkwam.‘tKleingebeuren
vaniederedagvaltwegen‘tblijvende,‘teeuwigsterketreedtopdevoorgrond.Doch
vooralhieraankent‘tnageslachthem,diegrootwasonderzijnvolk,dathij
vooruitgezienheeftdebehoeftenvandekomendetijd.Latenzijnslapendekroon
gedragenhebben.Zijnhandaan’tzwaardgevoerd,zijnschoudersomworpenzijn
geweestmetdeprofetemantel.Zijntaakwasnietafgelopentoenzijnoogbrak,de
moedehand‘tzwaardontglipteenvooreeuwigdemondzweeg,diewoordenvan
wijsheidsprak.Hisisdaar,omdatzijnscherpsiendooguitzagnaardetoekomstenhij
vroombeluisterdedestemmen,dieuiteenwordendetijdtothemkwamen.
Zohebbenwe‘tbeeldtezien,vandiekrijgsman-staatsman,PaulKruger,deziener,die
blijkteindetoekomstendoorwatzijnhelderziendoogzagzijndadenlietregelen.
Inderdaadwijkunnenhembeterbegrijpenenduidelikerhemziendanzij,diemet
hemstondeninzijnstrijd.
Betterthananycontemporariescould,[his]descendantscanpenetrateand
understandwhatlivedinthesoulofagreatmanpersonwhocamebeforethem.The
everydayminutiaefallawayandthelasting,theeternallystrong,comestothefore.
20“LevenschetsPresidentKruger”,DeHuisgenoot,May1916.
42
Butforonespecificreasondohisdescendantsknowhewholoomedlargeamongst
hispeople,andthatisforhisabilitytopeerintotheneedsofthefuture.Histemples
mighthavecarriedthecrown.Hishandmighthavetouchedtheswordandhis
shouldersbeencoveredintheprophet’scloak.Histaskwasnotfinishedwhenhis
eyesbecameweak,theswordslippedoutofthebravehandandthemouthforever
helditspeace–hewhohadspokenwordsofwisdom.Heistherebecausehissharp
eyelookedtowardsthefutureandwithdevotionhelistenedtothevoicesthatcame
tohimfromthefuture.
Thisistheimagewehold,ofthewarrior-statesmanPaulKruger,theseer,whopeered
intothefutureandwasledbywhathesawwithhisclairvoyanteye.Indeed,wecan
understandhimbetterandmoreclearlythanthosewhostoodwithhiminhis
struggle.
Besidesthisprominenceaffordedtothelatepresidentinthelaunchissue,much
hagiographicmaterialwaspublishedabouthimthroughoutthefirstfourdecadesofthe
magazine’sexistence.Hewasthesubjectofthefirst-evercommemorativeissuepublishedin
themagazine’shistory.21RomantichistoriographerGustavS.Prellerwrotetwoofthe
prominentarticlesinthisissue.Krugerwasalsothesubjectofa1944article,inwhichhis
unknowncontributiontopreventingaloomingcivilwarisdiscussed,aswellashis
contributionasnegotiatorintheBasothowarof1858,his“markedinfluenceonthe
outcomeofevents”(Drucker&Cathcart,1994:6)beingreminiscentoftheconstructionof
theprotagonistoftheepicintheoraltradition.AnotherarticleonKrugerappearsina1947
issueandislaterpublishedverbatiminthebookPaulKruger:Simboolvan‘nVolk(Kruger:
SymbolofaNation)(Joubert1983).ThebattlebetweenKrugerandGeneralPietJoubertis
discussedinatwo-partseriespublishedin1941.Althoughitsauthenticityisquestioned,as
Joubert(1983)pointsout,Kruger’slastmessagebeforehisdeathisalsopublishedinthe
magazinein1942.Infact,E.J.Labuschagne(1948)notesthatjudgingbyHuisgenoot’sKruger
coverage,hecouldberegardedas“thefolkhero”ofthetime.
Aswithmanyoftheotherindividualsitprofiled,themagazinecelebratedKrugernotforone
isolatedcharacteristicbutforacombinationofnoteworthyepicqualitiestraitsincluding
humility,militaryprowess,courage,pietyandperseverance.Themagazinesketcheshimas
21DieHuisgenoot,9October1925.
43
beingraisedhumblyina“simplehomeandenvironment”,22despitethefactthat,asPreller
laterargues,inanissueof1925,hecamefromaprominentAfrikaansfamily.23
Nobleancestryisalso,ofcourse,oftenassociatedwiththeideaoftheepic,albeitgenerally
divineratherthanmerelymortal.AlthoughthefledglingAfrikaanspopulationlackedany
formofnobility,themagazine,especiallyinitsearlyissues,appearstocompensateby
referringtoappropriategenealogiesinitsprofilesinanattempttoshowatleasta
semblanceofnoblelineage.Inaddition,itmakesmentionofanyancestororevenbloodline
thatcouldhelptocountertheAfrikaner’sfeelingof“marginalisation”,touseGiliomee’s
(2003)term.
PoetJanCelliers’profileintheSeptember1916issue,forinstance,includesanextensive
sectionontheCelliersclan,apparentlyhailingfromtheFrenchHuguenotswhoarrivedin
SouthAfricain1770,withthecomment:“Wiedanookafstamvan‘ngeslag,wattefierente
sterkwasomdienekviroorheersingenonregtebuig,maginregmatigetrotsdaarop
terugsienasdeelvaneiegeskiedenis”(Whoevercomesfromagenerationthatwastoo
dignifiedandstrongtobendthekneetodominationandinjusticemayinjustifiedpridelook
backthereuponaspartofownhistory).24
InitsconstructionofPresidentKrugerasanEpicHero,Huisgenootisatpainstomention
thathisforebears,“hetalmalminofmeerbekendgewordindievoorgeskiedenisvanons
land”(allbecamefamousinourcountry’searlyhistory),25yetitplacesequalifnotmore
emphasisonthehumilitythatheacquiredduringhis“simple”childhood,whichremained
evidentthroughouthislife.Asa1925editionofHuisgenootdescribesit,asZARpresidenthe
didnotseehimselfassuperiortohispeople,openinghisporchforconversationwith
passers-byashesatsmokinghispipeeverymorningandevenwelcomingordinarycitizens
intohishomeonspecialoccasionssuchasbirthdays,andentertainingtheminsimpleand
humblefashion.26Aphotographofthepresident’slastmeetingonhisstoepbeforehisfinal
departurefromPretoriaprovidesvisualevidence.27Thisveryrareandanecdotalevidence,in
thecoverage,oftheprivatespaceofthepublicfigureisinteresting,asitisasubtle
suggestionofshiftsintermsoftheexposureoftheprivatethatwouldcharacterisethe
trajectoryoffameduringtheremainderofthecentury.Itisanearlytentativesurfacingof
22“LevenschetsPresidentKruger”,DeHuisgenoot,May1916.23Preller,GustavS.,“PresidentKruger”,DieHuisgenoot,9October1925.24“Levenschets.J.F.E.Celliers.”,DeHuisgenoot,September1916.25Preller,GustavS.,“PresidentKruger”,DieHuisgenoot,9October1925.26M.E.R.,“‘nKaaplanderinTransvaalindieDaevandieRepubliek”,DieHuisgenoot,9October1925.27DieHuisgenoot,10October1947.
44
thenotionoftheprivatespaceinthecoverageofapublicfigure,andappropriatelyit
involvesperipheralareas,receptionroomsforentertaining,andthefrontporch,which
essentiallyformtheboundarybetweenthepublicandtheprivatespace.
Evenasamuch-lovedpoliticianhewasdescribedasan“eenvoudigeBoereseun”(asimple
Afrikanerboy).28AccordingtooneofearlyHuisgenoot’srarewomencontributors,M.E.R.,
whosememoriesofmeetingthepresidentandbeingaguestathishomeareplacedinthe
women’ssectionofthemagazine,hishumilitywasstrikingfromthefactthatinthe
presenceofordinarycitizens,healwaysseemeduncomfortablewithhisknightlyorderand
stateribands.Allthisdecoration,whichcanalsobeseeninmanyofthephotographs
publishedofhiminthemagazine,didnotreallyseemtofithismorehumbleimage,M.E.R.
argues:
Ofhy,soosdiegewoneman,gehegisaanuniforms,daremindiestiltedaarvangehou
het,weeteknie;maardithetnetsominbyhomgepasaskokarteenstrikke‘nrots
kanversier.Maarandermensewasbaiegestelddaarop,opdieblinkswart
staatskoetsmetsilwerbeslag,enblousatynbekleedselvanbinne,ensulkedinge.29
Ifhe,liketheordinaryman,isattachedtouniforms,atleastsecretlylikedthem,I
don’tknow;but[theuniform]suitedhimaspoorlyasrosettesandribbonscan
decoratearock.Butothersdearlyvaluedthings,thingsliketheshinyblackstate
carriagewithsilverfittings,andbluesatinupholsteryinside,andsuchthings.
TheseapparentindicationsofordinarinessandthesimplelifepunctuateHuisgenoot’s
predominantlyhagiographiccoverageofKrugerandotherEpicHerofigures,with
ordinarinessmostoftenassociatedwithhumilityandbelongingtoacommunity.
EventhoughtheregaliamightnothaveappealedtoKruger,heisstillwidelycelebratedasa
soldier.ByKruger’sownadmissionhewasagoodhorsemanandshot,asPrellerreports,30
whoparticipatedinbattlesagainstthelocaltribes,suchastheZuluandtheBasotho,already
atatenderage.Thenthereisalsothestuffoflegends…Itissaidthathekilledhisfirstlionat
theageofthirteen,andatthesameageheshowedspiritualcourageinthefaceofdanger:
28VanWinter,P.J.,“PaulKruger–WillemvanOranje”,DieHuisgenoot,10October1947.29M.E.R.,“‘nKaaplanderinTransvaalindieDaevandieRepubliek”,DieHuisgenoot,9October1925.30Preller,GustavS.,“PresidentKruger”,DieHuisgenoot,9October1925.
45
Opdertienjarigeleeftijdtrekthijreedsmedeopeenekspeditietegen‘tkafferhoofd
Selikats[...]Dedadenvandeknaapzijndedadenvaneenman.Vastberadenishijin‘t
gevaarenonverschrokkenheidwordthemtoteentweedenatuur.31
Alreadyatagethirteenhewentalongonanexpeditionagainstthekafferchief
Selikats[...]Thesedeedsdonotbecomeaboybutaman.Hewasdeterminedinthe
faceofdanger,andfearlessnessbecamesecondnaturetohim.
Onmorethanoneoccasionwritersforthemagazinecallhim,“vredemakerenvegsman”
(peacemakerandwarrior),32withGrobbelaararguingthathewasinstrumentalinpreventing
abloodycivilwarbetweentheFreeStateandtheTransvaalrepublicsin1859and
intervenedduringtheBasothowarsof1858and1865.Heusedbattlerhetorictogreat
effect;“Verdeelenheers!”(Divideandrule!)werewordsthepresidentapparentlyusedwith
fondness,Prellerwrites:
Vergeetnooitdeernstigewaarskuwingdieligtin‘twoord:‘Verdeelenheers!’en
maakdatditwoordop‘tAfrikaansevolknooitvantoepassingzalkunnenzijn.Dan
zullenonsnationaliteitenonzetaalblijvenbloeien.33
Neverforgettheseriouswarningthatliesintheexpression:‘Divideandrule!’and
makeasifthisexpressionwillneverbeapplicabletotheAfrikaansnation.Thenour
nationalityandlanguagewillcontinuetobloom.
Hegavetheimpressionofpowerandsteadfastness.“Nognooithetekiemandgesienwatso
dieindrukvankraggemaakhetnie,onwankelbarekrag”(NeverbeforehadIseensomeone
thatmadesuchanimpressionofpower,unshakeablepower),M.E.R.observes.34Notonly
washepowerful,hewasalsoprincipled,acharactertraitthatwasnoticedbyanotherofthe
mencelebratedinearlyissuesofthemagazine,formerAfrikaner/Boergeneralandprime
ministeroftheUnionofSouthAfricafrom1924to1939,BarryHertzog:
“PresidentKrugerwaseenenalbeginsel,”hetgenl.Hertzogeendaggesê.Hykondit
welgesêhet;indiePresidentwasditdieeienaardigevastheidvanbeginselwat
31“LevenschetsPresidentKruger”,DeHuisgenoot,May1916.32Coetzee,J.Albert,“PolitiekePartyeindieRepublieke”,DieHuisgenoot,21February1941;Grobbelaar,J.J.G.,“PaulKrugerendieVrystaat:SusterrepubliekMeermaleGrootDiensteBewys”,DieHuisgenoot,25August1944;andVanWinter,P.J.,“PaulKruger–WillemvanOranje”,DieHuisgenoot,10October1947.33Preller,GustavS.,“PresidentKruger”,DieHuisgenoot,9October1925.34M.E.R.,“‘nKaaplanderinTransvaalindieDaevandieRepubliek”,DieHuisgenoot,9October1925.
46
daardiebesondereindrukopjougemaakhet.Sterkenvas,soos‘nrots–ditwasdie
indrukwatbyjougeblyhetasjyhomgesienhet.35
“PresidentKrugerwasallaboutprinciple,”GeneralHertzogoncesaid.Hewas
justifiedinsayingso;inthePresidentitwasthepeculiarfirmprincipled-nessthat
madethatspecialimpressiononyou.Strongandsteadfast,likearock–thatwasthe
impressionhemadeonyouwhenyousawhim.
JudgingbytheselectfewKrugerimagespublishedbyHuisgenoot,manypeoplewantedto
catchaglimpseofhiminpersonorbepresentatoneofhispublicaddresses.Asmuchisalso
suggestedbythecaptionaccompanyingtheblackandwhitephotographofhislastaddress
tothepeopleofJohannesburg,inAugust1899inDoornfontein,wherehundredsarrivedto
watchhimspeakfromapodium:“PresidentKrugerinalsyforsheidenkrag”(President
Krugerinallhisvigourandpower).36PhotographsintheKrugercommemorativeissuealso
showhowmanypeopleattendedothereventsthatofferedthechanceofseeinghimin
person(suchaswhenhelaidthecornerstonefortheVolksraadsgebou(Volksraadbuilding)
inPretoriainMay1889).37
Overthecentury,astheoralwasovertakenbythewrittenandeventuallythevisual
tradition,stillphotographywouldgraduallybecomethemainmediumemployedby
magazinestorevealandlaterexposeprivatelife,withdiminishingwordcountsleaving
spaceforthemoregeneroususeofvisuals,whichalsoimprovedinsharpnessandquality,
thankstoconstantlyimprovingphotographictechnology,andsupply,duetoevolving
telecommunicationstechnology.Butatthebeginningofthecentury,withphotographs
scarceandoftenofaquestionablequalitythatwasfurthererodedwhenreproducedinthe
printingprocess,whatonecouldseewasaheavierrelianceoncopythanimagestoconvey
messagesandconstructtheEpicHerothatdominatedearly20th-centurypopularmagazine
coverage.Thisimpliedusingphotographstoillustratethemainargumentmadeinthecopy.
InthecaseofKruger,thisimpliedthepublicationofphotographsthatsupported
Huisgenoot’sportrayalofhimasanEpicHeroforhispeople,anAfrikanerfolkhero.
Photographsofhispublicengagementstakenbyprofessionalsgenerallysupportedthis
representationverywell,asdothepicturesthatweretakenfollowinghisdeathinexilein
Switzerlandin1904.PhotographspublishedbyHuisgenootshowhismausoleum,funeral
processionsheldforhiminthestreetsofDenHaag(wherehewasfirstburied)and35Ibid.36DieHuisgenoot,9October1925.37Ibid.
47
RotterdamintheNetherlands,fromwherehisbodywastransportedbacktoSouthAfricaby
boat.Thereisanimageofthelocalcrowdsthatgatheredtowelcometheboatcarryinghis
body,andalsooneofthelargefuneralprocessionsathisfinalinterment,on16December
1904,intheHeroes’AcresectionofPretoria’sChurchStreetCemetery.Thereisalsoa
photographshowingthemultitudesthatarrivedfortheunveilingofhisstatue,bysculptor
AntonvanWouw,onPretoria’sStationSquare.38Themajorityoftherelativelyrare
photographicevidenceofPresidentKrugerearlyHuisgenootpublishedshowshiminpublic
spaces(always),andinanelevatedpositioncomparedthepeoplewhocametoseehim,on
apodium,onstage,oronstairs,onapedestal(inthecaseofbustsandstatues)and,even,
inthefinalinstance,hiscoffinatopthehearse,whichofcourseaddstothenotionof
elevation,prominenceandeminenceoftenassociatedwiththeepic.
TheDutch-bornVanWouwisstillwidelyregardedasthefatherofSouthAfricansculpture,
withearlyHuisgenooteditorMarkusViljoendescribinghiminhismemoirs‘nJoernalisVertel
as,“byuitstekdiévertolkervandieheroïeketydperkindieAfrikanersegeskiedeniswatdie
TweedeVryheidsoorlogvoorafgegaanenmetdaardieworstelinggeëindighet”(the
interpreterparexcellenceoftheheroictime-periodinAfrikanerhistorythatprecededthe
SecondBoerWarandendedwiththatbattle)(Viljoen1953:150).Viljoenrecallshowitwas
thegazeandtheincrediblepassionoftheAfrikaner/Boercommandersthathesawshining
throughintheirportraitsthatisthoughttohaveinspiredVanWouwtobecomeanartist
himselfandleavetheNetherlandstocomeandliveamongthesepeopleinSouthAfrica.
Harbouringaclearideaofwhatkindoffigurewarrantedrepresentation,hewouldusethem
assubjectsforhispaintingandartworksfortherestofhislife:
AsjongmanhethyinNederlandportrettevandieBoeregesien,ensyartistieke
temperamentissodeurhulleaangevuurdathydadelikbesluithetomhomindieland
vandieindrukwekkende,gebaardemannetevestig.Meermalehethylateraanons
vertelwattergeweldigeindrukdie“prachtmensen”ophomgemaakhet.Trouens,hy
hethomsóopdietydperkvoor1900toegespitsdat‘nmensdieindrukgekryhetdat
alleswatdaarnagekomhethomartistiekkoudgelaathet.Alleennog‘nenkele
Boereleieruitdaardietydperkhethomlatertotinspirasiegedien.(Viljoen1953:150)
AsyoungmanintheNetherlands,hesawportraitsoftheBoers,andhisartistic
temperamentwasinspiredbythemtosuchanextentthatheimmediatelydecidedto
establishhimselfinthecountryoftheseimpressive,beardedmen.Manyatimein
38DieHuisgenoot,9October1925.
48
lateryearshetoldusofthemightyimpressionthese“beautifulpeople”madeonhim.
Infact,hefocusedsointenselyontheperiodbefore1900thatonegottheimpression
thateverythingthatcamethereafterlefthimcoldartistically.OnlyaBoerleaderfrom
thattimewouldserveasinspirationlaterinhislife.
InadditiontothestatueofastandingPresidentKruger,VanWouwalsomadeabustofhim,
whichisdescribedandreviewedintheHuisgenootofAugust1916.Accordingtothe
anonymousauthorofthereview,theVanWouwbustofKrugerrevealstheSouthAfrican
Republicpresident’stenaciouscharacter:
Dewelgevormdemondmetdesterk-forsebovenlip,drukteenonweerstaanbare
wilskrachtuit[...]Hetisonsofsamenvloeieninschoneverenigingdekaraktertrekken
vansterkdurven,vankinderlikgeloven,vanduldzaamlijdenenvanonwankelbaar
doorzetten,diedezegroteonderzijnvolkbezielden.Hetiseenmonumentvoor‘t
schoonstein‘tAfrikaansekarakterenjuistdaaromeenvertolkingvan‘techt-
menselike,waardoorhetlevenzalalskunstwerk.39
Thewell-formedmouthwiththestrong,resoluteupperlip,expressedanirrestistible
willpower.Itisasifthecharacteristicsofstrongdaring,naïvebelief,patientsuffering
andunshakeableperseverance,thatthisgiantinspiresinhisnation,cometogetherin
pureunity.ItisamonumenttothemostpureoftheAfrikaanspeopleandforthis
reasonanexpressionofthetrulyhuman,whichbringsittolifeasanartwork.
Kruger’sperseveranceisalsounderlinedinPreller’sodeinthe1925commemorativeissue,
inwhichhewrites,“AsKrugerietswoudoen,danisditdeurgesittotindieverstehoekevan
dieland,endieagterliksteagterveldervoeldiebewegingvansywil.Daarwordietsgedoen,
daarkom‘ndaadtotstandwatiedereenraak”(IfKrugerwantedsomethingdone,itwas
seenthroughintothefarthestcornersoftheland,andeventhemostsimple-mindedyokel
wouldfeeltheimpactofhiswill.Somethingisbeingdone,somethingiscomingtopassthat
affectseveryone).40
HisgreatnesswasprophesiedbytheBasothoMountainKingMoshesh,whoapparently
likenedhimtoVoortrekkerleaderAndriesPretorius.“HierdieBoer[Kruger]salnogeendag
dieplekvandiegrootPretoriusinneem”,Mosheshissaidtohavetoldoneofthe
missionariesworkinginhiskingdom(ThisBoer[Kruger]willonedaytaketheplaceofthe
39“Zuid-AfrikaanseKunst.AntonvanWouw”,DeHuisgenoot,August1916.40Preller,GustavS.,“PresidentKruger”,DieHuisgenoot,9October1925.
49
greatPretorius).41Yethisgreatnesswasalsovisibletoordinaryfolk.M.E.R.wrotethatthe
characteristicbagsunderthepresident’seyesindicatedhewasa“greatsoulandan
intellectual”.42“Soldier,scholar,horseman,he”,wroteW.B.YeatsofhisfriendMajorRobert
Gregoryinanelegy.ThisisanaptdescriptorforHuisgenoot’sconstructionofKruger.
Perhaps,intermsofhowHuisgenootrepresentedKruger,themostepicaspectofPaul
Kruger’slifewasthefactthathechannelledallhisindividualpersonalitytraits,includinghis
courageandperseveranceandhumilityandalltheother“good”thingsintohisown
personalquest:thatoffightingfortheAfrikanercauseandelevatinghispeople.Justlikethe
protagonistsofHomer’sepics,PresidentKrugerhadalifelongquest,and,asPreller
explains,43itwasforhispeopletoachieve“greatnessandhappiness”.
Withoutexplicitlyusingtheterm‘charisma’todescribetheZARpresident,early
Huisgenoot’sposthumousappropriationofKrugerasafiguretobringaboutsocialcohesion
inatumultuoustimeinAfrikanerhistoryhasechoesofMaxWeber’sviewsoncharismatic
authority.StefanieHalverson,SusanMurphyandRonaldRiggio(2004:498)areamongthe
scholarswhohavepointedoutthat,“Crisishasbeenaninherentpartofcharismatic
leadershipsinceWeber’soriginalconceptualizationofcharismaticauthority”.Weberused
thetermcharismatodescribe:
Acertainqualityofanindividualpersonality,byvirtueofwhichheissetapartfrom
ordinarymenandtreatedasendowedwithsupernatural,superhuman,oratleast
specificallyexceptionalpowersorqualities.Thesearesuchasarenotaccessibletothe
ordinaryperson,butareregardedasofdivineoriginorexemplary,andonthebasisof
themtheindividualconcernedistreatedasaleader.(Weber1922/1947:10)
Althoughtheideaofcharismahastheologicalorigins,Weberiswidelyknownfor
generalisingitandbasedonhisinterpretationithasbeenappliedtoavarietyofsociological
contexts,includingfamestudies.DavidMarshallisoneofthefame-studiesscholarswhohas
examinedthemeaningofthetermcharismainthefield.InhiskeytextCelebrityandPower:
FameinContemporaryCulture(1997:20),MarshallpointsoutthatWeber’scharismatic
leaderisatypeofprophetwhoarisesspecificallyattimeswhen“extraordinaryneeds”are
toberesolved.
41Grobbelaar,J.J.G.,“PaulKrugerendieVrystaat:SusterrepubliekMeermaleGrootDiensteBewys”,DieHuisgenoot,25August1944.42M.E.R.,“‘nKaaplanderinTransvaalindieDaevandieRepubliek”,DieHuisgenoot,9October1925.43Preller,GustavS.,“PresidentKruger”,DieHuisgenoot,9October1925.
50
Marshall(1997:21)furtherpointstothetheologicalmeaningofcharismaas“a“gift”from
thegraceofGod”.Tellingly,Kruger’scallingwasportrayedinHuisgenootasadivineoneon
morethanoneoccasion,withtheanonymousarticleinthelaunchissueclaiming:
Demensheefteenroepingopaardeensterkzaldemanzijn,diezijnbiezondere
roepingverstaat,diezijnplichtkentenzijnbestemmingin‘tkomenenwisselenvan
alledingen.Enditishet,wattotzulkeendiepeblijdschapstemt,wanneerwe‘tleven
vanPaulKrugeronderzoeken.Hijweet,dathijgeroepenisdoorGodalseenleidsman
vanzijnvolk.44
Manhasacallingonearth,andstrongwillbethemanwhounderstandshisparticular
calling,whoknowshisresponsibilitiesandhisdestinationinthecomingsandgoingsof
allthings.AndthisiswhatcreatessuchadeepjoywhenweexaminethelifeofPaul
Kruger.HeknewthathewascalledbyGodtobetheleaderofhispeople.
Threedecadeslater,themagazinestillrepresentedhiminasimilarway,withVanWinter
writingina1947issue,45“dieweëvanGod”(thewaysofGod)werewithKruger,“maardat
ookdiemanselfgeantwoordhetopdieroepstemwattothomgekomhet”(buttheman
himselfalsoansweredhiscalling).
AphotographofhimdeliveringanaddressinKrugersdorpfollowingthe1896Jamesonraid,
witharayoflightfallingonhisface,46significantlyonlyonhisfaceamongstthehandfulof
menappearinginthepicture,alsoseemstobeintendedassymbolicofthisdivinecalling.In
hisquest,therewasmuchsacrifice,butithelpedhimtoreachhisfullpotential,VanWinter
argues.47
Conclusion
Passion,courage,faith,perseverance,strengthandtheabilitytoovercomeadversity:these
andotherameliorativetraitsthatmeritrepresentationarecontinuouslyemphasisedinearly
editionsofHuisgenootinpublicfiguresrangingfrompioneersandpoetstopastorsand
politicians,mostofthemmenandmostofthemdeceasedbythetimetheirhagiographies
appearinthemagazine.Fromitsinception,themagazineseemstoappropriatetheformula
andliterarydevicesgoverningthetraditionalepicpoemanditsprotagonistforits
readership,thefledglingAfrikanernation,andmakeitcontextuallyspecific,re-presenting,in44“LevenschetsPresidentKruger”,DeHuisgenoot,May1916.45VanWinter,P.J.,“PaulKruger–WillemvanOranje”,DieHuisgenoot,10October1947.46DieHuisgenoot,9October1925.47VanWinter,P.J.,“PaulKruger–WillemvanOranje”,DieHuisgenoot,10October1947.
51
mostcases,EpicHerofigureswhohadalreadycementedthisimageinthecollective
imaginaryandfurtheramplifyingthisrhetoric.
Thereisasenseofsharedvaluesinthenotionofthecollectiveimaginaryandfiguresthat
arecommonlyheldasEpicHerofiguresbythemajority,evenperhapsall,ofthecommunity
orreadership.Huisgenootcertainlymadeitclearfromthestartthatitassumedandwas
guidedinitseditorialmissionbyasetofsharedvalues,thatitaimedto“interpret”that
whichwas“livingandworkingintheAfrikanermindandheart”(vertolkenwatdaarleeften
werktinhetafrikaansehoofdenhart)ofitsreadership.The“OpmerkingvandeRedaktie”
(RemarksfromtheEditorialTeam)inthe1916launchissueofthemagazineexplains
unequivocallythatthemagazineinterpretedreaders’desiretobefor“alhetgoedeinhet
nationaleleven,diegeschiedenis,overleveringenidealenvandiehollandssprekende
bevolkingvanZuid-Afrika”(allthegoodinthenationallife,thehistory,thetraditionsand
customsandtheidealsoftheDutch-speakingpopulationofSouthAfrica).“Good”andthe
“ideal”emergeasimportantthemeshere,assumedlysharedvaluesintheAfrikaans
communityandreadershipofthemagazineatthetime,judgingbytheremarksfromthe
editorialteam.Moreover,itisnotsurprisingthatEpicHerofiguresfromthecommunityare
subsequentlyselectedtoillustrate,evenembody,thesevalues.
Astheearly20thcenturyprogressed,themagazineappliedthiscontextuallymodifiedepic
formulatoawiderrangeofpeople,someofthemnottraditionallyassociatedwiththis
genre,includingathletes,sportspeopleandpioneeringaviators.Therewereattemptstofit
womenintothemould,andposthumousprofilesgraduallymadewayforarticlesonthe
living.
YetwhilethisrepresentationoffamedominatedinHuisgenootuntilthesecondhalfofthe
20thcentury,anotherincarnationgraduallystartedappearinginconsumermagazines
aroundtheglobe.Apparentlyinfluencedbytheso-called‘film-fan’magazinesthatwere
usedasinstrumentstomarketthefilmsproducedinHollywoodintheUnitedStatesfromas
earlyasthe1910s,generalconsumer-magazinetitlesstartedtoincludeanewcategoryof
famethatinvolvedcoverageofentertainers:actorsmainlyfromfilmbutalsofromtheatre,
aswellasmusicians.Alsonoticeableinthismaterialwasashiftinthewhy–orwhatitwas
thatreceivedattentioninthemagazinecoverage,andashiftinthehow–orthewayin
whichthisfigurewascovered,comparedtotheEpicHerooftheearly20thcentury.
Whiletherewereotherlocalmagazinetitlesthatstartedfollowingtheinternationaltrendto
includeanelementofentertainment-drivenfameintheireditorialmix,Huisgenootwas
52
ratherslowontheuptake.Fromthe1930sonwards,Huisgenootgraduallystartedincluding
coverage,firstofgeneralentertainmentindustrynewsandthen,gradually,ofprominent
peoplewithintheindustry,entertainersthemselves,inkeepingwithinternationalpublishing
trends.ThefirstentertainerappearedonthecoverinJuly1931;itwasLydiaLindeque,an
actorinatravelling-theatrepiececalledBesigheidisBesigheid(BusinessisBusiness).
Yetdespitetherelativelyconstantstreamof(mostlyforeign)entertainersputtingin
appearancestoendorseavarietyofbeautyandotherproductsinadvertisements,thisnew
representationoffamecannotbesaidtohavebecomecommoninHuisgenootuntillatein
the1960s.
Thisabsencecouldperhaps,atleastinpart,beattributedtotheAfrikaner-nationalist
project’sdeepandlingeringdistrustofforeigninfluencesofanykind,especiallyinthearena
ofleisure.ThisdistrustisperfectlyillustratedinthestorythatistoldaboutPaulKruger’s
reactiontoa1898filmrecordingofhimwalkingoutofhishouseandgettingintoacarriage
onhiswaytotheRaadzaal(councilhall)oftheZAR.LeonvanNierop(2016)writesthatthis
silentfilmclipofKrugerisunofficiallyregardedasthestartoftheSouthAfricanfilm
industry,anideathatispoignant,asithintsverytentativelyandextremelyprescientlyatthe
ideaofthe‘politicalcelebrity’thatwouldbecomeanimportantthemeincelebritystudiesa
centuryon.WhenKrugerwasshowntheclip,VanNieropwrites,hereactedinanger,notto
themovingimagebuttothefilmmaker’schoiceofthe“ungodly”pianoasaccompanying
instrument.Heapparentlyonlyagreedtowatchthefilmwithorganaccompaniment,which
ensuredthe“appropriatesacredmusic”(VanNierop,2016:19).
Huisgenoot,asthedefactomouthpieceoftheAfrikaner-nationalistproject,hadtobeseen
torejectforeigninfluences.Themagazine’soppositionwas,forinstance,abundantlyclearin
itsfirstregularfilmreviews,byDr.HansRompel,whowaspossiblythefirstAfrikaansfilm
critic.BesidesHuisgenoot,RompelalsowroteforotherNasionalePers(NationalPress,
whichwouldlaterbeshortenedtoNaspers)publicationssuchasDieBurgerandDie
Brandwag.Hewasquitevociferousabouthisoppositionto“volksvreemde”(foreign-to-the-
Afrikaner-nation)influencesfromtheUnitedStatesandEuropethat“couldcorruptthe
Afrikanernation”,VanNierop(2016:32)writes,andpleadedfortheproductionofAfrikaans
filmsaboutAfrikanerstoriesortraditions.
Themagazinesawfilmastheultimateforeignthreat.QuotingIsabelHofmeyr,RobNixon
(1994:55)noteshowearlyHuisgenoot,“lashedoutatthemish-mashofforeign
commoditiesthatwaslaterchristenedandcondemnedasbioskoopbeskawing(bioscopeor
53
cinemaculture)”.Bynomeansdidthemagazineimplyonlyfilmwithitsterm
bioskoopbeskawing.Tothecontrary,Nixon(1994)writes,themagazinewarnedthat:
Anewforeigncultureisensconsedinpowerfulfortressesandcitadels.Withevery
newdeliverybyseathousandsofcheapEnglishbooksaredistributedthroughoutthe
country[…]Ourbiggestdailypapers,thecinemas,theschoolsystem,thelanguageof
ourcourts,theshopswiththeirfashionsandmerchandise,thefurnitureinourhouses
areallbastionsandagentsofaforeignculturewhichclaimsforitselftherightto
overrunandconquertheworld.(Huisgenoot,quotedinNixon1994:55)
Yetitisinterestingandcertainlytellingthatthemagazineusescinemaassynecdochefor
generalforeigninfluencesthreateningtheautonomyanddevelopmentoftheAfrikaner
nation.Sincethemagazineexplicitlyequatesthecinemawithunwantedinfluencesonthe
Afrikaner,andbyextensiononitsreadership,itisnotsurprisingthatHuisgenootlagsbehind
itspeersintermsofcoverageofentertainmentgenerallyand,tobemorespecific,
showbusinesspersonalitiesthemselves.
Therelativeabsenceofthissecondincarnationof20th-centuryfameinHuisgenootupuntil
thesecondhalfofthecentury,whenthisunderstandingalreadyconstitutedlargepartsof
theeditorialmixofconsumermagazinesbothlocally,tosomeextent,andglobally,can
furthermorebeattributedtothemagazine’snarrowfocusontherelativelyserioustasksof
buildingtheAfrikaneridentityandestablishingtheAfrikaanslanguageasofficialand
distinctivefromitsDutchorigins.Toaiditinitsquest,themagazinecanbesaidtohave
purposefullyrepresentedprominentAfrikanersasEpicHerofigures.Byvirtueofitseditorial
directivetodrivetheestablishmentoftheAfrikaanslanguageandculture,andtherefore
keepitscontentlocal,themagazinewasratherlimitedinitschoiceofpeopleandeventsto
coverintermsofthisnewformofwell-knownness,astheAfrikaansentertainmentindustry
wasstillfairlyyoung.Also,despitethefirstentertainerappearingonthecoverasearlyas
1931,themagazine’stendencywastofocusnotsomuchontheindividualentertainersand
whatitwasaboutthemthatwarrantedcoverage.Rather,thecontributionoftheactual
entertainmentproduct,suchasthefilmortheatreproduction,forinstance,towardsthe
establishmentoftheAfrikaanslanguageandcultureiswhatwasemphasisedinthemajority
ofthearticlesatthispoint.
Afamilymagazinefromitsinception,Huisgenootalsoperhapseschewedentertainment-
drivenmaterial,asittendedtobeassociatedwithsensationalismandforthisreasondidnot
54
sitwellwithaseriesofgenerallyconservativeeditorialstaffmembersandmostlikelyits
loyalcorereadership.
EditorJ.J.Spieshadanaversiontofilms;48heacknowledgedasmuchduringaninterview
withVanEeden(1981)andclaimedtoonlycoverfilmswhentheywerehighlynewsworthy;
inotherwords,thepreferencewasfornewsontheendproduct,film,andnottheindividual
actorswhoappearedinthefilm.
Spies’successor,D.C.deVilliers,49mightnothaveharbouredanyillfeelingstowardsthefilm
industryassuchandeventellsVanEeden(1981)inaninterviewthathechosetointroduce
entertainmentasoneofthenewfunctionsofthemagazineduringhistimeaseditor-in-
chief,yetthemagazineonlyoccasionallycoveredindividualentertainersduringhistenure.
SenioreditorialstaffmemberFredleRoux,wholeftthemagazinein1949,explainedthat
duringhistimeatthemagazinetheintentionwasmostdefinitelynottosupply“prikkelende
leesstof”(sensationalmaterial).Ina1985interviewwithLizetteRabe,LeRouxseemstohint
atthedistinctionbetweenthekindofwell-knownnessHuisgenootchampionedascompared
tootherconsumertitlesatthetime:
OnshetniesmaakgehadaandieBritsekoningshuisofsterretjiesofdieprivatelewe
vanmensewatopgedisword(metdieimplikasiemenseslaapbymekaarnie).Onshet
oorvroueenmensegeskryf,maarditwasmensewatietsbereikhet.(Rabe,in
Slabbert1993:98–99)
WedidnothaveanytastefortheBritishmonarchyorstarsordishinguptheprivate
livesofpeople(implyingthatpeoplearesleepingwitheachother).Wewroteabout
womenandpeople,buttheywerepeoplewhoachievedsomething.
Yetaninterestinstarsofthesilverscreenandalso,crucially,inprivatelives,andan
understandingofthecommercialpossibilitiesthereof,isexactlywhathadapropergripon
othertitlesintheconsumer-magazineindustrybythemiddleofthe20thcentury,when
HuisgenootwasstillupholdingitspreferencefortheEpicHerofigure.Itisthisnew
entertainment-drivenconstructionoffame,whichdiffersfromtheEpicHerothatcame
beforeyetisstillcharacterisedbyanumberofelementsassociatedwiththeheroicalthough
nottheepicthatisexploredinthefollowingchapter,withaspecificfocusonhowitwas
48SpieswaseditorofDieHuisgenootfrom1951to1959.49DeVillierswaseditorofDieHuisgenootfrom1959to1965.
55
appropriatedlocallybyDrummagazinetobecontextuallyspecificinSouthAfricaaroundthe
middleofthe20thcentury.
56
Chapter2:TheStarrisesinSouthAfrica:Drummagazineinthe1950s
Onasuperficiallevel,amoveineditorialdirectionfromcoveringpioneersfightingwild
beastsinthewildernesstofilmactorsbeingwooedonscreenseemslikeanenormousleap
tomakeinthespaceofafewdecades.Andinasenseitisasignificantshift:fromafigure
thatresembles,inlargepart,theprotagonistofepicpoetrytowhatis,inessence,an
entertainer.Butthatisifonlywhotheyareisconsideredduringtheprocessofanalysis.
Whenonelooksmorecarefullyintowhowascoveredandexamineswhichcharactertraits
arerepresentedinthecoverage,themovementfromoneunderstandingoffametothenext
suddenlydoesnotseemthatsubstantial.
Althoughthereare,ofcourse,differencesinwhatitisthattheydo,boththeEpicHeroof
theearly20thcenturyandtheentertainmentpersonalitythatstartsdominatingmagazine
coveragetowardsthe1950sareessentially‘publicfigures’.Thetermisnotusually
associatedwithentertainersbutratherreservedforpeople‘inoffice’orofficialsinpublic
service.Butinbothcases,theirestablishedstatusasactorsinthepublicspaceisarguably
whatmotivatesthemagazinestafftoconsiderandultimatelyselectthemforinclusion.Note
thatthemagazinesessentiallyactasconsumersofthepublicfigure;boththeEpicHerothat
surfacesinearly20th-centurycoverageandtheentertainerareselectedonaccountoftheir
alreadyestablishedpublicimage.
Whenonecloselyexaminesandcomparesthemagazinecoverageofthesesuccessive
figures,asignificantdifferencedoesindeedemerge:inthepublicisationofandpreference
fordetailsoftheentertainmentpersonality’sprivate,inadditiontopublic,life.Yetaclose
readingandcomparisonofthemagazinetexts,andacarefulexaminationofwhatspecific
details,whatcharacteristicsandactions,areselectedforcoverage,revealacertainlogicand
acontinuitybetweenthesuccessiveunderstandingsinmagazinerepresentationsoffamein
thefirsthalfofthe20thcentury.
Specifically,thereisasenseofbeingamodel,oranexample,whichpermeatesthe
magazinecoveragethatsurfacestheEpicHeroandtheentertainerwhoimmediately
succeedshim.Atthispoint,itisimportanttoagainremindourselvesthatthegeneral
absenceofelementsthatmightcompromisetheimageoftheentertainerasamodelisa
specificcharacteristicofhowfamouspeoplewererepresentedinSouthAfricanmagazines
andcancertainlynotbeextendedtoathewiderhistoryoffame.Inotherwords,magazine
57
coverageofentertainersaroundthemiddleofthe20thcenturymighthavebyandlarge
eschewedreferencestoscandalandnotoriety,yetthisdoesnotmeanthattheseelements
werenotpresentinthehistoryoffame.Onthecontrary,asBarryKing(2014)remindsus,
scandalandnotorietycanbetracedbackmuchfurther,withgossipandrumour
characterisingcourtsocietyandespeciallyfamousliteraryfiguresoftheRomanticperiod,
LordByronperhapsthemostpre-eminentamongstthem.Thereisadefinitesenseofinfamy
inHughTrevor-Roper’sdescriptionofcourtsocietyin16thcenturyEurope.Hewrites:
Itisafascinatingspectacle,theriseoftheprincesinsixteenthcenturyEurope[…]
Theirdynastiesmaybeold,andyettheircharacterisnew:theyaremoreexotic,more
highlycolouredthantheirpredecessors.Theyareversatile,cultivatedmen,
sometimesbizarre,evenoutrageous:theybewilderusbytheirlavishtastes,their
incredibleenergy,theirruthlessnessandpanache.(Trevor-RoperinVanKrieken2012:
18)
Yetdespitetheideaofnotorietybeinganundeniableelementinthehistoryoffamelong
beforethe20thcentury,magazinesintheearlypartsofthiscentury,andcertainlytheSouth
AfricantitlesIconsulted,chosetolookthe‘otherway’,focusingtheircoverageoffamous
peopleonexemplarinessandbehaviourthatwastoberevered,notreviled.Accordingly,the
peopleincludedincoveragewereselectedbecausetheydisplayedtheseadmirable
qualities.
Fortheentertainer,thisexemplarinesscameaboutasaresultofthedeliberateand
coordinatedmarketingeffortsoftheHollywoodmotion-pictureindustryintheUnitedStates
inthefirsthalfofthe20thcentury,asystemthathasgreatlyinfluencedglobal
understandingsoffameinthe20thcentury.
Ashasbeenextensivelydocumentedinmedia,filmandculturalstudiesliterature,this
marketingsystem,firstly,reliedonso-called‘typecasting’50leadingperformersfortheir
variousfilmroles.Throughsuchrigidcategorisation,theperformersslowlyemergedas
primeexamplesormodels.InhisseminalworksimplyentitledStars,RichardDyer(1979:
53–68)identifiesmainstreambasicsocialtypessuchasthe“goodJoe”,“thetoughguy”and
the“pin-upgirl”,aswellasfiguresdeliberatelyfashionedtobeindependentorsubversivein
someway,includingthe“rebel”andthe“independentwoman”.Inthissense,theideaof
‘exemplariness’wasperhapsfurtherstrengthenedbythefactthatduringtheearly20th50Formoreoncategorisationofsocialtypesinfilms,seeforinstanceDyer(1979),JimmieReeves(1988)andPeterBogdanovich(2004).
58
century,on-screencharacters(filmparts)areforthemostpartalsoscriptedtoexhibit
modelbehaviour,asFredInglis(2010)argues:
Thefashionedstarwasbyandlargekeptawayfromthewrongdoingintheaction
(exceptforthosedeliberatelyinvented,likeJimmyCagney,asgangsters).The
beautifulwomanmightholdoutthepromiseofsexuality[…]butherpassionmustbe
sincereandherabandonoffscreen.[Carey]Grant,JohnWayne,ErrolFlynnwereall
strikinglyhandsome,manly,alluring,buttheiremotionalfulfillmentaspartofthe
storywasasfirmlyconfinedbydecorumandproprietyasthepresident’s.(Inglis2010:
187–188)
Mostimportantly,however,thepublicisationofentertainmentpersonalities’privatelives,
whichwere(mostly)manufacturedbythefilmstudiostowhichtheywerecontracted,at
firstappearedtobecomplementarytotheironscreen,orpublic,personae.Tellinglyusing
theword‘hero’,RichardDeCordova(1991:27)writesthatatthisearlystageinUSfilm
history,“Therealherobehavesjustliketherealhero”.Thenotionofcomplementaryon-
andoff-screen,orpublicandprivate,livesdefinesthenotionofthe‘model’.Through
industry-widemarketingeffortscoveringboththeiron-andoff-screenpersonalities,film
performerscametobeviewed,ultimately,aseminentexamplesofasetofsocialtypes.In
fact,theyappearednotonlyasprimeexamplesbutalsoashavingperfectedacertainkind
oftypeand,byextension,acomplementarykindoflifestyleevenintheirprivatecapacity.51
BecausetheEpicHeroanditsperformersuccessorshareanunderlyingsenseoftheperfect
andtheexemplary,theyalsobothseemtorelyonakindofsharedfeelingofadmirationin
theiraudiences.Inthepreviouschapterreferencewasmadetotheelementofveneration
andalsoelevationevidentinthephrase“GreatMenonaPedestal”,asHenderson(2005)
callsthem,whodominatemagazinerepresentationsoffameintheearly20thcentury.
Hendersonusestheword‘devotion’,withitsconnotationsofreligion,todescribethekind
51AsmuchisclearfromToll’s(1982:186)unpackingoftheallureofthereal-lifeHollywoodcouplingoftheon-screensocialtypesof“boyfriend”DouglasFairbanksand“sweetheart”MaryPickford:“Whilehereignedonscreenasthedashing,swashbucklerkingofadventure,offscreenFairbankslivedoutanevenmorefantasticfairytalewhenin1920America’sboyfriendmarriedMaryPickford,America’ssweetheart–adreamweddingonlypossibleinHollywood”,Toll(1982:186)writes.“Thestorybookcouple–theboynextdoorandthegirlnextdoor–heldcourtattheirpalatialPickfairestatelikeAmericanroyalty[…]Fairbanks[…]livedoutthefantasiesofmenandboysalloverAmericainthesports-crazy1920swhenhesparredwithJackDempsey,servedatennisballtoBillTilden,andpitchedtoBabeRuth.MagazinesandnewspapersfilledtheirpageswithstoriesaboutPickfordandFairbanks.Theirfashions,cars,andpets,hercosmeticsandhairstyles,hissuntanandathleticism,allinfluencedbyanAmericanpublicthatrelishedeverytidbitofinformationitcouldgetaboutthestarsknownsimplyas“DougandMary”[…]PickfordandFairbankscontinuedtopackmovietheatersbyportrayingidealized,innocentimagesofanearliertime”.
59
ofadmirationthesemeninstilledamongsttheirfollowers.TheGreatMen’simmediate
entertainersuccessorscontinuedtoinspirewonderment,albeitarguablyofadifferentkind,
and,Ithink,anevengreatersenseofelevation.Theirfollowerswereclassedasfanatics,or
fansforshort,awordthat,interestingly,alsohasreligiousconnotations(withetymology
referringtoatemple,divineinspirationandfrenzy).Thisassociationwiththesacred
emphasisesthenotionoftheexemplary.
Thefanaticismofthecinema-goingpublicwastakenfulladvantageof,bywayoffanclubs,
butmainlyalsothroughthefilm-fanmagazinesor‘fanzines’,createdandproducedbythe
Hollywoodfilmindustrytomarkettheirmotionpicturesmainlythroughpurportingtooffer
coverageandevidenceoftheprivatelivesoftheircontractedactors.PhotoplayandMotion
PictureStorybothlaunchedin1911,andbothclaimedtobethefirstfanzine.Joshua
Gamson(2001)writesofhowPhotoplay,ModernScreenandSilverScreenboasteda
combinedcirculationofhalf-a-millionreadersbythe1930s,andtheirpopularitycanberead
astestimonytotheenthusiasmofthecinema-goingpublic.Launchedon7August1915,
StageandCinemawasoneofthefirstfanzinestoappearinSouthAfrica.VanNierop(2016)
explainshowthemagazinewassoldinentrancehallstofilmtheatressuchasthechainof
fiftybioscopesownedbytheAmericanbusinessmanandimmigrantIsadoreWilliam
Schlesinger.
Fanzinesandfanclubs,andtoalesserextentalsopostersandstrategicpublicappearances
bythefilmperformersthemselves,formedthebasicframeworkoftheUSfilmproduction
studios’calculatedentertainer-focusedmarketingsystemdatingbacktotheearly20th
century,veryshortlyafterHuisgenoot’s1916launch.Thiscoordinatedindustry-wideeffort
wasthefirsttopurposefullyusetheword‘star’,whichconjuresupnotionsofluminosityand
elevation,tolabelthecontractedfilmperformers.52FlorenceRogersandMichaelReal
(1994:204,originalemphasisretained)notehow,“Thetagstarindicatessomethinghighup
andfaraway,somethingwereachfor[…]Filmstarsareliterallyupthereonthescreenand
outofreachthroughthenatureoftheprojectedimage.”
52TheHollywoodfilmindustrymighthavecommercialisedtheterm,buttheword‘star’hadbeenassociatedwithentertainersasfarbackasthe1700s,whichisreportedlythefirsttimeitwasusedinthisway,todenoteastageactorwhosepresenceinaproductionensuredallseatsinthetheatrehousewouldbefilled.Theatreandoperamighthaveproducedsomeoftheearliestperformerswhocouldbeclassifiedasstars,asJanetStaiger(1991)andEllis(1982)haveclaimed.And,asHenderson(2005),DrakeandMiah(2010)andJacobSmith(2010)write,“showman”P.T.Barnum,withhispioneeringeffortspromotingcircuspersonalitiesasearlyasthemid-19thcentury,couldperhapsbeseenastheinventorofaspecificwayofusingindividualentertainerstomarketproductionsandsellticketsthatwaslaterappropriatedbytheUSfilm-productionindustry.
60
Ontheonehandthenatureoffilmandtheprojectedimagecreatesasenseofdistance,yet
ontheotheritensuresaparticularkindofintimacy,makingactorsappearalmostlifelike
andyet,simultaneously,largerthanlife.Moving-picturetechnologyalsoallowedforasense
ofluminosityaswellasintimatecameraangles,whichinfluencedthekindofintimacythe
audiencememberscouldsharewiththeactors,Marshall(1997)argues.Thecinematic
experienceitself,thefactthattheaudiencesawperformers“fromafar,andmuchlarger
thanlifeinanoversized[usuallydarkened]roominthepublicsphere”(Meyerowitz1994:
65),alsocontributedtotheirfollowersexperiencingthemupcloseyetalsolargerthanlife
itself.AsJoshuaMeyerowitz(1994:65)writesofthepubliccinematicexperience:
Audiencescouldseethefacialexpressionandbodymovementsofperformerswith
greaterclaritythanfromafrontrowseatataliveperformanceandindividual
performerscouldgainafollowinglargerthanwouldbehumanlypossiblethrougha
lifetimeofliveappearances.Earlyfilmmakersweretakenbysurprisebythestrong
emotionalattachmentthatdevelopedbetweenperformerandaudience.
2.1StardomtheDrumway
Sothroughtheverymediumoffilm,theseactorsappearedsimultaneouslywithinandoutof
reach.PaulRixon(2011)writeshowthisconcurrentdistanceandintimacyinthefilm-
watchingencountercreatesaconstanttensionbetweenakindofordinaryintimacyand
extraordinarydistance.Perceivedintimacyisfurtherperpetuatedthroughthehigh
circulationofpublicimages,andtheproximitybecomesbothpsychologicalandphysical.
Theattractionofthisconstantreciprocitybetweenperceivednotionsoftheordinaryand
extraordinaryistakenadvantageofbysubsequentextensionintothepublicisedprivatelife
ofthestars.Dyer(1979)callsitthe“ordinary-extraordinary‘paradox’”andidentifiesitas
lyingattheheartofstardom,with“thenotionthatstarsareconstructedasbeing‘ordinary’
(like‘us’),yetsimultaneouslydistinctiveand‘special’”(Holmes2005:10).Theplaybetween
thesetwocontrastingtermshassubsequentlybeeninterpretedinavarietyofdifferentways
infilm-,cultural-andmedia-studiesliterature.
IntheearlystagesoftheHollywood’smarketingmachine,widelycalledthe‘starsystem’,
theordinary-extraordinaryparadoxseemstobeunderstoodintheliteratureasattimes
representativeofthedichotomybetweenintimacyanddistance,theeverydayandthe
distinctive,ortheprivateandthepublicsphere,andtheactor’simagecomestorepresenta
playbetweentheseelements.Dyer(1979:22)defines‘stars’asthoseperformerswhohave
61
“anexistenceintheworldindependentoftheirscreen/’fiction’appearances”;healso
definesstardomas“animageofthewaysstarslive”(Dyer1979:39).EdgarMorin(1960)
arguesthatthereisareciprocalrelationshipbetweenthetwo.“Oncethefilmisover”,he
writes,“theactorbecomesanactoragain,thecharacterremainsacharacter,butfromtheir
unionisbornacompositecreaturewhoparticipatesinboth,envelopesthemboth:astar”
(Morin,1960:39,originalemphasisretained).JohnEllis(1982)definesa‘star’as“a
performerinaparticularmediumwhosefigureentersintosubsidiaryformsofcirculation,
andthenfeedsbackintofutureperformances”(Ellis,1982:91).Seeminglyunderlyingall
thesedifferentdefinitionsistheunderstandingthatstardomnecessarilypresupposesa
‘transcendence’ofprofessionalperformance,asEvans(2005)argues,inordertocreatea
veryspecificallure.Marshall(1997)callsthisallure“aura”andDyer(1991)callsit
“charisma”,bothtermsthathavecometohavedifferentovertonestoday.
InhisseminalessayTheWorkofArtintheAgeofMechanicalReproduction,Walter
Benjamin,ofcourse,expresseshisscepticismoftheauraofthefilmperformer,especiallyas
itisbuiltupwithinthefilm-productionindustry:
Thefilmrespondstotheshrivelingoftheaura[ofthescreenactor]withanartificial
build-upofthe“personality”outsidethestudio.Thecultofthemoviestar,fostered
bythemoneyofthefilmindustry,preservesnottheuniqueauraofthepersonbut
the“spellofthepersonality,”thephonyspellofacommodity.(Benjamin,inArendt
1968:231)
YetDyercomparesthenotionofcharisma,asdevelopedbyMaxWeberinpoliticaltheory,
tocharismainthephenomenonofstardom.DyerquotesWeber’sdefinitionofcharisma:“a
certainqualityofanindividualpersonalitybyvirtueofwhichheissetapartfromordinary
menandtreatedasendowedwithsupernatural,superhumanoratleastsuperficially
exceptionalqualities”(Dyer1991:57),andalsothatofE.A.Shils:
Thecharismaticqualityofanindividualasperceivedbyothers,orhimselfliesinwhat
isthoughttobehisconnectionwith(includingpossessionbyorembedmentin)some
verycentralfeatureofman’sexistenceandthecosmosinwhichhelives.The
centrality,coupledwithintensity,makesitextraordinary.(Dyer1991:57,original
emphasisretained)
Importanttonoteforthemoment,however,isthatinearlyunderstandingsofstardom,
reminiscentofmagazinerepresentationssurfacingtheEpicHerointheearly20thcentury,
62
thenotionoftheextraordinaryismostoften,infactalmostexclusively,linkedtopositive
elements,greatnessandanabundanceofgoodqualitiesandactions.
Ofalltheelementsassociatedwithstardom,itisthisideaoftheconstantinteraction
betweentheordinaryandtheextraordinarythattheSouthAfricanmagazineDrummay
haveseenasagolden,andtotallyirresistible,opportunityverysoonafteritslaunchin1951.
Theculturallandscape,togetherwithDrum’sidiosyncraticeditorialmix,toneandstyle,
allowedfortheexaggerationofthesetwoelements,boththeordinaryandthe
extraordinary,andintheprocessforakindofoptimisedor‘superstar’figuretoemergein
themagazine’srepresentationsoffame.
EarlyDrum’sappropriationoftheHollywoodstarsystemisaninterestingpointtoconsider
givenOlivierDriessens’s(2012:643)reminderthatwhenitcomestofame:
weshouldnotignorethedifferencesbetweenindividualisticandcollectivistcultures,
westernandnon-westernsocieties,andtheirimplicationsforthevalueandwaysof
achieving[fame]therein.Alsoeverycultureornationhasitsownheroes,stars[…]
Mostofthesepeople’sfamedoesnotreachbeyondculturalornationalboundaries,
whichmakescelebritycultureessentiallyapluralandheterogeneousphenomenon.
Henceitcouldbestbedescribedasapatchworkofseveralsmallandsomelarger
celebritycultureswithdifferingdegreesofoverlap.
TheallureandinfluenceoftheatthetimeoverwhelminglywhiteHollywoodfilmstoDrum’s
blackSouthAfricanreadershipofthe1950smightseemdoubtful,buttheliteraturepoints
outjusthowpervasiveWesternculturewasontheeditorialformulaofDrum.Lindsay
Clowes(2001:9),forinstance,considersthemagazine’sfirstbeautycompetition,heldin
1952,andcomestotheconclusionthat,intheprocess,Drumrecast“‘inappropriate’African
notionsofbeauty[…]tofitintoamodern,gendered,westernideal”.Particularlyinteresting
inthisregardistheconclusionAntjeRauwerda(2007)comestoafterspecificallylookingat
theadvertisinginDrumfrom1951to1959.Stardomisconnectedtowhiteness,shefinds,
“underminingsomeofthemagazine’sapparentresistancetoracisminitscelebrationof
Africanartists”,shewrites(Rauwerda,2007:400).
Andyet,despitethecolourdivide,themostlywhiteHollywoodfilmstarsseemedtoholdan
evenlargerappeal,tobeperceivedasevenmoreextraordinary,amongstblackSouth
Africanaudiencesinthe1950sthantheywerebyUSaudiencesatthetime.Forthelocal
blackviewershipinthe1950s,thefilmactormayhaverepresentedeverythingitdidforthe
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Americanaudience,andalotmore.AsTimCouzens(1985)andGwenAnsell(2004)write,
theperformingarts,specificallyfilmbutalsomusicanddance,createdabreakinthe
monotonyofthebleakexistenceofSA’sblackpopulationinthe1950s.
Ofallthegenres,filmpossiblyheldthegreatestallure,fortheopportunityitcreated
amongstaudienceswithlimitedlivestoescapeandimagineadifferentrealityfor
themselves.Filmaudiencescouldpartakeof“thevicariouspleasuresofidentificationwith
andexplorationoftherealmoftheextraordinary”,BehrozeGandhyandRosieThomas
(1991:107–108)note.Film’sextraordinarinessisexceptionallyattractiveandseductive,asit
couldbelinkedto“thepossibilityofa‘better’lifeinearlyapartheidSouthAfrica”,Lindiwe
DoveyandAngelaImpey(2010:60)argue,addingthat,“TheHollywoodfilmsthatwere
screenedencouragedmiddle-classaspirations,andinspiredblackviewerstoimagine
themselvesasinternational,bourgeoissubjects–stylishlydressed,well-spoken,and,most
importantly,modern”.
Film,ofcourse,alsoofferedpureescapismfromalimitedlife.“Thelivesthattheblacks
werelivingwereprettyappalling.Onecouldnotwaitfortherevolutiontocomealongand
rescueonefromthiskindofimpoverishedlife.Soanythingthatcamealongtoprovidethe
fantasywaswelcome”,DrumstaffwriterLewisNkosicommentsaboutthecinema-going
experienceinPeterDavis’1996documentaryfilmDarkestHollywood:CinemainApartheid
(quotedinAlegi2004:87).
Itisinterestingandimportanttoconsiderthatsomethingsimilarcouldbesaidofthe
magazine-readingexperienceitself,especiallyforblackSouthAfricansatthetime.Sonja
Laden(1997:125)arguesthat,“[C]onsumermagazinesandtheculturalcommoditiesthey
recommend[are]validwaysofenablingpeopletoimagineasplausiblealternativerealities
whichmaybestructurallyopposedtotheirexistingreality”.Inotherwords,onecouldsay
thatitisontwocountsthatfilmperformersbecamethedefactorepresentativesoffantasy
andpromise,especiallyforblackSouthAfricanslivingunderapartheid:byvirtueoftheir
presenceinthemediumofprintinadditiontotheirpresenceinthemediumoffilm.
Anecdotalevidenceaboundsofthemagneticappealofthecinema-goingexperienceitself
amongstblackaudiencesduringthistimeinSouthAfricaandalso,inrareinstances,ofthe
specificcharismaofparticularon-screenfilmcharacters.AnthonySampson(2004)recalls
howaudiencememberswouldcopyfilmcharacters,uselinesfromthemoviesaspartof
theirpatois,andrecreateoutfitstheysawonscreen.DrumstaffwriterCanThemba,for
instance,tellsSampson,hiseditoratDrumthat,followingthereleaseinSAcinemasofthe
64
1948filmTheStreetWithNoName:“[S]alesofBenzedrinerocketed.Everybodymunched
apples.Allthetsotsis[pettycriminals]worethoseraincoats”(Sampson,2004:81)afterthe
maincriminalinthemovie,Stiles.Sampson(2004)alsomentionshowalocalgangtellingly
called‘theAmericans’becameknownforwearing‘Bogarts’,trousersclosetothosewornon
screenbyiconicleadingmanHumphreyBogart.
ApparentlyleaningheavilyontheimageofantagonistsintheHollywoodfilmsthatwere
screenedinlocalcinemasatthetime,thegangsterfigurewasanimportantonein1950s
Drum,inthemagazine’scoverageofbothrealandimaginedcharacters.Itisalsoan
importantfiguretoconsiderbrieflyintermsofthetrajectoryof20th-centuryfamebeing
exploredhere,asitstraddlestwocategoriesandcouldevenbesaidtoforeshadowathird.
Asafilmcharacter,theDrumgangsterhasclearlinkswiththeStarfigure.But,despitethe
notionofgangsterismimplyingtransgression(foreshadowingthefamousfigureemergingin
magazinesaroundtheturnofthe20thcentury),theDrumgangsteralsohaselementsofthe
heroic.Inhisdiscussionofthe“toughguy”figurein1950sDrum,MacFenwick(1996)even
usestheoxymoron“gangster-hero”asadescriptor.QuotingSampson,Fenwick(1996:625)
explainsthat,“TheworldoftheHollywoodgangsterwas,ineffect,therealitythatmost
urbanblacksfaceddaily[…]Itshouldcomeasnosurprisethen,thaturbanblacksidentified
socloselywiththeheroesofamovie-screenworldthatsoresembledtheirown.”
Becauseofwhattheycametorepresentamongstthelocalblackcinema-goingaudience,the
gangsters,aswellasothercharactersinAmericanfilms,ultimatelyseemedtoberegarded
asparticularlyextraordinary,tohaveasenseofheightenedextraordinarinessaboutthem.
Butthisnotionoftheextraordinaryassociatedinthefirstinstancewithfilmactorscould
alsobeextendedtootherentertainersintheperformingarts,andespeciallytolocaljazz
musiciansin1950sblackSouthAfrica.Withthesemusicians,therewasasenseof
extraordinarinessintermsoftheirtalent,whichdevelopeddespitethelimitedopportunities
forblackpeopleatthetime.Inaddition,theirrelocation(intoexileorinsearchofbetter
opportunitiesfortheirarts),alsogavetheirfansasenseofexoticdistancedespitethe
intimacythatcamewiththeirbeingborninSouthAfrica.
Buttheselocaljazzplayersandsingersalsoemergedasextraordinaryintermsofwhatthey
representedandhowtheyrepresentedit.Adescriptionofasceneinajazzhallandhowthe
musiciansexpressed“theuncertaintyandrestlessnessofurbanlifewhichrejectstheNegro”
ina1976essaybyEs’kiaMphahleleremindsoneofShils’sargumentthatcharismaisthe
connectionwith“someverycentralfeatureofman’sexistenceandthecosmosinwhichhe
65
lives.Thecentrality,coupledwithintensity,makesitextraordinary”(ShilsinDyer1991:57,
originalemphasisretained).
ThesenseoftheextraordinarythatHollywoodemphasisedinitsactorscouldalsobe
transferredtosportsmen:soccerplayersandboxersinparticular.Theirmeasurablesuccess
andtriumphontheplayingfieldandintheboxingringwasextremelyinspiring,especially
amongstblackSouthAfricansunderapartheid,asAlegi(2004)andKasiaBoddy(2008)have
noted.
Drum’scoverageoflocalsportsandmusicpersonalitiesdovetailedcomfortablywithits
coverageofprominentAfrican-Americans.“GiventhefrailtyofSouthAfrica’sblack
professionalclasses,DrumplunderedmanyofitsimagesofupwardmobilityfromAfrican-
America”,writesNixon(1994:29).“DukeEllington,LouisArmstrong,AltheaGibson,andJoe
Louisallreceivedstartreatment,alongsidefeatureslike‘HighLifeinHarlem,’‘Negro
University’[…]andaregularcolumn,‘NegroNotesfromUSA’”.Byvirtueofbeingoutof
reach,theAfrican-AmericansrepresentedinDrumhadanextraordinaryelementtothem.
But,crucially,theconstructionoftheStarreliedasmuchonanotionoftheordinary,
developedthroughpublicisingtheprivatelifeoftheentertainer.Thestaffwritersand
photographersof1950sDrumwereexceptionallywellplacedtoadvancenotionsofthe
ordinary,perhapsnotasmuchincoverageoftheinternationalentertainers,butparticularly
intermsoflocalpersonalities.Avarietyoffactorscontributedtotheirbeinginthisposition,
notleastofwhichwastheirlivingamongstandsocialisingwithlocalperformers(amongst
theothercharactersthatwerecoveredinthemagazine)inJohannesburg,itssuburbsandits
townships.“Overtheyears,politicians,musicians,overseasjournalists,actors,conmenand
gangstersallmadeDrumtheirrendezvous”,formerDrumeditorStanMotjuwadi(1982:74),
forinstance,writes.“TheClassicSmiles,TheWhiteHouse,Suzie’sandTheSummitTalks[…]
weretheshebeenswherewegottogether”.
Becausetheyregularlygottosocialisewiththeentertainersselectedforcoverageinthe
magazine,theseDrumwritershadaperfectvantagepointfromwhichtoobserveelements
ofordinarinessandextraordinariness,whichtheywouldthenweaveintotheir
representation.Theordinary-extraordinarydivideisalreadyevidentintheveryfirstissueof
Drum,inthisprofilepieceoflocalpennywhistlerWillardCele.53Theextensivecitationhere
isnecessarytoillustratehowtheordinary,andevidentlybleak,SAtownshiplife,including
53“SuccessStory”,TheAfricanDrum,March1951.
66
longqueuesforpublictransport,bumpyroads,disability,shortageofmoney,isjuxtaposed
withunbelievable,extraordinarysuccess:
I’msosurprised—Ican’tbelieveit!IneverthoughtIcouldmakeupsomethingoutof
suchasmalltoyinstrument—butit’sverynice!”Soreplied20-year-oldWillardCele,
ofJohannesburg,whenaskedhowhefeltabouthissuddenrisetostardom.
ThestoryofWillardCele’smeteoricrisetofamereadsexactlylikeafairytale.Onlya
fewmonthsagohewasstandinginalongqueueinAlexandraTownshipwaitingfora
bus.Topassthetimehestartedplayinghisflageolettotheamusementofeverybody
around.
Suddenlyacarbumpingalongtheroaddrewupandtheownerlistenedintently.He
wasobviouslyintriguedbythehauntingappealofWillard’s“PennyWhistleBlues”.Mr.
Swanson,DirectorofSwanFilms,immediatelylefthiscarandfollowedthethinthread
ofmelodywhichledhimtocrippledWillardCele.Thereandthenhedecidedtoinclude
WillardandhismusicintheSouthAfricanfilm“TheMagicGarden”.
Thesetwomelodies“PennyWhistleBlues”and“PennyWhistleBoogie”havenow
beenrecorded,andarecreatingabigstirbothinJohannesburgandLondon.
PenningtonRichards(oneofthebestlightingcameramenintheworldtoday)who
filmed“TheMagicGarden”saysthatmembersoftheBritishfilmworldwhoheardthe
recordhadbeengreatlyintriguedbytheweirdandwonderfulrhythm.
WillardCeleisstillatschoolstudyingforhisJuniorMatriculation.Inhissparetimeand
atweek-endshelimpsacrosstheObservatoryGolfCourseearningextracashasa
“caddie”.
Unfortunatelyhecannolongerplaysport.Fouryearsagoduringagameoffootballhe
brokehisleftlegandisnowapermanentcripple.Butheconcentratedmorethanever
onhismusicandfoundhappinessandcontentmentinthemagicofmelodyandsong.
Hisfutureplansaretostudymusicandtobecomeanexpertclarinetplayer.Sohere’s
goodlucktoWillardCele,theAfricanyouthwhoneverlearnedanoteofmusic,but
whoisnowbringingjoytothousandsofmusicloverseverywhere—and,wehope,
somehardcashtohimself.
Besidesmakingreferencetotheactualterms“stardom”and“meteoric”,thearticlealso
containsafairnumberofotherreferencesthatcharacterisethisunderstandingoffame:
magicandfairytales,arags-to-richesstoryandachancediscoveryoftalentbyaprominent
67
agentthatledtofamebothlocallyandinternationally.Whatismore,thelinkwiththeworld
offilmfurtherpreparesthewayfortheemergenceoftheStarinDrum.
AlthoughtheWillardCeleprofileinthelaunchissueofDrummightincludeitsterminology,
theevidenceofaprivatelife,akeycharacteristicoftheconstructionoftheStar,israther
sparse.Thissparsenessmakesitdifficultforanykindtexturetobebroughtintothe
coverage,andconsequentlythereareonlytwoaspectstoWillardthatareemphasised:the
povertyandthepossibility,theragsandtheriches.Giventhereferencetotriumphover
one’scircumstances,therecouldevenbesaidtobeasenseoftheheroictobetraced
alongsidethenotionoftheStarinthisprofile,makingWillardatransitionalfigure.
ThesameappliestothecoverageoflegendaryblackAmericanboxerSugarRayRobinson,in
aselectionofcaptionedphotographsseeminglyshowingadayinhislife.54Thenotionofthe
heroicisinherentinthesportofboxing,especiallyinthecontextof1950sblackSouth
Africa.Theboxingmatchservesasa“metaphorforopposition–thestrugglebetweentwo
bodiesbeforeanaudience[…]representingopposingqualities,ideasandvalues”,Boddy
(2008:7)writes.ButSugarRaydoesnotemergeonlyasasportinghero,asthereisan
allusiveindicationofhislifeawayfromtheboxingring.Thesmallgalleryincludes
photographsofhimkissinghiswifegoodbyeinthemorningwhilesheisstillinbed,inthe
barber’schair,traininginthegymandrelaxingathome.Besidesthecaptionsexplainingthe
contentofthepictures,theonlyotherpieceofcopyonthepageprovidesdetailsofthe
mostrecentfightbetweenSugarRayandBritishboxerRandolphTurpin.SugarRayhadwon
thefight,arematchthathadtakenplaceinNewYorkinfrontof60000fans,andbeen
crownedworldmiddleweightboxingchampion.Widelyknownasaparticularlyphysical
pugilist,heknockedTurpinoutintenroundstoclaimtheworldmiddleweighttitleamere
threemonthsafterTurpinhadwonitinLondon.55AccordingtoDrum,therefereestopped
thefightafterRobinson“letloose”onTurpin,knockinghimdownandthenpushinghim
ontotheropesandunleashingaseriesofpunches.
AlthoughthiscoverageofSugarRayisbynomeansextensiveintermsofcolumninchesand
wordcount,itsucceedsintypecastinghimandilluminatingthecontrastbetweenhisprivate
andhispubliclife.Heisshowntobeatoughchampionboxerintheformer,butalsoa
tenderpartner,kissinghiswifegoodbye,and‘homebody’,whochoosestorelaxathome
ratherthanlivingthehighlife.Inaddition,heunderstandstheimportanceofagroomed54“SugarRayRobinson:ADayinPictures”,Drum,October1951.55RegularDrumreadersmighthavebeenwellawareofthedetailsoftheLondonfight,asfirst-personaccountsoftheencounterbybothfightershadbeenpublishedintheissueofSeptember1951.
68
physicalappearance,asanimageofhiminabarbershopappearstoindicate.TouseDyer’s
(1979:111–113)terminology,theDrumcoverageshowsRobinson’sprivatelife“resisting”
hispubliclife.Furthermore,theinclusionoftheimageofRobinsontraininginthegymcould
bereadasanindicationthathissuccessreliesonmorethanjustrawtalent,oneofthe
elementslinkedwiththenotionoftheextraordinaryinstardom;italsoreliesonhardwork.
Muchoftheliteratureon20th-centuryfameandstardomincludesadiscussionofwhether
famousindividualsweredeservingoffameornot;inotherwords,thereisanemphasisin
theliteratureonthemeritocracyoffame.
Theseeminglysuperficial,photograph-drivencoverageofSugarRayinDrumoffersmuchto
capturetheimaginationofthereader:hislegendaryphysicalityasaboxermusthaveheld
someappealamongstareadershipatthereceivingendofthediscriminationofthe
apartheidsystem,butthenthecoveragejuxtaposesthebrutalityofthesportwithevidence
oftendernesstowardshiswife.Inaddition,theideaofperfectioninexpressedinhis
‘perfect’physique,introducedbywayofphotographsofhimintheringanddressedonlyin
boxershortsandshowinghisnakedtorso,andalsogoingabouthisgroomingroutine.Allof
thesecontrastingelementsthataresuggestedinthecoveragecombinetoarguablymake
SugarRayaseriouslycompellingfigure:extreme,legendaryandextraordinary.Perhaps
SugarRayembodiedsome“verycentralfeature”oftheblackSouthAfricanexistence,to
referbacktoShils’sdescriptionofcharisma(inDyer,1991:57)again.Thekindoffigurethat
emergesfromthisDrumcoverageembodiesBoddy’s(2008:20)argumentthatboxingis“a
productivewaytoimagineconflict”,asitinextricablymixes“highdecorumandlowcunning
[…],beautyanddamage[…],rhetoricandbodilyfluids”.
Althoughtelling,thissparsecoverageofRobinson’sprivatelifecouldbesaidtobe
representativeofthetypeofdocumentationearlyDrumaffordsthefilmactors,
sportspeopleandmusiciansitregularlycoversandinacertainwayremindsoneofthevery
earlydaysoftheHollywoodfilmindustry.Inatechniquereminiscentofaudiencereferences
tothecorporalfeatures(the‘girlwiththecurls’,the‘fatguy’etc.)ofas-yetanonymous
Hollywoodactorsoftheearly20thcentury,Drumalsoregularlyidentifiespersonalitiesby
theirphysicaltraits;boxerJohannes‘JoltingJoe’Masekoisforexampledescribedas“the27-
year-oldSwaziwiththeflashingteeth”.56
Lackingtheintimacythatwillcometocharacteriselater20th-centuryrepresentationsof
fameinthemagazines,thesekindsofalmostimpersonalreferencestoentertainersare
56Drum,June1951.
69
arguablytheresultofDrum’soriginaleditorialdirective.57Underthiseditorialvision,
entertainmentcontentwas,forthemostpart,eschewedinfavourofcoverageofwhatwere
seenasthemore‘traditional’affairsinthelocalblackcommunity.Marketresearch
conductedshortlyafterthemagazinewaslaunchedrevealedthatreadersfoundDrummuch
tootraditionalistandfocusedonruralreaders.“‘Ag,whydoyoudishoutthatstuffman?[…]
Tribalmusic!Tribalhistory!Chiefs!Wedon’tcareaboutchiefs!’”oneofreadersofearly
DrumapparentlytoldeditorAnthonySampson(2004:7).Theinterviewwasconductedat
theBantuMen’sSocialCentre,oneofthefewculturalandentertainmentcentresin
Johannesburgaccessibletoblackpeopleatthetimeandavenueapparentlyfavouredby
Drum’sentertainmentwriters.Andthen,tellingly,theultimatedesireoftheDrum’searly
readershipsurfaces:
“Giveusjazzandfilmstars,man!WewantDukeEllington,Satchmo,andhotdames!
[…]YoucancutoutthisjunkaboutkraalsandfolktalesandBasutosinblankets–
forgetit!You’rejusttryingtokeepusbackward,that’swhat!Telluswhat’s
happeningrighthere,man,ontheReef!”(Sampson,2004:7,emphasisadded)
Consequently,notevenadecadeintoDrum’sexistence,themagazinestartedincluding
morecontentonentertainmentand,importantly,offeringmuchmoreextensivecoverageof
theprivatelivesofitsentertainers.Detailsaredivulgedaboutchildhood,education,fashion
preferencesandpartnersandspouses,amongstmanyotherthings.Allthewhile,the
contrastbetweentheordinaryandextraordinaryremainsaquintessentialingredientin
coverageofthefamousfigure,anditisespeciallysignificantasitisseen,asSampson(2004:
96)reveals,asrepresentativeof“thesharpdualityofAfricanlife,whichtouchedeveryone”.
Sampson(2004)makesthiscommentinreferencetotheDrummarketresearch,and
specificallywhichphotographsthereadershipseemedtoseeasmostcompelling:
TheAfricanboxingchamp,steppingundertheropesintothering,withaseaofblack
facesgazingbehindhim,smilingconfidently,swathedinasilkdressing-gown,a
57OneoftheearlyDrumeditors,AnthonySampson,describestheoriginalformulaasfocusedon“Africanpoemsandstories;articleson‘MusicoftheTribes’and‘KnowYourselves’,recountingthehistoryofBantutribes;instalmentsofCry,theBelovedCountry;featuresaboutreligion,farming,sportandfamousmen;andstripcartoonsaboutGulliverandStPaul”(Sampson2004:3).Tellingly,thenotefromtheeditorinthemagazine’slaunchissue(“MessagefromanAfrican”,March1951)reads,“Wethoughtitwouldbeagoodidea,andinkeepingwiththetraditionofsuchevents,ifthefirstnumberofourmagazinecouldbeginwithAMessagefromanImportantPerson.Therewasawidechoicebeforeus–Governors,CabinetMinisters,HighCommissioners,AfricanKingsandPrinces,Bishops,Millionaires–butwefinallydecidedthatthemostimportantpersoninourlifeatthismomentisanAfrican–anordinaryAfrican.SoTheAfricanDrumbeginsappropriatelywithamessagefromthesturly[sic]oldAfricanpeasant.”
70
symbolofblackpowerandachievement[…]Thebeautyqueeninthebusqueue,
poisedwithherumbrellaandvanitybag,dazzlingandsharplyinfocus,withthe
blurredfacesofordinaryAfricanscarryingpaperbagsinthebackground,looking
roundatthisapparitionofAfricanglory[…]Thebreakfast-tablepicture,almost
compulsoryineverynumber,ofanAfricanherosittingdowntoamealwithhiswife
andchildreninasmalllocationhouse,likeanyoneelse[…]Thejazzman,blowinghis
trumpetorsaxinacrazypose,lyingonthefloorandkickinghislegsinafrenzy,
catchingthehecticjazzinhismovements[…]TheAfricanbusinessmansittingatthe
wheelofhislargeAmericancar,tremendouslysedateandrespectable,withadark
suitandagoldtiepin,apictureofsuccessandstability[…]Wherephotographswerea
language,juxtapositionwasall-important:wecouldneverrelyoncaptionstotella
story.Thesamefaces,butdifferentsurroundings:thesimplegirlwiththeclothround
herhairoppositetheradiantbride;thebusdriveroppositethebandleader;the
nannyoppositethefilmstar;thefashionablesocialiteoppositethegangster.The
contrastscaughtthesharpdualityofAfricanlife,whichtouchedeveryone.
See,forinstance,aprofilepieceonZimbabwean-bornsingerDorothyMasuka,58inwhich
musiceditorToddMatshikiza,inhischaracteristicgossip-ladenmusicalwritingstylethatis
sooncalled‘Matshikese’byhiscolleagues,59leansonwhatSuHolmes(2005)callsthe‘star-
is-born’narrative.HewritesaboutDorothy’sextraordinaryprecocityintermsoftalent.
Despitethelimitationsandchallengesofherchildhood:“Shebeganstageworkatseven
yearsold”,anageatwhich,“Mostkidsarejustbeginningtoseethelight”,inasingle-parent
household,asherfatherleftthefamilywhenDorothywasonlyayearold.Thislastdetail
appearstoemphasiseherinnatemusicaltalent,asherdomesticcircumstancesprobably
prizedsurvivalabovethecultivationoftalent.Yetsheemergedasatalentedsinger,“a
prettypacketofdynamite”onstage,deliveringher“famoustuneswithunusualzest”.
ThereisalsoasenseofextraordinarinessintermsofhowMasukaiseroticisedintheprofile,
withthiskindoferoticisationcharacteristicof1950sDrumcoverageofwomenin
entertainment,particularlyjazzsingers.DorothyDriver(1996:233)writesthatDrum’s
coverageofjazzsingersallows,“desiretopassbackandforthbetweenstarandauthor”,
andyoucanfeelthathappeningbetweenthesingerandMatshikiza,evenasheusesa
58Matshikiza,Todd,“Everybody’sDotty!”,Drum,January1955.59SeeJimBailey(1982)andMichaelTitlestad(2005).Sampson(2004:14)writesofhowMatshikiza“transformedDrum.Hewroteashespoke,inabrisktempowithrhythmineverysentence.Heattackedthetypewriterlikeapiano.Ourreadersloved‘Matshikese’,aswecalledit,whichwasthewaytheytalkedandthought,beatingintimewiththejazzwithinthem”.
71
womanfantochanneltheappeal.Thefanseemstobeintrigued,onecouldperhapseven
sayinspired,byhowDorothyuseshereyes,seeminglytoluremenwhoarefans.Thereisa
blurringbetweenthesinger’sprivateandpublicpersonaeinthiscomment,ultimately
contributingtoherallure:
Onewomansaidtome,“Didyouseehow[Masuka]useshereyes?Shemakesthem
sleep.Shemakesthemwake.Thenshemakesbedroomeyes.Thenshemake[sic]goo-
gooeyes.Honestly,you’dthinkthesestar-girlswanteverymanaround.It’smost
exciting”.60
Dorothy’sallure,“aura”(Marshall1997)or“charisma”(Dyer1991),evidentinthiscomment
isfurtherunderlinedbycommentsonthesinger’ssexappeal.Matshikizadirectlyaddress
themenwhomakeupthemajorityofthemagazine’sreadershipatthetime:“shoo–
gents!”Hethencallshera“sizzlinghepcat”and“burninghotstuff”.Hiscopycanonlybe
describedassuggestive:
Shewaswearingabebophaircut.Sheworeadresswithawideflare,andwide
stripes.Thewidestripeswererunningdownherwholebody,necktohem.Roundher
curves.Underthebeltroundhercutewaist.Intothemen’seyes.Yes,man!61
Andalsointhiscomment,whichacknowledges,albeitsuperficially,theexistenceofboth
professionalandprivatelife,andagaineroticisesher:
Dorothyisoneofthebest-dressedwomeninshowbiz–offandonstage.Shetakes
greatpainsovertheclothesshewears–andonhowherlipslook.Mustbesomething
tokissthem.62
Thefactthatsheisengagedtobemarriedandthusunavailableisportrayedasaddingtoher
appeal,asisherprojectedfuturelifewithawealthyman:
Well,well,thoseeyesgents[…]thoseeyesareasfullybookedastheDecembertrain.
Dorothywillbesplicedbythetimeyoureadthis,ifallgoeswell.Ya,splicedtoamac
inBulawayo,withlotsofdough.Twoshops.Twobutchers.Twocarsandtwoeyesto
knowafinegirlwhenheseesone.TheluckyblokeisMrSimonPetto.Shelikeshima
hangofalot.ShesaysweJoh’burgmugsjustwanttorunawaywithagirl’shead.
60Matshikiza,Todd,“Everybody’sDotty!”,Drum,January1955.61Ibid.62Ibid.
72
ThisguyPettoisnotrunningawaywithDorothy’shead.So,she’stakinghim“head
to”.63
Thesinger’sseductivepowersarefurtheremphasised(andherfashion-consumptionhabits
revealed)inanarticleentitled“Lovelylegsandlingerie!”64Thearticledirectlyaddressesthe
womenreadersofDrum,anditsauthorbylineisEthelMadlingozi,presumablyawoman.Yet
thereseemstobeanelementofthemalegazetobetracedhereinthefocusofthearticle
thatbecomesevenmorepronouncedifoneconsidersthatthearticlemightverywellhave
beenwrittenbyoneofthemenontheDrumeditorialstaffundertheMadlingozi
pseudonym.Afterall,Driver(1996:235)surmisesthatthe‘women’writersintheearlyyears
ofDrumweremostly“aworriedsyndicateofmen”.
Astheheaderindicates,thearticle’sfocusisonDorothy’sselectionoflingerieand
sleepwearandisillustratedbyanumberofrevealingphotographsofthesingerinher
underwearandscantsleepwear,photographedinbedbyBobGosani.Thecombinationof
intimateinformationcontainedinthebodycopyofthearticleandtheflesh-baring
photographsinaspacethatresemblesabedroomcreatesthedistinctimpressionofbeingin
theintimate,personal,privatespaceofthesinger,bothintermsofherhomeandinterms
ofherbody.ThisisDorothy’sprivatelifeandeven,saveforthescantunderwearsheis
wearing,herprivateparts,thearticleseemstobeclaiming,inaparticularlygossipystyleof
writing.Andwhataseductive‘private’lifeitis.“Daintyunderwear”is“sprawledrecklessly
aroundher”onabed,oneofthecaptionsreveals,andMadlingoziadmitstogaspingwhen
shesawthestar’scollectionofdresses,under-garmentsandnighties:
Youshouldseethem!Imean,youladies[…]Shestilllovespyjamasandnylon
nightieseitherembroideredortrimmedwithsoftlacewhichmakesonefeellike
eatingthem.SowhenDottygoestobedshegoesreallygay.There’ssomething
aboutnattyfoundationgarments.Theygivethepersontheycontainadainty
likeliness.Whenyou’reluckyenoughtomeetdatDotdishnexttimeandyouspot
twirlinggirlishnessabouthermanner,nowyouknowthatshehassleptwellin
seersuckernightclothes,andthatevennowunderneathsherustlessilverynylon[…]
‘Notherthing,DottyhastheseexpensivenewbrascalledMerryWidow[…]Mere
maleswillwonderwhyclothingthatisnotseenshouldbesofancyandexpensive.
Butthentheydon’thaveourtastesforthefineanddelicate.Theyreallyoughttosee
63Ibid.64Madlingozi,Ethel,“Lovelylegsandlingerie!”,Drum,April1957.
73
DorothyMasuka’sunderwear.ThenagainIthinktheyshouldn’t.Whycastpearls
beforeswine?65
ThisbedroomscenedescribedbyMadlingoziinDrumisaninterestingonetoconsiderin
thatitprovidesarareandas-yetfairlyunprecedented,atleastintermsofthefanzine
representationofstardom,entryintooneofthemostprivateroomsinthedomesticspace.
However,thisearlyexposureoftheveryprivaterealminDrumcanstillbedescribedasmild
anddiscreet,notleastbecausethephotographswereobviouslytakeninastudiospace
madeuptolooklikeabedroom,andnotinDorothy’sactualbedroom.Saveperhapsforthe
hintatextravagance(“Meremaleswillwonderwhyclothingthatisnotseenshouldbeso
fancyandexpensive”),whichagainprovidesahintoftheextraordinary,Madlingozi’s
descriptioninDrumisrelativelyrestrained.
But,aswiththeMatshikizaarticlecitedabove,thereisagainanundeniablemeasureof
eroticisationintheMadlingozipiece,whichisfurtheramplifiedbytheselectionofultimately
revealingphotographs.ThischaracteristiceroticisationofwomenjazzmusiciansinDrum
(whichinawaymakesthemagazineaveryearlyversionoftheBritish‘girlie’or‘lad’
magazinestypicalofthelate20thcentury)isoneofahandfulofelementsofthemagazine’s
distinctiverepresentationoffameinthemiddleofthecentury.Drummovesawayfromthe
classicearly-20th-centurymagazinere-presentationofanalreadyestablishedimage,andin
certainrespectsfollowsinthefootstepsoftheHollywoodfanzinesinthatitisanimportant
co-creatororco-producer,bywayofitscoverage,ofanewunderstandingoffame.Ihave
alreadyexploredwhoisselectedforinclusionincoverageunderthisnotionoffameandthe
discussioncontinuesastowhytheyarecovered.ButhowDrumcoversthe(privateand
public)livesoftheentertainersalsomakesthisfamousfiguredistinctandcontributestothe
magazineplayingaco-producingroleinthemakingoffame.
Besidesthealready-mentionederoticisationthatDriver(1996)hasidentified,thewayin
whichDrumconstructsitsStarfigurealsoinvolvesarelianceonphotographsthatarewidely
readasportrayingthe‘soul’ofperformers,asAnsell(2007)writes.Shemakesspecific
reference,inthisinstance,totheimagesshotbyDrumstaffphotographerJürgen
Schadeberg,whose“sharpeyeandlensframedthejauntyinsoucianceoftheJazzomolos;
thesardonicdashofreedmanGwigwiMrwebi,thestyleofbandleaderMakwenkwe
65Ibid.
74
‘Mackay’Davashe;theintensityofSouthAfrica’s‘Bird’–saxophonistKippieMorolong
Moeketsi”(Ansell2007:16).
Drumwasoriginallyconceptualisedasa“photographicmagazine”,itsfounder,JimBailey
(1982:125),writes,andthepublicationpurposelyrecruitedstaffmembersfromcomparable
internationaltitles.ItcanbeseenasperhapsthemostprominentsuccessortoZonk!(with
itsslogan“AfricanPeople’sPictorial”),whichlaunchedin1949,justtwoyearsbeforethe
launchofDrum.Zonk!wasapioneeringpublicationonmanyfronts,asIrwinManoim(1983)
arguesinhisexplorationoftheearlyyearsoftheblackpressinSouthAfrica.Zonk!was,for
instance,thefirstmass-producedphotomagazineinSouthAfrica,andthevery“first
successfulmass-circulationblackmagazineaimedaturbanaudiences”(Manoim,1983:63).
Importantly,italsofocusedprimarilyonentertainmentandentertainersthemselvesand
seemedtosetapathnotonlyforblackmagazinesbutforallmagazinesgoingforward:
“Mostmagazinesthathavefollowedithavetoagreaterorlesserextentcontinueditsbasic
formula”,Manoim(1983:63)argues.ThefactthattheinfluentialZonk!wasa
photomagazine,hadapredominantfocusonentertainmentandalsoarguablysetthescene
forDrum’sparticularbrandofentertainmentjournalismperhapsgoessomewaytowards
explainingwhytheStarfigureemergedsocompellinglyinthelatterpublication.
Themovingimagesoffilmservetoinjectasenseoftheextraordinaryintothefigureofthe
screenstar,andDrum’snowiconicphotographsofmusiciansonstageandsportspeopleon
thefieldcanbesaidtohavedonethesame;thesepicturesundoubtedlybroughtasenseof
glamourtohowthefigureoftheStaremerged.Ingliswrites(2010:136)ofhowtheoriginal
Hollywoodfilmstarshad“theuntouchableclosenessofluxuriousenviability”andhowthey
“appearedasintimatelyknownyetinimitable,quitewithoutphysicalblemish,smoothand
swiftandshiningasaseal”,andtheDrumphotographsofsingerslikeDorothyMasukaand
alsoMiriamMakebaandDollyRathebereflectedsimilarqualities.
WhatalsocontributestothewayinwhichthefigureoftheStaremergesinDrumisthe
writingstyleandtone,whichisconversational,gossipyandinformal.TheimaginedDrum
readerisoftenaddresseddirectlyinthecopy(Matshikizaonnumerousoccasionsinthe
pieceonMasukaaddressesthe“gents”hisarticleisaimedatandMadlingoziwrites“Imean,
youladies…”).Thisbreaking-the-fourthwallliterarytechniqueisonethatwillcometo
stronglycharacterisemagazinecoverageoffamousfigurestowardstheendofthe20th
centuryandintothe21st.
75
ThenthereisalsotheideaofgossipintheDrumextractsalreadydiscussedhere.Drum’s
conversationalstyleofwritinghasbeennotedbefore,andgossipformsapartofthat,asitis
originallyassociatedwiththespoken,notthewritten,form,writeKarenAdkins(2002)and
NicholasHerriman(2010).EspeciallyintheMadlingozipiece,youcancertainlyhearthe
voiceoffriends‘nattering’aboutanotherfriend.BoththeMatshikizaandMadlingoziarticles
haveasenseofgossipbecausetheyessentiallyare‘idle’or‘small’talkaboutotherpeople;
theseallformpartofthevariousdefinitionsofgossip,aswrittenaboutbyRosnowandFine
(1976),aswellasGoodman(1994)andHolland(1996).Thereisaverystrongsenseof
complicitybetweenwriterandreaderthatboththedirectaddressandthegossipylanguage
bringaboutintheMasukacoveragediscussedhere,andRobinDunbar(1996)andRebecca
Feasy(2008)bothwritethatgossipisindeedawayofforgingalliances.Itisimportantto
notethatatthisstageinthetrajectory,therearestrongindicationsthattheallianceisbuilt
uponnothingbutasharedsenseofadmirationforthefamousfigure.Thewomanfan
Matshikizaquotesinhisprofile,forinstance,doesnothidethesenseofexcitementshe
experienceswhenshewatchesDorothy’sgesturesonstageandconsidershowtheseare
usedinattractingtheattentionofmen(“It’smostexciting”),andthereisundoubtedlya
senseofappreciation(ofcurves,bodyandfashion)visibleinMatshikiza’seroticisation.
Rumour,speculationandgossiparealltechniquesDrumusedinitsconstructionoftheStar
figure.InMasuka’scase,DrumrepresentsherasaStarbydivulginginformationofbothher
professionalandprivatelifeandemphasisingthetalented,‘star-is-born’narrative
underpinninghercareer.Bystressinghervoluptuousfigure,goodsartorialsenseand
seductivecharms,ontheonehand,andhermatrimonialunavailabilityontheother,the
Drumcoveragecreatesakindoftensionthatcontributestoherallureorcharisma.Drum’s
1950srepresentationcan,inlargepart,belikenedtothetype-drivenportrayalofthe
‘beautifulwoman’duringthenascentyearsoftheHollywoodfilmindustry.AsInglis(2010:
187–188)explains,thiswomanmayholdout“thepromiseofsexuality”(asdoDorothy’s
“bedroomeyes”),yether“passionmustbesincereandherabandonoffscreen”.
2.2DollyRathebe:“JustaboutAfrica’smostfamousandexciting
woman”
DorothywascertainlyaDrumfavouriteduringthe1950s,butfellowvocalistDollyRathebe
wasperhapsthequintessentialfemaleperformerforthemagazineatthetime,andher
exposureinDrumcontributedtoherconstructionasaStar.Bythetimethemagazine
76
launched,shewasalreadyrelativelywellknown,especiallyintheReefarea(in
Johannesburg)whereshegrewup,asshehadarecordingcontractandhadalsoappearedin
the1949filmJimComestoJo’burg(alsoknownasAfricanJim).Interestingly,inthefilmshe
playsasinger,“swathedinsnake-like,seductiverollsofglitteringdress”,asperCan
Themba’sdescriptionofhercharacterinDrum,66sothereappearstobecoherencebetween
herpublicandherprivatepersonae.
ThankstoDrum,shebecamefamousamongstitsurbanblackreadershipalloverthe
country.AsAnsell(2011:35)argues,themagazinemadehera“nationalfigure”,adding
“detail(andoftenmyth)”tothebodyofknowledgeonher.Dolly’sStarimage,producedtoa
largeextentbythemagazine,reliedonthefactthatshewasknownforheractivitiesin
morethanonemedium:musicandfilm.Shefeaturedonthecovernumeroustimesandwas
thesubjectofacollectionoficonic‘poster’or‘pin-up’images,includinga1957photograph
ofherinaskimpytwo-pieceswimsuit,fashionedfromhandkerchiefs,onaJohannesburg
minedump,whichwasphotographedtoresembleabeach.PerhapsoriginatingintheDrum
newsroom,therumourstartedcirculatingthatassheandthewhiteDrumstaff
photographerresponsibleforthis‘beach’photoshoot,JürgenSchadeberg,hadleftthemine
dump,theywerestoppedandquestionedbytheauthoritiesonsuspicionofbreakingthe
ImmoralityAct(whichprohibitedinter-racialrelationships),but“[I]tcouldnotbeproved
thatanythingmorethanthecamera’seyehadpeekedatDolly’slusciousfigure.”67
Thisisbutoneofseveralspeculativestoriesandrumoursabout‘SisDolly’’sinteractions,
possiblysexualinnature,withthemenofDrummen,thatcontributestoherimageasboth
extraordinaryyetalsosomewhatordinary:glamorous,desirableandoutofreachontheone
hand,yetfamiliar,‘oneofus’andattainable(atleastfortheso-called‘Drumset’)onthe
other.DollygrewupinandforalargepartofherlifelivedintheJohannesburgsuburbof
Sophiatown,alongsidetheDrumset.SimilartoHollywoodintheearly20thcentury,1950s
Sophiatown’suniquefeaturesdistinguisheditfromotherpartsofJohannesburgandindeed
otherSouthAfricansuburbsandcities.Forabriefwhileunderthenascentapartheid
government,blackpeoplewereentitledtoownpropertyhere,whichcontributedtoitbeing
aplacethatallowed“unprecedentedpossibilitiesforblackstochooseandinventtheir
society[…]opentoavarietyofinterpretations,dreams,commitments”,asPaulGready
(1990:139)writes.Inheranalysisofthe“lostliteraryjournalismof1950sSouthAfrica”,as
evidentinDrum,LesleyCowling(2016:13)writesthat“Sophiatownwasaplacewhereraces66Themba,Can,“Dollyinfilms!”,Drum,February1957.67Ibid.
77
couldmingle,partieswereheld,anditsshebeens,music,celebrities,andgangsterswerethe
sourceofmanyoftheDrumwriters’stories”.
Nixon(1994:31)describeshowthe“syntheticlureofHollywood’s[…]glitterpervaded
Sophiatownculture”.Andindeed,storiesabout1950sSophiatownandearly1900s
Hollywoodevokethesamesenseofremotenessandexoticism,andthepossibilityofwild
abandon.SophiatowncouldsoeasilyreplaceHollywoodinthisdescriptionoftheearlydays
ofTinseltownbyRichardSchickel(1985).NotunlikethepeopleofSophiatowninthemid-
20thcentury,Hollywood’sresidentswereable:
toshakefreeoftheirinhibitionsandrepressions,toactouttheirfantasies.Herethey
werefreetorecreatethemselvesastheypleased.Ortolendthemselvestorecreation
bydirectors,producers,writers,anyonewhocaredtohaveagoatthem.Andinthis,
thefolkstheyleftbehindindulgedthem.(Schickel1985:12)
LaraAllen(2004:19)arguesthatDollyRathebeoffers“arevealingcasestudyforanenquiry
intotheSophiatownimaginary”.Itcouldcertainlybearguedthatthesinger’srootsinthe
unusual,bohemian,exoticsuburbofSophiatown,withtheconnectionbetweenstarletand
placeoftenemphasised,eitherovertlyormoresubtly,inDrum,alsocontributedtoher
imageasaStar.
Sheendorsedanumberofproducts,mostofthembeautyandfashionrelated,in
advertisementsthatappearedinthemagazine.In1957,Drumprofiledherextensivelyina
seriesthatranoverfivemonths(JanuarytoMay1957).Theinstalmentshadgenerousword-
counts,upwardof1500wordseach,andareillustratedwithphotographsofheronstageor
inposedfashionshots.
Intermsofitsgenerouspage-andword-countaswellasitsextensivebiographystyleof
writing,thisseriesremindsoneofthelong-formhagiographicaccountsaffordedtotheEpic
Herofigureinmagazinesintheearly20thcentury.ButtheDrumseriesonDollyRathebe
hadmoreillustrativeelementsthanthetypicalcoverageonewouldfindinthemagazinesof
theearly20thcentury,inwhichtheEpicHerodominates.AsubstantialpartoftheDrum
storywastoldinphotographs.Goingforwardinthecentury,magazinecoveragetypically
becamelesswordy,fewerpageswereallocatedtothecoverageofeachindividual,andtheir
narrativesweremainlycommunicatedbywayofillustration.Pictures,morethanwords,told
theirstories.Sotheshiftsinunderstandingsoffamewerevisibleintheactualpeople
covered,whattheywerecoveredfor,aswellashowtheywerecoveredintermsoflayout
anduseofwordsandpictures.Justintermsofitsaestheticformat,thisDrumseries,
78
representingamiddlepoint,isanexcellentexampleofhowtheactualrepresentationofthe
famousfigurechangedoverthecentury.
TheseriesshowcasesbothDolly’sprivateandherpublicpersonae.Thefirstinstalment,68
whichspecificallyfocusesonherlovelife,revealsthatsheadoptedastagename(herreal
namewasJosephineMalatsi),notunlikeiconicearly(andevencurrent)Hollywoodstars
suchasCaryGrant(givenname:ArchibaldAlecLeach).AuthoredbyThemba,whois
identifiedinthearticleas“oneofthemeninDolly’sromanticlife”,thearticledescribesthe
singeras“justaboutAfrica’smostfamousandexcitingwomantorch[romanticlove-song]
singer”.69Inthisinstalment,Thembabuildstheimageofatoughanddemandingwomanin
herprivatepersona,especiallyofhermen.Hequotesherassaying:
“Men[…]seemtohavelostthatmanlytang,thatrough,tough,solidmasculinitythat
makesmensoadorable.Nowadays,menhavebecomecatty,peevish,gossipyand
mean;womenhavetakentowearingslacks”.
Overtheyearsshebecametheobjectofaffectionofmanymen,thearticleargues,with
“love-lornlads[…]gaspingforDollyinsecretanguish”.Asachildshewasatomboy,andan
anecdotefromherschooldaysgivessomedetailaboutherchildhoodwhilesimultaneously
contributingtoherappeal:
[A]tschoolDollywasatomboy.(Butshewasfondofboys!)Shelookedatlifefroma
malepointofviewandseemedtohaveaquarrelwithherMakerforcreatingher
female.AtonetimethereverendfatheratSt.Cyprian’s,Sophiatown,whereDolly
wasschooled,wantedsomeonetogoupthetowerandreleasethehammerofthe
bellthathadgotcaught.WithouthesitationDollyclamberedupthetowerand
loosenedthehammer.Theboysstilltalkofthe“bird’s-eyeview”theygotonthat
occasion.70
AccordingtotheThembaprofile,thereisgreatcoherencebetweenDolly’spublicand
privatepersonae,bothfilledwithjuxtapositions.Justashermenrangefrom“quiet,
dignified,haltingofspeech,shy,studious,well-behavedJeff”toabusive,“tough,hard-hitting
filibuster”Hasie,soshewouldperformbothchoralmusicandtownshipjazz,ormbaqanga.
SheisaGirlGuideandaSunday-schoolteacherontheonehand,whileontheother:
Sheknewshehadahusky,furryvoicethatkindledinmen’sheartsstrangedesires
andflashedbeforetheirtired,after-workimaginationsdreamsoftorridloveand68Themba,Can,“Dollyandhermen!”,Drum,January1957.69Ibid.70Ibid.
79
wantonabandon.Andsheknewmore.Sheknewthatawiggleofherhipspromotes
asuggestivephraseofsongwithinfiniteseductiveness.71
AdaughterofSophiatown,sheissimultaneouslyanordinarytownshipgirlyetan
extraordinaryyoungwomanwhodarestodreamanddefytheoppressivegovernment
policiesofthetime:
[F]romthebeginningshewasdifferentfromthedomestic-servant,factory-working
typeofgirl.Shesawherselfasanartistandshejustwouldn’tgotowork.Notfora
Whiteman,thatis.72
AsinthecaseofDorothyMasuka,the‘star-is-born’narrativeisunderlyinginDolly’sStar
image,asportrayedbyDrum.Inthesecondinstalmentoftheprofileseries,73Thembauses
colourfullanguageandanalogiestodescribeherinnatetalent,formusicaswellasacting,
paintingherasmorethanjustanordinaryperformer:
Sheusedthestageasifeverysquareinchbelongedtoher;asifshewereaboxerina
ringandherartdependedonherabilitytoprovethatshehadalifeleaseonit[…]
Dolly’smovementsweredirectedbymoodandfeelingandclimate,andyounever
knewwhatthatdamewoulddonextbutyouknewitwouldberight.
Heractingtalentisequallyintuitive,accordingtoThemba,andthroughherperformances
shebecomesamediumreflectingthevicissitudesoftownshiplife:
[Heracting]wasanunconsciousdesiretointerpretthecrawlingfullnessandever-
changingvarietyoftownshiplife[…]Shewassoaliveandreflexivetoeverytangin
townshiplife.74
ThembatakeshisportrayalofDollyasmediumevenfurther,arguingthatsheisofferedher
firstfilmrole(inJimcomestoJo’burg)because“shewasallAfrica”.75Yetforthereadersof
Drummagazine,RathebecouldbelikenedtoHollywood’smostluminousstars,asisevident
fromThemba’scommentthat:
[JimcomestoJo’burg]soundedliketherealfilms.ItsoundedasifAfricawasbeing
transportedintothefascinatingworldofHollywood.AndtousHollywooddidnot
meandivorcesandawildlife.Itmeantglamourandwealthandidolatry.Afewofus
intheknowaboutthisfilmbusiness,wereasking,Howmanythousandsofpounds
71Ibid.72Ibid.73Themba,Can,“Dollyinfilms!”,Drum,February1957.74Ibid.75Ibid.
80
Dollywasearningnow?Howmanygownsandpalacesdoessheown?Howmanyfan
lettersdoessheget?Butfortherestofusshewasaspangled,glitter-bespattered
star,upabovetheheavenssohigh.76
AgainweareremindedofearlyHollywood,andparticularlyFlorenceLawrence,reportedly
thefirstfilmactortodoapublicityappearancetomeetthefilm-goingpublic,backin1910,
whenwereadhowDolly,“neededthepublicityofappearinginthefleshbeforeher
thousandsofadmirerstoprovethatshewasnotjustadolleduppuppet;thecountrywas
thirstingtomeetitsgreatheroine”.77Bothwomenhadtoappearbeforetheiradmirersto
validatetheirauthenticity,theformertoprovethatshewasindeednotdeadandthelatter
thatshewasnotmerelyafilmfigment.
WhatmakesDrum’sportrayalcompellingishowshewasconstructedasaStar,inthe
originalHollywoodunderstandingoftheterm.Shewasassociatedwiththeglamourand
wealthofHollywood,andtheconcomitantconsumptionhabits.Herprivatelifewasguessed
atandspeculatedaboutassomethingworthyofroyalty,andshewasplacedonapedestal
andidolisedbythemanyfansshewasassumedtohave.Throughoutthisthickdescription,
sheemergedasanextraordinaryperformer:sheistheonewomanabletochannelAfricain
Hollywood;anidolfawnedoverbyfans,aglamorousstar.
ButtheFebruary1957instalmentalsomentionsherordinarinesspostherfilmexposure,
andweareabletoseethefullordinary-extraordinaryjuxtaposition,whichliesattheheart
ofstardom,atworkhere.Thembaasks,“Whatdidthissuddenup-thrustintoglorydoto
Dolly?Diditfillherheadwithboiledwater,andmakeherstrutlikeapeacock?”Ofcourse
theanswerisno:“Nix!DollycamerightbacktousandremainedtheimpetuousSophiatown
kidshe’dalwaysbeen”.78
OneisremindedhereofMorin’sassertionthat,“Oncethefilmisover,theactorbecomesan
actoragain,thecharacterremainsacharacter,butfromtheirunionisbornacomposite
creaturewhoparticipatesinboth,envelopesthemboth:astar”(Morin,1960:39,original
emphasisretained)onreadinghowtherewasa“newpoiseandgrace”aboutRathebeupon
herreturnfromthesetofJim.AsThembawrites:
[Rathebe]camebacktoshowbusinessanditslesserworldfromtheheightsof
stardom.Butshecamebackastar.Thatmadeadifference.Herstageappearances
76Ibid.77Ibid.78Ibid.
81
werehenceforthheraldedevents.Theydrewtheglamour-stunnedaswellasthe
merelycurious.79
ItisbutonesmallpartoftheextensivecoverageDrumaffordedDolly,butthisparagraph
revealsagreatdealaboutthefigureoftheStarinthemagazineinthe1950s,evenevokinga
senseoftheprecedingformoffame,thatitisanidealwaytoconcludethisdiscussion.
Itisadmittedlysuggestiveandsubliminalandperhapsonlyevidenttothereaderwho
considersthetrajectoryof20th-centurywell-knownnessasawhole,butthereisasenseof
Campbell’smonomyth(Campbell1949)andbyextensiontheEpicHerothatsurfaceshere.
Liketheherowho“venturesforthfromtheworldofcommonday”(Campbell,inDrucker
1994:84–85),Dollyembarkedfroma“lesser”worldandscaledthe“heightsofstardom”.
Thereistheideaofajourney,whichinthemonomythincluded“supernaturalwonder[…]
fabulousforcesandadecisivevictory”(Campbell,inDrucker,1994:84–85).Dolly’sjourney
mightnothavehadanysupernaturalelementsorforces,butthewayinwhichsheis
representedinDrumcertainlyconjuresupasenseofwonderandfabulousness.
Moreover,liketheprotagonistinCampbell’smonomyth,shereturns,andsheischanged,
becausesheisnowaStar.TheEpicHeroreturns“withthepowertobestowboonsonhis
fellowman”(Campbell,inDrucker1994:84–85).Dolly’spersonaljourneyalsobringsher
power,firsttodrawaudiences(“herappearancesarehenceforthheralded”,Thembawrites),
andsecondly,tosharesomeoftheglamoursheacquiredwhileshewasaway,toshowerher
audiencewithabitofherstardust.
Itisimportanttonotethatatthis,themidpointofthe20thcentury,thereisstillanelement
oftheEpicHerothatcontinuestosurfaceinmagazinerepresentationsoffame,albeitfairly
subtlyandsuggestively.Butitisequallyimportanttopointoutthatthesearemerehintsand
referencestoapreviousunderstandingofwell-knownnessconstructedbyearly20th-
centurymagazines.TheremightbeasuggestionoftheepicinthisparagraphonDolly’s
journeytostardom,butheresheisrepresentedfirstandforemostasaStar.Hercredentials
asanentertainerarealludedto,butThembaalsomakesitclearthatshehasdistinguished
herselffromthe“lesserworld”ofshowbusinesstoestablishherself“upthere”.Notethe
ideaofelevation,whichreferstothedefinitionofstarsasheavenlybodies,emerginghere,
atthe“heightsofstardom”.Thembaishinting,inthisparagraph,athowDrumingeneral
representstheStarfigure,anditcorrespondsinbroadtermstomanyoftheattemptsata
79Ibid.
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definitionofstardomIhavecomeacrossintheacademicliterature.Theseseemtosuggest
thatstardompresupposesanelementofentertainment,butbeinganentertainerdoesnot
necessarilymakeyouaStar.Dollyisashowbusinesspersonality,Thembaappearsto
suggest,butsheisalsosomethingmuchmoreelevatedanddesirable:aStar.
Herstardomchangedthings,Thembaseemstosuggestwhenhewrites,“shecamebacka
star.Thatmadeadifference”.Hisexplanationthat,“Herstageappearanceshenceforth
becameheraldedevents”remindsoneofearlyHollywoodfilmhistoryandhowthewhole
markingsystemevolvedfromanalmostchancediscoverybyfilmproductionstudiosthat
‘namebilling’,i.e.announcingthenamesoftheactorsonpromotionalmaterialssuchas
posters,couldbeahighlysuccessfultooltomarketfilmsandthusattractaudiences.Likethe
actorsofearlyHollywood,Dolly’snamealonewilllurethecrowds,willbringthespectators,
Thembaseemstosuggesthere.
OneisalsoremindedoftheevolutionoftheHollywoodmarketingmachineandthe
understandingoftheStaritselfinThemba’shint,inhowherepresentsDolly,ataplay
betweenthepublicandtheprivateaswellasthenotionsoftheordinaryandextraordinary.
Havingseenherplayaself-reflexivecharacteronthebigscreeninJim,theycomebearing
knowledgeofherlarger-than-lifeextraordinarinessandtheheightsthatshescaledto
stardominthehopesofglimpsingsomethingofherprivatelife,andperhapsordinaryside,
duringaliveperformance.
Conclusion
ThembawritesthatDolly’sliveperformancesdrew,amongstotherinterestedspectators,
“theglamour-stunned”.TheelementoflustrethatThembareferstothroughouttheseries
onDollypublishedinDrumisofcourseanothercharacteristicthatemergesstronglyin
academicdiscussionsofstardom.Itcanbearguedthatanelementofglamourseemedtobe
aprerequisiteoftheStarfigurefirstconstructedbytheHollywoodfilmindustry.Thenotion
ofglamouralsoemergedasanimportantcharacteristicinthekindofentertainmentfigure
earlyissuesoftheSouthAfricanmagazineDrumconstructed,whichhasledtothelabelling
theentertainerinthiscategoryastheStar.
GlamourisspecificallyalludedtoasthisanalysisoftheStarfigureconcludesandthenext
looms,sinceithasemergedasakeymarkerinthetrajectoryof20th-centuryfame.Itisa
qualitythatseemstohaveaparticularlycloseassociationwithactorswhowereatthe
heightoftheircareersintheearlydaysoftheHollywoodfilmindustryinthefirsthalfofthe
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20thcentury.Americanscreenactorsbornaroundthefindesièclearemostoftenlinkedto
theterm,whichis,tellingly,alsoveryoftenusedinrelationtothephrase‘oldHollywood’.
‘OldHollywood’mayhavecommercialisedtheideaofglamour,buttheHollywoodfilm
industry’smarketingmodelsooncametobeappliedtoothergenresofentertainmentalso,
withmusiciansandevensportspeoplebeingrepresentedintheseterms,inSouthAfricaand
internationally.Ofthemusicians,jazzandbluesplayersfromtheearly20thcentury
emergedasparticularlysuitabletoaglamorouskindofrepresentationreminiscentof
Hollywood’sportrayalofitsscreenactors.
Ithasbeensuggestedthatthelinkbetweenfilmentertainersandglamour,andits
subsequentinclusionintheHollywoodmarketingmodel,islargelyduetothekindof
aestheticcharacteristicoffilmsproducedduringtheearlydecadesofthe20thcentury,the
productofaspecificapproachtocinematography.“Glamouristheresultofchiaroscuro,the
playoflightonthelandscapeoftheface,theuseofthesurroundingsthroughthe
composition,throughtheshaftofthehairandcreatingmysteriousshadowsintheeyes”,
writesfilmmakerJosefvonSternberg.Movingimages,specificallythosefromearly20th-
centuryfilms(whichweremostlyblackandwhite),hadtheabilitytoglamorise,andso,
arguably,didstillphotographsusedbythemagazines.
Stillphotographsarecertainlyusedtogreatglamorisingeffectin1950sDrum.Likethefilms
oftheglamorous‘oldHollywood’era,1950sDrumphotographsarealsomostlyblackand
white.Onecouldperhapsarguethattheblackandwhiteprintingprocess,probably
preferredasthemostcommerciallyviableatthetime,ispartlywhatallowedforastrong
elementofglamourand,subsequently,theStarfiguretoemergein1950sDrum.
Putdifferently,itcouldbesaidthat,inaway,thedominantcommercialprinttechnology
influencedthekindoffigurethatemergedfromthemagazinecoverage.Duringatimein
whichmagazinesandtheirphotographsweremostlyblackandwhite,itseemsthisfigure
hadastrongelementofglamour.
However,asthecenturyprogressed,theprintingprocessevolvedandblack-and-white
photographywasgraduallyreplacedbyfull-colourrepresentationinmagazines.Littleby
littletheglamouralsoseemedtowane.Thefadingofglamourissignificantbecauseitcould
bereadassymbolicofbiggerunderlyingshiftsinthekindoffigurethatemergedas
dominantinmagazinecoveragetowardstheendofthe20thcentury.
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Themagazinessteadilyshiftedtheirgazefromglamour,success,wealthandotherappealing
elementsthatweretypicalofStarcoveragetotheexposureoflessappealingandmore
gritty,somewouldevenarguesomethingmorereal,moreauthentic,elements.
Alltheelementsassociatedwithglamour,includingbeauty,fashionandallure,charismaor
charm,haveasenseofthe‘external’aboutthem,revealingmoreabouttheappearance
thanthefeelingsoremotionsoftheentertainer.Consequently,asglamourfadedsomewhat
frommagazinecoverage,so,gradually,didanexclusivefocusonoutwardappearance.Inits
place,itcouldbeargued,therewasagrowingexposureofnotonlytheprivatelifebutalso
theinneroremotionallifeofthefamouspersonality.
Giventheseshifts,thedominantfigurethatcouldbetracedinmagazinecoverageofthe
secondhalfofthecenturyinchedawayslightlyfromtheStarfigurethatwasexploredhere
andcametorepresentaradicaldeparturefromtheEpicHerothatdominatedmagazines
duringthefirstfewdecadesofthecentury.Althoughtheseshiftshappenedgraduallyover
time,theywereprominentenoughtomeritanothercategoryoffame,whichismarkedwith
anexistingandwidelyusedterm,Celebrity.
Theseareglobalshiftsinmagazinepublishing,andwesawthemhappeninglocallyinDrum
magazine.Asthe1980sapproached,otherqualitiesstartedappearinginthemagazine’s
coverageofentertainers,andaslightlyalteredversionoftheStarmaterialisedinless
sanitised,moreedgyandflaw-focusedcontentthatforeshadowedtheunapologetically
scandal-dominatedsuccessiveformoffamethatbecamepervasiveinveryearly21st-
centurycoverage.Thisfigure,theEmergingCelebrity,couldcertainlybeidentifiedinDrum,
aswellasinotherlocalmagazineswithsubstantialentertainmentcontent,including
weekliessuchasHuisgenootandPersonality.YetitwasintheSouthAfricanbi-monthly
Peoplemagazinethatthisunderstandingwasarguablymostvisibleandbestexploredinthe
SouthAfricancontext.FromStarstoPeople,thisshift,withitshintofdescent,followsinthe
nextchapter.
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Chapter3:EmergingCelebrity:Star,Celebrityandthespacebetween:PeopleSAinthelate1980sTheideaofadescentisafittingonetodescribethetransitionfromthepreviousformof
fametothenext.Thekindoffigurethatdominatedweeklymagazinecoverageinthemid-
20thcenturywasasparkly,glitteringandglamorousentertainerwhoenchantedonscreen
orstageandbeyond,andevenintotheprivaterealm:theStar,withallitsassociationsof
brightlightandelevation.
Butfromthoseheights,thedominantfigureoftheStarslowlystartsdescending,inthisnext
incarnationoffame,andthisdescentisunpackedhereinthelocaleditionofPeople
magazine.Fromtheheavenstotheearth,fromStarstoPeople,descentdistinguishesthis
famousfigure.
Innamingthenextcategoryoffame,considerationwasgiventotheapparentlygrowing
preference,towardstheendofthe20thcentury,fortheterm‘celebritymagazines’to
describethegossiptitlesthathavebeenidentifiedassuccessorsofthefilm-fanmagazines
oftheearlyhalfofthecentury,bySternheimer(2011)amongothers.Considerationwasalso
giventowhatappearedtobethenaturaliseduseinthemediaoftheterm‘celebrity’,which
wasoftenusedinterchangeablywith‘star’.Todistinguishthenewfigurefromits
predecessorinthe20th-centurytrajectory,Iusethewell-knowntermCelebrity.
ThedescentthatisencompassedbytheCelebrityfigure,inaway,defiesaprecise
definition,asitappearstoinvolveawholespectrumofbothbehaviourandthought.
Broadly,though,itconcernsafocusontheideaofimperfection,whetherintermsof
physicalflaw,emotionalshortcomings,errorsofjudgmentorgeneralmisbehaviour.
Themagazinecoveragespecificallyexploresthisnotionofimperfectionintheprivatelifeof
thewell-knownfigure.Thisnew,dedicatedfocusrepresentsafurtherdismantlingofthe
boundarybetweenthepublicandtheprivate.Thisisageneralentertainment-news
magazinetrendofthelater20thcentury,bothlocallyandinternationally,andpartofa
continuouseffortonthepartoftheentertainmentmediatomeettheperceivedaudience
demandforaglimpseoftherealorauthenticentertainmentpersonality,asGamson(2001)
andspecificallyalsoKarenSternheimer(2011)contend.“Beingauthentic[…]or‘real’isa
dominantrhetoricaldeviceoffame”,SeanRedmond(2006:28)argues.Butitisafurther
dismantling,sinceitisacontinuationofaprocessalreadyinitiatedbytheso-calledfilm-fan
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magazines,orfanzines,thatwerefirstproducedbytheHollywoodfilmindustrytomarket
theirscreenactorsintheearlyhalfofthe20thcenturyandthatarguablyshapedtheform
coverageofentertainmentpersonalitiesassumedinahostofothermagazinesandmedia
aroundtheworldthroughoutthecentury.
TheCelebrity,thefigurethatfirstemergesinlate20th-centurymagazinecoverage,isbuilt
ontheHollywoodfilm-studioStarblueprintyetsimultaneouslybreaksawayfromitinthatit
beginstohintatanelementofimperfection,ofdeviationfromthenorm,andinthe‘wrong’
direction,whichissomethingthatwascarefullyeschewedbefore,inanattempttomaintain
theappearanceofthemodelprivatelife.BoththeStaranditspredecessorinthetrajectory
beingtracedhere,theEpicHero,arefoundedonnotionsofthemodelandthe‘perfect’.
Evenaninklingofimperfectionorflawwould,ofcoursedetractfromwhattheEpicHero
figurerepresented,namelyinspirationforothers,throughhisbehaviourinthepublicarena
ofwar,politics,intellectualandreligiouslife,tolivebetterlivesandworktowardsthe
commongood.Hencetheabsence,inmagazinerepresentationthatsurfacedtheEpicHero
intheearly20thcentury,ofanyreferencetobehaviouroractionsthatcouldbeconstrued
asfaultyorwrong.
ThesenseofexemplarinessthatsurfacedtheEpicHerocontinued,inasense,inthefanzines
andthewaytheStarwasgenerallyrepresented.Despitethedistinctdifferencesbetween
thesetwofigures,theyshareasenseof‘model-ness’.TheEpicHerowasamodelcitizenand
displayedexemplarybehaviour,whereastheStarwasrepresentedintermsof‘perfect’
physicalfeaturesandproportions;theirmodelbodies,inotherwords.Inaddition,theywere
alsocastintheirfilmsasprototypes,primeexamplesofsocialtypes.Itisalsoquitetellingto
seehowDyer’s(1979:53–68)categorisationofthesesocialtypesseemstobedevoidofall
transgression;typicalcharactersDyerincludesarethe“toughguy”,the“pin-upgirl”and,
significantly,eventhe“goodJoe”.Inaddition,earlyHollywoodplotlinesdidnotgivetheir
typecastcharactersmuchroomtomisbehave,becausetheiron-screencharacterswere“by
andlargekeptawayfromthewrongdoingintheaction(exceptforthosedeliberately
invented[…]asgangsters”,asInglis(2010:187)remindsus.
Consequently,theexposedfilm-studio-choreographed‘private’livesoftheactorsofearly
20th-centuryHollywoodcinemaalsoseemedtobelargelydevoidofimperfection,asgreat
carewastakentoensurecoherencebetweentheprivateandpublicimage,asDeCordova
(1991),amongstothers,argues.Likethoseoftheiron-screencharacters,thesefilmactors’
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private,off-screenpersonaswerealsolargelyfictional,despitebeingmarketedasaglimpse
oftherealperson.
Itissignificant,particularlyinthisconsiderationofthedeliberateexposureofimperfection
andmisbehaviour,thatthemainformthatseemstoinspirethefictitiousprivatelifeofthe
earlyHollywoodactorisnoneotherthanthefairytale,withitsassociationsbothofunusual
happinessandofone-dimensionalprotagonistswho,importantly,donotdeviatefrom
societalnormsandexpectations.
Butthenthefairytaleends,andtheimageoftheHollywoodactorofearlieryearsgradually
makeswayforadifferentkindoffigure,onethatemerged,inessence,inmagazine
coveragethatdeliberatelyrevealedsupposedimperfections,misjudgements,shortcomings,
andfallibilities,againintheongoingattempttodepicttherealorauthenticself.Itisofthe
essencetonoteherethatthefocusofthecoveragemighthavebeenonthese‘negative’
elements,yettheselectionofpersonalitieswasstillbasedonessentiallythesame‘positive’
qualitiesaswiththefigurecalledtheStarinthiscategorisation,includingbutnotlimitedto
success,glamourandallure.
Thecoveragespecificallyidentifiedthesefailuresandshortcomingsastakingplaceinthe
privatelivesoftheentertainmentpersonalities.Ifinthelatterhalfofthe20thcentury,the
majorityofthepersonalitiescoveredinthemagazineswerestillactorsknownfortheir
publicperformancesinfilms,theHollywoodfanzineformulawasgraduallyappliedtoother
entertainersaswell,notably,atthispoint,asmallselectionofthosewhoweremainly
knownforthepartstheyplayedontelevision.
Generally,althoughfilmactorswouldalwaysoutnumbertelevisionpersonalitiesin
magazines,thegrowingcoverageofthelatterintheHollywoodfanzineformulapreviously
reservedfortheformermighthavecontributedtothechangesinrepresentationwesee
towardstheendofthecentury.Specifically,thetelevisionpersonality’spresencein
magazinecoveragesomewhatdiminishedthesenseofglamour(andtherebythe
extraordinary)suggestedbyfilmandstageperformersandtosomeextenteven
sportspeople.Sincetheglamorousextraordinarinesstypicallyassociatedwithscreenand
stageperformerswaslargelyabsentintelevisionpersonalities,itcouldbearguedthatthey
wereinessencetheopposite,namelyordinary.Theideaofdescentpermeatesthe
trajectoryoffamebeingtraced,anditishardnottobecompelledbyhowitseemsto
extendtothephysicalheightofthescreensthroughwhichweengagewiththese
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performersintheirpublicperformance;weliterallylookuptothemincinemasoronstages,
yetthemediumthatistelevisionbringsthemdowntoeyelevel.
ItisthisideaofbeinglevelwiththeviewerthatEllis(1982)seemstobereferringtowhenhe
arguesthattelevisionpresentsnoplaybetweentheordinarinessandtheextraordinariness
ofitsperformers,whichmeanstheprivatelivesoftelevisionactorscannotbepresentedas
“anythingparticularlyglamorous”(Ellis,1982:105).Thus,whentelevisionperformers
enteredthegeneralgroupofpersonalitieswhowarrantedrepresentationinmagazines,
therewasarguablya‘de-glamorising’effect.“[W]hilefilmstarswerearguablyglamorous
anddistant,television’scelebritieswereseentobemoreintimateandordinary”,Rixon
(2011:44)writes.This‘deglamorisation’andheightenedsenseoftheordinaryseemingly
broughtaboutbytheinclusionofthetelevisionpersonalityinmagazinecoveragegenerally
seemstocomplementtheincreasingfocusonimperfectionandmisbehaviourintheprivate
livesofthesepersonalities.
Inaddition,critically,thereseemstobeagrowingfocusontheprivateinner,emotionalor
psychologicallifeoftheentertainmentpersonalityandtheirsupposeddoubts,misgivings
anderrantthoughts.Inotherwords,thereisasense,inthecoverageofthelate20th-
centuryfamousfigure,offailureandimperfectionnotonlyintheirprivatebehaviour,but
alsointermsoftheirprivatethoughts.
Atfirst,theideaoftheimperfectisconveyedmainlythroughtextualdevices,including
gossipandrumour.Thesedeviceswere,ofcourse,alsousedintherepresentationofthe
Starandhaveevenbecomesynonymouswithmediacoverageofentertainment
personalities,especiallytheweeklymagazines,whichareoftencolloquiallyreferredtoas
‘gossipmagazines’.Yetgossipandrumour,whichcouldbesaidtohavebeenmorebenignin
thetimeoftheStar,tookadefiniteturntowardsthescurrilousandscandalousincoverage
surfacingtheimperfect.
ComparedtotypicalcoverageoftheStar,magazinerepresentationoftheCelebrityemploys
anadditionaltextualdevicetogossipandrumour:confession.Itisakeycharacteristicthat
helpstodistinguishbetweenthecategoriesofStarandCelebrity.Itisalsoaninterestingone
toconsider,asitseemstoreflecttheshifttowardstheinclusionofelementsoftheinner,
emotionalorpsychologicallifeofthefamousfigure.Whereasgossipandrumourhavea
strongqualityof‘thirdperson’aboutthem,theCelebrityconfessionisexclusively‘first
person’.Thenotionofconfessionisassociatedwithinnerorpsychologicallifeand,
importantly,alsoaconflictedortroubledemotionallife,andtheideaofmisbehaviour.In
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fact,asbothKing(2008)andRedmond(2008)remindusinaspecialeditionofthejournal
SocialSemioticsdevotedtoconfessioninthefameindustry,confessionhasastrong
connectiontoreligionandsin,thatmostextremeformofmisbehaviour.
Whatcanbeseeninlate20th-centurySouthAfricanweeklymagazinecoverage,however,
arethefirsttentativeindicationsoftheconfessiontrend,whichwouldcometoencompass
allmediaengagingwithshowbusiness,includingtelevisionandeventuallythenewmedia.
Theseearlyconfessionsincludeone-on-oneinterviewsandotherfirst-personaccounts,
whichcouldratherbedescribedasselectdisclosureandrevelationsofinnerfeelingsmore
thanmisbehaviour.
Importantly,atthisstage,allthedevicesemployedbythemagazinesasevidenceof
imperfection,includingrumour,gossipandtheearlyformsofconfession,aretextual.This
despitethefactthat,comparedtotypicalcoverageofearlierinthecentury,weseethepage
spaceandwordcountdevotedtoeachindividualpersonalityshrinking.Tabloiddevices
(suchasateartoillustratetheendofarelationship)mightbeusedforvisualillustration,but
forthemostpart,theevidenceisinthecopy,notintheaccompanyingphotographs.Thisis
acrucialshift,asgoingforwardinthetrajectory,magazineswillusetextualandvisual
devicesinequalmeasureinthecoverage,whichimpliesthatwordcountsandtextual
coveragecontinuestodwindleasthecenturyprogresses,inordertoallowspaceforvisual
representation.Thereisagrowingsense,aswemoveintothe21stcentury,ofthe
magazinesnotonlycoveringorreportingonbutactuallyexposingimperfection,usingboth
textualandvisualdevicestopresenttheirevidence,specificallypaparazziphotography.This
isoneofthereasonsfortheidentificationoftwosuccessivefiguresundertheheading
‘Celebrity’aroundtheturnofthe20thcentury.
Thenotionofimperfection,whichnowstartsbecomingadistinguishingcharacteristic,
bringsaboutmoreshiftsintheinterplaybetweentheordinaryandextraordinarythat
informedthewayfamehasbeenrepresentedinmagazinesoverthe20thcentury.Put
differently,dependingonthemomentinthetrajectory,piecesofevidencearealternately
usedtoemphasiseordinarinessorextraordinariness.WiththeEpicHerofigureoftheearly
decades,the“extraordinarytalents”(Howells2011:114)displayedinpublicdominated
coverage,almostentirelyeclipsingtheordinaryinthewayfameisrepresented.The
literatureonstardom,andthepioneeringworkdonebyDyer(1979),officiallygavethe
exchangeofthetwoelementsaname,the‘ordinary–extraordinaryparadox’,andidentified
itasanessentialtenetunderlyingthatunderstandingoffame.WheretheStarisconcerned,
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thisparadoxhasbeenreadalternatelyasindicativeoftheplaybetweenthequotidianand
thedistinctive,asHolmes(2005)pointsout,ortoshowupthecontradictionsbetweenthe
Star’sprivateandpubliclife,anobservationmadebyEllis(1992),andPhilipDrakeandAndy
Miah(2010),amongstothers.Theparadoxhasalsobeenapplied,asRixon(2011)notes,to
theplaybetweentheintimacyanddistancethattheStarisseentoembody.
Theintroductionofanelementofimperfectionintothedefinitionofwell-knownnessagain
changedthewaythisjuxtapositioncouldbeinterpreted.Inthelate20th-centuryfigure,
textualevidenceofimperfection,shortcomingandsupposedflawseemstobeemphasised
mostofteninordertomarkordinarinessinakindof‘theymakemistakes,justlikeus’
narrative.Byextension,the‘theyarepeople,justlikeus’statementisaneasyonetomake,
whichofcoursemakesamagazinetitledPeopleaseeminglyaptchoiceforthisinvestigation.
‘Ordinarybecauseflawed’,whichseemstobeadominantthemeintheformofwell-
knownnessunpackedhere,canagainbecontrastedwithwhatistocome,whena
connectionbetweenextraordinarinessand,particularly,misbehaviourbecomesnoticeable.
Thisisanotherdistinctionthatmotivatedfortwoseparatefiguresaroundtheturnofthe
20thcentury.
Followingtwoprevioussuccessiveformsoffamethatseemtoavoidanymentionof
imperfectionand/ormisbehaviour,theEpicHeroandtheStar,comesthisnewdominant
figure,whichappearstodeliberatelysurfaceofasenseofflaw.Theterm‘dominant’is
importanthere,asthisprojectisspecificallyfocusedonthemainordominantfigures
emerginginpopularweeklymagazinecoverage.Althoughthenotionofflawadmittedly
startedsurfacinginpopularmagazinesbeforethelate20thcentury,mostnotablyinearly
copiesofConfidential,foundedinthe1950s,asVictorDavis(2002)andHolmes(2005)
correctlypointout,itisonlylaterthatmisbehaviourandimperfectionbecomedominant
themesincoverageofentertainmentpersonalities.Itgainsdominancearguablybecauseit
alsobecomessanctionedbythestarsthemselvesonlylaterinthecentury;thisisevidentin
thefactthattheentertainment-personalitymisbehaviouronlyheadlinedinConfidentialfor
fiveyearsbeforetheso-calledcourt‘Trialofthe100Stars’forcedthemagazinetochange
editorialcourseandfocusonpositiveratherthanexposé-drivenshowbusinessstories.
Tolookahead,apointingoutofflawcontinuedtobeaprominentelementofmagazine
coveragegoingintothe21stcentury.Itarguablybecomesmorepronouncedinvarious
ways,anditalsooftenmoredeplored.Itisthisoften-bewailedidentificationofimperfection
andflawthatissounmistakableinthefirst21st-centuryincarnationofwell-knownnessthat
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originallyinspiredthisresearchproject.Whileitwasinitiallyprojectedthattherewouldonly
bethreecategoriesoffameinthetrajectory,withthecorrespondingfiguresbeingtheEpic
Hero,theStarandtheCelebrity,afourthoneseemedtoemergefromthearchivalevidence
consulted.
ThereisanintermediateortransitionalformoffamelocatedbetweentheStarandthe
Celebrityofthefirstdecadeofthe21stcentury.Itisintermediatepreciselybecauseitwas
ontheonehandbuiltupontheHollywoodblueprintyet,ontheother,undoubtedly
preparedfortheformoffamewithitspreferenceforflawthateventuallydominatedearly
21st-centurymagazinecoverage.
Beforethismoreradicalkindoffame,whichwillbeunpackedindetailinthefollowing
chapter,cameitsmorerudimentaryandperhapsseeminglylesscoherentpredecessor,andI
foundthebestlocalexampleofthisformoffameintheSouthAfricanPeoplemagazine.As
theargumentisthatthereisaforeshadowingofthe21st-centurytrendinthelate20th
century,thefinalcategoryoffamehasbeensplitintwo.Thusthetwofiguresthatemerged
incoveragearoundtheendofthe20thcenturywerenamedEmergingCelebrityand
CelebrityProper.
AsitisbasedontheconceptoftheStar,yetisanearlyincarnationofamoreextremeand
radicalunderstandingoffamethatcomestocharacterisetheearlyyearsofthe21stcentury,
theEmergingCelebrityisbestexploredinrelationtoitspredecessorandsuccessor.Using
someexamplesfromearlyissuesofPeopleSA,thenextpartofthischapterwillbriefly
comparethethreeconsecutivecategoriesandemphasisehowthisprecursortothemore
radicalCelebrityProperdistinguishesitselffromthelatter,aswellasfromtheStar.
Thepossiblelate20th-centurymediaandsocio-culturalelementsthatmighthave
influencedtheappearanceofthisparticularfigureatthispointwillalsobehighlighted.Yet
thelinkbetweentherepresentationoffameinmagazinecoverageandthereigningsocial
andculturalfactors,especiallyonthelocallandscape,becomesmorecomplextodefine,at
leastcomparedtodiscussionsoftheStarandtheEpicHerointheprecedingtwochapters.
PioneersfromtheGreatTrekandmilitaryheroesfromtheSouthAfricanwarsoftheturnof
the19thcenturyheldobviouscachetforthefledglingAfrikanernationtargetedasthemain
readershipofthenewearly20th-centurymagazineHuisgenoot.AsSparks(1990:277)
explains,fortheAfrikaners,“Justastheheroicpastbecamesanctified,sodidtheheroes
becomedeified”.Similarly,theStarheldparticularappealfortheurbanisingblackreadersof
Drummagazineinthemiddleofthecentury.Nixon(1994:31)explainshow,“Hollywood
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offeredamixtureoftransportandrecognition;areprievefromapartheid’ssuffocating
prohibitions”.Inaddition,Hollywoodofferedaroughblueprintforthepublicisationof
privatelivesofentertainersthatcouldapparentlybesuccessfullyappliedtolocalblack
musicians,actorsandsportsstarsinDrum.
However,thefactorsthatmayhaveinfluencedtheemergenceoftheEmergingCelebrity
towardstheturnofthecenturyinthelocaleditionofPeople,withitsapparentlylargely
whitereadership,arechallengingtoidentify.Therewasgrowingexposuretoglobalmedia
andspecificallymagazineinfluencesintermsofproductsandmeansofproduction,
specificallytothosefromtheUnitedStates.Nixon(1994:160)notesan“accelerated
AmericanizationofSouthAfricanculture[…]sincethemid-1970s”andattributesitmainlyto
SouthAfricabeingisolatedfromculturalmaterialfromBritainthankstoaboycott
contributingtowardstheglobalcampaigntoendapartheid.Subsequently,alocalversionof
theUSmagazinebrandPeoplewaslaunchedinthe1980s.Atthispoint,theAmerican
influencethathadundoubtedlyplayedapartintheemergenceoftheStarinDruminthe
1950sandalsotheEpicHeroinearlyHuisgenootbecameexclusiveandconcentrated.
ComparedtoitsUSnamesake,PeopleSAseemedtoveermoretowardssensationaltabloid-
likecontentfocusedonentertainmentpersonalitiesbehaving‘badly’.Butcomparedtoits
moreradical21st-centuryincarnation,themisbehaviouroftheEmergingCelebrityof1980s
Peopleisstillfairlytameandmodest.ThepreparatorynatureoftheEmergingCelebritycan
partiallybeattributedtothepositionofmagazinesvis-à-visthelocalcensorshiplawsatthis
point.Jan-AdStemmet(2005:206)arguesthatinthe“dramaticmid-1980s”,thelocal
apartheidgovernment’s“censorshipofnon-politicalmaterialgraduallybecamesomewhat
morerelaxed,albeitinaverysubtleway”.SofromaroundthetimePeoplelaunchedinSA,
thereappearedtobemorefreedomtopublishmaterialthatmighthavebeendeemedtoo
controversialandevenbannedafewyearsbefore;Stemmet(2005),forinstance,recallsthe
banningofissuesoflocalwomen’smagazinesSarie,FairLadyandCosmopolitanintheearly
1980sduetocontentthatwasdeemedtoosexuallyexplicit.Peoplewascertainlyrelatively
accustomedtocontroversial,even‘risqué’andsubversivematerial,asitbelongedtothe
sameparentcompany(RepublicanPress,laterPerskor)aslocalweeklymen’sinterest
magazineScope,andtherewasevensomeoverlapintermsofstaffmembers.Yettherewas
presumablyanexpectationforPeopletokeepitsmaterial,andcoverageofentertainment-
personalitymisbehaviour,withincertainacceptablelimits,sinceitwasafamilymagazine;
moreoverasFroneman(2011:50)remindsus,itwaspublishedbyPerskor,“acompanythat
93
hadNationalPartycabinetministersasdirectorsandsidedwiththemoreconservative
elementsingovernment”.
Againsttheconservativesocio-politicalclimateof1980sSouthAfrica,itisperhapsnot
surprisingthatcoveragerevealingthemisbehaviourandflawsofwhitepeople,suchasthat
appearinginPeopleSA,wouldintentionallyavoid‘incrimination’oflocalpersonalitiesand
thusfocusoninternationalentertainersinstead.Thefirsthalfofthecenturysawplentyof
localpersonalitiesemerginginmagazinecoverage,firstasEpicHeroandthenasStarfigures.
Bycontrast,duringthesecondhalfofthecentury,thefocusshiftedfromlocaltoglobal,and
magazinecoveragewasmoreoftenofinternationalthanSouthAfricanpersonalities.
Sinceitsestablishment,thefocusinPeoplewasdecidedlynon-politicalinnature;the
individualpeopleitcoveredwerealmostallentertainers,andnospacewasaffordedto
contemporarypoliticians.Thisisparticularlyinterestingtoconsiderinthelightofthefact
thatgreatchangeswereafootinSouthAfricainthelate1980s,asthecountryfacedits
importanttransitiontodemocracy.Thenotionofthe‘politicalcelebrity’wasalready
established.Bythetimehewasinaugurated,NelsonMandela,thefirstdemocratically
electedpresidentofSouthAfrica,wasalreadyinternationallyacclaimed.Hewasaglobal
iconandthefaceofSouthAfrica’sgroundbreakingtransitiontodemocracyandwasoften
seeninthecompanyofacoterieofentertainersincludingNaomiCampbell,Bonoand
others.MandelaandF.W.deKlerk,themanwhoprecededhimasstatepresident,jointly
wontheNobelPeacePrizein1993.
Inotherwords,therewasundoubtedlythepossibilityforPeopleSAtoparticipateinwhat
Driessens(2012:643)calls“celebrification”,atermhereservesfor“theprocessbywhich
[…]publicfiguresaretransformedintocelebrities”,ofsomeoftheprominentpoliticiansof
1990sSouthAfrica.Yetthelocalweeklydidnothaveanycoverageofpoliticianswhatsoever
duringthistime,notevenatkeymomentssuchaswhenMandelawasreleasedin
November1990,afterspending27yearsinprison.Thesameappliesduringthefirst
democraticelectionsinApril1994andthemonththatfollowed,whenMandelawas
inaugurated.
Giventhealmost‘golden’opportunityithadtocelebrateaprominentforceinthetransition
likeDeKlerkoraglobaliconlikeMandela,People’somissionofpoliticalcontentanddearth
ofcoverageofpoliticiansinPeopleSAduringthedawnoftheNewSouthAfricais
extraordinary.However,thislackofinterestinpoliticianscontinuestocharacteriseweekly
entertainmentmagazinesinSouthAfricaandglobally.Theabsenceofcoverageofpoliticians
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inthelate1980sandearly1990sinPeopleSAcouldpartlybeattributedtothefactthat
thesepersonalitiesdidnotquitefitwiththemagazine’seditorialfocusatthetime,andthe
politiciansoftheNewSouthAfricawouldhavebeenmoresuitedtoHerothanCelebrity
coverage.Also,itmighthavebeentheeveofthedawnofdemocracy,yetSouthAfrican
societystillremaineddividedalongraciallines,withthemajorityofthewhitepopulation
quiteconservative.ThissuggestsPeopleSAprobablyanticipatedthatgivingprominenceto
blackpeopleinitscoveragecouldalienateitsoverwhelminglywhiteandmostlikely
conservativereadership.
TheconservatismoftheSAgovernmentatthetimePeopleSAlaunchedinthelate1980sis
importanttoconsiderforotherreasons,notablytheintroductionoftelevision,andthe
impactthathasonthewaythemagazinerepresentedfame.Foryears,theapartheid
governmentprotected(especiallywhite)SouthAfricans“againstwhatwereseenasthe
behavioursrepresentingthedisintegrativeeffectsofmodernity”,JonathanHyslop(2000)
argues.Thiscampaignincludedanumberofmeasuresaimedatcontrollingthedailylifeof
SouthAfricans,includingintensified“censorship[…]ontheculturalandpoliticalfront”,the
banningofcertainkindsofmusicfromstateradio,“draconianmeasuresagainstdrug
abuse”,a“legalclampdownonhomosexuality”and,crucially,arefusaltointroduce
television(Hyslop2000:38).Consequently,despitetelevisionbeingintroducedtocountries
suchastheUnitedStatesandBritainasearlyasthe1930s,itwasonlyintroducedona
commercialscaleinSouthAfricain1976.
TelevisionwasmuchmalignedbytheSouthAfricangovernment(Nixon,1993;Hyslop,
2000),80andforthesamereasonHollywoodstarswereoftencriticised:forbeing
instrumentalinmoraldecay.81TheUnitedStates,homeoftheHollywoodfilmindustry,and
exclusivesupplieroftelevisionprogrammingbroadcastedinSouthAfricaatthetimePeople
80TelevisionwasextensivelyvilifiedbymembersoftheSouthAfricanNationalPartyindefenceofthegovernmentbanofthemediumupuntil1976(Nixon1993),asitwasfearedthatforeignprogrammingwouldexposeSouthAfricanviewersto“unwantedliberalinfluences”(Hyslop2000).DrAlbertHertzog,MinisterofPostandTelecommunicationsatthetimeoftheban,forinstance,calledthemedium“spiritualdagga”,a“schoolforcrime”,“thatevilblackbox:sickly,mawkish,sentimentalistic,andleadingtodangerousliberalistictendencies”.Hertzogisalsosaidtohavewarnedthat“insidethepill[oftelevision]thereisthebitterpoisonwhichwillultimatelymeanthedownfallofcivilizations”(asquotedinNixon1993).81Theintroductiontoa2002surveyofglobaltelevisioninTheEconomist(2002)notesthat:“Televisioncontinuestoenjoyarobustholdonthepopularimagination.Therearefewsocialphenomena,perniciousorbenign,forwhichtelevisionisnotbeingheldresponsiblebysomeoneorother:thestiflingofchildren’simagination,theincreaseinobesity,thedeclineofthefamilymeal,theerosionofmorality,thevulgarisationoftaste,theworshipofcelebrity,thepromotionofviolence,theunderminingofauthority,themaintenanceofAmericanculturalhegemony—andthespreadofdemocracy”.
95
SAwaslaunched,wascastasthe“dominantsourceofculturalimperialism”(Nixon1993:
121).Thus,itistobeimaginedthattheremightbeanexpectationthattheentertainers
associatedwiththismediumwouldsomehowberepresentativesofthe‘moraldecay’that
televisionwassupposedtosymbolise.Detailsoftheirless-than-perfectprivatelives,as
documentedinSouthAfricabymagazinessuchasPeople,couldthusbeviewedasfurther
‘evidence’oftherotspreadbythemediumoftelevision.
3.1EmergingCelebrityunpacked
Malignedornot,televisioncertainlyloomedlargeonthecoveroftheveryfirstissueof
PeopleSA,whichisdated27May1987,andcouldbereadasanindicationtothereadership
thatpersonalitiesfromthe‘smallscreen’wouldbeincludedinthemagazine’seditorialmix.
Supportedbyadramaticred,whiteandblackcolourpalette,sensationalcoverlines
‘scream’,mostlyinallcapitalletters:“BARNARDBOMBSHELL:CHRIS,62,SETTOWED
KAREN,22”,“BizarresecretsofCharles’andDi’smarriage”,“NEWPROOFUFO’S[sic]ARE
REAL”,“IWASEATENALIVEANDSURVIVED”,“Beerandwinearegoodforyou”,“NEWHOPE
FORHEADACHESUFFERERS”,“MrTturnslawyer”,“Higginsfallsfor‘MurderSheWrote’
sleuth”.
Themain(full-colour)imageisofasmilingChrisandKarin,andinsetsecondaryimagesare
full-colourportraitsofthemanwhoclaimedtohavebeeneatenaliveandofJohnHillerman
(whoplayedHigginsinTVseriesMagnum,P.I.).Thereareeightcoverlines,plusapromotion
ofacompetitionto“WINAWEEKATTHEWILDCOASTSUN”andthreephotographs–allin
starkcontrasttothecoversoftheearlyandmid-20th-centurymagazinesanalysedinthe
previoustwochapters.The1950sDrumandearly20thcenturyHuisgenootcoversgenerally
hadonlyoneimage,andcoverlinesweresparse.EventhoughPeopleSAisnotexclusivelya
showbusiness-personalitymagazine,atleastfourofthecoverlinesrefertofamouspeople,
orcharactersfromtelevisionseries.Lesspagespaceandfewerwordsdevotedtoeach
personalityorcouple,agrowingtrendinshowbusinessjournalismasthe20thcentury
progressed,meanttheopportunitytoincludemoreofthesepersonalitiesinanyoneissueat
atime.
Italsomeantlesspagespacewasdevotedtoeachpersonalityinsidethemagazine,
comparedtomagazinecoverageearlierinthecentury.Comprisingatemporal‘hook’,People
SA’scoverstoriesweregenerallyallottedamaximumofonepageinsidethemagazine,
whilefeatures,whichwerenottime-bound,sometimesspannedmorepages.This
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diminishingpagecountallocatedtoeachpersonality’sstoryisanindicationofhowthe
approachtocoveragehadchangedovertime.Whereearlyandmid-20th-centurymagazines
tendedtocoverlifestoriesinlengthyfeaturesspanningmultiplepages,thetrendinthelast
decadesofthecenturyseemedtobetoallocatefewerpagesand,crucially,movetowards
coveringcover‘storyarcs’withinthelifestory.Thesestoryarcsareshort(spanningafew
weeksatmost),episodicandrefertotime-bound,‘newsy’events,orthosecurrentlytaking
placeinapersonality’slife.
Thisiscrucial,asthistrendtowardscoverageofstoryarcswouldcontinueintothenew
millennium.PeopleSAinthe1980sstillincluded‘lifestory’coverageofentertainersinits
editorialmix,buttheselifestorieswereaffordedfewerpagesandwerealsocombinedwith
coverageofstoryarcs,aboutentertainmentpersonalities’privatelives.Themagazine’sbi-
weeklypublicationfrequencyenabledthepublicationoftime-boundnews.People’s
approachisinstarkcontrasttothatof1950sDrum,whichsometimesdevotedmultiple
pagesatatimetothevariousaspectsofthelifestoryofasingleentertaineroverseveral
monthlyissues,aswesawwiththeserialisedDollyRathebecoverage.Thenewselement
wasalsoentirelymissingfromearly20th-centuryHuisgenoothagiographies,whichwerethe
resultoflargelyposthumouscoverageandthemagazine’sdedicatedfocusatthetimeon
theepic,whichnecessarilyimpliedtheelementofalifestoryoralongjourney.
ThePeopleSAcoverstyleundoubtedlyannouncedthisnewpublicationontheSouthAfrican
marketaspartofthetraditionof‘tabloidjournalism’.Thisinfluenceissignificant,asithelps
toexplainthemove,atthispoint,towardscontentpointingoutimperfectionandportraying
behaviourasflawed.JohnMerrill(2005)notesthattheterm‘tabloid’originallyexclusively
referredtotheformat.Tabloidsareroughlyhalfthesizeoftheirbigger‘broadsheet’
newspapercounterparts,whichmakestheformereasiertoreadonpublictransport.Butthe
ideaoftabloidjournalismhasalsocometopresupposeaspecifickindofcontent,focusedon
“sensational,splashyentertainmentjournalism.Bigheadlines,gaudyandoftenlurid
pictures.Aminimumoftextandamaximumofphotographs.Andcolour.Andbizarre
stories,sexywomen,andscandalandgossip”(Merrill,2005:264,emphasisadded).The
“luridpictures”and“minimumoftextandmaximumofphotographs”(Ibid.)wouldonly
reallybecomeentrenchedintheSouthAfricanmedialandscapeinthe21stcentury,when
thefirstofficiallocaltabloidnewspaperwaslaunchedhere,asHermanWasserman(2006)
notes,butPeopleundoubtedlypavedthewaybyfeaturingtherestofthecharacteristic
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tabloidelements:thebigheadlines,thegaudiness,thecolour,thebizarrestoriesand,most
importantlyhere,thefocusonscandal.
JosteinGrisprud(inStrelitz2006,nopagenumber)pointsoutthatbesidessensationalism,
thetabloidindustryalsohasaproclivityfor“personalisation,andthefocusonprivate
concerns”.This“focusonprivateconcerns”(GrisprudinStrelitz,2006,nopagenumber)is
evidentinthecoverlinepromotingthearticleonlocalcardiacsurgeonDrChrisBarnard
(“BARNARDBOMBSHELL:CHRIS,62,SETTOWEDKAREN,22”)andraisesthesecondreason
thecoverofthelaunchissueofPeopleSAissignificant.Themaincoverimageandcover
headlinecomprisedapersonwho,inyearsgoneby,wouldprimarilyhavefeaturedinthe
mediaforactionsandspecificallyachievementsinhisprofessional/publiclife,namely
performingtheworld’sfirsthearttransplant,in1967,twentyyearsbeforePeoplewas
launched.Inotherwords,earlierinthe20thcentury,thecoverageofBarnardwould
arguablyhavefocusedonhispioneeringworkinthefieldofcardiacmedicineandconfigured
himasEpicHeroforusinghisextraordinarytalentandskillforthegreatergood,forthe
advancementofthefieldofmedicineandforSouthAfrica’sreputationalike.
People’schoiceofBarnardasthemaincoversubjectforitslaunchissue,combinedwiththe
approachthecoveragetakes,canbeseenasanindicationofthetransitionalnatureofthe
figureweencounterinweeklymagazinesatthetime.Ontheonehand,thereistheclear
acknowledgementoftheepic,themaindriverofmagazinecoverageofindividualsinthe
earlyyearsofthe20thcentury.ThechoiceofBarnardpayshomagetothefigureoftheEpic
Hero.However,thefocusandstyleofthePeoplecoverage,clearlydepartedfromtheearlier
magazine’srepresentations.Thisisbecausethecoveragefocusedalmostexclusivelyonhis
privateratherthanhispubliclife.
Ofallthevariousaspectsofprivatelife,itistheromantic,andeventuallythesexual,thatis
usuallymostcompelling,withRobertToll(1982)pointingouthowhigh-profileHollywood
couplingssetthetrendinthefanmagazinesbyattractingmostattention.Hollywood’s
legacyensuredthatrelationships,specificallyifbothpartnershadpublicisedprivatelives,
weresomeofthemainnarrativesthroughwhichwell-knownfigureswererepresentedin
magazinesofthelate20thcenturyandbeyond,asisevidentinthePeoplecoverageofDr
Barnardandhisfiancée,modelKarinSetzkorn.Thecoverofthelaunchissuealready
indicatedthatthefocusofthearticlewouldbeonthecoupleratherthanexclusivelyon
Barnard,themorefamouspartneratthetime.Andtheadmittedlyrepetitiveinsidearticle
deliversonthispromise;thereisnomentionofanypublic-lifeinformationotherthan
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identifyingBarnardasa“world-famousheartsurgeon”,82andthededicatedfocusisclearly
ontherelationshipandtheimpendingnuptials.
TheleadstoryPeopleranwithinitslaunchissuein1987couldeasilybeclassifiedas
conformingtothetypicalcoverageaffordedtoentertainmentpersonalitiesfromtheearly
20thcenturyonwards.Yetthereareafewsubtleindicationsthatthearticleinthelaunch
issue,whicharguablysetthetoneforthewayPeopleproduceditsspecificbrandoffame,
couldbeconsideredasindicativeofathresholdmomentbetweentheStarandthe
EmergingCelebrity.
Retrospectively,itisinterestingtoseehowPeople’s1980sportrayalofChrisBarnardas
hybridfigurewithenduredwellafterhisdeathin2001.Inanarticlemarkingthe50th
anniversaryofthehistoricfirsthearttransplant,MarinaJoubert(2017),forinstance,argues
that,“BarnardremainstheonlySouthAfricanscientistwhoeverachievedglobalcelebrity
status”.Shenotesthat:
Hiscelebritystatuswasboostedbyhisuniqueblendofcharisma,mediaflairand
boyishgoodlooks.Barnardsustaineditinyearstocomebyhishigh-profileprivate
life,publicengagementswithroyaltyandworldleaders,aswellasaseriesof
flirtationswithmodelsandmoviestars.(Joubert2017)
LetusconsiderthedetailsofPeople’srepresentationofBarnardtheEmergingCelebrity.
Firstthereisthealliterativeindicationrenderedinuppercasetypefaceonthecoverofthe
magazine:“BARNARDBOMBSHELL”,withitsassociatedmeaningsofsomethingsurprising,
amazingorsensational,anditscolloquialusetodescribeaperson,usuallyawoman,whois
consideredveryattractive.Theterm“bombshell”hasstrongconnectionstotabloid
journalism.Usingthistermtopromotetheleadarticleonthecoverofitslaunchissueisan
indicationofPeopleSA’seditorialvision.
Withitscover’swordchoice,themagazinearguablysentamessagethatitsintentionwasto
givepreferencetoanelementofsurprise,shockorsensationalisminitsnewsselection.By
extensionthen,itcanalsobereadasanindicationofthekindoffigurethatitwoulduseto
conveythiskindofjournalism.Itsreaders,inotherwords,couldexpectstoriesaboutpeople
doingshocking,surprisingandsensationalthings.AlthoughtheBarnardcoverlinesalmost
pre-empttheirreaders’shockbymerelysuggestingorhintingatwhatitactuallyisthat
82Morris,Rose,“BOMBSHELL!CHRIS,62,TOWEDKAREN,22”,People,27May1987.
99
mightcausethebrouhaha,forthe20th-centurytrajectoryoffame,theyheraldanimportant
shiftinhowfamousfigureswererepresented.
Asindicatedonthecoverpage,theleadstory’selementofshockliesinthebigage
differencebetweenChrisandKarin.Bigagedifferencesinfamouscouplescontinuetobe
coveredinthemediaassensational,especially,perhaps,whereitconcernsanelementof
theheroicorthemodel,83asitsuggestsadeviationfromgeneralsocietalexpectation.
Barnardproveshimselfasatransitionalfigureinthisway,depictedasexemplaryintermsof
hisprofessionallifebutmuchlesssoinhisprivatelife,especiallyintermsofhisromantic
relationships.Notonlydidhehavemultiplemarriages,buthealsohadapreferencefor
womenmuchyoungerthanhimself.84Inconservative1980swhiteSouthAfrica,whichwas
stillculturallyisolatedthankstothegovernment’sdivisiveapartheidpolicies,85athird
marriage,andonethatinvolvedasubstantialagegap,couldsuccessfullybe‘spun’or
manipulatedbythemagazinetoevokeconcern,shockandevenperhapsoutrageamongst
itsreadership.Whatisconsideredcontroversialorscandalousisinfluencedbythe
“prevailingnormsandexpectations”,JohnB.Thompson(1995:145)remindsus:
Scandalsgenerallypresupposesetsofnormsorexpectationswhicharecontravened
ortransgressedbytheactivitiesinquestion,andwithreferencetotheactivities,once
disclosed,aredenounced.Thesenormsandexpectationsvaryfromonesocial-
historicalcontexttoanother.Hencewhatcountsasscandalous,andtheextentofthe
damagethatitcancausetoanindividualoradministration,willdependonthe
prevailingnormsandexpectations.
ThesecondwayinwhichtheBarnardcoverstorymarksashiftawayfromtheStarand
towardsadifferentrepresentationoffameconcernsthenotionsofordinarinessand
extraordinariness.Specifically,whatcouldbegatheredfromtheBarnardstoryisthatthe
latternotion,extraordinariness,couldbeinterpretedasbeingmorecomplexbybeing
associatednotonlywithpositiveelementssuchastalent,perfectionandexemplarinessand
soforthbutalsowithextremityandexcessthatcouldbeviewedasalarming.Thereis
somethingextremeandextraordinaryaboutBarnard’sthreemarriages,twoofthemfailed
bythetimePeoplelaunched,aswellasthosesubstantialagegapsbetweenhimandhis
83Thetwenty-five-yearagedifferencebetweenCanadianpresidentEmmanuelMacronandhiswife,Brigitte,wasforinstancewidelycoveredascontroversialin2017.84HissecondmarriagehadbeentoBarbaraZoellner,in1970.Shewasnineteen(thesameageashissonfromhisfirstmarriage),andheforty-eight.85See,forinstance,Hyslop(2000)andMalan(1991).
100
secondandthirdwives,whichareallelementsofthestorybeingemphasisedonthecover
ofthelaunchissueofPeople,aswellasinthearticleinsidethemagazine.
AsisvisibleintheBarnardcoverage,adeliberateemphasisontheintersectionoftheideaof
anelementofextraordinarinesswiththenotionoftheimperfectortheflawedappearsto
startcharacterisingweeklymagazinecoveragetowardstheendofthe20thcentury.This
couldbeconstruedasadeparturefromcoveragesurfacingextraordinarinessintermsof
positiveelementssuchaselevation,distance,talent,distinctivenessandsoforth,which
couldratherbeclassifiedassurfacingtheStarandnottheCelebrityfigure.
NotonlyisthereevidenceofashiftawayfromtheStarintheBarnardcoverage,therealso
appearstobeaforeshadowingoftheCelebrityProperfigure,andthissupportstheclaim
thattheEmergingCelebrityisatransitionalunderstanding.Theforeshadowingisevidentin
whatappearstobean(perhapsawkward)attemptatironyandhumourinthewaythe
articleispresented.Specifically,itconcernsthecombinationofapersonalanecdotefrom
Karinusedinthearticle,whichagainpointstotheagedifferencebetweenthepartners,and
theselectionofthemainphotographaccompanyingthearticle.Theanecdotereads:
Karenstilltreasuresthephotographshehasofayouthful-lookingChrisBarnard
dandlingalittlegirlonhisknee.ThephotographwastakenwhenChriswas46.The
smilinglittlegirlonhiskneewasKaren.Littledidsheknowthatinamere16yearsshe
wouldbewalkingdowntheaislewithhim.86
Itisthecouplingofthisanecdoteinthecopywiththemain‘holding’image,showinganow-
adultKarinagainseatedonChris’slap,withhisarmsaroundherwaistandhishandsclasped
overhersonherbelly,inwhatlooksliketheloungeoftheirprivatehome,thatsuggestsan
ironicreading.Thecaptionevenexplicitlyconnectstheanecdoteinthearticlewiththe
stylingoftheposedimage:“Wife-to-benumberthreeKaren,thechildheusedtodandleon
hisknee”.Gamson(2001:275)notesthatironyis“oneoftheclearestlatertwentieth
centurydevelopments”inmagazinecoverage,withthereadership“invitedtotake[…]a
new,cynicaldistancefromtheproductionofcelebrityandcelebrityimages”.Itappearsasif
1980sPeopleusedironysparinglyandinarelativelyunderstatedwaywhenitdid,especially
comparedtomagazinecoverageoftheearlyyearsofthe21stcentury,yetitispresentanda
distinguishingcharacteristicofthecoveragethatcanbecategorisedassurfacingthe
Celebrityphenomenon.
86Morris,Rose,“BOMBSHELL!CHRIS,62,TOWEDKAREN,22”,People,27May1987.
101
Barringtheabove,thecoverageevincesanapparentabsenceofscepticismonthepartof
journalistRoseMorris,whoacceptsKarin’spersonalconfessiontoherthatsheis“reallyin
lovewithChrisBarnardandhelovesme”andquotesananonymousfriendwhoagreesby
saying,“ThereisnodoubtChrisisthegreatloveof[Karen’s]life”andyetanotherclaiming,
“Theyloveoneanotherverymuch.”Withtheanonymousfriends’contributionswesee
gossipcontinuingtoservecoveragesurfacingtheEmergingCelebrity,asithaddonewiththe
Star.Inotherwords,gossipcontinuestobeadeviceofchoiceforshowbusinessjournalists
longafterthefanzineshadfirstemployedit.
Karinisnottheonlyonewhoisportrayedasbeinggenuinelyinlove,judgingbythearticle’s
concludingparagraph,whichclaimsthatChris,“wasashatteredman[afterhissecond
divorce]buttimeandKaren’slovehavehealedthewounds.Nowitseemshehasfoundthe
womanwithwhomhecanhappilyspendhisdecliningyears”.
Giventhefactthatthiswasconservative1980sSouthAfrica,andhismarriagetoKarin
wouldbehisthird,muchmorecouldarguablyhavebeenmadeofChris’smanyfailed
relationshipsandtheimperfectionandunhappinessbeingsuggestedinthesedetails.Yet
Peopleburieshiscontroversialromantichistoryinthelastfewparagraphsofitsarticle,
whichintraditionalnews-storystructuretheorieswouldindicateitslowpriority,with
prioritytraditionallydwindlingasthestoryprogresses.Beyondthe‘knee-dandling’
photographandtherelativelyobviousparadoxinthenarrativeofa‘maker’ofheartsinhis
publiclifebeingaserialbreakerofheartsathome,thereisverylittleironyandscepticismto
betracedintherestofthestory.TherumoursofhisinfidelitytosecondwifeBarbara
Zoellnerarementioned,forinstance,butswiftlydismissedwithhisownapparent
explanationthat,“ThetruthofthematteristhatIwassickandthegirlwasvisitingme.She
wassittingonthefootofthebedanditwasinbroaddaylight”.Theratherunderstated
expressionofhumanfallibilityinthePeoplecoverage,despitethefactthatthestory
obviouslypresentsmuchmoreopportunityforthiskindofemphasis,predictsthemuch
moreexplicituseofstorylinesfocusedonimperfectionandflawinthewaymagazinescover
personalitiesgoingintothe21stcentury.
New-millenniumcoveragewouldalsostronglycometobecharacterisedbyanexplorationof
thepersonalities’innerpsychologicallives.Thereisperhapsevidenceofmovementinthat
directioninthisarticleonChrisandKarininPeople,butitisstillarguablyintheearlystages,
asthereseemstobescopeformuchdeeperanalysisofherdecisiontomarryamanmore
thanfortyyearsolderthanherontheonehand,and,ontheother,hisapparenttendencyto
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woomuchyoungerandspecificallyhighlyattractive,high-profilewomen.(Barbarawasan
heiressandKarinamodel.)“KarenhasalwaysbeenopenaboutherfeelingsforChris”,
Morriswrites,beforegivingarathersuperficialoverviewoftheemotionssheexperienced
aftermeetingChrisforthefirsttime:
“IhadjustleftschoolwhenIfirstmetChris.MyfriendssaidIwascrazy,thatIwas
throwingmylifeawayonamanmucholderthanmyself.
“Nowtheyhavechangedtheirideasandtheyreallyalllikehim.
“Theagegapdoesn’tmatteratalltous.
“Heisaveryyoungmanatheart.
“Wethinkthesameway.HeunderstandshowIfeelaboutthings.Wedoeverything
together.
“Itravelwithhimeverywherehegoes.”
Onecouldconvincinglyarguethatthemagazineavoidedscepticism,aseeminglycritical
approachor‘deep’psychologicalanalysisinwritingthislocalstory,possiblyinorderto
maintaingoodrelationswithtwoindividualsintheverysmallandlimitedcommunityof
localpersonalitiesandensuretheirwillingnesstocooperatewiththemagazineinfuture.An
existingrelationshipwithKarinisalreadyclearfromMorris’scommentthattheformerhad
“toldmesometimeago”thatChriswasheronetruelove.
Establishingandmaintainingproductiveandsustainablerelationshipswithentertainment
personalities,inordertoensuretheirongoingcooperationand,crucially,divulgenceof
preferablyexclusive,intimateandhopefullycontroversialdetailsoftheirprivatelives,were
the‘tricksofthetrade’ofentertainmentjournalismtowardstheturnofthe20thcentury.It
hasbeenarguedthatmaintaininggoodrelationswithcurrentandpotentialsubjectsarethe
mostimportantmechanicsofgoodjournalismperse,notjustCelebrityorentertainment
journalismandthesemechanicshavearguablyalwayscharacterisedentertainment
journalismanddidnotonlyemergetowardstheendofthecentury.Andwhiletheseclaims
arecertainlyjustifiable,itisimportanttoconsiderthekindofchallengeithasalwaysbeen
tocreateandsustaintheveryspecific,symbioticrelationshipbetween
reporter/writer/profilerandentertainmentpersonalityrequiredbymodernshowbusiness
mediawithitsseemingpreferenceforexposingimperfectionandbadbehaviour.
The‘jobspecification’forentertainmentwritershasperhapsgrownorganicallyfromthe
1950sonwards,whentheHollywoodfilmstudiooligopolyendedviacourtorder,andfilm
actorsbecame“proprietorsoftheirownimage”(KinginGamson,2001:12)insteadof
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relyingontheproductionstudiowithwhomtheyheldacontracttoprescribewhattheir
publicimageshouldbeandcontrolthedamageifanydeviationwaseverrevealed.Asthe
Hollywoodstudiosystemwasdismantled,Sternheimer(2011:148)writes,theentertainers
“lostaccesstothetightlyrunpublicitymachine,whichnotonlycontrolledtheirimages,but
alsoprotectedthemfrombadpublicity”,whichimplied,amongstotherthings,thattheyhad
verylittlecontroloverthereleaseofmaterialrelatingtomisbehaviour.
Probablyacutelyawareoftheirlegacyasthemainarchitectsoftheimageofthe
entertainmentpersonalityeversincethefirstHollywoodfanzinehadbeenlaunched,the
entertainmentmediafromthe1950sonwardsweresuddenlyfreetoexposethekindof
detailthestudioshadkepthiddenforfearof‘badpublicity’anddwindlingfilm-ticketsales.
Someofthesepublications,theabove-mentionedConfidentialbeingoneofthemain
pioneers,exclusivelyspecialisedincontentexposingentertainment-personality
misbehaviourandcontroversy.
Othersdeliberatelyeschewedallscandal.Launchinginthe1940s,Spanishweekly
personality-newsmagazine¡Hola!,forinstance,deliberatelychosenottochangeitseditorial
preferenceforpositivestoriesontheprivatelivesofentertainersfollowingthedismantling
oftheHollywoodfilmindustry.Launchedinthe1970s,¡Hola!’sUK-basedfranchise,Hello!,
followedsuit,asdidtheoriginalUSeditionofPeople.Withitseditorialfocusonpositive
entertainmentstoriesandastrategiceditorialdecisiontoexcludeexposésofscandalous
behaviourforthemostpart,itisnotsurprisingthatPeopleUShasbeendescribed,by
Sternheimer(2011)andothers,asareplacementforthebynow-defunctHollywood
fanzines.TheUSeditionofPeoplehasbeenoneoftheleadingmagazinestocloak“the
appealtovoyeurism–theverymostattractive,albeitshameful,aspectoftabloidjournalism
–intherespectableclothesofpersonalityjournalism.Itwasnotembarrassingtoreadthese
publications[…]becausetheywereostensiblyupright,positive”,AnneHelenPetersen
(2011:229–230)writesinherhistoricalaccountofthegossipindustryintheUnitedStates.
AttheotherendoftheCelebrity-manufacturingprocess,theentertainmentpersonalities
themselvesstartedtoemployavarietyofprofessionalstomanagetheirimages.Quoting
Balio,Gamson(2001:12)providesanexhaustiveoverviewoftherangeoffilm-industryrole-
playersthatsuddenlyemergedfollowingthe“shake-upofthe[Hollywood]moviestudio
system”inthe1940sand1950s:independentproductioncompanies,studiosthatnow
contractedactorsonapicture-by-picturebasisratherthanowningthemforlongperiodsof
time,andtalentagents.“Whiletheeconomicdrivetowardastarsystemremainedinthis
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changedenvironment,newplayersenteredthegamefromthenow-dispersedsub-
industriesofstar-makingandfromthenew[intheUnitedStates]televisionindustry,and
strategiesbegantoshifttomeetthenewenvironmentalrequirements”,Gamson(2001:12)
writes.
Theseshiftingstrategiesnecessarilyincludedentertainmentjournalists,theentertainers
themselvesaswellastheirsupportcontingent(agentsand,morerecently,representatives
andpublicists)carefullycarvingoutagreementsonhowtorepresentandperhapsevenco-
producetheCelebrityimagethatwaseventuallypresentedtothepublic,agreementsthat
wouldsatisfyboththeentertainmentmediabyincreasingreadershipandthepersonalities
themselvesbygrowingtheirexposureandsubsequentpopularity.Agreementsweremost
likelynegotiatedovertimeandculminatedinanunderstandingthatcontentpurportingto
revealtheauthentic,realandordinaryoftheentertainmentpersonality’sprivateself,which
necessarilyincludedexposureofflawandimperfection,waslucrativeforthemedia.But,if
correctlymanaged,thiskindofcontentcouldalsobemanipulatedtoincreasetheallureof
thepersonalities.
Itcouldbearguedthatthemoretexturedcoveragefoundintheentertainmentmediaofthe
early21stcenturyisanindicationofamature,established,symbioticrelationshipthat
existedbetweenentertainmentjournalists,nowwidelycalledCelebrityjournalists,andthe
personalitiestheycovered.Bythe21stcentury,therewouldevenbetertiaryeducation
coursesdedicatedtothedisciplineofCelebrityjournalism,asHowardAltman(2010)points
out.Altman’sdiscussionincludesanaccountofthekindofcurriculumcoveredinoneof
theseCelebrityjournalismcourses,whichwastaughtattheCentralMichiganUniversityin
Mt.PleasantbyLorrieLynch,thenaneditoratUSAWeekend,andwhichrevealsthe
uniquelychallengingnatureofthediscipline:“Lynch[…]willcovercelebrityjournalism
rangingfromstagedeventstouncoveringscandal,includingfiguringouthowcelebrities’
publicityoperationsworkandmeetingstars’demandswithoutabandoningjournalistic
integrity”(Altman2010:18).
YetinatimebeforeCelebrityjournalismuniversitycoursesandthemorepolishedcoverage
oftheearly21stcentury,entertainmentmediaandpersonalitiesalikewerestillnegotiating
theirrespectivepositionsnowthattherewasnomoreintegratedHollywoodfilm-production
industrytoprotectthem.Whiletheywerejostlingtoreachsomekindofagreement,there
werestillmagazinestobeproducedandentertainment-personalityimagestobecirculated,
whichmeantthatmagazinesofthelate20thcenturyproducedarathercrudeandrough
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firstversionofsomethingthatwouldbecomemuchmorerefined.Hencetheinsistencein
thisthesisthattheCelebrityunderstandingoffamethatemergesaroundtheturnofthe
centurybedividedintotwocategories.
Iftheinternationalentertainmentmediaindustryfounditdifficulttomanagetheir
relationshipswiththepersonalitiestheycoveredinthelate20thcentury,howmuchmore
sothenascentSouthAfricanentertainmentmediafraternity.Thiswasthepre-internetera,
andSouthAfricawasstillculturallyisolated,soexposuretointernationalmediaand
Celebritycoveragewasseverelylimited.SoRoseMorris,thewriteroftheBarnardarticle,
andhercolleaguesatPeopleSAandits(few)localcompetitors,musthavefoundit
extremelychallengingtounderstandthemechanicsofthisnewunderstandingoffamethat
wasonlystartingtoemergeontheinternationalentertainment-medialandscape.
ThePeopleSAstaffcouldnotevenreverttothemagazine’seponymousparentbrandinthe
UnitedStatesforguidancesince,fromtheoutset,thelocalmagazine’seditorialvision
deviatedsubstantiallyfromthatofPeopleUS,possiblyanintentionalstrategytotake
advantageofacleargaponthelocalentertainment-magazinemarketforscandal-driven
content,whichseemedtoboostsalesintheUnitedStates.Thepublic-relationscampaign
promotingthelaunchofPeopleUSin1974emphasisedthemagazine’sfocuson“people,
notissues”(Time,1974)andspecifically“OPP:otherpeople’sproblems”(Stolley,in
Sternheimer2011:191).YetunlikePeopleSA,PeopleUSrarelycarriedcontentrevealing
scandal.Inkeepingwiththetraditionstartedbyitsfanzinepredecessors,PeopleUSstrived
tomaintainamicablerelationshipswithitsfamoussubjects,Sternheimer(2011)pointsout.
ThiscontinuestobethestatusquoatPeopleUStoday,whichisonereasonthemagazine
oftenmanagestosecureexclusiverightstofirstphotographsofsignificantlife-eventssuch
asweddingsandbirths.Ithaslaidclaimtoaweeklyreadershipinexcessof46million,the
largestaudienceofanyAmericanmagazine.
Withwhatseemstobeadecisiontodeviatefromtheeditorialfocusoftheeponymous
brandintheUnitedStatesandlittleguidancefromtherestoftheinternational
entertainment-mediaindustryintermsofthemechanicsofthisemergingformofCelebrity
journalism,itcomesasnosurprisethatPeopleSAinitsearlyyearsratheroptedtoavoid
beingtoocriticaloforscepticalaboutthesmallcircleoflocalentertainmentpersonalitiesit
probablyhopedtoincludeinitscoveragegoingforward.Thisdecisionoftenmeantscant
coverageoflocalpersonalities,atrendthatpersistedinto21st-centurySACelebrity
journalism,andthatimpliedafairlystraightreading,sono(oratleastverylittle)irony.
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TheelementofironyisoneofthekeydistinguishingfactorsbetweenEmergingCelebrityand
itsmoreradicalisedsuccessor.TracinghowentertainersarecoveredintheUSmediaover
the20thcentury,Gamson(2001:14)noteshowinthelaterdecadesofthecentury,“The
discourse[inprintmedia]broughtaboutanincreasingself-consciousnessandironyabout
celebrity”.Heprecedesthisstatementbyexplainingthattheself-consciousnessandirony
emergesasaresultoftheentryofseveralnewelementsintothefamediscourse;these
includetheexposureofthemechanismsusedtorepresentfame,theacknowledgementand
evenembraceoffameasa“commercialenterprise”andthefactthattheaudience“has
beeninvitedtoincreaseitsknowledgeandpower”ofandoverentertainers.
ThetextualevidencegatheredforthisprojectseemtoshowthatinSouthAfricanweekly
magazines,too,onecouldidentifytheentryofaspecificsetofelementsintothe
representationoffameandthesubsequentincreasein“self-consciousnessandironyabout
celebrity”(Gamson,2001:14).However,ironyandself-consciousnessonlybecamearegular
featureoflocalCelebrityjournalisminthe21stcentury.Thisrealisationpartlyinfluencedthe
categorisationandspecificallythedecisiontoproposetwoCelebritycategoriesinthe
trajectory:EmergingCelebrity,inwhichironyislargelyabsentornoteasilydiscerned,andits
radicalisedsuccessor,whichstronglyreliesupontheironicinitsrepresentationand
productionoffame.
SettingthetoneforPeopleSA’srepresentationofwell-knownness,theleadarticleinthe
magazine’slaunchissueallowsforonefinalconclusionabouttheEmergingCelebrity.This
observationconcernstheideaofephemerality.Discussionsoffameusuallytendtoconsider
howtemporaryorpermanentanindividual’swell-knownnessis,andthismatterisvery
oftenconnectedtothereasonforgainingfameinthefirstinstance.
Thislinkbetweenwhatitwasthatattractedfameinthefirstplaceandthelifespanofthe
publicattentionpaidtothewell-knownfiguredefinitelyseemstoemergeinthematerial
gatheredandanalysedforthisthesis.Thelargescope,almostawholecentury’sworthof
magazines,allowstheobservationthattheideaofthetemporarybecomespartoftheway
inwhichfameisrepresented:howitbecomesmorepronounced,andalsohowitseemsto
belinkedtothereasonforfameinthefirstinstance.
Intheearly20th-centurymagazines,fameisgenerallypresentedassomethingthatis
infinite.Mostofthecoverageisposthumous,withthiscelebrationoflifeonlyafterdeath
beingacharacteristicelementoftheheroic,ashasbeenpointedoutbymanyincluding,
amongothers,Wallace(1994)andDruckerandCathcart(1994).Thefactthattheindividual
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ismostlycelebratedposthumouslyseemedtobethemagazine’swayofindicatingthateven
afterlifehasended,legacy,andthusfame,survives.
Andthen,arguablyfromthetimetheHollywoodmarketingmachinewasdreamtup,the
Starfigurewascriticisedfornot‘meriting’thefamethatwasbestoweduponthemand
merelybeing“well-knownfor[their]well-knownness”,touseDanielBoorstin’s(1971)often-
citeddescription.Anddespitesubsequentpredictionsthattheirfamewouldbeshort-lived,
thenamesofthestarsfromHollywood’sso-calledglamorous‘goldenyears’dogenerallylive
on:JeanHarlow,FredAstaire,LucilleBall,IngridBergman,MarlonBrandoandmanymore.
ThesamecanbesaidforDorothyMasuka,DollyRathebeandtheotherlocalStarfigures
selectedtoexploreDrummagazine’scontributiontothe20th-centurytrajectoryofwell-
knownness.ThanksinparttoarevivaloftheglorydaysofDrummagazine,followingthe
dawnofdemocracyinthecountryin1994,thelegacyoftheseentertainersisstillbeing
celebratedwellintothe21stcentury.
Bycontrast,typicalwell-knownnessfromtheturnofthe20thcenturyseemstodisplaya
constantlygrowingelementoftheephemeral,asChrisRojek(2001:20)hassuggested,
venturingtocallthesepersonalitiesenjoyingfleetingfame“celetoids”:
Iproposeceletoidasthetermforanyformofcompressed,concentrated,attributed
celebrity.Idistinguishceletoidsfromcelebritiesbecause,generally,thelatterenjoya
moredurablecareerwiththepublic.
Inhisetymologicaldiscussionoftheword‘celebrity’,Marshall(1997:6)alsoalludestothe
connectionbetweenephemeralityandmodernunderstandingsoffame,drawing,
interestingly,theconnectionbetweenthewordandtheLatinwordcelere,whichmeans
swiftorfleeting.
TheinclusionofmodelKarinSetzkornintheleadarticleofPeopleSA’slaunchissuecanbe
readasanearlyindicationofanelementofephemeralityintheEmergingCelebrity.
Althoughthe1980sisadmittedlyatimewhenmodelsinternationallyweremakingsmall
gainsinthefamestakes,87thelocalbeautywasrelativelyunknown,saveforherrelationship
87MuchtothedismayoffamedetractorssuchasJosephEpstein(2005),the1980swasatimewhenmodelsmadesomegainsinthefamestakes,probablythankstotheterm‘supermodel’becomingprominentinpopularcultureatthetime.Butthegainsincludedlittlemorethannamebilling;ratherthanenduretheobscurityofanonymity,themodelsnowbecameknownbytheirfullnames.Somenames,includingChristieBrinkley,MargauxHemingway,PaulinaPorizkova,YasminLeBonandBrookeShields,amongstothers,becameknowninternationally,earningthesemodelsthe‘supermodel’designation.Thisnamebillingwasanimportantmomentinthemodellingindustry,
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withChrisBarnard,ofcourse.Infact,herrelativeobscuritymightexplain,atleastpartially,
whythePeopleSAleadstoryconsistentlymisspelledheractualnameKarinasKaren.Asher
famewasbasedonherrelationshipandneverreallydevelopedanyfurther,itwasofvery
shortduration.NotonlydidPeopleSAopttoleaditslaunchissuewithastorythatincluded
arelativelyobscurepersonalityand,importantly,featureheronitscover,itsinsidearticle
wasalsopredominantlypresentedfromherperspective,relyingongossipfromhermother,
herfriendsandapersonalinterviewwithauthorRoseMorris.Thiscouldbeinterpretedas
PeopleSA’sattemptatintroducinghertoitsreadershipandbuildingherimage.Butitcould
alsobeanindicationthatthemagazine’sapproachtofamedidnotalwaysrelyona
personality’sstayingpowerandthatitwaswillingtoacceptamodicumofephemeralityas
partofthegreaterfamepackageitrepresented.
PeopleSA’slaunchissuemighthaveledwithastoryaboutacouplehappilyinloveand
abouttogetmarried.Butitwasalsoclearfromthelaunchthatthesefairy-talecharacters,
thesuggestionofinfidelityandinappropriateagedifferencenotwithstanding,arenotthe
onlycastmemberscontributingtothelate20th-centuryunderstandingofwell-knownness.
Infact,thecontrastcouldnotbemorepronounced:theBarnard-Setzkornleadstory
appearsonapageoppositeanarticleonthedemiseofarguablythefairy-talemarriageof
thecentury,thatofthePrinceandPrincessofWales.Thesetworelationshiparticlesonone
spreadcanbereadasagoodexampleofwhatthenewunderstandingoffamecomprised:
coverageoftheprivatelifeand,moreover,exposureofelementsofimperfection,flaw
(failedrelationships)andhintsoftransgression(suggestedinfidelity)inthisspace.Withthis
newformoffameemergesanewfigure,onethatdistinguishesitselffromitsstar
predecessorbybeingrepresentedasimperfectandflawed.
Alsopromotedonthecoverofthelaunchissue,thisarticleontheUK’sPrinceCharlesand
PrincessDiana88isagoodexampleoftypicallate20th-centurymagazinecoverage.Withthe
headline“Differentinterests,differentfriends–separatelives:INTIMATESECRETSOF
CHARLESANDDI’SBIZARREMARRIAGE”,thearticlefocusesmainlyontheirprivate
relationshipandspecificallyonthemaritalproblemstheywererumouredtobehavingat
thetime.Theinclusionofwordssuchas‘intimate’and‘secrets’andeventhetabloidreminiscentofthetimeinearlyHollywoodfilmhistorywhen,asToll(1982)explains,theproductionstudiosrealisedthepotentialvalueofreleasingthenamesoftheircontractedleadactors.YetunlikeinHollywood,wherenamebillingcouldbesaidtohaverepresentedoneofthefirststepsintheconstructionofthe‘starsystem’,modelnamebilling,forthemostpart,didnotheraldtheentryofthemodelintotheworldofthestar,whichwasbuiltuponprivate-lifepublicisation.88“Differentinterests,differentfriends–separatelives:INTIMATESECRETSOFCHARLESANDDI’SBIZARREMARRIAGE”,People,27May1987.
109
buzzword‘bizarre’intheboldtypeoftheheadlinesetupanexpectationoftherevelationof
thesalacious,mostprivatedetailsoftheirrelationship;yetthestoryitselfisreserved.It
focuses,rather,ontheideathatthereisaconcertedefforttoavoidsensationandscandal:
Theroyalcouplehaveverylittleincommonandfindmanyoftheother’sinterests
totallyboring,saypalaceinsiders.
But,toavoidscandal,theywillmaintaintheirbizarremarriagebydrivingdifferent
cars,seeingdifferentfriendsandspendinglittletimetogether,exceptonofficial
duties.
“Theyhavecometoaveryspecialandcivilisedagreementtoallowtheprincessmore
timetoherself,”saysroyalexpertHaroldBrooks-Baker.
Thefocusonseparatelivesandinterestsinthisstorysurfacestheideaofmiscalculationand
misjudgementonthepartofthepartners.Thestoryalsocontainsactualtransgressionin
termsofrumouredinfidelity,butthisisnotemphasisedinthe‘displaycopy’89andisalso
givenalessprominentpositionfurtherdowninthestoryitself.Thepossibilityofinfidelityis
alsosoftenedthroughcontextualisationintermsoftheirthirteen-yearagedifference.This
contextualisationandexplanationisevidentinthisquoteinthestoryfromEarlClancarthet,
describedasapalaceinsiderandconfidantoftheroyalfamily:
“Charlesis38goingon50[…]Thesadfactisthathehasneverbeenyoung.
“CharleshasbeenincreasinglyirritatedbyDiana’sflirtingatparties–whichisnomore
thantheharmlessexuberanceofayoungwoman.”
Theearlusestheword‘sad’todescribethefactthatPrinceCharleshadneverreallybeena
youngman.Combinedwiththefocusonthecivilisedwayinwhichtheseparationisbeing
conducted,thesurfacingofsadnessinthisstorylineinawayclosesupthepossibilityfora
full,trulyscandalous,sensationalexposé.
Moreover,thereisalsoanabsenceofvisualevidencetosupporttherumoursofinfidelity.
Thestoryrevealsthat,“Di’sbodyguardwasmovedtoanewjobbecausehewasreportedly
becomingtooclosetoher”andidentifieshimasthe“handsomepolicemanHarry
Manikee”,90yettherearenophotographsofhimorofthetwoofthemtogethertosupport
theseclaims.Theonlyphotographthataccompaniesthearticlecanbedescribedas
89Theterm‘displaycopy’referstotextthatisemphasisedthroughlargertypefacesize,boldingorcontrastingcolour.Typically,thiswouldbetheheadlineortitleofthearticle,the‘blurb’orbriefparagraphlinkingtheheadlinewiththearticleitself(whichalsooftencontainstheauthorcredit),citationsfromthebodycopyandcaptions.90ThecorrectnameisactuallyBarryManikee,butPeoplemisspelledit.
110
illustrativeofthereportedestrangementratherthanasevidenceofanyspecific
transgression;itshowsthecoupleinpublic,assumedlyatanofficialevent,sidebysidebut
lookingawayfromeachotherandthecamera,andtheideaofseparationisexacerbated
withathevisualdeviceofatear-marksuperimposedontothephotograph,betweenthetwo
partners.Thefactthatthecoveragelacksvisualevidenceoftransgressionisoneofthe
reasonswhyitcanbecategorisedassurfacingEmergingCelebrityratherthanitssuccessor.
IalsoidentifytheEmergingCelebrityinthisstorybasedonthecontextualisingcomments
fromtheearlandalso‘royalexpert’HaroldBrooks-Bakerandasecond“palaceinsider”,
BaronTollemache,whichcanbeseenasveryearlyindicationsofthekindof
‘psychologisation’thatwouldincreasinglycometocharacteriseCelebrityjournalismgoing
intothe21stcenturyandsubsequentlysurfacetheCelebrityProper.
ThisPrinceCharlesandPrincessDianastorywasselectedtoprovideevidenceforthe
argumentthattheEmergingCelebritycategoryisaboveallatentativeonethatinessence
preparesforitssuccessor.Theexplorationofthepsycheofthepersonalityisonlyjust
beginning,andalthoughthereareclearindicationsofflawandimperfectionintheprivate
realm,theyareforthemostpartnotsupportedvisuallyandoftennotemphasisedorfully
explored.Thereisadiscerniblefocusonwhatisportrayedasimperfectionandtransgression
incoverageoftheCelebrityProperfigure,andthemagazinecoverageoftheEmerging
Celebritypreparesthewaywithanarguablymorediscreetapproach.Sternheimer(2011)
foundthattowardstheendofthe20thcentury,themediagenerallystartedoptingfortales
ofheartbreak,illness,loneliness,divorce,adultery,singleparenthoodandchildrenbornout
ofwedlock,alongsidetheoccasionalidealisationofnuptials.Inotherwords,only
occasionallydowefindaglimpseofglamourinentertainment-personalitycoverage.And
fromtheevidenceinPeopleandotherlocalmagazinescoveringshowbusinesspersonalities,
theSouthAfricanmediaseemedhavefollowthisglobaltrend.
Physical‘imperfection’
Inadditiontostoriesaboutbrokenlivesandpromises,thenotionofsupposedphysical
imperfectionisessentialtohowtheCelebrityProperisrepresented.Thankstopaparazzi
photography,magazinesofthe21stcenturywouldcometousephotographic‘evidence’to
revealthese‘imperfections’,whicharguablydonottranslateasconvincinglyintotextual
description.Yetbeforewegettothismoreradicalexposureofsupposedphysical
imperfection,itismadeexplicitinlate20th-centurymagazinetexts.APeoplearticlefrom
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1987entitled“NOBODY’SPERFECT–NOTEVENTHESEFAMOUSFACES”isagoodexample.91
Spanningtwopages,thearticlefeaturesphotographsmostlyillustratingthequestionable
make-upchoicesofahandfulofwomenincludingDonnaMillsandDallas’sMorganBrittany.
Ablack-and-whitephotographpurportstoshowsingerCher“beforeherbeautytreatment”
with“acomplexionlikeagravelpit”,atleastaccordingtooutspokenmake-upartistStan
Place,thearticle’smainsource.ThearticlenotesthatPlace“ismake-updirectorfortheMiss
Universe,MissUSAandMissTeenUSApageantsandhasworkedonsuchstarsasLynda
Carter,KimBasinger,SusanDeyandLaurenHutton”.AnotherphotographofCher,notably
infullcolourinsteadoftheblackandwhiteofthe‘before’picture,whichlookssuspiciously
likeitwastakenyearsbefore,thistimesupposedlyafterherbeautytreatment,elicitsthe
commentfromPlacethatthesingerlooks“Strikinglybeautiful”.
Thearticleencouragesreaders,byaddressingthemdirectly,to“TAKEheart:Nobody’s
perfect–notevenHollywood’smoststunningwomen”.Thedirectaddressissparinglyused
inthisarticle,andindeedinPeopleSAgenerallyatthispoint,yetitshouldbenoted,asit
goessomedistancetowardspreparingforhowCelebrityProperwillbepresented,thelatter
makingabundantuseofthisliterarytechnique.Thegrowinguseofthistechniquein
magazinesgoingintothe21stcenturyisinteresting,as‘breakingthefourthwall’inthisway
isgenerallythoughtofasanacknowledgementtothereaderoraudienceintheatrethat
whattheyarebeingpresentedwithisfictional.Itisalsoemployedinordertorelaxthe
bordersofthefictionbeingpresentedandtoincludethereaderinthefictionalscenarioor
community.
Itcouldalsobeinterpretedasanotherindicationandconfirmationofthepresenceofsome
oftheelementsGamson(2001:13)identifiesasenteringrepresentationsoffametowards
theendofthe20thcentury,notablytheexposureof“themechanismsbywhichimagesare
madeandbywhichcelebrityisbuilt”andtheinvitationtotheaudience“toincreaseits
knowledgeandpower”.Inthe“NOBODY’SPERFECT”article,theemphasisonthesupposed
physicalimperfectionsofthestarscanbereadasasubtleinvitationtothePeopleSAreader
togrowtheir“knowledgeandpower”oftheentertainerswhousuallyappearsopicture-
perfect.TheuseofthedirectaddressherecanbereadasahinttothePeopleSAreaderto
takecognisanceofthepossibilitythatwhatisbeingpresentedhereisfictional.This
identificationofapossibilityoffictionisnotaspronouncedorself-evidentinPeopleSAin
thelate20thcentury,butitcanundoubtedlybesaidtohavepreparedthewayforCelebrity
91“NOBODY’SPERFECT–NOTEVENTHESEFAMOUSFACES”,People,December1987.
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Proper,which,touseGamson’s(2001:18–19)words,enlightensreadersaboutthe
“falsenessofcelebrity”and“thedisruptivenotionthatthereisnothingbehindafabricated,
performedimagebutlayersofotherfabricated,performedimages”.
TheuseofdirectaddressinPeopleSAcanalsobereadasindicativeofanearlyattemptat
creatingafictionalised‘family-like’communitythatincludesthemagazine,the
entertainmentpersonalitiesthemselvesaswellasthereaders:whatJokeHermes(1995:
127)callsthe“extended-familyrepertoire”.Thissenseofcommunity,whichisalsofostered
bythearticle’sfocusonthekindsofflaws(bushyeyebrowslikeBrookeShields,crossedeyes
andscrawninesslikeJoanvanArk)andmisjudgements(unfortunatemake-upchoices,
althoughthatmightjustbethebeauty-burdenofthe1980s?)readerssharewiththe
entertainers,againemphasisesordinariness.
Itmustbenoted,however,thatalthoughasenseofordinarinesscanbederivedfromthe
NOBODY’SPERFECTarticle,itisstillrelativelysubtle,especiallycomparedtocoveragethat
canbeclassifiedasexemplaryoftheCelebrityProper.Thissubtletycanforthemostpartbe
attributedtotheuseofstyledandposedfull-colourportraitphotographs,someofwhich
evenappeartohavebeenshotinaprofessionalstudio.Comparedtotheoverwhelming
senseofordinarinessthatonegainsfromtheunposedandcandidpaparazziphotographs
thatwereemployedasevidencefortheCelebrityProper,thesenseofordinarinessinthe
NOBODY’SPERFECTarticlereliesmoreonthetextualdescriptionthanonthesupposed
photographicevidence,whichhasclearlybeenamelioratedbyprofessionalbeauticiansand
photographers.ComparedtotheordinarinessthatunderliestheCelebrityProperfigure,the
EmergingCelebrityinPeopleSApresentsuswithamuchmoreobscureandrudimentary
version.
Thepackagingofmisbehaviour
Visualevidenceofwhatisrepresentedasphysicalimperfection,andalsomisbehaviour,is
nottheonlythingdistinguishingthetwoCelebritycategories.Thereisalsoamarked
differenceinthewaymagazinesaroundtheturnofthecenturypresentedquestionable
behaviouraspartoftheCelebritypackage.Thepurportedmisbehaviouritselfremained
roughlythesame,namely“excessiveconspicuousconsumption,exhibitionistlibidinous
gratification,drugabuse,alcoholaddiction,violence”,toquoteRojek’s(2001)observation.
Butthetwosubcategoriesconcernasubtlydifferentapproachtotheseexcesses.
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Thedifferenceisslight,andIcouldonlyseeitinretrospect,incomparisontotheevidence
fortheemergenceoftheCelebrityProper.Intherepresentationofthelaterfigure,typicalof
Celebritymagazinesoftheearly21stcentury,misbehaviouristypicallycontextualised,often
throughspeculativepsychologicalanalysis.Arguablylendingthecoverageasympatheticand
perhapslessjudgmentalovertone,thisapproachcouldbesaidtobeaimedatapossible
identificationwiththeentertainmentpersonalitythatisagainindicativeofthe“extended-
familyrepertoire”thatHermes(1995)identifiedamongstreadersofthesemagazines.
ComparedtoCelebrityProper,thekindofapproachtakentomisbehaviourinthecoverage
surfacingtheEmergingCelebrityismuchmoresynoptic,perhapsreminiscentofanirregular
‘catch-up’withadistantrelativewhogivesanoverviewofwhathastranspiredinthepast
year.Withouttheverydetailedinformationaboutthelatestpieceofmischiefattheir
disposal,abenefitofthededicatedsocalledshowbusiness-newsagenciesofthenew
millennium,themagazinesofthelate20thcenturyrathergiveabroad-strokesoutline,with
littleofthesuspensethatischaracteristicofcoverageofthe21stcentury.Unlike21st-
centuryCelebrity-magazinecoverage,thereishardlyanyreferencetoindividualCelebrity
storyarcsthathavebeentracedoverrecentissues,andtheissues’lowerfrequency
comparedtonew-millenniumtitlesisofcourseahandicapinthisregard.Sosometimes
thereareincoherent,evenseeminglyhaphazardindividualstoryarcsthatemergeovera
relativelyshortperiodoftime,suchaswithTVactorJohnRitter,whoisportrayedashappily
marriedbyPeopleinJanuary198992andquitetheoppositeinaMarch/Aprilissuethat
year,93withoutmuchwarningoranyreferencetotheearlierarticle.
BoththesestoriesmentionthenameofHooperman,thecharacterJohnplayedinthe
eponymousseries,anditisinterestingtoseehowthereisevenwhatseemstobea
deliberateblurringbetweentheprivateandpublicpersonalityinthelaterheadline;itis
Johngoingthroughdivorce,yettheheadlineclaimsthatitisHooperman’smarriagethatis
disintegrating.Wealsosawotherevidenceofthistrendonthecoverofthelaunchissue.94
Specifically,thecovermentionedHiggins,thecharacterfromthetelevisionseriesMagnum
P.I.,insteadoftheactor,JohnHillerman.Inthissamecoverline,the“‘MurderSheWrote’
sleuth”appears,withoutthenameofthecharacteroractor(AngelaLansburyplayedthe
roleofJessicaFletcher).Itappearsasifthistreatmentisspecificallyextendedtotelevision
92“WHYJOHNRITTERGAVEUPLIFEINTHEFASTLANE:HOOPERMANSTARLOVESHISFAMILY”,People,11–24January1989.93“THEENDOFAFAIRY-TALE:HOOPERMAN’S11-YEARMARRIAGECRUMBLING”,People,29March–11April1989.94People,27May1987.
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personalities,andnotasmuchtofilmperformersormusicians,anditisalsoanapproach
specifictotelevisionactorsthatwouldcontinueintothenewmillennium.Thistrendin
PeopleSAseemstoprovideevidencefortheargumentthattelevisionpersonalitiesgenerally
simplyperformasthemselves,asGraemeTurner(2004:11)argues,“themoreseamlessly,
thebetter”.Ifonefollowsthisargument,notionsofordinarinessandauthenticityemergein
thewaythepersonalitiesarecovered,evenifonlysuggestively.
Itissuggestedabovethattheadditionoftelevisionpersonalitiestothegroupofpeople
beingcoveredinmagazinesbroughtaboutade-glamorisationandordinariness,factorsthat
couldbeseenasby-productsoftheinternationaltrendinCelebrityjournalismtowardsthe
endofthe20thcenturyofemphasisingtheideaofimperfectionandmisbehaviour.Yet
DeborahJermyn(2006:81)pointsoutthat,“fornonUS[television]audiences,the
programmes’geographicaldistancefeedsintoasenseoftheirstarsbeinglessimmediately
ordinaryandfamiliar,andperhapsmoreparticularly‘desirable’”.
ThisisaninterestingobservationtoconsiderfortheSouthAfricancontext,as‘desirability’is
hardlythetermonewouldusetodescribethemainsentimentunderlyingcoverageof
televisionpersonalities(andotherperformers)inPeopleSA.Quitethecontrary,infact.But
despitethestoriesabouttheirrelationshipsfailingandtheirbehaviournotalwaysbeing
‘acceptable’,themerefactthattheUSpersonalitieswerephysicallyfarawayfromand
beyondthereachoftheSouthAfricanreadersofPeopleperhapscontributedtotheir
desirability.
Thisdesirabilitycouldalsobeseenascontributingtotheextraordinary,whichneedstobe
presentforapersonalitytowarrantcoverage.Moreover,theextraordinarinessshouldnot
beovershadowedbytheordinary;thereshouldalwaysbeabalancebetweenthetwo.The
ideathattheordinarymightdominatetheextraordinaryinthefigureofthetelevision
personality,consequentlydiminishingtheirdesirabilityandreaders’interestinthem,might
beawaytoexplainthepreferenceforinternationalactorswiththeirdistance-induced
desirability,andthesimultaneousabsencegenerallyoflocaltelevisionperformersinthe
PeopleSAcoverage.
AsthedetailscomingfromthesourcesinHollywoodwerenodoubtscantanderraticatthe
time,timelinesinarticlesweregenerallykeptvagueanddidnotspecifydetails,asisclear
115
fromthearticle“CHILDSTARDREWBARRYMORETREATEDFORDRUGADDICTION”.95The
articlenotesthatthethirteen-year-oldactor“hasbeenadmittedfortreatmentinadrug
clinic”and“isundergoingamonth’sintensivetreatmentforherdrugproblemsatspecial
centreinLosAngeles,USA”,buttherearenospecificsaboutwhenshewasadmittedor
whenshewasexpectedtoleave;theabsenceofsuspensehereispalpable.Likethemajority
ofthepersonalitiescoveredbyPeopleSA,theactorisidentifiedintheheadlinebybothher
fullname(forenameandsurname)andashorttitle,“childstar”,whichseemstoindicate
thatreadersmightnotbefamiliarwithheryet;aswiththeBarnard-Setzkornarticlecited
earlier,the“extended-familyrepertoire”isyettoemerge.Thisalsoseemstobeevident
fromthefactthatthearticlegivesasobering,ifsomewhatcondescending,near-
chronologicaloverviewofherlifesinceshegainedglobalfamefromtheleadroleinthe
StevenSpielberg-directedfilmETattheageofseven:
Spielbergdescribedherthenas“seven,goingon29”.[S]tartedhercareerinadog-
foodcommercialwhenshewas11monthsold.[…]Shetookoveradiscountil2amfor
her10thbirthdayparty[…]Bythetimeshewas12,shehadthebodyofan18-year-old
[…]At13she[…]developedsuchacrushonMoonlightingstarBruceWillisthatshe
hadtobebarredfromthestudiosaftershekeptpesteringhimduringfilming…
TherumoursabouttheteenageDrew’sapparentlyinappropriate‘adult’behaviourinthis
excerptarefurthersupportedbyherfirst-personadmissionsanddenials.Ithasbeenargued
thatcoveragesurfacingCelebrityseemstodistinguishitselffrommagazinerepresentations
oftheStarbecauseitreliesnotonlyongossipandrumourbutalsoonconfession,infirst-
personaccounts,which,withitsstrongreligiousconnotationtosin,wouldofcourse
necessarilysuggestthenotionoftransgression,especiallyso-calledsinsoftheflesh.Momin
Rahman(2008)arguesthatconfessiontestifies“tothevoyeuristicandscandalousimpulses
ofcelebrityculture”and“providesaspecificformatinwhichscandalorcriticismisreplayed,
confronted,managed[…]providingadramaticcomponenttocelebrityculture”(Rahman
2008:134).
Iwouldratherrelegatethefirst-personaccountincludedinthisarticle,ofDrew’schildhood
being“anythingbutnormal”andalsoher“favouritefantasy”ofherandafriendgetting
theirdriver’slicencesand“jumpingintoa450SLMercedeswithapinkinteriorandablack
exterior.We’llcruisetheBoulevardandpickuptwocuteguys.Laterwe’llgetridofthemand
pickuptwomore.Intheafternoonwe’llgetamassageandafacialandmake-up”tothe95“CHILDSTARDREWBARRYMORETREATEDFORDRUGADDICTION”,People,25January–7February1989.
116
realmofadmission,althoughtheelaborateandlavishfantasydoessucceedininjectinga
senseoftheextraordinaryintothecoverage.However,theintimateandinvasivequestion
aboutwhethersheisstillavirginandherevasiveanswerhasadefinitesenseofthe
confessionalaboutit:
“Iamjusta13-year-oldgirlwhohappenstoworkinthemovies.Thatgivesyouinsight
toposeforthecameraandgiveoffanyimageyoucaretoproject.Howmuchisthe
realmeandhowmuchisrole-playingismysecret”.
AstheCelebrityindustrybecomesmorenuancedtowardsthebeginningofthenew
millennium,confessionwouldcometobeusedmuchmorestrategicallybytheCelebrity
Proper,asthereappearstobemorecontrolovertheirrelease,especiallywithregardsto
exclusiverightsforspecificpublicationsortelevisionshows,whichimpliesusingthem
strategicallytoserveratherthandetractfromtheimageoftheentertainmentpersonality.
Televisiontalk-showhostOprahWinfrey,forinstance,wouldbecomeoneofthefavoured
confessorsofmanyentertainmentpersonalitiesinthe21stcentury.Ontelevision,aswellas
intheprintedmediaandespeciallytheweeklymagazines,theseconfessionswouldoften
cometobesupplementedbymoreextensivecontextualisationofthetroubled
entertainment-personalitysoul,throughpsychologicalanalysisonthepartofthetalk-show
hostormagazinestaff.
3.2BarbraStreisanddoesEmergingCelebrity
Asenseofconfessionandaglimpseintotheinneremotionallifeareamongstthereasonsan
articleonHollywoodactorandsingerBarbraStreisandinPeopleSAof1989isagood
exampleofcoveragesurfacingtheEmergingCelebrity.96
Thearticle,whichcouldbesaidtobeatypicalexampleofPeopleSA’scoverageof
entertainmentpersonalitiesatthetime,wasprominentlyplaced(onpagetwo)inthe
magazineandlinkedtothemaincoverimageandcoverline.
Thepageallocationinsidethemagazineisonesinglepage,andthereisnoexplicittime-
boundelementor‘newshook’giventoexplainthestory’spublicationatthispoint.
Consequently,thearticletakessomewhatofa‘life-story’approach,givingdetailsof
Streisand’schildhood,aswellasmorerecentinformation.PeopleSAstillincludestheselife
storiesofindividualentertainersinitseditorialmix,butallocatesmuchlessspace,page-
96“Poor-little-rich-girlBarbraStreisandisstillinsecure”,People,11–24January1989.
117
wise,thanmagazinesearlierinthecentury,andtakesadifferentapproach,inthatitfocuses
onthe‘highlights’ofthepersonality’slifebutalsoontheircontinuousfallibilities,doubts
andanxieties.DescribingBarbraas“theworld’smostbankableactress”,atanestimated
net-worthofR170millionatthetime,thearticle,forinstance,pointsouthowthe
Hollywoodfairytaleeludesher,maintainingthat,“[S]he’sstillasinsecureaswhenshewas
growingupintheharshenvironmentofBrooklyn,NewYork,USA,clingingtoahot-water-
bottlecover,heronlytoy,forcomfort”.
Itcouldbearguedthatthemagazinedeliberatelyusedthe(possible)vulnerabilityand
anxietysheapparentlydisplayedinherprivatelifetocontradictorresistwhatDyer(1979:
111–113)callsher“on-screensocialtypification”,whichshelikelyacquiredby
characteristicallybeingcastasastrongandindependentfemalecharacter.AsJuneSochen
(1998:78)argues,Streisand’sfilmroles“allqualifyasthoughtfuleffortstoportraywomen
asintellectuallyformidable,interestedandengagedintheirsociety”.Localfilmaudiences
andentertainmentmagazinereaderswouldforinstancehaveseenherintheleadingrolein
the1983filmYentl,inwhichsheplaysaJewishgirlwhoassumesamaleidentityinorderto
acquiretheJewishTalmudiceducationreservedformales.Notonlydoessheplayafeisty,
precociouscharacterinthefilm,butshealsodirected,co-wroteandco-producedYentlata
timewhentheHollywoodfilmproductionindustrywasstillverymuchmaledominated.
Yentlwasnominatedforanumberofawards,andStreisandwonthe1984GoldenGlobefor
filmdirection,thefirstwomantoreceivethisaccoladeinthethenforty-year-oldexistence
oftheHollywoodForeignPressAssociation’sannualawardsceremony.97
Asawomanpioneerinthefilm-productionindustryandindependentlymindedscreen
heroine,Barbra’spublicimageisapparentlyoneof“ferocity”,themagazineargues,yetit
emphasiseshercontradictoryprivatelife:“Oddly”,thearticleargues,“theactresswhohasa
publicreputationforferocityisseldomdifficult,obstructiveortemperamentalinprivate.She
isanxious,guilt-drivenandfearfulofbeingseenasvulnerable,especiallytomen.”Shealso
acknowledgesthat“she’sstilldrivenbyself-doubt”despiteherself-confessed“bigego”.
Betweenthisconfessionaboutbeinginternallyconflictedandthethird-personobservation
aboutherpersonalityinprivate,weseeevidenceoftheexplorationoftheemotionalor
innerlife,acharacteristicthatdistinguishesCelebritycoveragefromthatsurfacingtheStar.
Theapparentpsychologicalobservationsapplytoherpersonalitygenerallyandbringa
senseofthe‘lifestory’tothisarticle.Thisisimportant,aspsychologisationbecomesmore
97By2018,shewasstilltheonlywomantohavewonthisaward.
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pervasiveaswemoveintothe21stcentury.Thisisperhapsbecausegoingforward,wewill
seehowthe(oftenamateur)analysisandobservationinthecoverageisappliednotasmuch
tothegeneraltemperamentandcharacterofthepersonality,andthustotheirlifestory,but
moreoftentoaspecificincidentorseriesofincidentsofquestionablebehaviour.Inthis
way,thedelvingintothepsychewillstarttakingplacearoundstoryarcsratherthanaround
thegenerallifestoryofthepersonality,whichensuresasteadystreamofmaterialor
episodesforweeklymagazine-publishing.
Insteadofidealisingherhigh-profilerelationshipswithotherentertainers,thePeopleSA
articledeliberatelyemphasisestheirflawed,problematicnature.Bythetimethearticle
appeared,shewasalreadyadivorcée,asshehadbeenmarriedtoactorElliottGouldfrom
1963to1971,andremainedtheprimaryparentfortheirson,JasonGould.Notonlydoes
thearticlediscussherdivorcefromElliott,butitalsomentionsthat,“[s]he’sdatedalong
lineofcelebrities,includinghairstylistJohnPeters,formerCanadianPrimeMinisterPierre
TrudeauandicecreammogulRichardBaskin.”HerrelationshipwithfellowactorDon
Johnson,whomSouthAfricanreaderscertainlywouldhaverecognisedfromthetelevision
seriesMiamiVice,“hadmoreupsanddownsthanarollercoasterandintheendthey
collapsedinacrimony”.Streisandspeculatesthatherdismalromanticlifeistheresultofher
loversfeeling“intimidated”byher.“Iprobablyscaredthehelloutofthem”,sheexclaims,
“SoIlostmyselfinmywork,alwaysthinkingthatthenexttimetherewouldbeaguywho
wouldn’tturntailandrun”.
Besidesexposinglonelinessandheartache,thearticlealsoinacertainwayappearssubtlyto
piercetheimageoftheStarthathadbeensocarefullyproducedbytheHollywoodfilm
industryovermuchofthe20thcentury,whichwasoneinvolvingperfectandglamorous
privatelives.Itundoubtedlyretainsanelementoftheextraordinaryandtheglamorouson
theonehandbymentioningBarbra’simmensewealth.Itforinstancenotesthatthe“ranch-
stylehouseonthebeachinMalibu”,whereshewasinterviewed,isbut“oneofsevenhomes
shehasinCalifornia,USA”andthatthe“househasarichcollectionofpaintingsand
antiques.Sheadmitsaflockofdealerscombtheauctionhousesoftheworldseekingnew
treasuresforher”.Thearticlealsonotesthatbyherownadmission,“[S]heearnsR2200an
hour–everyhourofthedayofeveryweekofeveryyear.”
Yetthereisarguablyalsoahintofthelessglamorous,oratleastthemoreordinaryand
domesticated,inthearticle’sobservationthatsheactuallycooksforherself.Notonlydoes
BarbramentionherowncookingtotheauthorofthePeoplearticle,shereportedlyactually
119
demonstratesit,bywhiskingeggsforanomelettewhilebeinginterviewed.Notehowthe
much-discussedordinary-extraordinarydividesurfaceshere;shemightbeextraordinary
giventhefactthatsheownsmultiplehomesinCaliforniaalone,hasa“flockof[artsand
antiques]dealers”atherbeckandcallandearnsafortune,yetsheisalsoquiteordinary,as
shedoesnotappeartohavealargedomesticteamwithacookpreparingmealsforher;she
takescareofthisherself.Thefactthatthereisaneyewitnessaccountinvolvedinthisarticle
couldbereadasanattemptatmakinganevermorecompellingcaseforwhatChristine
Geraghty(2000:184)hasdescribedasthe“surprisinglyordinarydomesticlife”oftheStar.
Asomewhat“watered-down”legacyoftheNewJournalismmovementofthe1960sand
1970s,asGeraldRussello(2005)argues,thelate20th-centuryentertainmentpersonality
profile’strendofweavingfirst-handobservationsmadeduringtheinterviewingprocessinto
thefinalarticleisimportant.Notonlydoesitcontributetothenotionofaccessibilitytothe
entertainmentpersonality,whichcanbeseentocontributetotheideaoftheirordinariness,
butitisalsosignificantasitforegroundsakeyelementofthenextrepresentationoffame
identifiedinthisthesis,ofshowingthe“surprisinglyordinarydomestic”(Geraghty2000:
184)lifeofthestarbyprovidingphotographicevidence.ThuswhereasEmergingCelebrity
coveragereliesuponthewriter’seyewitnessaccountsofthepersonalitiesengagedintheir
ordinaryeverydayactivities,CelebrityPropercoverage,asthenextchapterwillshow,will
cometorelyonphotographicevidenceofit.Inacertainway,EmergingCelebritycoverage
finallyallowsthereadertobecomeakindofeyewitnesstotheCelebrityphenomenon.
AnothertrendthatappearstoemergeinthisPeopleSAprofilepiece,thatofinterviewing
theentertainmentpersonalityintheprivatespaceoftheirhome,isalsosignificant,asitcan
besaidtosymbolisethecontinuingcollapseoftheboundariesbetweenthepublicand
privatethatcharacterisesthetrajectoryof20th-centuryfame.Comparedtoearly20th-
centurymagazinecoverage,whereverylittleornomentionwasmadeofprivatelife,
depictionsoftheprivatelifeoftheStarpermeatedmagazinecoverageofthemid-20th
century.Laterinthecentury,thispenetrationoftheprivaterealmwastakenonestep
furtherasthehome,thatinnersanctum,waspenetratedandsubsequentlyincorporated
intothecoverageandtheentertainerimage,asthisPeopleSAarticlesosubtlydoes.Ifthe
homeisviewedassymbolicoftheStar’sprivatelife,itissignificanttonoteinthisinstance
thatinthehierarchyofroomscontainedwithintheconfinesofthewallsofahome,the
kitchenisusuallyconstruedasmoreprivatethanreceptionareassuchaslivingroom,
lounge,dininganddrawingroom.Theonlytworoomsmoreprivatethanthekitchen,
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arguably,arethebedroomandthebathroom.Thus,thefactthatatleastasectionofthe
interviewissaidtotakeplaceinthekitchencanbereadasanindicationthatherprivatelife
hasbeenatleastmoderatelyexposed,notasexposedasitwouldhavebeenhadthe
ultimatelyprivatespacesofbedroomorbathroombeeninfiltrated,yetconsiderablymore
exposedthaniftheinterviewhadtakenplaceinareceptionareaofherMalibubeach
house.
TheeyewitnessaccountofBarbra’somelettepreparationleadsintoabriefexchangethat
revealsherreasonsforcookingforherself:“WhenI’mnervous,Ineedtoeat”,sheisquoted
assaying.“Iusedtohaveacook,butshewasalwayspilingmyplateevenwhenIwasn’t
nervous.Cookingformyselfisonewaytoavoidgainingweight.”Heradmissionthather
weightandbyextensionherphysicalappearanceisnotquiteperfectisinteresting,asit
seemstosignalamoveawayfromadominantperceptioninStarcoverage;theperception,
asLiesbetvanZoonenandEmilyHarmer(2011:94)havepointedout,thatentertainers,
especiallywomen,areendowedwith“beauty,enigmaticappealandcorporealperfection”.
Thisconfessioncanalsobeinterpretedasanindicationthattheentertainerisordinaryand
‘justlike’thereaderintermsofhavingtobevigilantnottogainweight.Thiscommentcould
simultaneouslybereadasasubtleindicationofaselfthatisvulnerabletostressandabody
thatislessthanperfect,abodythat,itseems,isinterpretedassomewhatproblematicor
flawed.
Conclusion
Asentertainersstarteddominatingweeklyconsumer-magazinecoveragetowardstheendof
the20thcentury,theheroicelementthathadbeensopervasiveincoverageofindividualsin
early20thcenturymagazinesdwindled.Furthermore,asthecoveragefromPeopleSA
magazineseemstoshow,coverageoftheseentertainersfurthererodedthedividebetween
theirpublicandoftenchoreographedandproducedprivatelives.Thiserosionwasachieved
byadeliberatedismantlingoftheneat,sanitisedprivateexistenceportrayedundertheso-
calledHollywoodmarketingmachinebeforeitsfinaldisbandmentinthelatterhalfofthe
20thcentury.Exposureoftheshortcomings,flaws,errors,misjudgementsand
transgressionsintheprivatelivesoftheseentertainers,oftenthroughtheirownadmission,
inconfessionsthatweresubsequentlydisclosedtothepress,withorwithouttheir
knowledgeandpermission,wasthemainwayinwhichthemagazineswentabouttheirtask
oftakingaparttheStarimagetheHollywoodpublicitymechanismhadsocarefullycrafted
121
foritsperformers.Itwasamechanismthatwasalsoappropriatedbyotherentertainersand
personalitiesbentonalifeinthepubliceye.
Ithasbeenproposedthatasignificantdistinctioncouldbedrawnbetweenhowweekly
magazinesportrayedwell-knownnessinthemid-20thcenturyandhowthiscametobedone
towardstheendofthemillennium,andthatthisdistinctionmeritsaseparate
categorisation.Eventhoughtheterms‘star’and‘celebrity’areusedinterchangeablyinboth
popularandacademicliterature,thetermStarisusedheretosignalthefigureconceivedby
HollywoodandthetermCelebrityfortheStarimagetingedbyimperfection,flawandalsoa
senseofmisbehaviour.
Thisisanunderstandingofwell-knownnessthatbecamedominantinpopularmagazines
fromtheendofthetwentiethcenturyonwards.InSouthAfrica,themagazinetitlesthat
surfacedthisunderstandingasthenewmillenniumapproachedincludedPeoplebutalso,
evenifmoresubtly,theweeklyfamilytitlesDrumandHuisgenoot,whichbecamestable-
matesintheearly1980s,98andalsoPersonalitymagazine.Yetitisarguablythelocaledition
oftheBritishCelebrityweeklyheatthatseemedtoradicalisethenotionofCelebrityonthe
SouthAfricanmedialandscape.Consequently,usingcoveragefromheat,themoreradical
CelebrityProperfigurewillbeexploredinthefollowingchapter.
Thischapterhadconjureduptheimageofdescentorfall,fromtheheavenstotheearth,
fromStarstoPeople,soastoopenthediscussionofanunderstandingoffamebasedonthe
notionofimperfectionandmisbehaviour.Theemphasisinthecoverageisonentertainers
showingimperfectionsandbeingbadlybehavedandgenerallytroubled.Thisdepartsfrom
contemplation,intypicalcoverageearlierinthecentury,oftheglamour,successand
otherwisealluringelementsoffigureexportedthroughtheHollywoodfanzinestardom
blueprintoftheearly20thcentury.ButsomethingoftheglamourofoldHollywoodis
regainedinspiteofthecontinuedpresenceofimperfectionandmisbehaviourinthe
representationofCelebrityProper.Atleastonereadingoftheword‘hot’,impliedinthetitle
ofthemagazineheat,suggestsappealorcachet,andanunderstandingoffamethat
appearedtobebasedlargelyontheenticingappealofflawwillbeexploredinthenext
chapter.
98NasionalePers,thefoundingcompanyofHuisgenoot,acquiredDrummagazinefromitsfounder,JimBailey,in1984.
122
Chapter4:CelebrityProper:heatSAintheearly21stcenturyTheemergenceofthenotionof‘imperfection’ofmanykindsinmagazinecoverageof
entertainmentpersonalitiesaroundtheturnofthe20thcenturyhasbeennotedinthe
literature.Hereitisarguedthatthisgrowingfocusinentertainmentjournalismcanbetaken
further,andthatonecouldidentifytwodifferentkindsoffiguressurfacingfromcoverage
predominantlypreoccupiedwithwhatcouldbroadlybedescribedasflawsorproblematic
behaviour.
IncoveragesurfacingtheEmergingCelebrity,imperfectionandfallibilityarereferencedwith
errorsofjudgementandmisbehaviourintheprivatelifeandeventhefirsttentative
mentionsofwhatareportrayedasphysicalflaws.Whatweseeinthecoverageofthe
privatelifeoftheEmergingCelebrityis,inmanyways,theoppositeofwhatweseeinthatof
theStar:fairy-taleromancesandhappyfamiliesrepresentedasessentiallyidealand
‘perfect’makewayforstoriesofeverythingbut,namelyheartache,loneliness,divorceand
singleparenthood.Thisemphasisonimperfectioninitsvariousguisesseemstobefurther
elaborated,refinedandamplifiedgoingintothe21stcentury.Hencetheclassificationofthe
transitionalfiguredominatinglate20th-centurycoverage,asanemergingone,aselements
characterisingthisfigureappeartobecomemoreradicalisedinthefirstdecadeofthenew
millennium.Thiswasoneofthemajorreasonsinfluencingthedecisiontodistinguish
betweenwhatiscalledEmergingCelebrityanditssuccessor,CelebrityProper.Although,
withthepredominantfocusinthecoverageonproblematicandevensometimesdownright
risquébehaviour,itwastemptingtocallthisfiguretheCelebrityImproper.
Theradicalisationisachievedinpartbyashifttoalargelyvisualapproachtoproviding
evidenceofimperfectionandmisbehaviourinCelebrityPropercoverage.Thevisualevidence
referredtohereisforthemostpartcandidandapparentlyunauthorisedpaparazzi
photographyofpersonalitiesseeminglygoingabouttheirprivatelives.Thisgroupof
photographersareamongthosethat,asRedmond(2006:33)argues,“functiontoshowus
thestar,celebrityorpersonalityasblotchy,spotty,over/underweight,drunkanddisorderly,
dishevelled,drugged,angry,violent,deceiving,hiding,lying,stealing,naked,knickerless,
bra-less,lewd,promiscuous,ormetaphysically‘lost’”.
Thisdescription,whichtosomeextentresemblesadolescentmischief,isimportant,asit
summarisesthekindofbehaviourthatismostoftenincludedinthecoverage.Inother
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words,itanswersoneoftheguidingquestions,namelyhowapersonalitygetscovered,by
givingaclearindicationofthekindofbehaviourthatwouldbeexposedinthemagazine.
Thecandidphotographcanbesaidtobeamaincontributortothesenseofordinarinessand
truthsupposedlysurfacingfromthecoverage.WithreferencetoAllanSekula’s“theoryof
thehighertruthofthestolenimage”,AdrienneLai(2006:219)notesthatthereisa:
presumptionthatcandid,unguardedimagesaremorenatural,andthusmore
truthful,reflectingmoreofthesubject’s‘innerbeing’[…]Thisnotionofthecameraas
atoolofpenetrationandrevelation[…]isparticularlycogentinthecelebritycontext,
whereartificeandimagedominate.
Theideaofthesesupposedlyunposedphotographsbeingreflectiveofthe‘innerbeing’of
theentertainmentpersonalityisextended,inCelebrityPropercoverage,withafurther
explorationoftheinnerlifeoftheentertainer.Wesawsomeinitialindicationsofamoveto
theinteriorinEmergingCelebritycoverageintermsofevidenceoffirst-personadmissions
andreflections,oftenofself-doubt,misgivingsandanxietyorwhatcouldbroadlybecalled
‘beingtroubled’.
Theseadmissionsgenerallyseemedtorevealerrorsofjudgementorofbehaviourdeemed
asinappropriateorunfortunate.Andalthoughtherewasnotnecessarilytheideaofsinina
religioussense,thenotionofconfessionseemstosurfaceinthecoverage.Bolsteredbythe
evidenceprovidedbycandidpaparazzi-stylephotographs,CelebrityPropercoverage
appearedmorefocusedontheconfessional,whichRedmond(2008:110)definesas“any
momentinwhichastar,celebrity,orfanengagesinrevelatoryacts”.
Theideaofconfessionconnotestransgression.Confessionisalsounderstoodtorevealat
leastsomethingabouttheinnerlifeoftheentertainmentpersonality,orwhatJoLittler
(2004:13)calls“emotionalinteriority”.Thereseemtobeevenfurtherattempts,inCelebrity
Propercoverage,torevealandsupposedlyunderstandtheinnerlifeoftheentertainer.This
isdonethroughamateurishpsychologisationoranalysisofoften-photographedbehaviourin
public.
TypicalCelebrityPropercoverageavoidscareerhistoriesandcharacteristicallyapplies
psychologicalanalysisatparticularmomentstostoryarcsunfoldingoveroneormore
consecutiveweeksatatime,withakeeninterestinminutiaethatisevidentalsoinaspecific
kindofvisualapproachtothestorytelling.Thisinterestinthesmalldetailisadistinctive
characteristicintermsofthetrajectory.Untilthe21stcentury,thelifestoryofthefamous
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figure,whichwascoveredinlengthy,text-heavyaccountsandevensometimesserialised
andpublishedoverseveralmonths,hadaclearpresence.Butwiththedawnofthenew
century,nodoubtdrivenbytheweeklypublicationscheduleandalsotheideaof‘breaking’
Celebritynews,magazinecoverageincreasinglybecameorientedaroundthesmalldetail
andstoryarcofaparticularmomentratherthanthebiographicallifestory.
Tosummarise,CelebrityPropercoverageistypicallyhigh-frequencyexposureof
entertainmentpersonalities’privatelivesandspecificallywhatcouldbeportrayedas
physicalflawsandscandalousbehaviouratcertainkeymoments.Photographic‘evidence’
andasustainedpsychological-analysis-stylenarrativesupportthis.Withitskeen
preoccupationwithimperfectionandmisbehaviour,thiskindofeditorialapproachcertainly
rantheriskofgivingwaytocoveragethatwouldbeunappealingtoitsintendedreadership.
Yet,despitethepotentialforlosingreaderinterest,theCelebrityProperfigurewouldremain
acompellingone,atleastforawhile.Thisisperhapsbecause,atleastinheat,thisthreatof
amuch-too‘ordinary’,bleakandeventragicfigurewassuccessfullycounteredortempered
by,inthefirstinstance,carefulselectionofpersonalitiestobeincludedinthecoverageto
exudesomeglamour,glossandappeal.Thiswastodeliberatelybringaboutacountervailing
senseoftheextraordinary.Soeventhoughthefocusofthecoveragewasonscandalous
behaviour,therewasenoughbalancingallureintheselectionoffigurestoappearinthe
magazine.Inaddition,themagazinetookanironic,satiricaleditorialapproachtocoverage.
heatisarguablyoneofthepioneersofthisearly21st-centuryrepresentationoffame,hence
theselectionofthistitletoexploretheCelebrityPropercategory.Thisjuxtaposition
betweenthe‘appallingandtheappealing’isevidentinthecommentsfromMarkFrith
(2008),oneoftheearlyeditorsoftheoriginal(British)editionofheat,inhismemoirs,that
gossip,glamourandfashionwere,forinstance,thethreeelementsthatmadeDavidand
VictoriaBeckhamtheperfectcoupletofeatureforheatUK.Feasyalsodescribesheatas
simultaneously“nosy”,connoting‘exposé’andthustransgression,and“cooland
glamorous”(Feasy,2008:688).Inaddition,SarahJaneBaker(2006:8)writesthatheatUK
wastargetedatthoseinterestedinfashionaswellas“celebritygossipandscandal”.
heatSouthAfrica,whichwasestablishedinMay2004,fiveyearsaftertheoriginaledition
hadbeenlaunchedintheUK,remainedtruetothiseditorialformulaofexposing
entertainment-personalityscandalwhilesimultaneouslyshowcasingthecoolandthe
glamoroussideoffame.
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AswiththeEmergingCelebrity,thereasonsfortheCelebrityProperdominatingthelocal
weeklymagazinelandscapearelessevidentthantheywerefortheStardominating1950s
DrumandtheEpicHerobeingdominantinearly20thcenturyHuisgenoot.
Thereaders’interestcouldbesaidtobeinmisbehaviourinthesenseofpleasuresofthe
flesh,or,tobemoreexplicit,sexscandals,withtheterm‘heat’ofcoursealsohavingthat
connotation.Thelocalinterestinsexscandalsisperhapsnotsosurprisinggiventheswift
andsuddenchangeintermsofsexualfreedomfollowingthedawnofdemocracyinSouth
Africain1994.DeborahPosel(2005:129)explainshowbeforedemocracy,“stringent
censorshipandaregimeofmoralprohibitionwereseenascriticalweaponsineffortsto[…]
preservetherigoursofa‘civilized’wayoflife”,yetafterwards,“[T]herehasbeenaveritable
explosionofsexualimagery,displayanddebate”andthat,“Issuesofsexualityhavean
extraordinaryprominence”.Shealsowritesofhowafter1994therewas“anabundant
circulationofmovies,magazines,andpornography,previouslyconsideredtaboo”(Posel
2005:130).
Inanewandradicallychangedenvironmentinwhich,heatSAcapitalisedonitsstatusasthe
onlyweeklymagazinethatwasnotbrandedandmarketedasafamilytitletofocusmainly
onsexscandals.Allheat’slocalcompetitorswereeitherfamilytitlesorhadareligiousethos,
andthisprobablyhadtobefairlydiscerningaboutthenatureoftheirshowbusinesscontent
andsteerclearofespeciallyvisuallyexplicitmaterial.Thesecompetitorsincluded
HuisgenootandYOU,itsEnglishequivalent;People,itsAfrikaansequivalent,Mense;Drum;
andMove!,aweeklymagazineaimedatanaspiringmiddle-classblackwomenreadership,
whichwaslaunchedin2005.
AlthoughheatSAemulatedheatUKinitspublicisationofsexualmischiefandother
scandalousbehaviourthatshowbusinesspersonalitiesgotuptointheirprivatelives,itis
interestingtonotethatthetwoeditionsdifferedintermsofthespecificpersonalities
represented.Inotherwords,thereisadivergenceintermsofwhowascovered.Whois
deemedworthyofcoverageorwhomeritscoveragehasbeenaguidingquestioninthis
thesis.Coverageinbotheditionswasprimarilyofshowbusinessand,toalesserextent,of
sportspersonalities,soitcouldbesaidthatthesametypesofpeoplewerecoveredinboth
heatUKandheatSA.However,ifonelooksmorecloselyatwhereorinwhichmediumthese
entertainersachievedfameintheirpubliclives,therearedifferencesbetweenthelocaland
theoriginalbrand.
126
Inparticular,onthebackofwhatTurner(2010)callsthe“demoticturn”,referringtothe
greaterpresenceof‘ordinary’orrealpeople,inthemediaandelsewhere,theoriginal
editionofheathasalwaysfeaturedastrongcontingentofreality-televisionperformers.
Holmes(2005:23)notesthat,withspecificreferencetoheatUK,thesemagazines“have
developedasymbioticrelationshipwiththecelebritycultureofRealityTV”,99particularly
becausetheycouldensuresustainedcoverage,atleastforalittlewhile,ofthenotoriously
ephemeralfameofthereality-televisionpersonality.
Despiterealitytelevisionalreadyhavingarelativelystrongpresenceinthecountrybythe
timeheatSAlaunchedandpotentiallycontributingalargenumberofperformerswhocould
becoveredinthemagazine,100heatSA,aswellasitslocalcompetitors,offeredthemscant
coverage.OntheadviceofheatUKfollowingtheirsuccesswithreality-television
personalities,someoftheveryearlyissuesofheatSAdidincludefairlyregularcoverageof
thesepersonalities,butheatSAlauncheditorMelindaShawexplainstheearlyindications
werethatcoverageofthesepeopledidnotresonateaswellwiththelocalreadershipasit
didwithheatUK’saudience.Storiesoftheirlivesbeyondtherealityshowssubsequently
onlyappearedsporadically.“Wedidofferrealitytelevisionasoneoftheoriginalmotivations
forlaunchingheatSA”,Shawexplainedduringapersonalconversationon21January2014.
“Butwhenitcametoit,wedidn’treallyhaveenoughrealityTVatthetime,atleastnotof
thecalibretheyhadintheUK.Thelocalproductionbudgetswerecomparativelysmallerfor
theserealitytelevisionshows,whichmeanttheywereperhapslesssophisticatedthantheir
internationalcounterparts.Andalso,norealityseries,noteventheinternationalones,really
gotthewholenationtalking”.
Thedearthoflocalpersonalitieswentbeyondrealitytelevision,however.Generally,heatSA
coveredahigherpercentageofinternationalthanlocalentertainers,especiallywithregards
toexposureofcontroversialbehaviourthatcouldpotentiallybeportrayedasscandalous.In
thisregarditisperhapsinterestingtoconsiderthecoverofthelaunchissueofheatSA,101
whichfeaturedSouthAfrica-born,butHollywood-basedactorCharlizeTheron.Thestory
promotedonthecoverwith,“Charlize!WhytheEastRandangelwasdestinedtobeastar!”
99Holmes(2005:31)arguesthatthisisinpartbecauseintheworldofrealitytelevision,“thebasisofthecelebrityas‘ordinaryperson’clearlyhasaparticularcurrency”,especiallyformagazinessuchasheatUKanditspeers,consumedwiththetaskofsimultaneouslyarticulatingordinaryandextraordinaryelementsintheirrepresentationofentertainers.100ThefirstseasonofthelocaleditionoftheinternationalBigBrothermadeitsdebutin2001,andthefirstseasonofIdolsSouthAfricadebutedin2002.Internationalreality-televisionseriessuchasSurvivorwerealsobroadcastonlocaltelevisionbythetimeheatSAlaunched.101heat,6–12March2004.
127
leansmoreinthedirectionofCharlize’spubliclifeandespeciallyherwinninganAcademy
Award(Oscar)thepreviousyear.Yetthiswasoneoftherareexceptionstoaneditorial
traditiongenerallyfocusedonprivate-lifescandal,especiallyprominentlyupfrontonthe
coverofthemagazine,andalsostoryarcsratherthanlifestoriesencompassingseveral
yearsandentirecareers.AlthoughthistreatmentofCharlizeinthelaunchissuedidnotseta
precedentforthemagazine’sapproachtointernationalentertainersgenerally,itcouldbe
saidtohavesetthedirectionforthetreatmentoflocals.Notonlywastheremuchless
coveragegenerally,inheatSA,ofindividualsfromthelocalshowbusinesscommunity
comparedtotheirinternationalcounterparts,butthefocusoftherelativelyoccasionallocal
storyalsolargelyavoidedcontroversy,scandalandtheinnerlifeofthoseitcovered.
ThereadershipofheatSAalsoseemedtoindicatethatwhenitcametolocalpersonalities,
theypreferredcoverageofthekindthatcouldbecategorisedassurfacingmoreoftheStar
orHerothantheCelebrityfigure.ThispreferencecouldbereadinthewaySouthAfricans,
comparedtothereadershipofheatUK,respondedtotheregular“Spotted”slotonthe
letterspage.Readerswereaskedtosendintheirownpicturestakenoffamouspeople
‘spotted’inpublic,andthebestimageoftheweekwouldbepublishedandthe
photographergivenaprize.WhileheatUK’sreadershipgenerallysentinwhatlookedlike
candid,paparazzi-typeimages,heatSA’sreaderssentinposedphotographs,mostlywiththe
readerinthepicturealongsidethefamouspersonality.Thisadulationwouldbereservedfor
aHerooraStarfigure,onethatisheldinhighesteem,andcertainlynotaCelebrityfigure
thatisgivenpublicitybecauseofhisorhertransgressions.
Thistrendmightbeattributedtothegeneralabsenceofalocalpaparazziindustry,with
21st-centuryCelebritymagazinesstronglyrelyingonpaparazziphotographytoprovide
visualevidenceofscandalousbehaviourand,subsequently,editorialcontent.Arelatively
‘young’localentertainment,andespeciallyfilm,102industrycouldalsobesaidtohaveplayed
apart,withlocalactors,musiciansandsportspeoplebeinggenerallyguardedorhesitantto
exposetheirprivatelivesandespeciallypotentiallycontroversialaspects.
OneistemptedtoattributethisstateofaffairsmainlytothefactthatSouthAfricawasa
developingcountrywithanextremelyconservativerecenthistory,butthenitisinteresting
toconsiderthat,asGandhyandThomas(1991)argue,inIndia,alsoadevelopingcountry
102Specificreferenceismadetofilm,ashowperformersfromthisgenrearetreatedinweeklymagazinestendstosetthetrendforotherentertainersaswell.ThisisofcoursearesultoffilmbeingtheindustrythatoriginallyestablishedtheHollywoodmarketingmachine,fromwhich,ithasbeenargued,thenotionofCelebritydeveloped.
128
withapredominantlyreligiousandthereforearguablyconservativepopulation,thereisa
thrivinglocalBollywoodequivalentofHollywood’smarketingefforts,completewith
exposure,ingossipmagazinesandelsewhere,ofprivate-lifescandals.Thesescandals
encompass“behavioursthataredecidedlysubversiveofthestrictsocialmoresofIndian
societyandwouldbeconsidered‘scandalous’[…]evenbymanyoftheirmostdedicated
fans”,noteGandhyandThomas(1991:109).
Ithasbeenarguedthatcomparedtootherentertainers,filmactorsseemtonaturallyhavea
senseoftheextraordinaryaboutthem,especiallyindevelopingcountries.Gandhyand
Thomas(1991:107–108),forinstance,arguethattheBollywoodactorsarevaluedinIndia
because,“theyofferaudienceswhoselivesarelimitedinvariousways–materiallyand
emotionally–thevicariouspleasuresofidentificationwithandexplorationoftherealmof
theextraordinary”.
AlthoughtheSouthAfricanfilmindustryisoneoftheoldestintheworld,asMartinBotha
(2012)notes,andhasbeenwelldocumentedinaselectionofimportanttexts,103its
marketingeffortshavealwaysbeenrelativelysmallcomparedtothoseofIndiaandother
developingcountries.Thepotentialforgaininganecessarysenseoftheextraordinaryin
marketingtheprivatelivesofperformerswasarguablylimitedintermsofSAfilmactors.By
extension,iftherewaslittlepossibilitythatlocalfilmactorswouldcontributeasenseofthe
extraordinary,therewasalsoariskthatrepresentationofotherpersonalitieswould
engendertoomuchofasenseoftheordinarywithouttheextraordinarytomaintainthe
balance.
Consequently,comparedtotheBritishoriginal,heatSAdidnotcovernearasmanylocal
performers.However,inmostotherways,thelocaleditionofheatfollowedtheoriginal
quitecloselyintermsofcontentandeditorialapproachandstyle.Thisisinteresting,
especiallysince,asLittler(2011:1)argues,thereoftenseemstobeageneraltrendtowards
‘glocalisation’andpersonalitiesbeing“consumeddifferentlyindifferentplaces,their
meaningsshiftingalongsidetheirgeographicalcontext”.Asanofficialinternationaledition,
infacttheonlyone,oftheBritishoriginal,heatSAwasundersomewhatofanobligationto
followaspecificeditorialformula,yetcould,ofcourse,adaptittosuitthelocalreadership.
103ThelmaGutsche’s1972TheHistoryandSocialSignificanceofMotionPicturesinSouthAfrica1895–1940isseenasaseminalworkabouttheearlyyearsoftheSouthAfricanfilmindustry.OtherauthorswhohavedocumentedtheindustryincludeAndréleRouxandLillaFourie(1982),KeyanTomaselli(1989),BothaandJohanBlignault(1992),BothaandAdrivanAswegen(1992),PeterDavis(1996),JacquelineMaingard(2007),LuciaSaks(2010)andVanNierop(2016).Inaddition,thereareeditedvolumesbyIsabelBalseiroandNtongelaMasilela(2003),Tomaselli(2006)andBotha(2007).
129
Perhapsthebiggestdeviationwastheselectionofentertainerstofeatureinthemagazine,
with,ashasbeenmentioned,relativelylimitedrepresentationoflocalperformersanda
largerselectionofinternationalfiguresknowntothelocalmarket,whichoftenmeantUS
filmperformersandmusiciansratherthanthepredominantlyBritishcontingentof
entertainerscoveredinheatUK.
Theeditorialapproachandstyleofthetwoeditionsremainedquitesimilar,however.From
thesatiricalandironicapproach,whichcouldbesaidtobetypicalofBritishhumourandalso
so-calledlad-magcultureofthe1990s,tothelargelyvisualrepresentationofimperfection
andscandalousbehaviour,heatSAcouldbesaidtohavetakenitsleadfromheatUK.
4.1UncoveringtheCelebrityProper
IthasbeenarguedthattheEmergingCelebrity,thefigureemerginginweeklymagazines
towardstheendofthe20thcentury,deviatedfromtheStar,theimagetheHollywoodfilm
industryconstructedforitsleadingmenandwomenfromtheearly20thcenturyonwards.
TheliteratureindicatesthatthisdeparturefromtheHollywoodblueprintcouldbe
attributedtoscreenartistsbecoming“proprietorsoftheirownimage”(King,inGamson
2001:270)followingthedisbandmentoftheHollywoodstudiosystemfromthelate1940s
onwards.Aswehaveseen,thecarefulcontroltheHollywoodstudioshadexertedoverthe
imageoftheiractorswasnowabsent,andweeklymagazinesnolongerbelongedtothefilm
studiosastheyhadinthefirsthalfofthe20thcentury.Instead,independentpublishersnow
producedweeklymagazinesbasedontheoriginalHollywood‘fanzine’formula,butwithless
loyaltytotheStarimage,whichmeantthattherewasnowscopetointerrogatethe
constructedimageofeveryindividualactor.
Thisinterrogation,ofcourse,startedtakingplacegraduallyfromthemiddleofthe20th
centuryonwards,withmagazinesappearingtoshattertheillusionthatentertainment
personalitieswereallleadingprosperous,healthyandhappylives.Inaddition,thekindof
figurethatemergedfromthesemagazineswasoftenrepresentedas‘onlyhuman’;the
coveragethereforeconcentratedonshowingthattheyarenot‘perfect’physicallyandalso
pronetoerrorsofjudgment,misstepsandmisbehaviour.Classifyingthistrendasthe
emergenceoffame’s“darkside”,asSternheimer(2011:153)does,isperhapssomewhat
exaggerated,yetisnonethelessinstructiveatthispoint.
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Deliberateexposésofscandalousbehaviourbyentertainersintheirprivatelivesalsostarted
appearing.IntheSouthAfricaneditionofPeople,themagazineusedtoexaminethenotion
ofEmergingCelebrity,thisbehaviourcouldbesaidtobewhatRojek(2001)identifiesinhis
explorationofthephenomenonofCelebrity:“excessiveconspicuousconsumption[…]drug
abuse,alcoholaddiction,violenceandsoon”(Rojek2001:31).Peoplepublishedstoriesof
suspectedalcoholandnarcoticsabuse,domesticviolenceandoutrageousandexcessivestar
behaviourthatoftentransgressed“ordinarymoralrules”(Rojek2001:31).
Celebritiesmakingtrouble
Goingintothe21stcentury,representationsoffameincludedevidenceofentertainment
personalitiesgettinguptoallsortsofmischief.Infact,itcouldbearguedthathighjinksor
misbehaviourwasoneofthemostimportantdistinguishingcharacteristicsoftheCelebrity
Propercategory.heatindicatedtheimportanceofscandalforitseditorialvisionbyplacingit
mostprominentlyonitscoverpageforeachofitsweeklyissues,saveforahandfulevery
year.(heatSA’slaunchissueandtheannualChristmasandNewYear’seditionsalso
generallytendedtofavourfameoverinfamyonthecover.)Themostprominentcover
positionwasusuallydedicatedtoanimportant‘breakingnews’storyfromtheweek,
preferablyonethatcontainedsomeelementofscandalousprivate-lifebehaviour.
heatwasnotthefirstmagazinetofocussocloselyonscandal,asHolmes(2005)pointsout,
makingreferencetoConfidential,theUSmagazinethatlaunchedinthe1950s.Rightfrom
theoutset,ConfidentialwassetonexposingHollywoodsecrets(Davis2002;Petersen2010).
Thisquarterlyandlaterbi-monthlypublicationindeedappearstobeoneofthepioneersof
scandal,introducingittotheinternationalmagazine-publishingindustry.Itpublishedits
storiesabout“whowashavingsexwithwho,whowascoveringuphiddenpasts[and]who
wassecretlyflauntingsocietalrules”,intheprocesssuggestingthat“sexualandmoral
devianceranrampantinHollywood”(Petersen2010).Andalthoughitcouldcertainlybe
arguedthatitsetthetrendforthelaterweeklysupermarkettabloids,itdoesappeartohave
beenalone,isolatedvoiceduringitstwenty-seven-yearexistence.Confidentialmighthave
“counteredthewholesomenarrativesoftraditional,conservativegossipoutlets”(Petersen
2010),yetthiswasamereforeshadowingofthemagazinerepresentationsoffamethat
wouldappeartowardstheturnofthe20thcenturyandintothe21st.
Firstly,thecoverageofscandalousbehaviourinheatanditscontemporarieswasmuchmore
visuallydriventhanConfidential’seditorialoffering.BothPetersen(2010)andDavis(2002)
discusshowConfidentialgathered“surveillancetechnology”(bothaudioandvisual)largely
131
asevidencetobeusedifthemagazinehadtofacelegalaction(Petersen2010).Bycontrast,
heatuseditsphotographstoprovemisbehaviourandphysicalimperfectiontoitsreaders.
Second,thekindofwell-knownnessthatemergedinheatanditsclosecompetitorswas
arguablyreliantonthe(admittedlycontrolled)revelationorexposéofscandalousbehaviour
and,crucially,alsoonitsincorporationintotheEmergingCelebrityimage.Thisapparent
incorporationofcontroversialbehaviourintotheentertainerimageisonewayinwhichthe
CelebrityPropersetsitselfapartfromitspredecessor.
Itisadelicatebalance,whichappearstohingeonaestheticappeal.ElizabethCurrid-Halkett
(2010)quotesRichardJohnson,editoroftheNewYorkPost’sgossipcolumn,PageSix,ina
discussionofwhybehaving“badlyinpublic”appearedtotarnishsocialiteandactorTara
Reid’simageyetnotthatofhercontemporaryParisHilton:
[Reid]alsobehavedbadlyinpublic,butinsteadofbeingfascinatedbyher,thepublic
dismissedher.Johnsonhasanexplanation:Parisbehavedbadly,butshelooked
goodwhiledoingit.Asheexplainedtome,“Despiteherimageasared-carpet-
hoggingpartymonster…sheisintenselyawarethatsheisbeingwatchedand
photographed,andsherarelytakesabadpicture.”Tara,ontheotherhand,didn’t
strikeParisHilton’soptimalbalanceofscandalandglamour;shewaspitied,not
revered.AsJohnsonsummeditup,“TaraReidseemedtohaveaproblematparties,
andregularlybecame,astheBritssay,‘tiredandemotional.’Shealsohadaweight
problematonepoint,andthenshehadthebadplasticsurgery.Peoplejustlost
interestinherasshecontinuedherdescent.Andherrealityshowmadematters
worse.(Currid-Halkett2010:28)
An“optimalbalanceofscandalandglamour”(Currid-Halkett,2010:28)isperhapsasimple
wayofexpressing,atleastinpart,whattheCelebrityProperencompassesandwhatappears
toemergeinheatmagazine.Holmes(2005:24)notesthatitisproblematictoassertthat
heatsurfacesa“‘new’discursiveformationintheconstructionofcelebrity”,asConfidential
hadalreadydonethisahalf-centurybefore.Yetitcancertainlybearguedthatitisnotso
muchtheexposureofscandalorwrongdoingthatsetsheatapartfrompredecessorssuchas
Confidential,butthewayinwhichthisexposureisapproachedandthekindof
understandingoffamethatemergesintheprocess.
Sowhatwasheat’sidiosyncraticapproachtoscandal?Oneofthemostimportantaspectsis
thatitappearedcarefullytoselectthekindofwrongdoingitexposed,thekindof
misbehaviourthatwarrantedcoverage.Preferencewasobviouslygiventobehaviourthat
132
couldbeshownor‘proven’withphotographicevidence,asthemagazinewasmorevisually
thantextuallyoriented.
Moreover,inwhatcanbeconstruedasanattempttoensuretheretentionofappeal,the
magazineavoidedexposingorengagingwithserious‘transgression’.Rather,heatchoseto
revealwhatcouldbedescribedasfoibles,follies,indiscretionsandpeccadilloes,manyof
themrelatedtosex.Typicalindiscretionsthemagazinecoveredwerethoseassociatedwith
“excessiveconspicuousconsumption”,touseRojek’s(2001:31)phrase.
OneexampleistheexposéofthecontentsofParisHilton’ssecretlocker,104with‘caught-
red-handed’typeofphotographicevidenceofdruguseandsexualbehaviouraswellas
copiesofwhatappeartobelettersandpersonaljournals,providingintimatedetailabout
theUSsocialiteandoccasionalactor’s‘bad’behaviour.Wordsandphrasesdottingthecopy
including“wildnightsout”,“outrageous”,“massivepileofcocaine”,“sexvideoshowingParis
goingatitwithex-boyfriendJoeFrancis”(emphasisadded),andappeartounderlinethe
excessivebehaviourseeminglylegiblefromtheaccompanyingphotographs.
Likemanyotherexamplesofcoverageinheatthatcouldbecategorisedassurfacingthe
CelebrityProper,thearticleonParis’ssecretlockerisfirmlyrootedinthatinnersanctumof
privatelife,thebedroom,andfurtheralsoappearstoexposeher‘privateparts’(breastsand
genitals,oratleastasmuchasthemagazinecouldshowwithoutgettingintotrouble;much
ofthenudityhasbeencoveredandlabelledbythemagazineas“toorude”).Thisis,of
course,interestingfromtheperspectiveofthetrajectoryoffameoverthe20thcenturyasa
whole.Ithasbeenarguedherethroughoutthatonecouldtraceacontinuouscollapseofthe
boundarybetweenthepublicandtheprivateincoverage,correspondingwiththe
postmoderntrendofwhatJeanBaudrillard(2007:58)describesasthe“forcedextroversion
ofallinteriority”broughtaboutbythe“universeofcommunication”(Baudrillard2007:53).
Baudrillardreferstotelevisioninparticular,buthiscommentscouldbeextendedto
magazinesalsoaspartofthe‘communicationuniverse’.Intheshowbusinesspublishing
industry,nudity,andspecificallynudityintheveryprivaterealmofthebedroom,couldbe
saidtosymbolisethefinalfrontierinthe“forcedextroversionof[entertainmentpersonality]
interiority”.Nudityintheprivatespaceisalsosomethingthatcouldbereadasarevelation
oftherealself,whichhasbeenanimportantelementinformingrepresentationsoffame.
Revealingthe‘real’isespeciallyimportantintherepresentationofentertainment
104“TheSmutInsiderParis’sSecretLocker!”,heat,10–16February2007.
133
personalities,sincetheircontrastingpublicliveslargelycompriseacting/performing,orin
otherwordsbeingsomeoneotherthantheirtrueself.
Anotherofthemeaningsoftheterm‘heat’isanundesirableamountofattention,asinthe
phrase‘feelingtheheat’.Thisispalpableinthisarticle,whichnotesthatParistookactionto
closedownthewebsitethatfirstleakedthecontentsofhersecretlockerandwas
apparently“incrediblyupsetandangry”andfelt“victimised”bythebreach.Yetthe
magazinealsoquestionswhyPariskept“suchdamningmaterialinthefirstplace”,inwhat
couldbereadasaveiledsuggestionthatitmayhavebeenmadepublicdeliberately,for
publicitypurposes.Ithasbeenarguedbefore,byLynnHirschberg(2009)andLolaOgunnaike
(2006)amongothers,oftenwithspecificreferencetoParis’sfirst‘sextape’,salaciously
named1NightinParis,thatintheworldofshowbusiness,sensationalvisualmaterial,
particularlynudityandsextapes,havebeensuccessfulmarketingtools.
“Ms.Hiltontriedtostopdistributionof[herfirstsex]tape,althoughitsnotoriety
paradoxicallycatapultedhertoanevenhigherorbitoffame,establishingherasakindof
postmoderncelebrity,leadingtoperfumedeals,amemoirandcoversof[consumer
magazines]VanityFairandW”,arguesOgunnaike(2006).heat’simplicationthattheleak
mighthavebeenpartofadeliberatequestforpublicityisaprimeexampleoftheexposure
ofthe“celebrity-making”mechanism,withGamson(2001)identifyingthiskindofexposure
astypicaloflate20th-centurytexts.
Theapparentlydeliberatereleaseofintimateprivateandpersonalinformationcouldbe
construedasaformofconfession.Specifically,theevidenceofnudityinParis’secretlocker
couldbeinterpretedassuch.ThisobservationfollowsRedmond’s(2008)apparentallusion
tonudityasconfessional,inhisreferencetoa‘naked’photoshootofUSpopsingerBritney
Spears,publishedinthemagazineHarper’sBazaar.“Britney’sconstructedstarorcelebrity
imageislargelybuiltonthecarnalconfessionalmode”,Redmond(2008:150)argues.
Confessionhasbeenidentifiedasoneofthechannelsthroughwhichanelementof
transgression,specificallyofanintimate,sexualnature,surfacedinthemedia
representationofCelebrityfromthelate20thcenturyonwards.Previously,inmagazine
representationthatsurfacedtheStar,revelationsaboutprivatelifetypicallycameabout
throughthemechanismofgossip,withclosefriends,relativesorotherconfidants‘leaking’
orreleasinginformationtothemedia.Butfromtheturnofthe20thcentury,first-person
confessionseemstobecomecommoninsurfacingtheCelebrityfigure.
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Thisisinteresting,asitcouldbereadasanindicationthatthereissomethingdeliberate,
strategic,controlledandmeasuredabouttheCelebrityconfession.Inessence,confessionis
therelease,‘first-hand’,ofprivatesensitiveinformationthatcouldbepotentiallydamaging
toaCelebrity’simage.Thedeliberateandseeminglystrategicreleaseofevidenceof
controversial,possiblyscandalous,behaviourintheprivaterealmisafactordistinguishing
theCelebrityProperfigurefromitspredecessor,whoseprivatelifecouldbesaidtobe
imperfectinsomewaybutwhowasgenerallyguardedaboutrevealingdetailsandevidence
ofimpropriety,imperfectionandthelike.
Theliterature(see,forinstance,Redmond,2008)seemstoidentifytelevision,notprint,as
thepreferredmediumforCelebrityconfession,withan“omniscient[television]talkshow
host[…]blessedwithprescience,counsellingandtherapeuticskills”(Redmond2008:150)
theconfessorofchoice.Butitcanconsequentlybearguedthatwhatappeartobe
deliberatelyexposed,measureddetailofmisbehaviourinprivatelifeisprintmedia’sanswer
tothe‘first-hand’(andoftenlive)Celebrityconfessiononatelevisiontalkshow.Holmesand
Redmond(2006)notethat:
celebritymagazines[…]wouldnowseemstrangelyemptywithoutcelebrity
disclosuresrangingacrossthehorrorsofplasticsurgery,eatingdisorders,anddrug
andalcoholabuse,nottomention‘confessions’aboutdepressionorinfidelity.To
observethisisnottotrivializetheexperienceofanyofthesematters[…]butonlyto
pointtotheirincreasingconventionalizationwithintheparametersofcelebrity
discourse.(Holmes&Redmond2006:287–290)
WhereasthegoalofCelebrityconfessionviathemediumoftelevisionappearstobe
absolutionfromsin(Redmond2008),theobjectofthemeasuredreleaseofdetailsof
transgressionthroughtheprintedmediumcanbearguedtobeanenhancementofthe
CelebrityProperimage.Confessionisusedto“authenticate,validate,humanize,resurrect,
extendandenrich”entertainment-personalityidentities,Redmond(2008:109)argues.In
addition,hewrites,byconfessing,thesepersonalities“confirmtheirstatusastruthful,
emotive,experientialbeingswho–asdevotionalfans–wecaninvestin”(Redmond,2008:
109–110).
Whilethepotentialforimageenhancementisnotalwaysexplicitlysurfacedinthecoverage,
itisonoccasionmadeabundantlyclear,albeitoveralongstretchoftime.BritishmodelKate
Moss’scocainehabitwas,forinstance,revealedviaunclearstillframesextractedfroma
videoseeminglyshotclandestinely.heatSApublishedtheseinanarticleentitled,“Thiscould
135
costKatehercareer”,105withnoindicationinthearticlethather“partygirl”behaviour
addedanyalluretoherimage.
Infact,theKateMossarticleseemedtoarguethecontrary:thatherwildwayswererather
unappealingandwouldcostherdearlyinsponsorshipsandcouldbringonapotential
criminalinvestigation.However,fouryearson,“CocaineKate”,asheatnicknamedthe
model,wasseemingly‘absolved’inanarticlepublishedin2009.106“ItistheCocaineKate
storyalloveragain”,readstheopeningsentence.ThearticlegoesontoexplainhowKate’s
“bad-girlimagehasalwaysbeenpartofherappeal”andseemstosuggestthatitwasfor
thisveryreasonthatshehadmanagedtoreclaimmostofthesponsorshipcontractsshelost
inthewakeofthe2005exposé.Inotherwords,the“fashionindustrybyandlargeforgave”
her.
Theterm‘forgave’,ofcourse,reinforcestheideaofconfession,althoughitishardto
imaginethatKatedeliberatelychosetoreleasethevideofootageofherallegeddruguse,as
shemusthaveanticipatedthedamageitcoulddo.Whatperhapsemergesinheat’s
coverageofKate,overtimeandthroughvariousstoryarcs,isthatthemodelinessence
exudedCurrid-Halkett’s“optimalbalanceofscandalandglamour”(Currid-Halkett2010:28),
thatmadeheratrueCelebrityProperfigure.
Thiscontinuouscontrast,orthedelicatebalancebetweenscandalandglamour,isevidentin
howheatSAmarketeditselfonitsowncoveratonestage,as“SouthAfrica’sonlyweekly
celebrityglossy”.Themagazinewasknownaspredominantlyfocusingonentertainment-
personalityscandal,yetitwas‘glossy’andthussufficientlyglamorousnottorisklosingits
appeal.MehitaIqani(2012)writescompellinglyaboutthiscontrastintherepresentationof
Celebrityinthemediumofmagazines:
Celebrityisoperationalizedthroughglossiness,bothmaterialandsymbolic.These
manylayersofcelebrityfunctionthroughthemanyelementsofthemechanicsof
gloss[…]:theirmaterialtechnologiesofglossypaper,colourprinting,thecomplex
utilizationofsmoothshinytexturestocommunicatevalueandluxury,the
employmentoflightingtosuggestdivinity,andthestrategicjuxtapositionacross
magazinesoftheseaestheticizedformswith‘real’imageswhichworktoreiteratethe
tangibilityandhumanfallibilityofcelebrity,therebymakingtheiraestheticizedimages
allthemoreseductiveandappealing.(Iqani,2012:99)
105DeMatos,Lara,“ThiscouldcostKatehercareer”,heat,1–7October2005.106“Joostinsexanddrugsscandal”,heat,21–27February2009.
136
Shemighthavebrieflylostherseductivepowersandappeal,yetheatarguedthat‘Cocaine
Kate’regainedthemovertime.Inthe2009articleinwhichthemagazinemadethisclaim,107
Kateisreferredto,bywayofcomparison,inanexposéofascandalousstoryarcinvolving
theleakingofacontroversialvideoofJoostvanderWesthuizen,aretiredlocalSpringbok
rugbycaptain.Withthisstoryarcinvolvingthevideoscandal,Joostisoneoftheveryfew
localpersonalities,arguablyeventheonlyone,toverybrieflysurfaceasaCelebrityProper
figure,butforanumberofreasonsthisstatuscouldnotbesustainedovertime.Thevideo
scandalwas“somethingnewfortheSouthAfricanpublicandsomethingwhichhasnot
reallyhappenedtoanyoneelsesince”,AntoinetteMuller(2017)writes,“[I]tperhapsserves
tofurtherunderlineVanderWesthuizen’s“celebrity”status”.
Oneofonlyahandfulofsportspeopleandalsolocalpersonalitiestoreceiverelatively
frequentcoverageinthemagazine,JoostwascelebratedinheatSAmainlyforhistoned
physique,inafeatureentitled“BuffedUp”,108forinstance,withhisnakedtorsoondisplay
relativelyoften,mainlyduringrugbytrainingsessions.109
Hewasalsoofinterestaspartofa‘showbusinesscoupling’byvirtueofhismarriageto
singerandactorAmorVittone,whoappearstoencouragethemagazine’scelebrationofher
husband’smasculinity;“SometimesIwatchhimtrain”,sheisquotedassayingina2004
interview,underliningthesexappealofimpliedbythemagazine’stitlewiththefollowing
sentence:“That’shot”.110
Forthefirstfewyearsofheat’sexistence,JoostandAmorwerecastasalocalversionof
DavidandVictoriaBeckham.“Wedocoordinatewhatwewearwhenwegooutsothatone
ofusisn’tinjeansandtheotherineveningwear!”,Vittoneisquotedassayinginthe
interview.“IlovethewaytheBeckhamslooklikeastyledunitwhentheygoout”.Theyeven
imitatedtheBritishcoupleinphotographsonmorethanoneoccasion,seeminglyproving
Gamson’s(2001)assertionthatthe“ironic,winkingtone”throughwhichfameis
communicatedthatappearsinthelate20thcenturyhasledtopersonalitiesincorporatinga
kindofironyintotheirownbehaviourandpublicimage.
Yet,unlikethatofhisself-confessedrole-modelDavidBeckham,Joost’simagecouldnever
quitecompellinglyaccommodatetheevidenceinthesecretlyshot“sexanddrugsvideo”
107Ibid.108BuffedUp,heat,17–23July2004109SeeforexampleWeekinPicturessection,heat,31July–6August2004110Adams,Alyn,“Ihaveathingforsportsmen…changingroomssmellsexy”,heat,21–27August2004.
137
thatwascoveredinheatandbecomeCelebrityProperoverasustainedperiodoftime.
FormerEnglishfootball-teamcaptainDavidsuccessfullymanagedtoincorporaterelatively
similarindiscretions,namelyrepeatedaccusationsofinfidelity,intohispersonalimage,asit
seemedtoaddtoratherthandetractfromhisappeal.ThemaindifferencebetweenJoost
ontheonehandandDavidBeckhamandKateMossontheotheristhattherewasadefinite
lossofallurethatcameaboutthroughthescandal,notleastfromevidenceinthevideoof
hiswell-wornunderwear,whichheatpointedoutwithanarrowdevicesuperimposedon
thestillimage.
Davidneverdeniedaccusationsofinfidelity,ratherchoosingtoappearin‘loved-up’
photographswithVictoriashortlyafterallegationsarose,keepinghisfansguessingandthus
adding,perhaps,tohisimageasasexsymbol.Byflatlydenyingthatitwashimintheleaked
video,Joost,however,precludedhimselffromaddingtohisownappeal.Butevenifhehad
triedtousethescandaltoaugmenthisimageassexsymbol,hemightnothavesucceeded,
byvirtueofthefactthathecouldneverquitecountertheelementofordinarinesshe
representedasalocalpersonalitywiththerequiredlevelofextraordinarinessthatKateand
Davidhadasinternationalfigures.Inotherwords,inhiswornunderwear,Joosthadtoo
muchbleakordinarinessandnotenoughappealingextraordinarinesstoremainatrue
CelebrityProperfigure.
Notallofheat’sexposéswereasseriousasthoseinvolvingJoostandKate,however.There
was,forinstance,amuchlighter-hearted,dedicatedandseparateweekly“Scandal!”
section,whichcamecompletewiththickredpage-framesandtears,exclamationmarksand
myriadothervisualdevicesreminiscentofthetabloidtradition.Injustoneissue,111the
following‘scandals’wererevealedinthissection:UKglamour-modelRebeccaLoos’s
admittedlyembarrassing,bytheirverynaturebutalsoperhapsfortheirworking-class
associations,“porcinehand-jobs”forrealitytelevisionshowTheFarm,IrishrockbandU2’s
carbreakingdown,USactorRenéeZellwegerbeingissuedwithatrafficfine,evidenceof
AustralianpopsingerKylieMinoguenottakingsufficientcareduringabeautyroutine,anda
trioofwhatwereinterpretedbythemagazineasfashionfauxpascommittedbysinger
MariahCareyandactorsMaggieGyllenhaalandKateWinslet.
Gamson(2001)arguesthatoneoftheimportantcharacteristicsoflate20th-century
magazinecoverageisanembeddedinstructiontoreaderstonotonlyrecognisethatthe
entertainmentpersonalitiesthemselvesare“constructs”butalsotoidentifytheactual
111heat,23–29October2004.
138
constructionprocessinthemagazineitself.“Theaudiencehasbeeninstructednotsimplyin
viewingtheselfbehindtheimage(whatthestarreallythinks,wears,does)butinviewing
thefabricationprocess(howthecelebrityisbeingconstructedtoamuse)”,Gamson(2001:
17)writes.
Itissurelysignificantthatinheat,thisinstructionappearedtobeespeciallyforthcomingin
itslight-heartedweekly“Scandal!”section.See,forinstance,howthemagazineappearedto
showthefame-makingmachineinactionintheRebeccaLoosarticle.112The“self-confessed
Becks-bonker”,referringtoRebecca’swidelypublicisedclaimsthatshehadhadanaffair
withDavidBeckham,wouldstopatnothingtogainfame,evenifitmeantparticipatingin
theartificialinseminationprocessofapig:“Itseemstherereallyarenolimitstowhat
RebeccaLooswilldotogetfamous”,thecopyreads,goingontoarguethat“thelimelight-
hoggingPAjumpedatthechance”tobecomeinvolvedinananimalartificialinsemination
programmethatwasscreenedaspartoftheUKreality-televisionshowTheFarm.With
considerableamountsofirony,heatappearedtoalertitsreaderstotheideathatRebecca
continuedtobuildherfamewiththelateststepbeingthisappearanceontelevision.
In“Kylie’sfaketanstripe”,itispointedout,notdisapprovingly,howentertainment
personalitiesdofakecertainthings,suchasa“flawlesstan”inthecaseofAustralianpop
singerKylieMinogue,therebyappearingtosubtlysuggesttoitsreadersthatthekindof
physical‘flawlessness’associatedwithfigureslikeKylieis,infact,aruse,andintheprocess
ofcoursealertingthemtotheconstructionoftheimage.Againwithgeneroususeofirony,
Kylieisreprimandednotfor“faking”her“flawlesstan”–infact,themagazineactually
seemstocongratulateherforbeingcautiousinthefaceof“horrorstoriesaboutsun-
damage”–butratherfornottakingenoughcareinapplyingthetanandsubsequently
displaying“thatglaringwhiteinstep”.A“mediapro”likeKylieshouldnotbemakingthis
kindoferror,themagazineargues,inanothernotetoitsreadersthatentertainmentfigures
maintaincertainconstructedappearancesforthemediainordertocreateaspecificpublic
image.
Thefactthattheseapparenthintsattheactualconstructionprocessofthepublicimage
emergeespeciallyclearlyinaregularsectiondevotedtowhatisportrayedasscandalis
arguablyanindicationoftheimportanceofanelementofscandalormisjudgementinthe
CelebrityProperfigure.
112Adams,Alyn,“RebeccaLoospullsaporker!”,heat,23–29October2004,p.57.
139
Showing(imperfect)skin
Theexposureofless-than-perfectbehaviourwascomplementedbyregularphotograph-
drivenfeaturesonwhatheatoftencalled‘bodyflaws’.Theseinclude,amongstothers,
physicalimperfectionssuchasskin‘break-outs’,visiblecelluliteand‘badhairdays’.In
addition,themagazineseemedtodojusticetotheideaoflawenforcementalso
encompassedintheterm‘heat’,by‘policing’Celebritywardrobechoicesandindiscretionin
termsofpersonalitiesrevealingpartsoftheirbodythatthemagazinearguedshould
perhapshaveremainedhiddenbecauseoftheirdampeningeffectonvisualappeal.
heatmagazinewasoneofthefirst,ifnotthefirst,magazinetoincludethesefeatures
revealingorshowcasingspecificpartsoftheCelebritybodyinitseditorialformula.Although
themagazinehasbeencriticised,byBaker(2006),amongstothers,fortheprominenceit
givestophysicalflaws,asitoftenfeaturestheseinthemostvisiblepositiononitscover,a
closeexaminationoftheseeditorialfeaturesseemstorevealanattempttousethe
photographsnotsomuchasproofof‘flaw’butasjustificationoftheargumentthatthe
entertainersare‘justlikeus’.Noteforinstancethesignificantuseoftheword“equaliser”,
apparentlyinanattempttocreatetheimpressionthatreadersandentertainerssharethe
sameburden,intheintroductorylineofafeatureoncellulite,afavouredandoften-covered
‘physicalflaw’:“TheA-listmayberollingindough,buteverynowandthenthatgreat
equaliser,cellulite,provesthatthey’reallhumanafterall…”.113Thisintroductoryline,typical
ofheat’seditorialstyle,againcontainstheterm‘human’,withallitsconnotationsof
fallibilityandordinarinessthataresuchcrucialelementsintherepresentationsurfacingthe
CelebrityProper.
Whetheritbea‘badhairday’,anunfortunatechoiceofoutfitoraquestionableboyfriend,a
senseofthelessthanperfect,orthenotsoideal,isoneofthekeyfocusareasforcoverage
oftheCelebrityProper.Anditisacharacteristicthatagainshowsupthecontrastbetween
theordinaryandtheextraordinaryintherepresentation,withphysicalimperfectionin
particularoftenusedtojustifyordinariness,whileasenseoftheextraordinarycanbesaid
oftentopermeatecoverageofscandalousbehaviour.
113“WobbleAttack”,heat,11–17December2004,pp.40–45.
140
4.2ProducingtheCelebrityProper
Thewaycoveragewasexecutedintheweeklymagazineschangedmarkedlyoverthe
century.Inheatandothertypical21st-centuryweeklyshowbusinessmagazines,this
executionreliedonacombinationofelementsthatrevolvedaroundtheprovisionofa
specifickindofvisualevidenceofmisbehaviourandwhatwasportrayedasphysical
imperfection.Notably,photographsareusedasevidencetoexposetransgressionand
supposedflaw.Butitisnotonlytheuseofspecificphotographicimagerythatcharacterises
CelebrityPropercoverage;italsoconcernsthewayinwhichthisvisualevidenceisappliedin
themagazineingeneralandevenseemstoinfluencethecopy.Thewritingisinfluencednot
onlybytherelianceonvisuals,butalsobythedemandforadelicatebalance,inthe
coverage,betweentheextraordinaryandtheordinary,theglamorousandthescandalous.
Allofthesetechniquesareunpackedandillustratedhere,usingheatSAasanexample.They
leaveonewithagrowingsensethatmorethananyothercategoryoffamediscussedinthis
thesis,theCelebrityPropercouldperhapsbesaidtohaveedgedtowardsbeingproducedby
themagazinesratherthanmerelyconsumedbythem.
Thevisualsupersedesthetextual
AsatypicalweeklyCelebritymagazineoftheearly21stcentury,heatreliedheavilyon
photographicimagestorepresenttheCelebrityProper,withtextualrepresentation
becomingevermorebrief,seeminglyinanillustrationoftheoldadagethat‘apictureis
worthathousandwords’.
Thereis,forinstance,asteepdeclinebetweenthetotalwordcountgenerallydedicatedto
therepresentationoftheEpicHerofigurethatemergedinearly20th-centurymagazines
suchasHuisgenootandtheaveragewordcountaffordedaCelebrityProperinheat.For
instance,atypicalhagiographicprofileofapoliticianorchurchministerinearly20th-
centuryHuisgenootwouldcompriseroughly2500words,withapopularstatesmansuch
SouthAfricanPresidentPaulKrugerbeingcoveredinregularprofilepiecesoverthefirst
coupleofdecadesofthemagazine’sexistence.Asimilarapproachwastakenin1950sDrum,
withaseriesoflengthyandwordyarticlesdevotedtoDollyRathebe,amongstotherpopular
localentertainmentpersonalities.Towardstheendofthe20thcentury,serialisedcoverage
wasathingofthepast,withPeopledevotingbetween400and800wordsperarticletoits
coverageofperformers.Bycomparison,heat’sstorieswere,onaverage,muchshorter,
sometimesnoteven100words.Inheat,onlyapproximately3000wordsweretypicallyused
141
totellthestoryofanentertainmentpersonalitywhoremainednewsworthyoverarelatively
longperiodoftime.Referenceismadetothelongevityofthepersonalitiesintermsofnews
valuehere,asmanymorepersonalitiesarecoveredinoneissueofheatcomparedtoone
issueofearly20th-centuryHuisgenoot.Thisimpliesthattheaveragededicatedwordcount
foramorefleetingkindofpersonalityisevenlower.
Aswordcountsdeclined,theemphasisonthevisualincreased.Forexample,eachof
PresidentKruger’sprofilepiecesinHuisgenootweregenerallyillustratedbyasingle,small,
black-and-whitephotographicportraitimageonly,whileafull-pagecolourphotograph
accompaniedeventhemosttext-heavyfeaturesinheatmagazine(theinterviews).Inother
words,photographscompletelydominatedothertypesofeditorialmaterialinheat,withthe
weekly“WeekinPictures”sectiontypicallyfeaturingseveralpagesofphotographs(some
individualimagescoveringafulltwo-pagespread)with,bycomparison,onlyminimalcopy,
i.e.approximately100wordsperillustratedstoryinthesection.
Withitsgrowingrelianceonphotographs,andsubsequenteconomicuseofwords,to
conveyitsmessage,heatwasprobablyoneofthemostextremeexamplesofthegeneral
late20th-centurytrendofsteepword-countdeclineinprintedmedia,withpublicopinion
lamentingthedemiseof‘long-form’journalismandmourningtheso-called‘deathofthe
printedword’.
Usedmoreprominentlythaninweeklymagazinesofpreviousyears,photographsinearly
21st-centurymagazinesappearedtohavetofulfilmorefunctionsthanmereillustration.
Specifically,photosappeartobeusedto“incriminate”and“justify”,touseSontag’s
terminology(1990:5),inherseminalseriesofessaysonphotography.heatused
photographsasevidenceofwrongdoing,suchasinfidelity.“Brad&Angelina:Proof!”,read
thecoverlinethataccompaniedtheimagethemagazineusedasevidenceofHollywoodfilm
actorBradPitt’saffairwithHollywoodfilmactorAngelinaJoliewhilehewasstillmarriedto
televisionactorJenniferAniston.114Theuseofillegalsubstanceswasalsoexposedthrough
photographs;themagazine’s1–7October2005cover,forinstance,statesthatKateMoss
was“caughtoncamera”takingcocaineandthatinadditiontotheoneonthecover,there
are“shocking”photographsinsidethemagazinetoprovidefurtherevidence.
Crucially,theincriminationwasachievednotonlythroughthehigherratioofphotographs
tocopybutalsobythechoiceofthespecifickindofimages,namelyunclear,paparazzi-type
114heat,7–13May2005.
142
imagesthatmaylacksharpness(the‘CocaineKate’imagesareanexcellentexample).
QuotingSekula,Holmes(2006:26)remindsthat,“theblurredfocusandgrainyaestheticof
[candidphotography]tradesnotonlyonanaestheticofrealismbutalsothebeliefin‘the
highertruthofthestolenimage’”.Paparazziimages,whichareoutoffocus,badly
composed,and,asBecker(inBull2010:174)sodescriptivelyexplains,maycontain
“intrusiveforegroundobjects”andcapture“strangefacialexpressionsandposes”,are
believedtoshowwhatthepersonwhoisthesubjectofthephotograph“isreallylike”
(Becker,inBull2010:175)andbyextensionprovetheir‘authenticity’.Astheprevioustwo
chaptershaveattemptedtoillustrate,‘authenticity’hasbeenakeythemeinthe
constructionofentertainer-dominatedwell-knownness.Whereasapublicisedprivatelife
appearedtobeusedtoestablishauthenticityforthekindofentertainerthisthesiswould
classifyasaStar,anelementofwrongdoing,generallyrepresentedincopy,didlikewisefor
theEmergingCelebrity.InthecaseoftheCelebrityProper,aspecifickindofphotograph,
mostoftenconfirmingbehaviourthatcouldbeinterpretedasscandalous,appearstobethe
nextstepintheauthenticationprocess.
Notonlyimagesofmisbehaviourseemtosupporttheideaofauthenticity,however.
Photographsofentertainersineverydaysituations,withStephenBull(2010:181)identifying
someoftheseas“outshopping,onthebeach,inparksandeventhroughwindows”,that
emphasise“thevisibilityofcelebritiesinpublicspaces”,asHolmesargues(Holmes2005:26,
originalemphasisretained),alsoseemtofurtherentrench‘authenticity’inthekindof
Celebrityfigureheatmagazinerepresented.
Theimagesthatappeartounderlinethisvisibilityoftheentertainerinpublicwere
ostensiblygenerallyusedtojustifyakeyfactorintherepresentationofCelebrityProper,
namelythattheentertainersare‘justlikeus’inthattheyare‘ordinary’intheirbehaviour
andappearance.Butthereisalsoanelementoftheextraordinarythatseemstosuggest
itselfinheat’scoverageofpersonalitiesintheirprivatecapacityoutinpublic.This
extraordinarinessperhapsarises,inthisinstance,fromthemagazine’sdedicatedfocus,ona
weeklybasis,onafairlywiderangeofpersonalitiesgoingabouttheirrelatively‘ordinary’
privateexistencesinpublic,specificallyintheso-called“WeekinPictures”sectionbutalso
elsewhere.Plus,ofcourse,extraordinarinessisassumedinthesectionsseeminglydevoted
toordinariness,evenifittheformerelementisonlyhintedatorevenomittedinthe
coverage;arandom,truly‘ordinary’personwithoutanypriorextraordinarinesswouldnever
beselectedforinclusioninthemagazinesimplyforgoing“outshopping”.
143
Photographsarealsousedasevidencetocontextualisebehaviour.Inthe“WeekinPictures”
articleentitled“Britney’sbreak-upblues”,115largeimagesofpopsingerBritneySpears
“dressedinhernewandunflatteringfavouriteuniform–truckerchic”and“lookingrather
drawnandhaggard”areusedtojustifythecontention,inthecopy,thatitisherproblematic
lovelifethatistoblameforherchoiceofattireandapparentlowmood.Butitcanalsobe
arguedthat,inaddition,thephotographsareimplicitlyusedtoadvancethe21st-century
weeklymagazine’scontinuedattempttoexposethesupposedly‘ordinary’elementsofthe
personality’sprivatelife.
But,importantly,asmuchasthemagazineseemedtousephotographsasevidenceof
ordinariness,italsohadanequallyvisuallydrivenapproachto‘proving’extraordinariness,
theothersideofthecomparisonthat,ashasbeenarguedintheliterature(seeDyer1979),
hasbeenunderlyingentertainer-dominatedwell-knownnesssinceitfirstappearedinthe
Hollywoodfanzinesoftheearly20thcentury.
Inheat,‘extraordinariness’seemstoemerge,atleastinpart,fromphotographsshowingthe
kindoflifestylewealthyentertainmentpersonalitiesareabletoaffordandalsophotographs
showingtheirglamour,typicallywithafocusonfashionandbeauty.Holmes(2005:34)
arguesthattheextraordinarinessheatseemstoportrayappearstobeeitherattachedto
their“wealthandthelifestyle”ortheir“special,God-givenbeauty”,especiallyinthecaseof
women.Holmes(2005)alsopointsoutthattheelementof‘merit’,intermsoftalent,which,
ithasbeenargued,formedanimportantpartofthejuxtapositioninthepast,appearstobe
largelymissinginheat’sreadingofwell-knownness;thisomissioncouldperhapspartiallybe
explainedbythechallengeinportraying‘merit’inheat’svisualapproachtostorytelling.
Focusingonthedetails
Thekindofwell-knownnessemerginginheatmagazinewasalsoinfluencedbythewayin
whichimageswereused.Specifically,magazinessuchasheatoftenmanipulateimages,as
Bull(2010:181)explains,“supplementingtheexistingeffectsofthepaparazzipicturebythe
useofcropping,enlargementsandcolourcasts”,witharrowedtextboxesand“words
layereddirectlyontophotographs[…]tofixtheirmeaning”.Inheat,thissupplementationof
fixedmeaningdirectsthereader’sfocustospecificpartsofthepicture,veryoftensmall
detail/sthatmightotherwisehavebeenmissedinthegrainyblurtypicalofpaparazzi
115“Britney’sbreak-upblues”,heat,14–21May2004.
144
images.ThetreatmentofthesetofphotographsofBritneySpears116isagoodexample,with
arrowsandtextlayeredontotheimagespointingoutwhatthemagazineportraysasvices,
smallonesinthisinstance:tobaccoandunhealthyeatinghabits.
Infact,visualelementssuchasarrowsandtextlayeredontoimagesweresomeofthemain
devicesusedbyheattoportraysupposedbodilyimperfectionsormisbehaviour.Circles,
arrowsand‘sticker-like’elementsareusedtofocustheattentiononavarietyofbodyflaws
includinglargehandsandwhatarecalledoutbythemagazineas“terribleteeth”,“spider
toes”,hugeforeheads,lopsidedlips,monobrows,“freakyfingers”,“gnarlyknees”,a
protrudingbacksideandaso-called“trophyhead”ina‘main’feature(i.e.thefeaturethat
occupiesthemostprominentpositiononthemagazine’scoverthatweek).117
Again,aswiththe‘cellulitearticle’,thetextaccompanyingthephotographsseemsto
emphasisethe‘justlikeus’or‘ordinary’notionofthefigureoftheEstablishedCelebrity:
“We’realljusthuman,afterall,andweallhaveourimperfections–andtheseA-liststarsare
noexception”,readstheintroductorytexttothisfeature.
Itmightbetemptingtoviewthe‘devil-is-in-the-detail’approachthatisachievedthrough
theadditionofelementssuchasarrows,circlesandtextlayeredontophotographsasmere
visualembellishmentandthereforequitesuperficial.Yetamorein-depthexamination
appearstorevealthatthisvisualapproachis,infact,anenactmentoftheeditorialfocusof
early21st-centuryentertainmentweeklies:asharpgazeontheminutiaeorthesmalldetails
ofeverydayprivatelife.Everyaction,eventhesmallestone,seemedtohavebeenobserved.
Thus,anygivenweekwouldgiveanaccountofwhereapersonalityhadwalked,shoppedor
goneforabeautytreatment,whattheyhadwornand,mostimportantly,since
showbusinesscouplingscontinuetobesomeofthemostinterestingpartsoftheprivate-life
construction,withwhomtheyhadmet.Ifapersonality’sprivatelifewasvisibleatthetime,
iftheyhappenedtobea‘hot’topic,ornewsworthy,weeklymagazinescreatedthe
impressionthattheywereabletogiveaso-called‘blowbyblow’accountoftheiractions.
Perhapsoneofthemostsalientillustrationsofthisfocusoneveryactionisthe“Weekin
Pictures”section.Placedprominentlyupfrontinthemagazine,withthiskindofplacement,
ofcourse,indicatingimportance,the“WeekinPictures”sectionprovidedwhatappearedto
beakindofvisualdiaryofwhathadtranspiredinthe‘Celebrityworld’construct(often
colloquiallycalledTinseltownbyheatanditspeers)intheprevioussevendays,eachpageor116Ibid.117“CelebrityFlaws!”,heat,23–29October2004.
145
double-pagespreadshowingascenarioinwhichoneofaselectionofentertainershad
foundthemselvesinthepastweek.Sometimes,thecoveragedescribedanisolatedscenario
orspotting,butoftentimes,therewouldhavebeensomecontextualisationofanindividual
scenariointermsofthebiggernarrativeoftheentertainer’simageatthetime.This
contextualisationisoneofthekeycharacteristicsofCelebrityProper.Inotherwords,a
personalitywhoisdeemednewsworthyatagivenpointoftenappearedinsuccessiveissues
ofthemagazine,andthroughthemagazine’sfocusonsmallchangesinbehaviourand
appearance,thereigningCelebritynarrativeunfoldedepisodically,onaweeklybasis,not
unliketheindividualstorylinesinasoapopera.118
Importantly,itcouldbearguedthat,morethaneverbefore,theweeklyfrequencypreferred
byCelebritymagazines,framedthekindofepisodic,cumulativestorytellinginvolvedin
representingtheCelebrityProper.Bycomparison,titlessuchasPeopleandDrumseemedto
takemoreofa‘monthly-magazine’approachintheircoverageofentertainment
personalities,reportinginverybroadstrokesonprivateandpubliclivesratherthanthe
subtlelittleshiftsandchangeshappeningoveraweek.
A2004appearanceofBritneySpearsinthe“WeekinPictures”section119isagood
illustrationofthisfocusontheminutiae,intermsbothofsmalldetailsindicatedonthe
photographsthemselves(againwiththeaidofvisualdevices)andalsoanapparentlyclose
examinationoftheindividualeventsthathadtranspiredinthesinger’slifeduringtheweek.
Britneyisoneofagroupofwomenconsideredtobeparticularlynewsworthyor‘hot’by
Celebritymagazinesinthefirstdecadeofthe21stcentury,astheyengagedinhighlyvisible
private-lifeactivities,someofwhichcouldbeclassifiedattheveryleastascontroversial,in
somecasesevenas‘transgressive’.Theyear2004(whenheatSAlaunched)wasarguablyan
eventfuloneforBritney,thankstoaseriesofhighlyvisiblepubliceventsthathavesince
beeninterpretedassignallingtheearlystagesofthekindofpubliciseddownfall
characteristicofthisselectgroupofwomenentertainers(Fairclough2008).Amongstother
things,shemarriedchildhoodfriendJasonAlexanderandhadthemarriagedissolvedfifty-
fivehourslater.Shelaterhadanaffairwithoneofher‘back-updancers’,KevinFederline,
118Othershavealsosurfacedsimilaritiesbetweensoapoperasandgossipmagazines.Hermes(1995)forinstancearguesthatpeopleseemtothesemagazinesandwatchsoapoperasforthesamereasons;thatthetwomediaholdthesamekindofattraction.QuotingModleski,Hermes(1995:126)explainshowinsoapoperasandingossipmagazines,“Whatevermayhappentotheenormouscast[…]theytendtocomebacktothefamily,thehospitalorsmallvillageinwhichthestoryisset”.119“Britney’sbreak-upblues”,heat,15–21May2004.
146
whomsheendedupmarrying,andmostofthefootagefortheir2005realityshow,Britney
andKevin:Chaotic,wasshotduringthesecondhalfof2004.
Throughitsfocusonthesmalldetailsofherbehaviourandmovementsjustinthepreceding
week,thetwo-pagespreadinthe“WeekinPictures”sectionrepresentedthelatest
‘episode’inthedominantBritneystoryarcatthetime,withthecopyonthespreadarguably
emphasisingtheunfoldingofeventsoveramatterofaweek:
Lastweek,heatexclusivelyshowedpicsofBritneyoutandaboutwithhernewman
[…]Butmeredayslateritemergedthatfarfrombeingsingleashe’dpretendedtobe,
thechancerisactuallymarried–withtwochildren!Afterthenewsbroke,Britters,who
washoledupattheBeverlyHillsHotel,washeardslammingdoorsandscreamingon
thephone.Whenshedidemergelaterthatevening,itwastopopintothelocal
conveniencestore.120
Anditisinsaidconveniencestorewherethesetofpicturesistakenshowing“Britters”,
lookinglowand“puffingfuriouslyonaMarlborolight”,thatdominatethepageonwhich
thistrancheofcopyappears.Thesmalldetailsinthissnapshotaccountofherweekand
currentstoryarcmanagetosurfaceelementsofboththeordinaryandtheextraordinary
withintheordinary.ThesmalldetailsintheBritneyaccountappeartobeaimedatshowing
thatsheisagirlwhodoesaquicklate-nightdashtothecornercaféforcomfort(junkfood
andcigarettes),muchlikemanyotheryoungwomen;thisistheelementoftheordinary
surfacinginthemagazine’srepresentation.Butthereisalsosomethingextraordinaryabout
allthisapparentordinarinessthatisalsovisibleinthesmalldetails:shedoesnotattempt
thelate-nighttripfromhomebutfromnoneotherthantheBeverlyHillsHotel.Thecopy
pointsthisout,asitwere,inpassing,andthereisnothingordinaryaboutthisiconicninety-
year-oldhotelwithitsclosehistoricassociationwithHollywoodactors.Ifoneconsidersthat
thefive-starhotelhasround-the-clockroomservice,andthatBritneyprobablyhasstaff
member/swhocanundertakethelate-nightforayonherbehalf,aseeminglyordinary
actionsuddenlybecomespeculiarlyextraordinary.
Thankstotheconstantsurveillanceanddocumentationofeventhesmallestdetailofthe
personality’slife,thenotionof‘Panopticism’doesholdsomeinterestingideasforthestudy
ofCelebrityandpower.Thompson(1995)hasarguedthatwhereasthePanopticonallowed
forthesurveillance,andsubsequentdomination,ofthemanybythefew,thedevelopment
120Ibid.
147
ofcommunicationmediaseemstohavefacilitatedasituationwherethefewhavebecome
visibletothemany,but,importantly,thepowergenerallytendstoremainwiththefew:
WhereasthePanopticonrendersmanypeoplevisibletoafewandenablespowerto
beexercisedovermanybysubjectingthemtoastateofpermanentvisibility,the
developmentofcommunicationmediaprovidesameansbywhichmanypeoplecan
gatherinformationaboutafewand,atthesametime,afewcanappearbeforemany;
thankstothemedia,itisprimarilythosewhoexercisepower,ratherthanthoseover
whompowerisexercised,whoaresubjectedtoacertainkindofvisibility.(Thompson,
1995:134)
IntheCelebritymedia,withtheirrelianceontheever-presentthrongofpaparazzi
photographers,thiscertainlyseemstobethecase.Inaddition,itisinterestingtonotethat
theaudienceresearchthatHermes(1995)conductedrevealedthatreadersreportfeelings
ofpower,especiallywhenreadingaboutscandal.121
Thesmall-detailfocusandsubsequentepisodicunfurlingofCelebritynarrativeisarguably
oneofthewaysinwhichthekindofwell-knownnessheatrepresentscanbedistinguished
frompreviousincarnations.heatSAlauncheditorMelindaShaw,inapersonalconversation
(21January2014)referstothemagazine’sserialisedapproachas‘stepbystep’inabrief
comparisonbetweenBritneySpearsandAmyWinehouseandAmericanfilmactorRock
Hudson,whoisperhapsbestknownforhisleadingroles(oftenoppositeactorDorisDay)in
severalromanticcomediesofthe1950sand1960s:
Becausetheinformationandphotographsweresoreadilyavailable[toheatatits
timeoflaunch],wecouldfollowsomeone’sbreakdown,likethatclassicBritney
Spearsbreakdown,andalsoAmyWinehouse,stepbystep.CompareAmywithRock
Hudson,oneofthefirstfamouspeopletohavediedofAIDS.Youheardhediedof
AIDSafterthefact.Youcouldn’tfollowhisdeclinelikeyoudidwithAmy.Shehad
gooddaysandbaddaysanddaysinthemiddleandextremedays.Andeverythingis
capturedonfilm[…]andit’savailable,sonowyoucansitwiththiswholecasestudy
ofphotosinfrontofyouifyoureadthemagazineeveryweek.(MelindaShaw,
personalconversation,21January2014)
Verycloseattentiontodetail,assymbolisedbytheuseofvisualdeviceslayeredonto
photographstoguidefocus,isanimportantelementinthekindofvisualstyleusedto121Hermes’s(1995)ethnographicstudyofaudiencereceptionofgossipmagazinesindicated,forinstance,thatthepleasuresofreadinggossipmagazinesinclude“gainingasenseofsecretpower”overentertainers,especiallywhenreadingabouttheirwrongdoing(Hermes1995:126).
148
constructtheCelebrityProper.Yetalsoevidentinsomeofthefeaturesillustratingthispoint
isthewayinwhichthemagazineappearstohavebuiltthenotionbyusingthematicvisual
featuresinwhichalargenumberofentertainersappearandthatrelyonaplethoraof
imagesofphysicalimperfectionand/ormisbehaviour,suchasbeingdrunkinpublicor
behavingoutrageouslyotherwise.
Toalesserextent,onecanperhapsalsoincludeherethecompositeillustration
accompanyingtheregularweeklyleadstoryinthe“FastGossip”section;thesebrief,and
oftentrivial,storiesusuallyappeartobeselectedforrevealingtheoutrageous,excessiveor
theextraordinary,whichisemphasisedbytheexaggeratedcollage-likeillustrations.Apiece
of‘fastgossip’detailingParisHilton’sacquisitionofaspotinacemeteryforherpetgoatisa
goodexample.122Paris’sextremedisplayofaffectionforherpetgoatisridiculedinthe
illustrationdepictingheragainstthebackdropofthecemeteryandappearingto‘think’
aboutagoat.Throughthesekindofregularvisualfeatures,averitablegalleryofexcess,
imperfection,gaudinessandpublicmischiefiscreatedthat,byvirtueofthevolumeof
imagesusedinadditiontothewayinwhichtheyaremanipulated,overwhelmsandoften
seemstoaimatachievinganoverarchingimpressionofthecartoonesque.Inasmallway,
thiskindofvisualtreatmentcouldbesaidtoelicitsomesenseofthe‘carnivalesque’orof
thespectaclethatHeatherNunnandAnitaBiressi(2010)haveassociatedwiththetabloid
mediaingeneral.Allofthesedevicesandactions,whichappeartobetypicalof21st-century
Celebritymagazines,alsocontributetothesurfacingofthe‘extraordinary’sideoftheall-
importantordinary-extraordinaryparadox.
WritingCelebrityProper
Ithasbeenarguedthat,morethananyotherformofwell-knownnessinthe20thcentury,
CelebrityProperreliesonvisualrepresentation,mostlyintheformofpaparazzi
photographs,andalsoonaveryspecificvisualstyleofpresentation.But,asGamson(2001)
seemstosuggest,thekindoffamemostcommonlyfoundinmagazinesofthelate20th
centuryisalsonegotiatedusingaspecificstyleofwriting.Asstaffmembersonthe
magazine,weusedtotalkabout‘heatingup’apieceofwriting,meaningapplyingheat’s
specificeditorialvoiceandstyletothetext.
Aspreviouslysuggested,specificallywithreferencetothe“Scandal!”sectioninheat,the
CelebrityProperisrepresentedwiththeliberaluseofirony.Thisisperhapsbestwitnessedin
122“Parisbuyscelebplotforapet!”,heat,August2006.
149
theso-called‘literal’captionsaccompanyingmanyofthephotographsinheat.Oneexample
canbefoundina“WeekinPictures”instalmentfeaturinglocalentertainmentpersonality
coupleZuraidaJardine(radioandtelevisionpresenter)andJoshLindbergh(heirofveteran
local-entertainmentcoupleDesandDawnLindbergh).123ThetextrevealsthatJoshand‘Zee’,
asthemagazinenicknamedher,wereatthelocalstageproductionofThePhantomofthe
Opera,andwhileanaccompanyingphotographappearstoshowthemreadingthe
programmefortheshow,thecaptionstatesthat,“Thehungrydinerscouldn’treadthetiny
writingonthemenu”.AnotherphotographshowsJoshpayingforaboxofchocolates,witha
handbagalsointhepicture;theaccompanyingcaptionappearstobeadirectquotation
fromhimstatingthathewillpayforthecashier’ssilence(inrelationtothemedia,itis
assumed)about“hishandbag”.TheimplicationofthecaptionisthatheterosexualJosh,
arguablyaso-called“metrosexual”intermsofhisobviousconcernwithhisappearance,
mightbeuncomfortablewithanysuggestion,suchascarryingahandbag,thathemightbe
effeminateorhomosexual.Ofcourseonecantaketheinterpretationevenfurtherby
guessingthatitisactuallyJosh’s(heterosexual)publicimageasonehalfofahigh-profile
localcouple,thatmightfituncomfortablywithanysuggestionoffemininityor
homosexuality.Itstandstoarguethattheseironiccaptions,whichappearedonalmost
everyfeatureexceptthearticlesinthenews,fashionandbeautysectionsinheat,aresmall
reminderstothereadersnottoacceptanythinginthemagazine,notleastofallthe
personalitiesthemselves,atfacevalue,sincethereiseverylikelihoodthateverythingis
artifice.
“Throughirony”,Gamson(2001:18–19)writes,“thesecelebritytextsrepositiontheir
readers,enlightenedaboutthefalsenessofcelebrity,to‘seethejoke’andavoidthe
disruptivenotionthatthereisnothingbehindafabricated,performedimagebutlayersof
otherfabricated,performedimages”.
Theconstantshowingupofartificecaneasilytranslateintoamalicioustone,akindof
‘bitchiness’forwhichCelebritymagazines(and,later,alsoentertainment-newsblogs,see
forinstanceKirstyFairclough2008)areoftencriticised.Shawexplainshowheat’stonewas
developedinanattempttoconsciouslyavoidanyintentionalmalice.“Wewrotewith
compassionandwithalittlebitofschadenfreude[…]butyouhadtodoitinafunnyway”,
sheexplains(MelindaShaw,personalconversation,21January2014).
123“JoshandZeegotothetheatre”,heat,31July–6August2004.
150
Thenecessaryinclusionofahumorouselementisarguablyanotherofthedistinguishing
featuresofheat,Shawsuggests(Ibid.),butalsooftheCelebrityProper,specifically
comparedtoprecedingunderstandingsoffameidentifiedhere,whichappeartofavour
relatively‘dry’and‘straight’reportage.“Youcouldstopatanypointinthemagazine,and
therewouldbesomethingfunny”,Shawexplains(ibid.).“Thatiswhatsetheatapart;ithad
tobeentertaining”.InaMcLuhanesqueway,then,themediumbecomesthemessageinthis
instance,withthemagazinescoveringentertainmentnewsthemselvesbecomingaformof
entertainment.
Whilethishumorousandentertainingapproachcouldbeviewedasawayinwhichpotential
malicecouldbeavoided,asGamson(2001)hasalsonoted,itcouldalsobeseenasawayin
whichtheyattemptedtomeetwhatsomehaveargued(e.g.TheEconomist,2004)werethe
changingneedsoftheircorereadership,namelywomen.Readersinthenewmillennium
hadtiredof“theformulatraditionallythoughttoattracttheirinterest:recipes,advice,abit
ofhope”,veteranCelebrity-newsjournalistandeditorBonnieFullertoldTheEconomistin
2004.
FullerwastheeditorofAmericansupermarkettabloidUsWeeklyatthetimetheinterview
wasconducted.“Whattheynowwantistheirownversionofthesportspages—avicarious
thrill,atsomeoneelse’sexpense.Theydon’tjustwanttips;theywantadiversion,some
fun”.Anattempttomeetwhatwereperceivedasdifferentneedsinwomenreadersinthe
newmillenniumcouldarguablyalsoaccountforthekindofapproachtakenbyCelebrity-
newsmagazinesingeneral,withanelementofhumourasawaytoensure“adiversion”and
“somefun”,andanelementofscandalensuringthe“vicariousthrill,atsomeoneelse’s
expense”(Ibid.).
ItisinterestingtonoteFuller’scomparisonofnew-millenniumCelebritymagazines,with
theirmajority-womenreadership,withthe‘sportspages’,whichtraditionallyhaveamale-
dominatedreadership.Thereseemstobeahintinhercommentthatthenewgeneration
Celebritymagazineshavebeentakinganalmostmasculineapproachtotheircoverage,that
theyhavebeenpractisingthekindofjournalismusuallyassociatedwithgenerallymale-
producedand-consumedsportspagesinthenewspapers.Amasculineinfluencecan
certainlybetracedinheat’sidiosyncratictone,styleandgeneralapproachtoCelebrity
news,notleast,asShaw(personalconversation,21January2014)suggests,becausethe
magazineisintroducedasakindoffeminisedversionoftheBritishmen’smagazine(orso-
called‘ladmag’)FHM,withthetwomagazinetitleslaunchedandownedbythesame
151
publishingcompanybothintheUnitedKingdom(EmapInternationalLimited)andinSouth
Africa(Emap/Media24).“TheheatbrandtookitstonefromtheBritishladmags”,Shaw
(Ibid.)explains,“usingaveryspecificBritishwayofspeaking:dry,sarcastic,clever,wittyand
alsosober”.
Intermsofvoice,thereisonelastclusteroflanguagedevicesthatarguablydistinguishes
CelebrityPropercoveragespecificallyinheatbutalsoperhapsinCelebritymagazinesin
general.Thesedevicesincludetheliberaluseoffirst-person-pluralpronouns(‘we’,‘us’,
‘our’).Inaddition,onecouldalsoidentifythehabitofthesemagazinestocreate,introduce
andregularlyusenicknames.Thesewereevensometimeschosenspecificallytoconvey
allegiancetospecificpersonalities,withunapologeticpartialityformingpartofheat’s
idiosyncratictoneandstyle.WhennewsbrokeofBradPitt’sdivorcefromhistelevision-
actorwifeJenniferAniston,bestknownathetimeforherroleinthepopularsitcomFriends,
becauseofhisinfidelitywithAngelinaJolie,forinstance,heatSAdecidedtobeon‘Team
Jen’andaftersomedeliberationsdecidedtonicknameAngelina‘Ange’andnot‘Angie’,
whichwasdeemedastoofriendlyontheeartoconveythemagazine’sangertowards
Angelinaforrobbingeveryone’sfavourite‘friend’ofherhusband.Uniquecouple-
combinationnicknameswerealsoaspeciality,suchas‘Brangelina’(BradPittandAngelina
Jolie).heatSAalsodeliberatelyavoidedusing‘TomKat’torefertotheactorcoupleTom
CruiseandKatieHolmes,asthisnicknamewasseenastoo‘laddish’.Insteadthemagazine
specificallydevisedTomatie,andusedthisalternativenicknametodistinguishitsvoicefrom
thatofitscompetitors.
Besidetheuseofcustomnicknamesandfirst-personpronouns,theotherlanguagedevice
regularlyemployedwasdirectlyaddressingtheentertainmentpersonalitiesthemselves,
almostasiftheycouldbepartofthemagazine’sreadership.Themagazinealsoassumed
priorreaderknowledgeofpersonalitieswhowereregularlycoveredinthemagazine.
SeeforinstancethecoverageoftheKateMosscocainestoryarc,withthemagazine’scover
debutingMoss’salliterativeanddescriptivenewnickname(“CocaineKate”),andthearticle
insidemakinguseofthefirst-personpronounintheveryfirstsentence:“We’vewondered
whatKateMoss(31)seesinadeadbeatlikePeteDoherty(26).”124
124DeMatos,Lara,“ThiscouldcostKatehercareer”,heat,1–7October2005.
152
ThecoverclaimingtoproveBradandAngelina’srelationship125isagoodexampleofthe
assumptionofexistingreaderknowledge,ofwhothetwostarsinquestionarebut,even
moresignificantly,ofwhatthe“exclusivepictures”(oneofwhich,showingthetwostarsas
wellasAngelina’sadoptedsonMaddoxonabeach,isusedonthecover)actuallyprove
(thattheyarehavinganaffair.
ReaderknowledgeisalsoclearlyassumedinthearticleonParisHilton’ssecretlocker,as
thereisreferencetothetitleofherfirstsextape,1NightInParis,withoutanyexplanation
ofwhatitis.The“heirhead”nicknamebywhichthemagazineidentifiesParisinthearticle
alsoarguablymakestheimplicitassumptionthatreaderswillknowthesheisanhotel
heiressandthatherpublicimage,involvingelementsofthe‘ditzydumbblonde’,canbesaid
toembodytheideaofthehomophonic‘airhead’.Pariswasa‘regular’in“WhatWereYou
Thinking?”intheweekly“Scandal!”section,wherepersonalitieswereoftendirectly
addressedinthecopy.Intheinstalmentof6–12November2004,bothParisandactorKate
Beckinsaleweredirectlyaddressed:“WhoathereParis,thatsureissomefrock!”/”Kate,you
lookmorelikeaChristmasdecorationthanaHollywoodstarlet.”
Alloftheselinguisticfeatures,includingthedirectaddressofthepersonalities,useofthe
first-person-pluralpronoun,generoususeofnicknamesandtheassumptionofpriorreader
knowledge,canbereadtoworktogethertocreatetheillusionthatthemagazine,the
readers,andindeedthestarsthemselvesareallfamilymembersandenjoyacloseandcosy
relationshipthatallowsforscrutiny,critiqueandgossipwithoutanyfearofalienation
thankstothestrengthofthefamilybonds.
ThiscanbeseenasevidenceofwhatHermes(1995)callsthe“extended-familyrepertoire”
reasonforreadingCelebritymagazines.Engendering“ahighlypersonalformofaddressin
whichsolidarityandconnectednessresound”(Hermes,1995:127),thisrepertoire“helps
readerstoliveinalargerworldthaninreallife–aworldthatisgovernedbyemotionalties,
thatmaybeshakenbydivorcesandsoon,butthatisneverseriouslythreatened”(Hermes,
1995:126).
Theextended-familyrepertoirehasbeenoffered,byLeonard(2006)amongothers,asone
ofthereasonsforthegossip-magazinemarket’srapidexpansioninthefirstdecadeofthe
newmillennium,withheatSouthAfricalauncheditorMelindaShawevengoingasfaras
wageringthatstarswerebecomingmorefamiliarthanfamilymembersduetotheamount
125heat,7–13May2005.
153
ofavailableinformationabouttheirprivatelives:“There’s[…]suchaproliferationofinfo
availableontheA-listthatanyonecanfeeltheyknowthempersonally”,ShawtoldLeonard
(2006).“Youcaneasilyknowmoreintimate,banaldetailsaboutthelifeofaHollywoodstar
thanyouwouldofyourcousinBettyinCapeTown”.Inthesamearticle,ChantellMarais
fromMense,theAfrikaanssistermagazinetoPeople,whichlaunchedtwoyearsafterheat
SA,appearstoexplainhowtheextended-familyrepertoireensuresmagazinesalesand
perhapsjustifiesthepopularweeklyfrequencyofCelebritymagazineswhenshearguesthat,
“Thebetteryouknowsomeone,themoreinterestingeventhemostbanaldetailsoftheir
lifebecome”(Leonard,2006).ShetellsLeonard,“Ifyoursisterdyesherblondehairblack,or
yourcousinBettyfinallydumpshercheatinghusband,you’reinterested;youdiscussitata
familygathering.Thefactsmaybebanal,butthepeoplearesofamiliarthatyoucareabout
eventhetrivialdetailsoftheirlives[…]Wegetsomuchinforegularlyabouttheinhabitants
ofTinseltownthattheybecomeinterestingonthesamelevel”.
PsychologicalcontextualisationofCelebrityscandal
MaraisandShaw’sreferences,inCharlesLeonard’s2006Mail&Guardianarticle,tothe
fictionalfamilymember‘CousinBetty’,andthustheideaoftheextended-familyrepertoire,
isfascinatingtoconsiderinthisanalysis.ThesecommentsfromtheeditorsofMenseand
heatSArespectivelyrevealasenseofgossip,aperennialfavouritedevice,inmagazinesand
othermedia,forthetransmissionofentertainment-personalitynews.Thecommentsalso
seemtoconfirmthatthereisreaderinterestinstoryarcsinvolvingscandal,especially
scandalofasexualnature(likeCousinBetty’shusband’sinfidelity)alongsidetheinterestin
recentbeautyandfashion(thesisterchangingherhaircolour).Moreover,MaraisandShaw
alsoseemtopickuponaconcentratedfocusonsmalldetailsthatmayotherwisebe
consideredbanalortrivial,oneofthedistinguishingfeaturesofCelebrityPropercoverage.
Themostinterestingpointinthesecomments,however,istheallusiontothe‘discussion’at
thefamilygatheringofthelatesthappeningsinCousinBetty’slife.Thelastkey
distinguishingfactorincoveragethatsurfacestheCelebrityProperisasenseofdiscussion,
ofmakingsenseof,orofcontextualisationofthemostrecenteventstakingplaceinan
entertainmentpersonality’slife.Inotherwords,typicalCelebrityProperrepresentation
includesanidentifiablesenseofcontextualisation,specificallyofrecentquestionable
behaviour.
Morespecifically,thiscontextualisationincludesrudimentaryattemptsbythemagazinesat
psychologicalanalysis,‘psychobabble’ofsorts.NunnandBiressi(2010:53)arguethat:
154
Invokedbymediacommentators,‘experts’andthecelebrityhim/herself,thetropes
oftherapy–thefamilyhistory,theconsiderationofsexualityasamotivatingforcein
identity,thenotionofunconsciousdrivestobeidentifiedandunpicked,theideaof
thereturningsymptom,andsoon–arenowacompacteddevicefordelvingbeneath
thesurfaceofthecelebrity’spersonabothinparticularmomentsandacrosscareer
histories.
Amainfeature,puntedonthecoverofheat,onwomeninentertainmentwhoappeartobe
particularlyunfortunateintermsofromanceisagoodexampleofthisattemptat
psychologicalanalysis.126Eachofthesixpagesisdevotedtooneortwowomen.Used
liberally,someofthephotographsappeartobecandidwhileothershaveobviouslybeen
shotinastudio;thepicturesseemtohavebeenselectedforshowingthewomenas
glamorousyetnotlookingparticularlyhappy,arguablytosupporttheideaoftheirbeing
“unluckyinlove”.Intypicaltabloidstyle,eachentryhaswhatlookslikeatorn-outexcerpt
fromaregularnewspaper-datingcolumngivingthewoman’sromantichistoryinheatstyle,
assumingmuchreaderknowledge.UKpopsingerGeriHalliwell’s‘tear-out’reads:“Petite
blonde,32,gettingmorebuxombytheminute,likesyoga,photographersandsmallfluffy
dogs.WLTMgoodlooking,outgoingandgenerousguywholovespopmusic.No
heartbreakersorvisitingAmericansplease”.
Butitisinthe‘diagnosis’followingtheseindividualtruncatedromantichistoriesthatone
trulygainsasenseofpsychologicalanalysis.Incapitallettersheatpurportstoidentifyeach
woman’smain‘problem’;forGeriitisthatshe,“Alwaysgoesforbadboys!”.Thenthe
justificationfollows,repletewithintimateknowledgeofthesinger’sdomesticlife(the
referencethatsheletsherpetdogsleepinherbed).Thepopsinger‘confesses’,andsome
advicefromthe‘magazine-as-therapist’follows,directlyaddressingthesinger,inthe
imperativemood:
MenlustafterGeri’sreborncurves,but[…]sheremainstheeternalsingleton.Itseems
shecan’tresistnaughtyboyswhocan’tprovidethesecurityshesodesperatelyseeks,
sosheinevitablyendsupaloneandheartbroken.Geri’scertainlyroadtestedafew
fellas,including[…]RobbieWilliams,whocalledhera“demoniclittlegirl”afterthey
split;recoveringdrugaddictDemianWarner(theysplitafterheaccusedherofbeing
toopossessive)[…]“Asfarasmengo,youattractwhatyousubconsciouslybelieveyou
126“UnluckyinLove”,heat,11–17September2004.
155
deserve”,admitsGeri.Perhapsit’stimetostarthavingahigheropinionofyourself,
love.
heatverdict:Geri,findadecentmanwhowon’tdothedirtyonyou–anddoesn’tmind
sharingabedwithyourdogHarry.
Disguisedaswell-meant,almostprofessionaladvicetotheentertainersinthefeature,yet
subvertingtheserious‘agonyaunt’traditionwithhumour,thiscoverage,ofcourse,provides
awayof“delvingbeneaththesurfaceofthecelebrity’spersona”(Nunn&Biressi,2010:53)
andcontextualisingthem,atleastintermsoftheirromanticmisfortunes.Byconstantly
providingthiskindofcontextualisationforitsreaders,mostlythroughpiecingtogetherbitof
evidenceinanattemptatpsychologicalanalysis,themagazinecouldbesaidtohave
constructedaconstantlyunfoldingnarrativeofeverypersonality’slife.
Anarrativeofthiskindis,ofcourse,notanentirelynewdevelopmentintherealmof
entertainment.AsnotedinChapter2,theAmericanfilmindustryinthefirsthalfofthe20th
centurysuccessfullyusednarrativesspanningboththepublicand(veryoftenconstructed)
‘private’livesofitscontractedactorstomarketitsfilms.Atfirst,privateliveswere
constructedtocorrespondwiththeactors’publicoron-screenimageandnotconfuse
audiences,butlaterprivatepersonalitiesstarteddivergingfromon-screenimages,
maximising,inflectingorresistingon-screensocialtypification.Thiswaspossiblydoneinan
attempt,bythefilm-productionstudios,topresentthepublicwithanarrativeofamore
textured,andseeminglyauthentic,star.Thefanzine,theearly20thcenturypredecessorof
thelater-centuryweeklyCelebritymagazines,wasoneofthemainmarketingvehicles
carryingthisnarrativeonbehalfofthefilmindustry.
However,withthedisbandmentoftheAmericanfilmstudiosystemtowardsthemiddleof
thecentury,thescreenartists“lostaccesstothetightlyrunpublicitymachine”(Sternheimer
2011:148),whichmeanttheyfinallyhadthefreedomtocontroltheirownimagesonthe
onehand,buttheysimultaneouslylosttheprotectiontheyhad,specificallyagainstbad
publicity.
NolongermarketingtoolsfortheHollywoodfilmindustrybutownedbyindependent
publishers,entertainment-personalitymagazinesaroundtheturnofthe20thcentury
pouncedonthiskindofmaterial.Withoutthepropercontextualisation,thecoherent
narrativeframeworkthatwasconstructedandmaintainedbytheHollywoodproduction
studios,magazinecoverageofentertainerstypicallybecamedisconnectedanddisjointed.
156
Yetasthepersonalitiesbecamemoreadeptatmanagingtheirownimage,oftenby
appointingateamofexpertsincludingpublicists,representativesandagents,thenarrative
elementreturned.Forinstance,theincorporationofahintofthescandalousintotheimage,
characteristicoftheCelebrityProperfigure,couldbereadasanattemptatrepresentinga
coherentyettexturedimage,a‘human’narrative.Sinceentertainmentpersonalitieswere
generallycelebratedintheirownlifetime,itwasaconstantlyunfoldingnarrativethathad
thepotentialtochangeitsleitmotifinordertoincreaseitscommercialappeal.NealGabler
(2001:4)isoneofthefewtohavenotedaspecificnarrativeelementintheconstructionof
modernCelebrity:
Whatturnsafamouspersonintoacelebrity?Thegrandanswer,onempirical
evidence,seemstobenarrative.Themainreasonwewanttoreadaboutcertain
individualsinsupermarkettabloids[…]orwewanttowatchtelevisionreportsabout
them[…]isthatweareinterestedintheirstories.
Gabler(2001:4,originalemphasisretained)furtheridentifiesthemodernCelebrityas
“humanentertainment”or“apersonwho,bytheveryprocessofliving,provide[s]
entertainment”.Thesourceofthisentertainmentisthe“plotline”,Gabler(2001:5)argues,
seeminglycorroborating,withahostofexamplesrangingfromactorMatthewPerry’sdrug
addictiontoJesseJackson’sillegitimatechild,theargumentofferedhere,thatthemost
interestingplotlinesorstoryarcsincludeanelementofscandal.Modernentertainers,
Gablerwrites,“arelivingoutnarrativesthatcaptureourinterestandtheinterestofthe
media—narrativesthathaveentertainmentvalue.Orputanotherway,whatstarsareto
traditionalmovies,celebritiesareto[…]the“lifemovie”—amoviewritteninthemedium
oflife”(Gabler,2001:5).
UnlikethenarrativesconstructedbytheHollywoodstudiosfortheircontractedstarsinthe
early20thcentury,theCelebritystoryarcsofthelate20thandearly21stcenturyvaryin
qualityandcoherence,withsomeentertainersandtheirrepresentativesmoreaccomplished
inthebusinessofimage-makingthanothers.Muchhasbeenwritten,forinstance,about
entertainmentpersonalitiesdisplayingsuperiordeftnessinmanagingtheirownimage.127At
thesametime,sincetheCelebrityweeklieswerenowindependentoftheproduction
studiosandsubsequentlyoftheentertainersthemselves,theywerenotprivytothe
underlyingnarrativesconstructedbythestarsandtheirimage-makers.Thus,thekindof
representationappearinginthesemagazineswastheresultofaconstantnegotiation127See,forinstance,readingsofAngelinaJolie(Hoggard2010),BeyoncéKnowles(Cashmore2010)andCharlizeTheron(Petersen2017).
157
processbetweenthepersonalitiesandthemagazines:whatwastoremainhiddenandwhat
wastobeexposedand,moreimportantly,howcouldeverynewstoryarc,everynew
snippetofinformation,everynewsetofphotographs,becontextualised.Sometimesthese
modernCelebritymagazineswerethemselvesinstrumentalintheproductionofthe
narrative,providingbackgroundandcontextbywayofamateurpsychologicalanalysis,while
atothertimestheyweremere‘consumers’,liketheirreadersinasense,consumingwhat
thepersonalitiesrevealedandspeculatingaboutthemeaningofthelatestbehaviouror
fashionstobecapturedoncelluloid.
Conclusion
AsaheatSAstaffmemberintheearly2000s,Ibecameadeptatwhatwecalled‘heatingup’
copy.Thisinvolvedemphasisingcertaindetailsofthestory,addingvaryingdegreesof
humour,satireandironybutalso,crucially,byprovidingcontextforourreadersby
analysingthelatest,oftenverysmall,twistsandturnsinthecollectionofentertainment-
personalitystoryarcswewerefollowingatanyparticularpoint.Pickingupontheunfolding
“therapeuticnarrative”(Nunn&Biressi,2010:53)oftheentertainerswhowere‘hot’forour
readershipatthetime,wewouldcarefullyconsiderwhetherandhowthelargeamountsof
photographicevidencewewouldreceiveonadailybasiscouldbeusedtosupportour
particularreading.
Thecarefullyconsiderededitorialapproach,evidentfromheatSA’sso-called‘brandbook’,
guidingthisparticulartypeofweeklycoverage,and,consequently,thefamousfigure
emergingfromthepagesofthemagazine,setoutitsdistinguishingcharacteristics.
Scandalousstorylinesweregivenpreference,especiallythoseforwhichwehadpossible
visualevidence,andfortherest,theeditorialapproachreliedonsatire,humourand
contextualisationtomakeitultimatelycompellingenoughtoensurethatreaderswould
returnforanotherepisodeofCelebritynews,weekafterweek.
ThecraftofCelebrityjournalism,arelativelynewlyformalisedareaofspecialisationthat
heatarguablypioneered,atleastinSouthAfrica,wasasfascinatingastheCelebrityProper
figureitself.Aswasacknowledgedabove,thisCelebrityProperfigurewastheunderstanding
offamethattriggeredtheinterestinthisprojectinthefirstplace.WhileIwaswritingupthe
thesis,IconsideredcallingthiscategorytheEstablishedCelebrity,asitimmediately
succeededtheEmergingCelebrity.
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Butthen,asweenteredtheseconddecadeofthenewmillennium,theCelebrityfigure
graduallyproveditselftobesomewhatephemeral,perhapsevenasfleetingassomeofthe
entertainmentpersonalitieswhocanbesaidtobeprimeexamplesofthisearly21st-century
understandingoffame,andtheadjective‘established’wasnotsosuitableanymore.
ThedominanceoftheCelebrityProperdwindledforanumberofreasons,someofwhichare
arguablybeyondthescopeofthisthesis.Butwhatcanbesaidisthatprintmediaasawhole
startedfacingthethreatofdigitalpublishing.WeeklyCelebrityprintmagazineswere
particularlyvulnerable,asreadersstarteddemandingimmediateandfreeaccessto
showbusinessnews,specificallyvisualmaterial:thephotographsthathadpreviously
guaranteedexclusivityand,subsequently,salesfortheprintedmagazines.InSouthAfrica,
the“CocaineKate”andJoostvanderWesthuizen‘videoscandal’photographsandcoverage
were,forinstance,onlyavailablelocallyinheat(andtheMedia24newspaperRapportinthe
caseofJoost)andunavailableindigitalformatoronline,henceguaranteedmagazinesales.
Butoncedigitisationcreatedtheopportunityforthiskindofcontenttobeavailable
immediately,andoftenfreeofcharge,thedemandforprintedCelebritymagazinesstarted
todiminish.
ThisiswhatOlivierRoyant,editorinchiefoftheFrenchweeklyshowbusiness-lifestyle
magazineParisMatch,seemstobehintingatwithhiscommentthat:“Todaytheuseris
connectingwithourbrand10timesaday.It’snolongeraboutwhogetsthescoopwhenthe
informationisallovertheinternet.Nowit’saboutwhocangetthatexclusiveheadlineupon
theplatformfirst.It’saboutspeed.Fromtheweeklytothemoment”(Moss2016).A
renownedfigureininternationalpublishing,who“playedapivotalrolein[ParisMatch’s]
digitaltransformation”(Moss2016),RoyantmadethecommentinCapeTownduringa
Media24conference.
Ayearearlier,Media24gavedigitisationasthemainjustificationforitsclosureofheatSAin
2015,justoveradecadeafterits2004launch.“Forbreakingcelebritynewstheinternethas
becomethesourceforcelebrityjunkiesandwearewellpositionedtocapitaliseonthis
throughourfast-growingcelebritysites”,MinetteFerreira,thenheadofweeklymagazines
atMedia24,saidintheofficialpressstatementannouncingtheclosure(TMOReporter
2015).heatSAwastheonlylocalCelebrity-onlyprinttitle,withitscompetitors,including
Huisgenoot,You,Drum,Move!andPeopleallcategorisedasfamilymagazines.Inother
words,thedemiseofheatspelledtheendoftheCelebrity-onlytitleinSouthAfricaand
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couldbesaidtohaveheraldedthedeathofthetrueCelebrityProperfigure–onthelocal
landscapeandinprintcoverage,atleast.
Ferreiralinkedthecompany’sdecisiontobothlocalandinternationaltrends:“Itisalways
difficulttocloseamagazinebutinternationalandlocaltrendsshowthatcelebrity-onlyprint
titlesareindecline”,shecommentedtotheindustrymagazineTheMediaOnline(Ibid.).
However,someoftheseinternationalCelebrity-onlyprinttitlescontinuedtosurvivedespite
lowersalesfigures,ostensiblytheresultofdigitisation,withtheoriginalUKeditionofheat
andtheAmericanUSWeeklybeingtwoprominentexamples.
However,andthisisacrucialobservation,theearlyindicationsseemtobethat,despitethe
continuedsurvival,globally,ofsomeCelebrity-onlyprinttitles,movingtowardsthethird
decadeofthe21stcentury,theCelebrityProperitselfwasonthedeclineinprint,both
locallyandinternationally.Despiteitsdemise,thebriefpresenceofthisfigureonthelocal
landscape,inheatSA,seemedtohavemadeanimpressiononitscompetitortitles,withthe
occasionalremindersoftheCelebrityProperappearinginthesurvivingweeklies.But,asthe
discussioninthenextandfinalchapterwillattempttoshow,thepost-heatunderstandingof
fameappearsnottohaveoneormoredistinctivecharacteristicssettingitapart,asits
predecessorsdid.
Overandabovedigitisation,thereseemedtobeoneothersignificant‘threat’towhatcould
bedescribedastheCelebrityProperinprint.Itcouldbearguedthatthegrowingtrendto
includearmchairpsychologicalanalysistocontextualisebehaviour,andespeciallywhat
couldbeportrayedasmisbehaviour,ofentertainmentpersonalities,challengedthefigure’s
survival.NunnandBiressi(2010:53)writethatthispsychologicalanalysis“isfrequentlythe
meanstoshiftthestoryofcelebritytransgressionbeyondinitialshock,outrageanddisdain
intoanewfieldofself-inspectionandpublicreparation”.“Therapeuticnarrative”ishow
NunnandBiressi(2010:53)describethisformofanalysis.Anditcouldbesuggestedthatitis
thenotionofthetreatmentofmentalillness,whichisimplicatedbytheword“therapeutic”,
thateventuallythreatensthesurvivaloftheCelebrityProper.Balancingrelativelysuperficial
psychologicalanalysisofrisquébehaviourwithasatirical,ironiceditorialvoicebecomes
highlyproblematic,evenunsustainable,whenthereisarealpossibilityofintenseconflict
andsufferingevidentinthebehaviour.
EarlyheatUKeditorMarkFrith,creditedasbeingthemastermindbehindtheoriginalheat
editorialformula,seemstoacknowledge,inhis2008memoirs,thelimitationsofthe
continuouspursuit,inthecoverage,oftransgressivebehaviour.Onecouldperhapsargue
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thatthepreferenceforcoverageofever-moretransgressivebehaviourcombinedwiththe
growingtrend,in21st-centuryweeklies,toincludepsychologicalanalysisasaformof
contextualisationofthisbehaviour,madethecraftofCelebrityjournalismrathertedious,
and,crucially,theCelebrityProperratherbleak.Facedwiththeprospectofapotentially
unappealingfigurethatwouldinasenseappal,ratherthanappealto,thereadership,
Celebrityweeklies,itcouldbeargued,hadtorevisetheireditorialformulaagain,which
wouldleadtotheemergenceofanotherpermutationoftheexistingcharacteristicsoffame.
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Chapter5:TheFigureNowWhileIwasinthefinalstagesofwritingthepreviouschapter,intheearlymonthsof2017,
JoostvanderWesthuizen,onceacaptainoftheSouthAfricannationalrugbyteam,died.He
succumbed,attheageofforty-five,tomotorneuronedisease(MND),anillnesswithwhich
hehadfirstbeenofficiallydiagnosedin2011.
Twoofthelocalmagazinesexaminedduringthisprojectcarriedtributesectionstheweek
immediatelyfollowingJoost’sdeath:Huisgenoot(aswellasitsEnglish-mediumsister
magazine,YOU)128andPeople.129Theterm‘tribute’,withitsassociatedmeaningsof
admirationandrespect,reflectsthegeneralthrustoftheposthumouscoverage,which
couldbedescribedashagiographic.‘JoosttheHero’dominatedthetributesectionswith
amplereferencetohisachievementsontherugbyfieldbutalsowhatwasdepictedasan
exceptionallycourageousfight,onbehalfofothers,againstthedebilitatingMNDthatended
upclaiminghislife.Inaddition,thetributessurfacedJoostinthewayhehademergedinthe
weeklymagazinesduringhislifetime,namelyas,tousetheterminologyadheredtohere,a
StarandalsoasanEmergingCelebrity.Therewereevenlimitedandrelativelycautious
referencestothestoryarcinvolvingthe‘sexanddrugsvideo’thatbrieflyappearedto
qualifyhimasaCelebrityProperfigurein2009.
Inotherwords,atvariouspointsinthemagazinecoveragefollowinghistragic,premature
deathandduringthecourseofhislife,Joostwasrepresentedasallfourofthecorefigures
identifiedhere.ConsideringthewayinwhichtheweeklymagazinescoveredJoostinlifeand
indeathallowedforacomprehensivereflectiononthetrajectoryof20thcenturyfame
proposedhere.Furthermore,theJoostcoverageopenedupthepossibilityofconsidering
whetheranewcategoryoffameshouldbeproposed,andifso,whatdistinctfeatureswould
characterisesuchacategory.Theprocessagainledtoaconsiderationofthethreequestions
guidingtheprocessofcategorisationitself:whowarrants,achievesormeritscoveragein
SouthAfricanmagazines?;whatcharacteristicsorelementsaretheycoveredfor,orwhyare
theycoveredinthesemagazines?;andfinally,howdothesemagazinescoverthem,orin
whatformdoesthecoverageappear?
128YOUlaunchedin1986.129ThetributesappearedinPeople,17February2017andtheHuisgenootandYOUeditionsof16February2017.
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5.1DispersalandhybridityinTheFigureNow
WecontinuetoseetheemergenceoffiguresthatroughlyfitintotheStarandEmerging
CelebrityandCelebrityPropercategoriesasdefinedintherelevantchapters,withtheodd
Heroalsomakinganappearance.
Inotherwords,itcouldbetentativelysuggestedthatthemainkindoffameinweekly
magazinesaswemovetowardsthemiddleofthecenturyencompasseselementsofallfour
ofthemajorcategoriesoffameexploredhere.Butthisstatementneedssomequalification.
Itisimportanttobearinmindthattheanalysisthroughouthasbeenofthe‘dominant’or
‘main’formoffame.Inotherwords,inanyissueofaweeklymagazinetitle,thefocuswas
onwhattypeoffigureemergedmostprominently.
Atthebeginningofthe20thcentury,almostallthepeoplecoveredinHuisgenootcould,for
instance,bedescribedastruetothenotionoftheHero,mostofthemintheepicsense.In
1950sDrum,substantialsectionsinthecoveragesurfacedtheStarfigure.Then,themain
focusofmostofthecoveragein1980sPeopleandheatinthenewmillenniumemphasised
elementsofflaw,whetherimperfectionorill-judgedbehaviour,andthissupposedly‘flawed’
figurewasnamedfirstnamedhereastheEmergingCelebrityandsubsequentlytheCelebrity
Proper.Sotheanalysisidentifiedfourdistinctfiguresorcategories:theEpicHero,theStar,
theEmergingCelebrityandtheCelebrityProper.
But,crucially,inthemagazinecoveragepost-Celebrity,ithasbecomeachallengetoidentify
onesinglefiguredisplayinganykindofdistinctlynewtraitorcharacteristic,andthisapplies
tobothlocalandinternationalmagazines.Earlyindicationsarethatcoverageforthemost
partsurfacescharacteristicsofnotonebuttwooftheexistingfigures,theStarandthe
EmergingCelebrity.Occasionallythereisstillcoveragethatseemstosurfaceelementsofthe
CelebrityProperfigure.QualitiesassociatedwiththeHeroappearevenmoresporadically,
andthe‘epic’elementcanbesaidtobeentirelyabsent.Thepersonalitiesassociatedwith
heroictraitsarenotpoliticiansorcaptainsofindustry,aswasthegeneralcase,forinstance,
inHuisgenootacenturybefore.Rather,wefindthemagazinesmostoftencelebratingheroic
traitsinsportspeople,withJoostvanderWesthuizenbeingagoodexamplehere.The
obviouslinkbetweenheroismandsporthasbeenpointedoutbefore,withTurner(2004:
19)notingthatsportspeopleare“especiallyarticulatedtodiscoursesofachievement,
excellenceandtranscendence”,whichareall,ofcourse,elementsthatalsoapplytothe
definitionoftheHero.
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Soonecouldarguethatnamingthischapterexploringthespecificbrandoffamethatis
emerginginweeklymagazinecoveragetowardsthemiddleofthe21stcenturyasthe‘Figure
Now’is,inasense,problematic.Thereisnotone‘figure’thatemergesmoststronglyor
prominently.Rather,therearetwo,oroccasionallyeventhree,categoriesoffamethat
emergeequallystronglyincoverageofpeopleinanygivenissueofaweeklymagazine.
Moreover,whenoneconsidersthereasonsforbeingcovered,andwhichelementsaregiven
prominenceinthecoverage,therearenodistinctlynewelementsthatwouldgiveone
reasontoproposeadistinctlynewfigure.Toaccuratelycapturethislastunderstandingof
fameevidentinweeklymagazinecoverage,itseemsthefocushastomoveawayfroma
figureandevenacategory,assuch,andmoretowardsanunderstandingthatencompasses
a‘dispersal’ofcharacteristicsortraitsofallthreethepreviousunderstandingsoffamein
thetrajectoryproposedhere.
Interestingly,judgingbytheliteratureonfamepractisedandrepresentedononlineandon
socialmedia,whatweappeartobewitnessinginthe(traditional)magazinemedium
extendstothe‘new’mediaaswell.Despiteofferingincreasedvisibility,themultiplicityof
newmediacannotbesaidtohaveconvincinglysurfacedaconsistent,entirelynewformof
fame.Thereseemstobeadispersalofcharacteristicsofpreviousunderstandingsoffameas
wellasacontinuation,viatheseelectronicmedia,oftheformsoffamewehavewitnessed
inothermediathroughoutthepreviouscentury.
Forinstance,Marshall(2010:46),arguesthat,“Pastcelebritydiscourse,withitstextualand
moresignificantlyextra-textualdimensionsthatrevealedaninterrelationbetweenthe
publicandtheprivateself,hasservedasthetemplatefortheproductionoftheon-lineself”.
Referringspecificallytothe“Twitterverse”,SarahThomas(2014:242)addsthat,“[W]hile
Twittermayrepresentadeviationfromoldermodelsofstardom,thereremainimportant
continuitiesandcontextsbetween‘old’and‘new’celebritybehavioursandmediaforms[…]
manyonlinepracticescharacterisedasnewhaveclearantecedentsinwiderhistoriesof
stardom”.Andwithreferencetothe“Instafame”acquiredontheimage-sharingsocial
networkingserviceInstagram,AliceMarwick(2015:157)arguesthatthissocialmedium
reinforces“traditionalhierarchiesoffame”.
Returningtofameasitemergesintraditionalprintmagazines,thedifficultytoidentifya
distinctlynewcategoryisperhapsalsoevidentinthefactthatitseemedimpossibletopick
onespecificweeklytitleasbeingtheultimatemediumfortheanalysisoftheFigureNow.
ThisisincontrasttothewayinwhichtheEpicHerocouldbesaidtohavebeenalmost
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synonymouswithearly20th-centuryHuisgenoot,theStarfigureof1950sDrumhasbecome
iconic,andPeopleandheathavecometobestronglyassociatedwiththeheartbreakand
scandalthat,ithasbeenargued,distinguishestheEmergingCelebrityandCelebrityProper
figures.Thedistinctionsinthecoverageofshowbusinesspersonalitiesbetweenthedifferent
localweeklymagazinesonthemarket(whichincludedHuisgenoot,YOU,Drum,Peopleand
Move!)seemtobeverysubtle.Ingeneral,itcouldbesaidthatallofthesemagazines,
sometimeswithinoneweeklyissueandsometimesovervariousissues,emphasisedifferent
characteristicsintheircoverageofshowbusinesspersonalitiesthatwouldleadtothe
surfacingofStarandCelebrityand,occasionally,Herofigures.
Itisinterestingtoreflectontheshiftsthathappenedwithinacenturyand,insome
instances,withinthesametitles,toalargeextentbecauseofglobalisation.Early20th-
centuryHuisgenootwasoneofonlyahandfulofSouthAfricanmagazines,almostallofthem
aimedatawhiteAfrikaans-speakingreadership,anditscoveragesurfacedtheEpicHero
figure.ThisfigurewasdominantinHuisgenootdespitemajorshifts,bothlocallyand
internationally,towardscoverageofentertainers.Inotherwords,theEpicHeroretainedits
dominantpositioninHuisgenootforalongerperiodoftimecomparedtomovementsonthe
internationalmagazine-publishingfront.Drumfromthe1950sfollowedpublications
elsewhere,arguablyadaptinganinternationalformula,whichoriginallyhadbeendevisedto
marketwhiteUSfilmactors.ButitselectedlocalblackentertainersforStarrepresentation
foritsalmostexclusivelyblackAfricanreadership.
Towardstheendofthe20thcentury,bothDrumandHuisgenootbelongedtothesame
publishinghouse,NasionalePers(withitsnewspaper,magazineandonlinepublication
divisionnowknownasMedia24),and,togetherwithHuisgenoot’sEnglishequivalent,YOU,
theircoveragesurfacedthesamekindoffigure,eventhoughtheentertainment
personalitiesthemselveswereselectedtosuitthewhiteAfrikaans,whiteEnglish-speaking
andblackreadershipsofHuisgenoot,YOUandDrumrespectively.Intermsofwhowas
selectedforcoverage,whatfeatureswereemphasisedinthecoverageandthestyleofthe
coverage,thedominantfigurethatemergedinthesethreelocalmagazineswasalso
generallyverymuchlikethatrepresentedinmagazinesglobally.
TheglobalinfluencewasundeniablewhenitcametolocalcoveragesurfacingtheCelebrity
aroundtheturnofthe20thcentury.BoththePeopleandheatbrandshadinternational
links.PeopleSA,inwhichtheEmergingCelebritydominated,hadaneponymousbrandin
theUnitedStates,andheatSA,whichsurfacedtheCelebrityProper,wasaninternational
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franchiseoftheUKbrand.Furthermore,internationalpersonalitiesfromtheUnitedStates
and,toalesserextent,theUnitedKingdomwereinthemajorityinthecoverageofboth
thesemagazines.Mostimportantly,however,theglobalinfluencecouldalsobeseeninthe
coveragestyleemployedbythelocalmagazines.Inotherwords,notonlywastherea
preferenceforinternationalentertainmentpersonalities,thewayinwhichthey,aswellas
theselectfewlocalpersonalities,werecovered,correspondedwithwhatwashappeningon
theentertainmentpublishingfrontabroad.
Astheworldhasbecomeevermoreinterconnected,andconnectionspeedsarebecoming
increasinglyfaster,thetrendtoremaininsyncwithCelebrity-magazinecoverageinother
partsoftheworld,specificallyintermsofstyle,focusandexecution,seemstocontinuein
localmagazinesinthenewmillennium.Putdifferently,comparedtopreviousformsoffame,
itisdifficulttounderstandtheFigureNowmainlyintermsofthelocalcontext;rather,the
globalinfluencehasbecomedominantandall-important,andcouldbesaidtoeclipsethe
local.
Thus,inbothlocalandinternationaltitles,wenowseehowthesameindividualperson
might,indifferentissuesofamagazineorevensometimesindifferentsectionsofoneissue,
straddlemorethanoneofthedefinitionsoffame,sometimesemergingasaStarandat
othertimesanEmergingCelebrityoraCelebrityProper,andperhaps,onceinawhile,a
Hero.Becauseoneindividualpersoncanemergeintermsofthedifferentcategoriesoffame
suggestedhere,onecouldsaythatthisnewpost-Celebrityunderstandingisa‘mixed’or
‘hybrid’formoffame.AsenseofhybridityisanothercharacteristicofTheFigureNowthat
appears,fromtheliterature,toextendtofamerepresentedinmagazinestothatas
practisedandpresentedonthenewmedia.Marshall(2010:35,emphasisadded)definesthe
socialnetworksitesas“presentationalmedia”,astheyarea“formofpresentationofthe
selfand[produce]thisnewhybridamongthepersonal,interpersonalandthemediated”.
Itmustbenoted,however,thatintermsofhybridityintheprintedmagazines,one
personalitywouldforthemostpartbecoveredintermsoftwoconsecutivecategoriesinthe
trajectory,somostlyasaStarandanEmergingCelebrity,oroccasionallyasaHeroanda
Star.Onecouldsaythatthiscoverageintermsofconsecutivecategoriescontributedtothe
representationofeachpersonalityintermsofacoherentpersonalnarrative,whichhas
beenshownasastrongcharacteristicoftheCelebrityProper.Itisagaininterestingtosee
howthisendeavourforcoherenceofthepersonalnarrativehasinfluencedonlinefame.In
particular,theworkofTheresaSenft(2015:346)aboutwhatshecallsthe‘microcelebrity’is
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ofinteresthere.Shecoinedthistermwhileresearchinggirls“broadcastingtheirlivesover
theInternet”inthefirstdecadeofthenewmillennium,andnoteshowsincethen,“the
discourseof“brandme”hasexplodedintothepublicsphere.Shefurtherdefinesthe
microcelebritypracticeas“thecommitmenttodeployingandmaintainingone’sonline
identityasifitwereabrandedgood”,andformeasenseofmaintainingandguardinga
coherentimage(onlineinthiscase)isoneoftheelementspermeatingtheideaofa‘brand’,
andthisdefinitioningeneral.Inthisinstance,theonlineorpresentationalmedia,touse
Marshall’s(2010)term,canbesaidtocontinue,inaway,akindoffamethatcouldbe
witnessedintherepresentationalmediumofthemagazine.
IntheFigureNowasrepresentedinweeklymagazinesinSouthAfricaandelsewhere,the
continuedfocusonacoherentnarrativeseemstohaveresultedinhardlyanystraddlingof
theHeroandCelebrityPropercategories,theoddexception,suchasJoostvander
Westhuizen,whowasrepresentedasallfourfiguresinthetrajectory,notwithstanding.The
factthattheHeroandtheCelebrityProperdonotminglewellisperhapsnotsurprising,as
thesetwoextremeendsofthetrajectoryseemtobeincompatible.
Inthisregard,andwithreferencetothecoverageofJoost,itisinterestingtoconsiderhow
theterm‘sport’iseasilycombinedwithboth‘hero’and‘star’;both‘sportsstar’and
‘sportinghero’arefamiliartitlesandseemtofalleasyontheear.Notsowiththetitle
‘sport/sportingCelebrity’,whichsoundsawkwardandisrarely,ifever,used.Critically,this
couldbereadasindicativeofawidertrendinmagazinecoverageoffame,namelyofthe
uncomfortable,perhapsevenimpossible,sustainedgeneralco-existenceofheroismand
Celebrity,intherepresentationofonepersonandincoveragegenerally.
Thisstraddlingofthefirsttwocategoriesofthetrajectoryisevident,forinstance,inthe
coverageinYOUofformerUSPresidentBarackObama’svisitwithbillionairebusinessman
RichardBransononhisprivateCaribbeanisland.130Thenotionoftheheroicisundeniably
presentinthecoverage,yetitstandsinstarkcontrasttoHuisgenoot’sbrandofheroisma
centurybefore.AsapoliticianandthefirstblackpresidentoftheUnitedStates,Obama
naturallybringsaheroicelement,whichisgenerouslyamplifiedbyphotographsshowinghis
model-likebodywhilelearningtokitesurfinthewavesonNeckerIsland,andmock-fighting
withBransononhisprivateyacht.Thecopyalsomaintainsthemoreformalconventionof
referringtobothmenbytheirlastnames,generallyassociatedwithnewsreportingand
coverageofpoliticians;bycontrast,ashasbeenarguedinprecedingchapters,magazine
130Cook,Sandy(compiler),“It’ssobromantic”,YOU,23February2017.
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coverageofshowbusinesspersonalitieshassinceitsinceptionbeenmoreorientedtowards
thepersonal,andhasthususedthemorefamiliarandintimateconventionoffirstnames
insteadofsurnamesforsecondandsubsequentreferences.
ButthefactthatthefocusofthisYOUarticleispredominantlyonactivitiesinObama’s
privatelife,onBranson’sexclusiveprivateislandnoless,asthecopyremindsus,“onhisfirst
holidaypost-Potus[PresidentoftheUnitedStates,theacronymObamausedspecificallyon
socialmediawhileholdingoffice]”,alsoemphasisesasenseofstardomhere.Theimagesof
histonedphysiquesupportthenotionoftheheroicinthesenseofthesportsplayer.Yetthe
intensefocusonhisbody,withthecopycommentingspecificallyonitsattractiveness,
describinghiminthephotographcaptionsas,“lookingbuff,relaxedandfranklydamnhot”,
revealsasimultaneousinclinationtowardscoveragebefittingoftheStar.Thisisfurther
emphasisedbyasenseoftheextraordinarylifestyletheformerpresidentmaintainsinthe
privatesphere.ThecopynoteshowObamaandhiswife,MichelleObama,spent“afew
carefreeweeksat[RichardBranson’s]ultra-luxuriousretreat[…]asliverofparadise”and
“enjoyedsundownersontheterracesofthesprawlingdwellingBransonbuiltatthewater’s
edge”.
Oneindividualpersonbeingrepresentedassimultaneouslyencompassingcharacteristics
thatfallinmorethanoneoftheexistingcategoriesseemstobeacontinuing,perhapseven
growingtrendinshowbusinessjournalism,asthisYOUarticleillustrates.Putdifferently,one
cannotidentifyonedominanttypeoffigureemerginghere;rather,weseethecoverage
makingreferencetoindividualcharacteristicsofexistingunderstandingsoffamebutnoone
formdominatesorovershadowstheother,aswasthecasewithearlierunderstandingsof
fame.Evenapoliticianandpioneeringpresident,whoinpreviousyearswouldhavebeen
representedexclusivelyasanEpicHerowithnopossibilityarisinginthecoverageforany
otherkindofclassificationoffame,cannowbecovered,inthesamearticle,asbothaHero
andaStar.
GivenhowhybridityhasarguablycometocharacterisetheFigureNowintheentertainment
weeklies,itisinterestingtoconsiderhowshowbusinessandshowbusinessjournalismhas
seeminglyinfluencedothersectorsofsociety,andspecificallypolitics,inthenew
millennium.Politiciansrarelyappearintheweeklyentertainmentmagazines,andiftheydo,
theyhardlyeverappearinprominentpositions,suchasonthecover.IntheSouthAfrican
weekliesitisfurthermoreinterestingtonotethatlocalpoliticiansarealmostentirelyabsent
fromcoverage.Inotherwords,politiciansverysporadicallyappearinthelocalmagazinesI
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examined,andontheserareoccasionsinternationalpoliticiansarefavouredaboveSouth
Africanones.AsisthecasewiththeObamaarticleinYOU,thepredominantfocusofthe
coverageofthesepoliticiansisontheirprivatelivesandparticularlytheirStar-likequalities.
ThiscouldperhapspartlyexplaintheremarkablylowlocalpoliticianpresenceintheSouth
Africanweeklies.Glamour,oneofthequintessentialStarqualities,isnotsomethingthat
seemstocomenaturallyforSouthAfricanpoliticians,whichmakesStar-likemagazine
coverageparticularlytricky.Somelocalpoliticiansarealsoknownforextremeprivate-life
excesses,includingpalatialprivateresidences,expensivecarsandluxuryinternational
holidays.Subsequently,thesepoliticianscouldpotentiallybecoveredinaStar-likewayin
theweeklymagazines,reminiscentofthe‘oldHollywood’way.Yetitcouldbearguedthat
theseexcessesmightnotappealtoreadersinacountryknownforgovernmentcorruption
andwithsuchpronouncedincomeinequality.WhatIhaveattemptedtoshowandaccount
forhereishowaglobaltrend,ofpoliticiansbeinglargelyabsentfromcoverageinweekly
showbusinessmagazines,hasanaddedlayerofcomplexityinthelocalSouthAfrican
context.
Whatisalsointerestingaboutthegeneralglobalabsenceofpoliticiansintheweekly
magazinesisthatthenotionofthe‘celebritypolitician’hasneverthelessattractedgrowing
interestfromawiderangeoffields,asMarkWheelerarguesintheintroductiontohisbook
CelebrityPolitics:ImageandIdentityinContemporaryPoliticalCommunications(2013).
Ontheonehand,thenotioninvolvespoliticiansbehavinglikeentertainers,whileonthe
otheritconcernsentertainersbehavinglikepoliticians.Thebodyofliteratureisconstantly
growing,butsomekeyscholarshipincludesAndrewCooper(2007),whowritesabout
“celebritydiplomacy”withparticularreferencetoactorsandsportsplayerswhohavebeen
appointedasUnitedNationsambassadorsandspecialenvoys.WhereCooperhaswritten
aboutentertainersfulfillingpoliticalfunctions,DouglasKellnerandRedmondhavetakena
particularinterestinthereverse,namelypoliticianscoveredorrepresentedintermsof
qualitiesthathavemoregenerallybeenassociatedwithshowbusinesspersonalities.Itis
clearthatObamaisafruitfulexampleintermsofthistrend,asbothKellnerandRedmond
havewrittenspecificallyabouttheformerUSpresident.Kellner(2009:715)arguesthat
Obama“hasbecomeamasterofthespectacleandglobalcelebrityofthetoprank[…]a
supercelebrity”,whileRedmond(2010:81)describeshimas“theleadingillustrationofwhat
istheexpandednexusofcelebrity,spectacleandpolitics”.
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Interestingly,someseethenew-millenniumtrendof‘celebritypoliticians’asalarming,
arguingthattheirlooksoroutwardappearanceandmanner“dazzle”orblindpeopleto
possiblycontroversialpolitics.WithspecificreferencetoObama(alongsideDonaldTrump,
EmmanuelMacronandAungSanSuuKyi),PankajMishra(2017)writesabouttherecently
exposed:
insidiouspoliticsofcelebrity,oneinwhicharedemptivepersonalityisprojectedhigh
abovetheslowtoilofpoliticalpartiesandmovements[…]Publicliferoutinely
featuressuchsensations,figuresinwhompeopleinvestgreatexpectationsbasedon
nothingmorethanacaptivationwiththeirradiantpersonas.
Furthermore,anarticlebyPerryAnderson(2017)describesObamaasthe“firstcelebrity
President”byvirtueofhimbeing“otherthanpurelywhite,aswellasgood-lookingand
mellifluous”.ButObama’sgoodlooksandeloquencedoesnotequatetoleadership,
Anderson(2017)argues:
Obama,relishinghisauraandawareoftherisksofdilutingit,madelittleattemptto
mobilizethepopulacewhocasttheirballotsforhim,andreservedthelargesse
showeredonhimbybigmoneyforfurtheracclamationatthepolls.Whatmattered
washispersonalpopularity.Hispartyhardlycounted,andhispolicieshadlittle
politicalcarry-through.
Yet,despitethiscriticismofthe‘celebritypolitician’,therearenowentireweeklymagazines
whoseeditorialpoliciesarebasedonadeliberateblurringofcategoriesoffame.Grazia,an
Italianweeklymagazinebranddatingbacktothelate1930sthatalsobrieflypublisheda
SouthAfricanedition(from2012to2016),isonesuchexample.Itmarketsitselfasafashion
and‘celebrity’title,butitsupfrontnewssection(titled10HotStories)alwayscontainsat
leastone,butgenerallyevenmore,women-interest‘hardnews’item.Thus,itiscommon,
evenexpected,forGraziatocover,onaregularbasis,politicalorhumanitarianeventsof
variouskindsinvolvingprominentwomen,whichensuresthatthereisageneralsenseofthe
exemplarypermeatingthemagazine,albeitoftensubtly.Yeteveninarticlesthatexclusively
refertopoliticaleventsandavoidreferencetotheprivatelifeofthewomeninvolved,the
magazinealmostalwaysadoptstheStarformulaorblueprint.It,forinstance,usesfirst
namesinsteadofsurnamestorefereventopoliticiansandbusinesswomen.Themagazine
tendstobeguidedinthestory-selectionprocessbyappearanceorlooksandalso,
importantly,sartorialsense,whichisofcoursereminiscentoftheStarformulaorblueprint.
Bywayofillustration:fashionablehigh-profileinternationalhumanrightslawyerAmal
170
Clooney,whoismarriedtoHollywoodactorGeorgeClooney,canprobablybesaidtobethe
idealGraziasubject.Thisarguably“sexistfocusonappearance”inthemagazine’sgeneral
editorialpolicy,towardsallthewomenitcovers,includingthosenotprimarilyinvolvedin
entertainment,has,unsurprisingly,drawnsharpcriticism,asVanZoonenandHarmer(2011:
94)note.TheinternationalGraziafranchise’sgeneralfocusonappearancearguablyaddeda
layerofcomplexityintheSouthAfricanedition.InpatriarchalSouthAfrica,womenarein
theminorityinpoliticsandindustry,whichlimitedGraziaSA’soptionsintermsoflocal
figurestobeselectedforcoverage.Inaddition,ashasbeenarguedbeforeinthischapter,
applyingtheStarformulatoprominentfiguresinbusinessandpoliticsinanenvironmentin
whichthereisarguablyacomplexrelationshipwithoutwardappearanceandglamourin
generalisachallengingendeavour.
Theoddhuman-rightslawyerandformerpresidentnotwithstanding,ifoneconsidersthe
questionofwhoisselectedforcoverage,westillseeweeklymagazinesinSouthAfricaand
globallymostlyoptingforentertainers,primarilythosehailingfromthefilmandmusic
industriesandthesportsarenabutalsofromtelevision,andeventheinternetandsocial
media.Thepreferenceforshowbusinesspersonalitieshasbeenthestatusquoinweekly
magazinesbothlocallyandinternationallyfromthemiddleofthe20thcenturyonwards.
Comparedtothe‘fewgoodmen’dominatingcoverageinSouthAfricainthefirstfew
decadesofthelastcentury,weseeanever-greaternumberofpersonalitiesbeing
representedinmagazinesnow.Someofthesepersonalities,oftenthoseinthetraditional
fameindustriesoffilm,musicandsports,havelongevityintermsofmagazine
representationandwillappeareverysooftenoveralongperiodoftime,whereasothers,
typicallythosewhoinitiallygainedfameinthefieldsoftelevision,theinternetorsocial
media,seemtobeevermoreephemeralandmightbeincludedincoverageforonlyabrief
period.Thisparticularlyseemstobethecaseforpersonalitieswhofirstbecameknown
throughtheneworsocialmedia.
Themagazinescontinuetocovertheseentertainersprimarilyforactivitiesintheirprivate
lives,withrelationshipstoriesdominating.Ifonelooksathowthemagazinesrepresent
thesepersonalities,orthestyleoftherepresentation,thetrendforshorterpiecesoftextor
copyandpredominantlyvisualcoveragealsopersists.But,andthisisoneofthebig
distinctionsthatcanbedrawn,intermsofthelatterthereseemstobeashiftawayfromthe
early21st-centurypropensityforusingphotographsasprooforevidenceofwhatis
presentedas‘flaw’,beitphysicalorotherwise.
171
Move!,aSouthAfricanweeklylaunchedin2005andaimedatanaspiringmiddle-classblack
womenreadership,forinstance,shunspaparazziimages.Themagazinealmostexclusively
usesphotographsshotinstudiotoillustrateitsregularweeklycollectionofarticleson
showbusinesspersonalities,alargepercentageofwhichcoversscandalsandemphasises
sensationalelements.Ononedouble-pagespreadfromthismagazine,forinstance,ahead
andshouldersphotographofasmilingBrickz(realname:SiphoNdlovu)accompaniesan
exposéofintimatedetailsofthelocalkwaitosinger’ssexualexploits,includingallegationsof
a“threesome”withhiswifeand“amagosha[prostitute]”.131
Ontheoppositepage,aprofessionallystyledfull-lengthphotographofThembiNyandeni
lookingdefiantlyatthecameraaccompaniesastoryinwhichthesixty-three-year-oldlocal
actordeniesrumoursthatsheisinasextape.132Despiteimagesfromthesextape,which
“wentviral”,thearticlenotes,andprobablybeingavailableforuse,Move!didnotpublish
anyofthese.Inotherwords,byallaccounts,ithadtheopportunitytoprovideevidenceof
thevideoscandalandrepresentThembiasaCelebrityProperfigure,butthemagazine
avoidedthistreatment.Thereisevenperhapsahintofthesteadfastandprincipledinher
commentthat,“Ihavemorals.IhaverulesandregulationsthatIlivebyonadailybasis”.
Wereitnotforthenotionofaninnerlife,perhapsevenasuggestionoftheconfessional,
comingthroughinThembi’sdeclaration,onewouldbetemptedtoidentifyasenseofthe
heroichere.Thepointisthat,eveninamagazinesuchasMove!,withitsapparent
predilectionforentertainment-personalitytransgression,photographsarehardlyeverused
asevidence.Evenifthepersonalitiesaresupposedly‘behavingbadly’,theaccompanying
picturesalwaysshowthemlookinggood.
Infact,therewasanoverwhelmingsenseofpersonalities‘lookinggood’asIexaminedthe
showbusiness-newssectionsoftheotherlocalweeklymagazines.Inthemajorityofthe
photographs,whichillustrateprivate-lifestories,thosecoveredaresmiling.Theylook
happy,healthyanddecidedlyglamorous.Putdifferently,thecoveragestyleseemstohave
shiftedsomewhatawayfromafocusonphysicalflawsandmovedtowardsevidenceof
glamour,healthandhappiness.Spreaduponspreaduponspreadofgrainyphotographs,
mostofthemseeminglyunauthorisedandshotbythepaparazzi,ofsupposedphysical
imperfectionandbadfashionchoices,nowseemtobedisappearing.Gone,itseems,isthe
‘badhairday’andthe‘wardrobemalfunction’.
131Mdakane,Bongani,“Brickz’swifehappytosharehim”,Move!,17May2017.132Zenoyise,John,“Isibayaactressfed-upofsextape”,Move!,17May2017.
172
Consequently,thegalleryofred-carpetphotographsofstarsinhautecouture,whichhas
startedappearingweeklyonthelastfewpagesofYOUandHuisgenootsincethelastfew
yearsofthe20thcentury,canalmostbesaidtosetthetoneforthevisualstyleoflocal
weeklymagazinecoverageofshowbusinesspersonalitiesgenerally.ThisYOU/Huisgenoot
feature(called“Stargaze”and“Sterrekyk”respectively)hassubtlychangedovertheyears,
withvisualelementssuchastwinklesandshimmerybackdropsadded,toheightenthe
glossyeffectforwhichthesepageshavebeenaiming.Besidestheseunmistakably
glamorous,posedred-carpetshots,imagesfromthepersonalities’ownsocial-media
accounts,whicharearguablyintendedtobevisuallyappealingandareevenoftendigitally
manipulatedforthispurpose,areincreasinglyincorporatedintoweekly-magazinecoverage
andsupportthissenseof‘shinyhappypeople’onholidayonthebeachorinexotic
destinationsallovertheglobe.
Inadditiontothelarge-scaledisappearanceofphotographspurportingto‘prove’physical
imperfection,thecopydealingwiththephysicalaspectoftheentertainer’sbodytendsnot
toemphasiseanotionofimperfectionorflaw.Instead,thereseemstobeapreferencefor
healthybody-imagestories,evenperhapsmovingtowardsamoreactiviststanceonthepart
ofthemagazines.OneoftherecentHuisgenoot/YOUissues,forinstance,featuredpopstar
LadyGaga’sresponse,onsocialmedia,to“thetrollswhobody-shamedherSuperBowl
halftimeperformance”.133Theroughly250-wordstoryinthegossipy“HaveYouHeard?”
sectionofthemagazineopenswithadirectrhetoricalquestiontoHuisgenoot/YOUreaders:
“Doesthislooklikeafatstomachtoyou?”,beforegivingbackgroundtowhatprompted
LadyGaga’sInstagrampostsandthenquotingfromtheresponseitself:“Iheardmybodyisa
topicofconversationsoIwantedtosay,I’mproudofmybodyandyoushouldbeproudof
yourstoo[…]”.AccompanyingthestoryarescreenshotsoftheInstagrampostaswellasa
photographofLadyGaga(realname:StefaniGermanotta)performinginshimmery
sequinnedhotpants,Americanfootballshoulder-pad-likecroppedjacketandfishnet
stockings,anoutfitthatwasdesignedbytheHouseofVersace,onstageattheSuperBowl.
OnthesamepagethereisalsoasmallstoryaboutanInstagrampostfrompopstarPink
who“joked[…]aboutlosingherbabyflabaftergivingbirthtohersecondchild”.“[W]eek6
postbabyandIhaven’tlostANYWEIGHTYET!!!!!!Yaymee!!I’mnormal”,themagazines
quotefromPink’saccount,withaheadandshouldersimageofPinkinreflectivesunglasses
andafriendandalsooneofhernewbaby,JamesonMoonHart,inababygrothatsays
StraightOuttaMumma,accompanyingthestory.
133“Gagahitsback”,YOU,23February2017.
173
Significantly,theretreatfrom‘physical’imperfectioncoverageseemstobeindicativeofa
widergeneraldeparturefromrepresentationthatpreferstosurfacethenotionofflaw,
specificallyofthekindthathastypicallycometorelyonpaparazzi-typephotographyusedas
evidenceofactivityorbehaviourthatisthenconstruedasmorallytransgressiveinsome
way.Inparticular,thereseemstobeadeliberatewithdrawalfromcoverageofaddictions
andotherself-destructivebehaviourthathavethepotentialtoleadtocriminalcharges,
institutionalisationor,insomecases,evendeath.
Rather,thedominantfocusseemstoreturntothekindofprivate-lifestoriesthatusedto
representtheStarandEmergingCelebrityfigureinweeklymagazinesfromthemiddleupto
theendofthe20thcentury.ReminiscentoftheHollywoodfanzinesoftheearly20th
century,storiesofhigh-profileromancesaboundinSouthAfricanweeklies,suchasinthe
coverageofthesteadyrelationshipbetweentheUnitedKingdom’sPrinceHarryandhis
“sexySuitsactress”girlfriendMeghanMarkle,whichYOU/Huisgenootclaimis“getting
serious”(andwhicheventuallyprovedtobe,astheylatergotmarried).134Closertohome,
nationalcricketplayerWayneParnell’s“sprokiestroue”(fairy-talewedding)andmarriageto
beautyandfashionbloggerAishaBakeralsogetsthe‘Startreatment’inHuisgenoot,135asdo
countlessstoriesaboutshowbusinesscouplesexpectingbabies,includinglocalDJFixand
herhusbandand,internationally,GeorgeandAmalClooney,musiciancoupleBeyoncé
KnowlesandJay-Zandmodel/actorRosieHuntington-WhiteleyandactorJasonStatham.
Aroundtheturnofthe20thcentury,thegeneralpreferencewasforinternationalabove
localpersonalitiesintheSouthAfricanweeklies.Yetitcouldbearguedthataretreatfrom
‘badbehaviourandbadskin’hasnowbroughtaboutachange.Itseemsafocusawayfrom
scandalhasensuredthe‘collaboration’oflocalpersonalitiesintermsofbeingrepresented
andallowingaccesstotheirprivatelivesandthusfacilitatedanincreaseinlocalcontent.Itis
importanttonotethat,whileinternationalentertainers,sportspeopleandother
personalitiescertainlycontinuetohaveastrongpresenceinSouthAfricanweeklies,there
areincreasingnumbersofstoriesonlocalmusicians,actorsandthelike.Huisgenoot,YOU
andDrumeachhavegrowingregularweeklysectionsexclusivelydevotedtolocal
personalitiesandhavestartedfeaturinglocalsonthecovermorethanjustoccasionally,and
almostalloftheentertainmentpersonalitiesfeaturedinMove!areSouthAfrican.
Continuingthetraditionfirststartedbythefanzines,themagazinestoday,bothinSouth
134DeWet,Nici(compiler),“It’sgettingserious!”,YOU,23February2017.135Atson,Lara,“‘nAmperseramp–toeliefde”,Huisgenoot,23February2017.
174
Africaandinternationally,continuetoconstantlyjuxtaposeelementsofthe‘ordinaryand
theextraordinary’intheircoverage.IntheHuisgenootstoryontheParnells,forinstance,
theirordinarinesscomestotheforeinanecdotesdetailinghowunpreparedtheywerefor
dailydomesticlife;theybothmarriedoutoftheirapparentlyrelativelyconservativeMuslim
parentalhomesandhadtofamiliarisethemselveswithhouseholddutiessuchasbuying
electricityandcooking.Aphotographofthecoupleathomeshows,accordingtothe
caption,“thecricketstarmakingasmoothie”.Yetthereremainsasenseoftheextraordinary
also,atleastintermsoflifestyleandconsumption.Aishaadmittedtobeing“soscared”
aloneintheir“bighouse”whenWaynewasawayplayingcricketintheWestIndiesfourdays
aftertheirwedding,sosheimmediatelyflewtobewithhim.Thecopyalsomakesreference
totheir“Instagramlife”,whichisvisuallysupportedwithphotographsofWayne’slarge
collectionofsneakersandAisha’s“stylishwardrobe”.“Wayne[…]sitselfnie‘nmodevoet
verkeerdnie.Syklerekaskreunbehoorlik”,thearticlenotes(Wayne[…]doesnotputa
fashionablefootoutofplace.Hiswardrobeisliterallygroaning).
However,storiesdocumentingromanticheartbreakandrelationshipsfallingapart,suchas
coverageofBradPittlookinggauntafterhissplitfromsecondwife,AngelinaJolie,also
abound.Withthefocusagainmovingawayfromthefairytaleandbacktowardsheartbreak
andhardship,asSternheimer(2011),amongstothers,haveargued,thiskindofcoveragecan
besaidtosurfacetheEmergingCelebritythatwasdominantinweeklyentertainment
magazinesinthelate20thcentury.Someofthestoriesfallingintothiscategoryhavea
sensationalqualityaboutthem;theexclusiveDrumcoverstoryabout“thefight,the
separatebedroomsandmoneytroubles”thatcharacterisedlocalMuthodiNeshehe’srecent
divorceafterthirteenyearsofmarriageisagoodexamplehere.136
5.2Drawingthelineat‘real’illness
JoostvanderWesthuizenwasatruehybridfigure,emerging,viaweeklymagazinecoverage,
alternatelyasaHero,aStar,anEmergingCelebrityandaCelebrityProper.Butingeneral,
theCelebrityProperseemstobewaninginweeklycoverage.Thisisbecausethereseemsto
bedwindlingcoverageoftransgression,adistinctivefeatureoftheCelebrityProper,
especiallythosetransgressionsthatcouldhavetragicorseriousconsequences.
ThisisoneofthereasonstheposthumousJoostcoverageisinterestinginanattemptto
capturethecurrentunderstandingoffameinSouthAfrica.Thestoryarcaroundthevideo
136Mpapu,Hopewell,“Ourmarriageisontherocks”,Drum,13April2017.
175
scandalthatsurfacedJoostasaCelebrityProperinhislifetimewaseitheromitted
completelyintheposthumouscoverage(inPeople)orcouldbesaidtohavesupportedthe
HeromorethantheCelebrityProper.TheHuisgenootandYOUtributes,forinstance,framed
thescandalinthereligiousmodeofconfession,absolutionandredemption,andessentially
surfacedJoostassettinganexampleforotherstofollow.
Therewasnodedicatedfocusonhispeccadilloesinthesetwomagazines’tributeissues;
rather,thevideoscandalwasburiedinachronologicaltimelinearticleonhislovelifethat
showedglamorousandhappyphotographsofhimwithhisfirstandsecondwivesand
children.Importantly,therewasnovisualevidenceofthevideoexposéorphotographsof
thestripperwhosecretlyfilmedthetrystorthewomenwithwhomheisalleged,inthe
copy,tohavehadaffairs.Thisarticleisentitled“Love,marriage&scandal”inYOU.And
despiteincludingroughlythesamedetailinitsequivalentarticleinside,Huisgenootis,
however,carefultoavoidreferencetothescandalinitsheader/title,whichreads,“Die
liefdesinJoostselewe”(ThelovesofJoost’slife).Moreover,Huisgenootalsoavoidsany
mentionofitsscandalcoverageontheoutsidefrontcoverofitstributeissue,despiteits
sistermagazinedoingso.Moreover,importantly,despitementioninghowhe“hadthegirls
gaspingforbreath”,thetwomagazinesdonotrepresentJoost’simproprietyasbeing‘sexy’.
Onthecontrary,andcrucially,Iarguethatcoverageofhisinfidelityhereemphasisesthefact
thatheactuallyconfessedhiswrongdoing.TheHuisgenootarticleonJoost’sromantic
history(butnotitsequivalentinYOU)evenconcludeswithareligiousreferencetohis
comingcleanbeforeGodandbeinginapositiontogotoheavenwhenhedies.Thearticle
noteshowherememberedtellinghisson,Jordan,afterhisMNDdiagnosis,“Daddagaan
dalknounaLieweJesustoe”(DaddymightbegoingtoJesusnow).
ByemphasisingJoost’sconfessionandapologytohiswifeandhisfans,YOUandHuisgenoot
coverageseemedtosketchJoostasanexampleforhishonestyandcomingclean.People’s
tributecoverageavoidsalldrugsandsexreferencesbutdoesseemtohintatmisjudgement
andremorseintheprominentparagraphlinkingheadline(“Thelegendofawarrior”)to
bodycopyoftheinsidearticle:“Anextraordinarylifefilledwiththeachievements,the
mistakes,theregrets,thetrialsandthetributesthatcomewithbeinghuman”.Thereis,
again,adefinitesenseofconfessionintheonlyparagraphinthisPeoplearticleappearingto
detailthetraitsJoostwasapparentlycriticisedforinhislifetime.Thearticlequotesanold
interviewwiththeplayerinwhichhenoted,“Thereweretimesinmycareerwhenpeople
saidIwasarrogant,Ionlycaredaboutmyself.NowIknowtheywereright.Itisreallyabout
176
givingandcaringforothers”,beforeitsubtlyseemstoaccepthisconfessionandredeem
himintheconcludingremark:“Thislegacy–oneofcaringforothersandbeingafamilyman
–ishowJoostwillberemembered”.
Significantly,thewaytheweeklymagazineschosetoapproachthescandalstoryarcintheir
tributes,aswellastheanecdotalevidenceofaudienceresistancetorepresentationsofJoost
theCelebrityProper,appearstoreflectamoregeneraltrendintermsofhowfameisbeing
negotiatedinweeklymagazinesandalsoconsumedbytheirreadershipatthemoment.
Thisgeneralnotionconcernsthekindofprivate-lifebehaviourthatcouldinasensebe
construedbythemagazineastransgressive.Morespecifically,thereseemstobea
calculatedmoveawayfromcoverageofbehaviourthatcouldresultincriminalorother
prosecutionbutalso,moreoftenandmoreimportantly,thekindofbehaviourthat,in
extremecases,couldbelinkedtomentalillnessandresultininstitutionalisationandevenin
death.Inotherwords,themagazinesshiedawayfromcoveragethatcouldpotentiallyhint
atasenseoftragedy.
heat,themediuminwhichtheCelebrityPropersurfacedmostconvincingly,alwaysstruggled
withtheeditorialapproachtotakewithstoryarcsinvolvingpotentiallycriminalbehaviour.It
was,forinstance,problematicforthemagazinetocoverthelatepopsingerMichael
Jackson’s(second)childmolestationtrialwhileremainingfaithfultoheat’scharacteristic
irreverent,tongue-in-cheekeditorialstyle.Butageneraleditorialstancecouldstillbe
adoptedtoavoidcoverageofentertainers’criminalorpotentiallycriminalbehaviour.
However,unlikestoryarcsinvolvingcriminality,whichcouldmerelybeavoided,itbecame
progressivelymorechallengingtoformulateasustainableeditorialapproachtowardsheat’s
trademarkandthusunavoidableCelebrity-newsstoryarcs,namelythosethatdeliberately
surfacedmisbehaviour,whentheyhadthepotentialtoedgetowardsmoreserioussubject
matter.Itcouldbesurmisedthatthispotentialwasexacerbatedbythemagazine’s
continuouscontextualisationandanalysisofthesearcsthrough‘psychologisation’,or,touse
NunnandBiressi’sphrase,the“excavationofthe[personality’s]troubledself”and
specificallyitspursuitofa“therapeuticnarrative”(Nunn&Biressi2010:53),withtheterm
‘therapy’implyingillness,treatmentandcure.
heat’sprobingintoeventhesmallestapparentshiftsintheinnerlifeoftheentertainment
personalitywasquiterelentless.Itwasarguedabovethatthiscontemplationofthedetails
waspartiallyduetotheweeklypublishingfrequencyand,comparedtofamilyandwomen’s
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magazines,forinstance,thepressuretoproduceasufficientvolumeofcontentexclusively
focusedonentertainmentandshowbusinesspersonalitiestofillaminimumnumberof
pageswithcompellingcoverageonaweeklybasis.
Itisofutmostimportancetonotethattheassociationofmental‘illness’withthenotionof
greatnessorgeniusisafamiliarone,especiallyinthecontextoftheartist,anothernameby
whichentertainmentpersonalitiesarecommonlyknown.“[T]hepopularityofnarrativesof
mentalillness[…]indicatesthecontinuingappealofthe‘torturedgenius’stereotypeinthe
modernworld”,StephenHarper(2006:314)writes.“Today,asintheRenaissanceand
Romanticperiods,mentalillnessisatokenofbothpublicgreatnessandprivate
vulnerability;thecelebrity,thatmostvisibleofattractions,isalwaysimperilledbymental
illness”.
Yetitcouldbearguedthatthesurfacingofthenotionofmentalillnessorreferencetoits
possibilityinmagazinecoverageofartists/entertainmentpersonalitiesisarelativelyrecent
phenomenon,whichseemstohavecomeaboutwiththeincreasedfocusontransgressive
private-lifebehaviour.Harper(2006)goesontoarguethatthesurfacingof‘mentalillness’in
21st-centurynarrativesoffamecanbeattributedtothewayinwhichfamouspeoplehave
graduallycometobecoveredinthemedia.Specifically,hisargumentseemstorefertohow
therepresentationoffamouspeoplecontinuestorelyoninterpretationsoftheso-called
‘ordinary-extraordinaryparadox’.ThisphrasewasfirstassociatedwiththeHollywood‘star
system’,andaconstantattempttopresentanevermoreauthenticprivatelife:
Theassociationofcelebrityandmentalillness[…]canbeunderstoodinthecontextof
thepostmoderninclinationto‘haveitbothways’–toofferglamorizedimagesor
valuestogetherwiththeirreversal,critiqueorflipside.Intoday’spostmodernmedia,
the‘appearance’and‘reality’ofcelebrity(bothequallyconstructedofcourse)are
presentedsimultaneously[…]Thementalillnessofcelebritiesincontemporarymedia
culturerevealsthe‘truth’aboutthecelebrityconcerned,reminding‘ordinarypeople’
[…]ofwhatcelebritiesare‘reallylike’inawaythatdoesnotcontradictorundermine
theirstarstatus.Moregenerally,thisseeminglydoublestructuringofthementallyill
mediacelebrityasbothaprivateandapublicbeing,istypicalofapostmodernmedia
culturewhichoffersaudiencesspectaclesofcelebrity,whileatthesametime
unmaskingthem.(Harper2006:321,originalemphasisretained)
Inthecaseofheat,this‘unmasking’orrevelationofmentalillness,oratleasttheallusionto
behaviourthatmightindicateitspossibility,seemedtobecomeirreconcilablewiththis
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magazine’strademarkstylisticconventionsofironyandsatire.Oftensuggestedby
behaviourthatcouldbeconstruedasdeviant,theideaofmentalillness,evenifitwasonly
hintedatandnotevenanofficiallypubliciseddiagnosis,seemedtoelicitfeelingsthat
becameirreconcilablewiththehumourandglamourthathadbecomenecessaryfora
Celebritymagazinesuchasheattoensureandretainreaderinterest.Thismaybeoneofthe
mainreasonswhythelocaleditionofheatcloseddown.Theclosure(in2015)markedthe
endoftheweeklymagazinedevotedexclusivelytoCelebritynewshereinSouthAfricaand,
perhapsinacertainsense,thebeginningofthedisappearance,atleastonthelocal
landscape,oftheCelebrityProper.MinetteFerreira,theheadofMedia24’s(heatparent’s
company)weeklymagazinedivisionatthetime,seemedtoacknowledgeasmuch.Inthe
statementannouncingthemagazine’sclosure,shecommentedthat:“[I]nternationaland
localtrendsshowthatcelebrity-onlyprinttitlesareindecline.Manyofourprinttitleshave
excellentcelebritycontentandwebelieveheatreaderswillmigratetoincrediblypowerful
brandssuchasYOUandGrazia”(TMOReporter2015).
Women’smagazineGraziaisclearinitsequallystrongfocusonfashion/beautyaswellas
entertainment-personalitynews,andsubsequentlyavoidscontentthatfocusesonthe‘dark
side’;infact,theeditorialethosguidingtheselectionofpersonalitiesandparticularstory
arcstocoverisoneof‘triumphovertragedy’,soifthereisallusiontothetragic,itismerely
inpreparationforthetriumphant.137Grazia’sphotographicselectionandeditingcanalsobe
saidtobestronglyinformedbyacombinationofitspreferenceforstoriesemphasising
overcominghardshipanditsstatusasafashionmagazine,soevenifthereisanindicationof
apersonalitygoingthroughatoughtimeinherprivatelifeinthecopy,theaccompanying
photographswillstillbeselectedprimarilyfortheirsartorialappeal.
Intermsofitsexclusivefocusonglamourandtriumphnarratives,anditsgeneralavoidance
ofthepotentiallydarkandtragic,Graziais,inasense,theantithesistoheat.Butheat’s
othercompetitorsonthelocallandscape(Huisgenoot,YOU,People,DrumandMove!)could
allbesaidtohavecarriedsomecontentthatsurfacestheCelebrityProperduringheatSA’s
existence.However,followingheat’sclosure,theCelebrityProperhasalsoslowlystarted
disappearingfromthemagazinesthatsurvivedheatSA.
Inparticular,therehasbeendecidedlylessemphasisonthenotionoftheproblematic,and
thiswordisusedinabroadsenseheretoencompassboththephysicalandthe
137ThisethoswasrelayedbyGrazia’sinternationaldivisionata2012trainingsessionforstaffoftheSouthAfricanfranchise,whichIattendedsinceIwaspartofthelaunchteam.
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psychological.Myargumentisthatthisdwindlingcoveragespecificallyconcernsthekindof
behaviour,orsupposedmisbehaviour,thatseemstoveertowardsdarknesswhenitis
psychologicallycontextualisedinakindofapproachthatbecamecommonandeven
expectedofweeklymagazinesintheveryearlyyearsofthe21stcentury.
Ofallthelocalweeklymagazinesthatsurvivedheat,Move!isthemainonethatcontinues
tohaveastrongfocusonscandalcontentwhenitcomestocoverageoftheprivatelivesof
entertainmentpersonalities.ThescandalsinMove!areoverwhelminglyalsoofasexual
nature,whichseemstofitintothewidertrendinmagazinesthatPosel(2005)identifies,
specificallyamongstthosewithayoungblackwomenreadership:“openanymagazinewith
alargelyyoungblackreadershipandyouareboundtofindoneormorearticlesonsex[…]
Muchofthisisrelativelynew–partybecauseoftherecentlyexpandingmagazinebusiness
[…]butalsoasasignofthenewlyassertiveprominenceofsexualityasstyleonthecultural
agenda”(Posel2005:132).
However,whilethisistrue,Move!’sscandal(sexandotherwise)storiesareneversupported
byvisualevidenceandaregenerallyreminiscentoftabloidnewspapersratherthanCelebrity
magazines.Thecontentisundetailed,relativelysuperficial,andthereishardlyanysustained
engagementwiththepersonalities’innerlives.Andontherareoccasionswhereserious
transgressionorscandalissuggested,suchaswiththeBrickztrial138ortheThembiNyandeni
sextape139referencedabove,Move!seemstobreakawayfromthecoveragethatsurfaced
theCelebrityProperfigure.ImakespecificreferencetoMove!here,asIseethemagazineas
animportantexampleofinitsspecificappropriationoftheglobaltrendofashiftawayfrom
serioustransgression.TheelementofexposurethatcharacterisedCelebrityPropercoverage
seemsabsentinMove!.Themagazineforinstancedidnot‘break’eithertheBrickzorthe
ThembiNyandenistories;theymerelyreportedonthecourtproceedingsinthecaseofthe
formerandseeminglygavetheactorachancetodefendherselfagainstalreadyknown
allegationsinlatterstory.TheBrickzarticlehasasitsprimaryfocusthekwaitosingerandhis
wife’s“unusualsexualrelationship”;thecriminalaspectofthestory,namelythatthese
detailsofthecouple’sprivatesex-lifecametolightduringhisfour-yearrapetrial,is
mentionedbutnotprominently;itisburiedinthebodytextofthestory.Inotherwords,
Move!canbesaidtobeshiftingawayfromthe“exposégear”thatCelebritycoverage
becameknownfor,asGamson(2001:270)argues.Thetabloidinfluenceisobvious,inthat
Move!readersareinstructedthatthestoryabouttheNdlovus’sexlifeis‘shocking’,withthis138Mdakane,Bongani,“Brickz’swifehappytosharehim”,Move!,17May2017.139Zenoyise,John,“Isibayaactressfed-upofsextape”,Move!,17May2017.
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verywordappearingnofewerthansixtimesintheone-pagearticle,despiteitalsobeing
mentionedthatsexbetweenthespousesandtheotherpartiespartakingoftheir
threesomeswasconsensual.ThisstoryhasthepotentialtosurfacebothBrickzand,given
Move!’sself-brandingasawomen’smagazine,especiallyhiswife,Nqobile,asCelebrity
Properfigures.Yet,becausethecoveragedoesnotmovebeyondthesuperficialdetailsof
sexualacts,itmayfailtoengagethereader’sempathy,andconsequently,theappealofthe
storyandthepersonalitiesthemselvescannotbeguaranteed.Ashasbeenargued,eventhe
CelebrityProperfigureneedstohavesomeelementofappeal,whetheritbedespite,oron
accountof,thetransgression,inordertosustainreaderinterest.Importantly,therealso
seemstobeaturnaway,inMove!,fromtheexposureofthepsycheofthesupposedly
transgressivepersonality,whichisafeatureofCelebrityPropercoverage.Move!seemsto
haveadapted,tosomeextent,aglobalshift,presumablytoappealtoitsaspiringmiddle
classblackreadership.
Perhapsinpartbecausetheotherweeklymagazinesthatsurvivedheat,allofthemfamily
titles,areseeminglygenerallymovingawayfromcoveragethatcouldpotentiallysurface
extremelytroubledfamousfigures,thereisnolongerneedforheat’strademarksatire-and
irony-filledstyle.Ipersonallyfindthat,withoutthatsatiricalelement,weeklymagazine
contentonshowbusinesspersonalitiesisquite‘straight’,lacksirreverenceandis,generally,
fairlyblandandboring.FormerBritishsoccercaptainDavidBeckham’sleakede-mail
‘scandal’coveredinHuisgenootandYOU,forinstance,140offeredwhatseemslikeaperfect
opportunityforasatiricaltake,butthearticlemerelynotes,inaverybusinesslikemanner
withthecarefuluseofasterisksinthepotentiallyoffensiveexpletive,howDavidhas“been
accusedofusinghischarityworktocurryfavourforaknighthood.Inonemessagetohis
publicistheallegedlycallsthecommitteewhodecideswhogetsthehonoursbestowedby
QueenElizabetha‘bunchofc***s’aftertheyfailedtoknighthimin2013amidconcernsover
histaxaffairs”.Initsequivalentarticle,141theevenmorecarefulandconservative
Huisgenootentirelyomitstheobscenity,justreferringtoDavid“apparentlyoffendingthe
committee”([…]hethyglodiekomiteebeledig[…]).TheAfrikaansmagazinealso
interestinglyoptsfortheword‘drama’inthetitleofthissnippetinshowbusiness
personalitysection,whereasYOUusestheword‘scandal’.
The‘scandal’brandingofthisBeckhamstorybyYOU(andthelesssalacious‘drama’
brandingbyHuisgenoot)isinterestingforthisdiscussionoftheFigureNow.Thisisbecause,140“10thingswe’velearntfromBecks’emailscandal”,YOU,23February2017.141“10dingewatonsnouweetoorBeckssee-posdrama”,Huisgenoot,23February2017.
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comparedtothescandalsthatwereregularlycoveredbyheat,theseleakedemailsseemso
trivial;theycanperhapsbesaidtobe‘rude’,buthardlytransgressive.The‘exposé’of
David’sfailedattemptsatbeingknightedseemsevenmoretrivialwhenoneconsidersthat
heisinactualfactnostrangerto‘real’misbehaviour.Hewas,forinstance,widelycovered
forhisallegedinfidelity,withthisstoryarcdominatingspecificallyweeklyCelebrity
magazinesinthefirstdecadeofthe21stcentury.Duringthistime,heatUK’ssalesweresaid
tospikeeverytimetheBeckhamswereonthecover.Sothisratherdryandblandsnippeton
thefailedattemptsataknighthoodbytheformerEnglishfootballcaptain,whoadecade
beforehadbeenwidelycovered,withphotographicevidence,forhisallegedphilandering,
canbesaidtobeagoodillustrationofhowtheCelebrityProperhasstartedfadingfrom
coverage,tobereplaced,itseems,byapurportedlylessconflictedandtroubledpersonality
withlittlepotentialfordarkness,tragedyandmentalillness.
Ontheinternationalmagazinelandscapealso,thereseemstohavebeenaretreatfrom
storyarcsthatcouldpotentiallybeseenastoodark.FormerheatUKeditorMarkFrith,who
iscreditedwithbeinginstrumentalinestablishingthemagazine’soriginaleditorialformula,
alreadyseemedtoindicateasfarbackas2008thatthisformula,andspecificallyits
dedicatedfocusontransgression,hadafiniteshelflife.Inhismemoirs,herecallstheday,in
earlyJanuary2008,whentheideaofresignationfirstoccurredtohim:“Igotintotheoffice
[…]thismorningtobeconfrontedbytwoofthedarkest,mostdepressingcelebritystories
we’veeverbeenfoundtocover.”Helatersitsathisdesk:
staringatthescreenthinkingtomyself:whatthehellhappenedtothefunworldof
celebrity?Wherediditgo?Andwhen,exactly,diditgo?DiditgowithKate[Moss]
andPete’s[Doherty]dark,dysfunctionalrelationshipandverypublicdrug-taking?Did
itgowithAmyWinehouse(andherhusband)engaginginbrutalphysicalfightsin
hotelroomsandherspillingbloodonachild’sballetshoes?DiditgowithBritney
[Spears]?(Frith2008:333).
Andlater,whileexplaininghisresignationtothepublishersofthemagazine,Frithrecalls
thinkingthat,“AsmuchasIlovethecelebrityworld,ithad,forme,becometerriblydark
overthelastfewmonths.I[…]wasfedupofseeingpicturesoftormentedfamouspeople.
ThestarsIhadcometoknowandlovehadeithermovedonorwerebecomingincreasingly
distressed”(Frith2008:333).
DespiteFrith’sresignation,heatUKsurvives.Yet,crucially,alsowithmarkedlyless
photographicevidenceandaseeminglydiminishingfocusonphysicalimperfectionand
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scandal,andinstead,anapparentpreferenceforcoveragesurfacingtheEmergingCelebrity
ratherthantheCelebrityProper.IntheweekswhileIwrotethispresentchapter,there
were,forinstance,maincoverstoriesaboutshowbusinessbabies(thoseofBeyoncé
Knowles,BritishsingerandtelevisionpersonalityCherylFernandez-VersiniandJennifer
Aniston),relationships(KhloéKardashian’ssecretwedding,marriagewoesforJennifer
AnistonandJustinTheroux,KimKardashianandKanyeWestandVictoriaandDavid
Beckham)andbreak-ups(BradPittandAngelinaJolieandKatyPerryandOrlandoBloom).
Icametothesameconclusionafterseeingsimilararticles(theaftermathofthePitt-Jolie
divorce,thePerry-Bloombreak-up,anallegednewrelationshipbetweenLatinapopsinger
JenniferLopezandbaseballplayerAlexRodriguez)appearingduringthesametimeperiodin
USWeekly,arguablytheleadingUSmagazinetosurfacetheEstablishedCelebrityinthe
earlyyearsofthenewmillennium.
TheUSWeeklyonshelfatthetime142hadBritishtelevisionpersonalityandsingerKelly
Osbourneasitsmaincoverstory,withexclusive“excerptsfromhernewmemoir”,ThereIs
NoF*ckingSecret:LettersFromaBadassBitch.Theexpressive,expletivetitleofthememoir
admittedlyseemstoindicatethepotentialofitsurfacingKellyasaCelebrityProper,andso
doesUSWeekly’stabloid-traditionall-uppercasemaincoverline“MYLIFEASANADDICT”in
brightcanaryyellow.Yetifonelooksjustalittlecloser,thefigurethatemergesinthe
magazine’srepresentationismorelikeaStar,withperhaps,atleastintermsofher
overcomingheraddiction,evensomesubtlereferencestothetriumphant.Thereis,for
instance,noindicationofdrugaddictionoranyvisibleafter-effectsintheglamorousand
stylisedstudio-shotportraitphotograph(asopposedtocandidstreet-styleorpaparazzi-
type)ofKellywithbrightfuchsialipsUSWeeklyselectedforitsmaincoverimage.Her
trademarklilac-dyedhairistuckedbehindheroneear,revealingadanglingcrossearring,
whichcancertainlybereadasanunderstatedyetdeliberatevisualreminderofreligionin
whatisessentiallyapromotionofthislatest‘confessional’,the“TELL-ALLBOOK”,astheUS
Weeklycoverbrandsit.AndwhileshearguablyappearsasaStarinthephotographselected
forthecover,intermsofwhatthemagazineselectstofocusonfromthememoir,she
seemstosurfacenotasaCelebrityProperkindofpainkilleraddictbutasabravesurvivorof
heraddiction,despitepurportedlyadversecircumstancessuchasanenabling,recovering-
addictfatherandamotherwhohadbeendiagnosedwithcancer.
TheseexamplesfromthebiggestinternationalweeklymagazinesillustratethatthelocalSA
142USWeekly,17April2017.
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coverageslotsintoaseeminglyinternationaltrend.Itappearsasifthereisashiftintermsof
editorialselection,ofbothpersonalitiesandstoryarcstobeconsidered,toallowfora
continuationofpsychologicalcontextualisationinthecoverage,whichhasbecomeakey
characteristicofweeklyshowbusinessjournalism,whilecarefullyavoidingmovementtoo
closetothetragicandpathologicalintheprocess.Hereweareagainlookingatthekey
questionsofwhogetsselectedforinclusionandwhattheyarecoveredfor.Thereappearsto
beasenseofeditorialselection,ofpersonalitiesandstoryarcsalike,becomingevermore
discerning;thepreferenceisstilllargelyforentertainmentpersonalitieswhoare
newsworthy,visibleinpublicandhavesomeglamour.Inaddition,thereisacontinuedfocus
onnewsystoryarcsthatincludeelementsof‘flaw’.Thesestoryarcsrevealingwhatis
presentedasmisbehaviourappeartobeselectedforofferingsufficientscopetoexplorethe
depthsoftheentertainmentpersonality’ssoul,orasNunnandBiressi(2010:53)write,a
kindof“delvingbeneaththesurfaceofthecelebrity’spersona”.Yet,crucially,editorial
selectionappearstohavebecomeincreasinglysensitivetostoriesthathavethepotentialto
revealsorrow,lossandintenseinnerconflictandsufferingwhenthis“delving”isdoneinthe
reporting.Thesestorylines,especiallyiftheyofferverylittleornothinginthewayof
potentialfortriumphoverthetragedyorredemptionofanykindforthepersonality
involved,seemtobegenerallyavoidedinCelebrityjournalismnow.
5.3TheHeroreturns,butnotinepicform
Storyarcsthathaveanelementoftriumphoverone’sowncircumstances,ofcourse,open
upthepossibilityforthereturnoftheheroictomagazinecoverage.AndasCelebrity
coveragediminishes,asseemstobethecase,thepossibilityfortheheroictoreturnis
furtherenhanced.Afterall,the‘perfect’Heroandthe‘imperfect’Celebrityaretwo
extremesorprototypesinthetrajectory,andtheone’sdisappearanceopensthepossibility
fortheother’sre-appearanceorreturn.Ashasbeennotedbefore,post-Celebrityfame
seemstobebasedonahybridofcharacteristicsfromthethreemaincategoriesinthe
trajectoryproposedhere,andwhileelementsofsuccessiveunderstandings,suchasthe
HeroandtheStar,ortheStarandtheCelebrity,seemabletocomfortablyco-existorco-
appearinthecoverage,thesamecan,however,notbesaidfortheHeroandtheCelebrity
Properfigures,thetwoextremesorprototypes.Inotherwords,anelementoftheheroic
returnsasthefocusofcoverageseeminglyshiftsaway,somewhat,fromentertainers
lookinglessthanperfectandbehavingbadly;moreover,iftheseelementsarepresent,the
emphasisisincreasinglyontriumphingoverthetemptationsbroughtaboutthroughwealth
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andsuccess,or‘conqueringthosedemons’.
ButitisimportanttonotethatwiththeEpicHerofigureofearly20th-centurycoverage,
therewasadistinctsenseoftheexternalityofthese‘demons’.Thechallengeswere
external.Forinstance,intheHuisgenootcoverageofthetime,thesechallengesincluded
conqueringphysicalobstaclessuchaswildbeastsandinclementweather,likethe
Voortrekkersdid,andenemiesonthebattlefield,aswasthecasewithheroesoftheAnglo-
Boerwars.Theexternalityofthechallengesisabundantlyclearinthealmostexclusive
preferenceinthecoverageforactionsandbehaviourinpublic,withtheprivateand
domesticrealmbeingalmostcompletelyabsent.Becausetherewasalmostnofocusonthe
privatelife,letalonetheinnerconflictofthepersonalitiescovered,thekindofheroismthat
surfacedintheearly20th-centurycoveragecouldbesaidtobeoftheepickind.
Thegeneralmovement‘inwards’,incoverageoverthecentury,fromthepublictothe
privatespaceandsubsequentlytothe(conflicted)innerlife,wasagradualonethatcouldbe
understoodintermsofacontinuousattempttorevealtherealortrueself.Inorderto
demonstratethisinwardmovement,theargumentpointedtohowthecoveragephysically
positionedthesepersonalitiesexclusivelyinthepublicspaceatfirstandslowlycreptinto
theprivaterealmoftheirhomes;fromtheoutsidespaceofthestoepofPaulKruger’shome
inPretoriainHuisgenootintheearly20thcentury,throughthekitchenofBarbraStreisand’s
MalibuhomeinPeopleinthe1980sandfinallytotheinnersanctumofParisHilton’s
bedroominheatintheearly2000s.
Thisturntothewithin,inwhatmightbeseenasaconstantpursuitofthetrueself,hasalso
extendedtothephysicalbody,aslayershavefigurativelyandliterallybeenpeeledaway
overtimeinorderforusto,supposedly,getascloseaspossibletotheessenceofthe
famousfigure.AsHolmesandRedmondnote,“Thebodyofthestarorthecelebrityiskeyto
thissearchforthe‘truth’aboutthestarorcelebrity.Ifonecanseethefamousperson
strippedofalltheirfinery,thenoneissupposedlygettingunrestrictedandunfilteredaccess
togazeat,andbeintimatewith,theirprimalstate”(Holmes&Redmond2006:4).
Itconcerns,asHolmesandRedmond(2006)pointout,thegaze,the‘seeing’andthusthe
visual.Atthebeginningofthe20thcenturytherewasverylittlevisualrepresentationofthe
physicalbodyofthefamousfigure;inearlyHuisgenoottherewere,forinstance,‘famous
faces’,orsmall,predominantlyhead-and-shouldersportraitphotographsaccompanying
copy-heavyprofilearticles.Butthen,asthecenturyprogressed,magazinecoveragestarted
includingmorevisualsgenerally,revealingmorethanjustheadsandshoulders,and,
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moreover,the‘gaze’alsostartedmovinginwards,beyond,underneath.Withitsmale-
dominatedstaffcomplement,Drummagazineinthe1950scertainlyhada‘ladmag’editorial
policy,butitarguablyalsotappedintoagrowingglobaltrendinmagazinecoverageof
famouspeopleby,forinstance,publishingphotographsofDorothyMasukainher“dainty
underwear”andemphasisingher“lovelylegs”.Andthen,aswemovedintothe21stcentury,
magazinesrevealedmorefamousbodiesandflesh,incoveragedominatedbyboth
sanctionedandunsanctionedphotographs,withheatbeingoneofthepioneersofthetrend.
USsingerandactorBetteMidler(2016)wittilycapturedthenotionofthiscontinuous
movementtowardsthewithinwellwhenshereactedtoyetanothernudeself-portraitof
realitytelevisionpersonalityKimKardashianwiththefollowingcommentonTwitter:“IfKim
wantsustoseeapartofherwe’veneverseen,she’sgonnahavetoswallowthecamera”.
Yet,crucially,themostimportantapparentinwardshiftthatseemstohavetakenplacein
magazinecoverageoverthe20thcenturyhasbeenthatintothepsyche,beyondthebody,
ofthefamousfigure.IfwelookbacktoHuisgenooteditionsofacenturyago,forinstance,
thereisverylittleifanyindicationofinnerlife;thepoets,politiciansandpreacherswere
predominantlycoveredfortheirexemplaryactions,andmostlythosethathappenedin
public.PresidentofthethenSouthAfricanRepublicPaulKrugeriscelebratedinsomeofthe
earlyeditionsofthismagazinetitle,forinstance,forhis“fearlessness”
(“onverschrokkenheid”)anddetermination“inthefaceofdanger”(“in‘tgevaar”),going
along,atthetenderageofthirteenyears,on“anexpeditionagainstthekafferchiefSelikats”
(“opeenekspeditietegen‘tkafferhoofdSelikats”).Innouncertainterms,thefocusofthe
magazineatthispointisnotonthefuturestatesman’semotionsandinnerfeelingsbuton
hisactionsordeeds:“Thesedeedsdonotbecomeaboybutaman”(“Dedadenvande
knaapzijndedadenvaneenman”).143Thereisageneralabsence,inearlyHuisgenoot’s
coverageofAfrikanerheroes,ofpointerstoanemotionaldimension,letaloneapublicised
privatelife.
Incontrasttotheepicheroismthatappearedtodominateearly20th-centurycoverage,the
kindofheroismthatgraduallyseemstostartappearing,onselectoccasions,in21st-century
magazinescanbesaidtobeprimarilyconcernedwithovercomingthe‘demonswithin’,or
theinnerconflictofthepsyche.Ifonereflectsonthetrajectoryoffameasawhole,itcould
besaidthattheoccasionalcoveragesurfacingbraveryandexemplarybehaviourinthenew
millenniumseemstobeinfluencedbyhowtheCelebrityandtheStarwerecoveredbefore,
143“LevenschetsPresidentKruger”,DeHuisgenoot,May1916.
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i.e.inclusionofdetailsofprivate-lifebehaviourbutalso,crucially,evidenceofaninneror
psychologicallifeandasenseofconflictinthisveryrealm.
Consequently,inthefewnew-millenniumweekly-magazinestoriessurfacingcourage,
triumph,actionsworthemulatingandsoforthoneoftenfindsallusionstoconfessingand
overcominginnerconflict,whichoftentimesarisesfromsomeformoftransgression,and
subsequentabsolutionandredemption.NunnandBiressi(2010:53,emphasisadded)allude
tothepotentialfordisclosureto,“shiftthestoryofcelebritytransgressionbeyondinitial
shock,outrageanddisdainandintoanewfieldofself-inspectionandpublicreparation”.
JoostvanderWesthuizenisagainaninterestingfiguretoreturntointhispartofthe
discussion.Heisinterestingbecausehisheroismwas,ofcourse,exploredingreatdetailin
thehagiographicaccounts,intheposthumoustributeissuesofHuisgenoot,YOUandPeople.
Wesawlengthyaccountsofhiscourageontherugbyfield,infightingMNDandevenusing
hisownbattleagainsttheillnesstobenefitothersinasimilarlyvulnerableposition.Being
celebratedfortheachievementsofyourlifetimeonlyposthumouslyisoneofthedefining
characteristicsoftheheroism,sothefactthattheweekliesonlyreallyfocusedonJoostthe
Heroinmemoriamcouldalsobesaidtocontributetothenotionoftheheroicsurfacingin
therepresentation.
However,JoostcouldneveremergeatrueEpicHero,becausethetributeissuesincluded
plentyofevidencenotonlyofhisprivatelifebutalsoofhisemotionallife,andspecifically
theinnerturmoilheexperiencedfollowingthe‘sexanddrugs’scandalstoryarcthat
emerged,inheat,inhislifetime.Hisadmissionto“arroganceandcaringonlyforhimselfat
times”(notedinthePeopletribute)and,moreover,hispublicconfessionto“committing
adultery”,having“mademanymistakes”andbeing“wrong”,andhisapology“tothepeople
whobelievedinme.Andwhotrustedme”(here,theYOUandHuisgenoottributesquote
fromhis2009biography,Joost:TheManInTheMirror,byDavidGemmell)pointto
introspectionandprovideanindicationofJoost’sinnerlifeorpsyche,andthuscompletely
precludehimfromemergingasanEpicHero.
Itshouldbenotedthat,byfocusingonJoost’sconfessionandapology,Huisgenootand
YOU’sposthumouscoverageseemstosupportoneofthefamiliarthemesspecifictothe
representationofsportspersonalities.CatherinePalmer(2016)andWhannel(2002),
amongstothers,callthistheme“riseandredemption”.InhisbookMediaSportsStars:
MasculinitiesandMoralities,media-culturesscholarGaryWhannel(2002:154)arguesthat
thisthemeisamorerecentadditiontothetwoexistingonescommonlyassociated
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specificallywithsportspersonalities,namely“risetotriumph”and“riseandfall”,while
Palmer(2016:170)arguesthatthe“restitutionnarrative,whiledrawnfromthesociologyof
healthandillness,isbynomeansoutofplaceinthe[…]‘narrativisation’ofsportinglives”.
Whiletheideaof‘owningup’orconfessingmighthavespecificmeaningintermsofhow
sportspeoplearerepresentedandtheirlives‘narrativised’,tousePalmer’sterm,ithas
becomeaveryimportantthemeintherepresentationoffamouspersonalitiesgenerally,not
justsportspeople.HolmesandRedmond(2006:289)writethatdisclosureisbecoming
“increasinglyconventionalizedwithintheparametersofcelebritydiscourse”.SusanvanZyl
andJamesSey(1996:78)goevenfurtherbyarguingthat,“[C]onfessionalpracticesofa
mutatedbutrecognisableform[…]havecometopermeatemanyunexpectedaspectsof
contemporarywritingandculture”.
Thenotionofconfessionseemstohaveaddedafirst-person,first-handdimensionto
showbusinessjournalism,which,arguablymorethananyotherformofjournalism,cameto
relyonthird-personaccounts.Celebrityjournalismhasbecomecloselyassociatedwith
gossip,withtheprintedmediainthisindustryevenoftencolloquiallyreferredtoas‘gossip
magazines’.Asisthecasewithgossip,first-persondisclosureorconfessionalsoinvolvesa
senseofnotorietyorattheveryleastimpropriety(gossipisinseparablefromscandal),and
aswiththeothermovementstowardsthewithin,itcontributesanelementofapparent
truthorauthenticitytothecoverage,sincetheaccountisfirst-hand.
Underlyingthistrendofpersonaldisclosureinentertainmentjournalismisthenotionof
transgressivebehaviour(goodandnobledeedsarenever‘confessed’,butmuchmoreoften
witnessedandtalkedabout,withmuchreverence)andspecificallytheso-called‘sinsofthe
flesh’.Thereisalso,importantly,asenseofapparentintrospectionaboutthistransgression
and,certainlycomparedtothemagazinecoveragesurfacingtheEpicHeroacenturybefore,
astrongfocusonthoughtsandemotions,comparedtoactions,thatpermeatesweekly
magazinecoverageoftheFigureNow.
Conclusion
Thepost-Celebrityfigurehasbeenadifficultonetoanalyseandcapture,notleastbecause,
aswasarguedearlierinthischapter,thereisasenseof‘dispersal’aboutit.Thisisbecause
individualcharacteristicsthatdefinedeachoneofthefiguresthatcamebeforeinthe
trajectoryappeartohavedispersedintoTheFigureNow.Thishasmeantthat,unlikewhat
hashappenedinthecategorisationupuntilnow,noclearlydominanttypecouldbe
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identified.Instead,weseeelementsoftheStar(glamour,forexample)andtheCelebrity
(brokenrelationshipsandminortransgressions)re-emergingincoveragesurfacingThe
FigureNow.Inaddition,itcouldbeproposeddefiningcharacteristicsoftheEmerging
CelebrityratherthantheCelebrityPropersurface,asthelatterfigureisproblematicinthe
senseofopeningupthepossibilityofthetragic.Withrealmentalillness,evenjustthe
potentialofrealmentalillness,byandlargebeingavoidedbyCelebritymagazinespost-heat,
theCelebrityProper,then,seemstoretreat.
AndwhileelementsoftheHerofigureoccasionallyappear,theEpicHerofiguredisappears
entirelyfromcoverage.Inotherwords,noEpicHerowhatsoeverandverylittle,oronlyfaint
echoesoftheCelebrityPropertobetracedincoverageaswemovetowardsthemiddleof
the21stcentury.TheEpicHeroandtheCelebrityProper,thebookendsofthetrajectory
discussedhere,boththeextremeends,seemtohavefallenaway.
Whatisonethentomakeofafairlycommonlyusedphrase,whichhasbeenattributedto
MichelFoucault,whichholdsthat‘nothingfallscompletelyoutofthearchive’?Nothing
“disappears”fromthearchive“atthemercyofchance”,Foucault(1969/1972:129)writes.
Yethere,theevidencegatheredseemstosuggestthecontrary,meaningthatwhilemuch
remains,somethingsindeedseemtohave‘fallenoutofthearchive’,outofthetrajectoryof
20thcenturyfame.
Theapparent‘disappearance’or‘fallingout’ofcertainformsoffamefromthetrajectoryis
oneconclusiondrawnherethatallowsforsomecriticalengagement.Anotheristhegeneral
movementdownwardthatwastracedthroughoutthetrajectory,fromPaulKrugerand
other“GreatMenonPedestals”(Henderson2005:38)andtheStarsthatshonesobrightup
onthosebigcinemascreensdowntomagazinerepresentationfocusedprimarilyon
entertainersdrunkenlyfallingdown,overorotherwise‘fromgrace’.TheReflectionchapter
criticallyengageswithtwobigthemestoemergehere,namelythenotionofdescentand
whatseemstohave‘fallenout’ofthearchive.
189
Concludingreflection
Whileexaminingthequestionofthefamousfigureinweeklymagazinesaswemoveintothe
thirddecadeofthe21stcentury,thelastchapterofferedawaytoreflectonthetrajectory
unfoldingoverthecenturyasawhole.ItissignificantformepersonallythatChapter5
concludedwithacontrastbetweenthetwofiguresoutliningtheouteredgesofthe
trajectorytracedhere,namelytheEpicHeroandtheCelebrityProper.Itisalsosignificant,I
think,thatitiswiththeemergenceoftheCelebrityfigurethatthetaskofidentifyinga
dominantorcharacteristicunderstandingoffamebeginstobecomeincreasinglydifficult.
ThepersonalsignificanceoftheCelebrity,especiallytheCelebrityProper,stemsfromthe
factthatitwasthisfigure,onethatIgottoknowintimatelyasastaffmemberworkingat
heatSAinthefirstdecadeofthe21stcenturyandonethatisverydifferentfromthat
portrayedinthemagazinesreadbyoneoreventwogenerationsbeforeme,thatgaverise
tothisproject.
Iwassurprisedandintriguedbythegeneralpopularityofthekindoffigureandthecontent
ofthecoveragethatdominatedourmagazine.Itwasnot,onreflection,thefigurehim-or
herselfthatsurprisedme,noreventhedistinctiveheatstyle.Whatwassurprisingand
intriguingwasthefocusofthecoverageitself.ThepeopleheatSAcoveredclearlyhadtobe
visibleandwell-known.Theyhadtobe‘stars’ofsomekind,althoughintheusualsenseof
thetermratherthantheStarinthesensethatitisusedinChapter2.Whatsurprisedme
waswhatitwasabouttheCelebrity’sactionsorthoughtsthatpromptedthecoverageand
itscharacteristiccontent.Myinterestwasstronglylinkedtowhatitwasthatappearedto
warranttheideaoftheCelebrityinthefirstplace,coveragethatbroughttothefore
ingredientssuchasbodilyimperfections,poortaste,badbehaviourand,increasingly,a
troubledinnerlife.Iwascuriousabouthowthis,seeminglycounterintuitive,focuscame
aboutand,mostdifficultofall,why.
Thefirststeptakenwastodescribeordocumentthechangesthatappearedinthecoverage
itself.Butastheprojectgrewandcametomakeanattempttocontributetoour
understandingofchangingformsoffameoverahundredyears,itwasclearthatan
explanationforthesechangeshadtobepursued.Iknew,perhapsfromthestart,thatitwas
thecontentandstyleofthecoverageitselfthatinterestedme,butitsoonbecameclearthat
somesenseofthesocio-historicalconditionsthatinfluencedthechoicesaroundwhowas
coveredandinwhatwaywasneeded.Itwasimportant,especiallyintheearlyyears,to
conveyasenseofthecontextualfactorsthatcontributedtotheparticularformsoffame
190
dominatinginSouthAfricanmagazinesatcertainperiods.Thismeantprovidingcontextual
informationineachofthefivechaptersinanattempttoshowthateachofthefigures
appearinginthetrajectorycould,notunexpectedly,beilluminatedbythecontextatthe
time.
ThedominanceoftheEpicHeroandtheStar,thefirsttwofiguresinthetrajectory,could
fairlyeasily,althoughclearlysimplistically,beaccountedfor,especiallyinthefirsttwo
magazinesthatwereselectedforanalysis.
ThefiguredescribedasanEpicHerowas,forinstance,anobviouschoiceforearly20th
centuryHuisgenoot,amagazinefoundedin1916andemployedasoneoftheofficialmedia
vehiclesforestablishingAfrikaansasanindependentlanguageandasamouthpieceofthe
Afrikaner-nationalistprojectoftheperiod.TheHuisgenootreadershipwasassumedto
identifystronglywithanationalidealandthefigurethatembodiedthatideal.TheHero
figurearguablyalsoworkedparticularlywellinarangeofmagazinesinSouthAfricaandon
theinternationallandscape.Atthetime,magazinesgenerallyadoptedwhatPeterson(1956:
209–210)calleda“missionary”tone,andoneoftheobviouswaysofmaintainingthebroad
aimofpromotingwhatwasconsideredtobeidealwastocover,inunashamedlyidealising
ways,thosewhocouldbeviewedinthislight.
Thirty-fiveyearsonfromthelaunchofHuisgenoot,theStarfiguredominatedinearlyissues
ofDrummagazine.AsinthecaseoftheEpicHeroinearlyHuisgenoot,thereasonsforthe
prevalenceoftheStarfigurein1950sDrumcanbeidentifiedandlocalisedbrieflywithout
doingaseriousdisservicetothecomplexitiesoftheperiod.TheStarformula,producedas
partofthemarketingmechanismoftheHollywoodfilmindustryinthefirsthalfofthe20th
centuryandprimarilycirculatedinthemediumofthefanmagazineor‘fanzine’,couldbe
importedintoDrumandappliedtolocalentertainers.TheappealoftheidealisedStarin
1950sDrumcouldalsobeunderstoodintermsofthegraduallyshiftingfunctionofanumber
ofmagazinesfromprimarilyprovidingguidanceandadvicetoprovidingentertainmentfor
theirreaders.ForblackSouthAfricansunderapartheid,magazinesthemselvesdidnot
merelyprovideentertainmentbutalso“plausiblealternativerealities”(Laden1997:125)
thatweremarkedlybetterthantheirexistingone.
Whileitwaspossibletoprovide,admittedlyinverybroadstrokes,asenseoftheroleof
factorsinSouthAfricathatmightexplainthecontextallowingfortheemergenceoftheStar
in1950sDrumandtheEpicHeroinearly20thcenturyHuisgenoot,whentheCelebrityfigure
(beitintheEmergingorProperform)dominatedtowardstheendofthecentury,itbecame
191
increasinglydifficulttoprovidecontextualisationofthiskind.SouthAfricanmagazines,as
wasthecaseinmanypopularEnglish-languageprintmedia,respondedtoanever-more-
closelyconnectedworld,theworldMarshallMcLuhanfamouslydescribedasa‘global
village’(McLuhan1962,1964).EvenwhiletheSouthAfricafacedgrowingglobalisolation
becauseofitsracistapartheidpolicy,inthelatterhalfofthe20thcentury,theWestern
worldanditsmediaproducts,includingmagazinesandfilms,hadavisibleinfluenceonthe
country.Asdemocracydawnedinthecountry,internationalexposureofmanykindsgrew
exponentially.
TheemergenceoftheCelebrityfigureinlocalpublicationsmust,inotherwords,largelybe
understoodinthecontextoftheglobal.Anyattempttoaddressthequestionastowhythe
Celebritybecameadominantfigureinmagazinesaroundtheturnofthe20thcenturyin
SouthAfricacanonlybeexplainedontheinternationallevel,takingintoaccounttheglobal
proliferationofthemediathemselves,whichwerealsooftencharacterisedbyhavingglobal
reach,notleastintermsofinternationaleditionsofmagazines.
TheglobalinfluenceonthelocalemergenceofCelebrityisundeniable,butitdoesnot
explainwhythisfiguretakestheformitdoes,orthesubstantialshiftthathasapparently
takenplaceinwhatmakesapersonwarrantrepresentation,accompaniedbyaparticular
formofcoverageinmagazinesinSouthAfricaandinmanyWesterncountries.Itisclear,asI
haveattemptedtoarguehere,thattherehasbeennoticeablechangeoverthecentury
discussedastowhatitisthatmakesapersonrepresentation-worthy.Weseemtohave
movedawayfromcoveringexemplarypeopleattheirbesttothosewhoseachievements
were,andarestillnot,easilyidealisedintraditionaltermstoasituationinwhichthefamous
figure’sless-than-idealmomentsaretheonesthatgarnerthemostattention.
Althoughwhatcouldbecalled‘warranted’fame,andthesuccessandtheglamourthat
accompaniesit,stillneedstobepresent,thisingredientis,asitwere,backgrounded.The
Celebrityisrepresentednotaslargerthanlifebutasmorelife-like,perhaps:aswild,
extravagantandselfindulgentontheonehandbutalsoasunhappyandconflictedonthe
other.Inotherwords,itseems(althoughprobablylesssointhecaseofSouthAfrican
personalitiesatpresent)representation-worthinessitselfhasshiftedoveralongertimeand
atanotherlevel.
Inadditionthereistherelatedquestionofwhythisshiftisoneinwhichthespaceforthe
EpicHero,andtheCelebrityProperappearstobeclosing.However,theapparent
disappearanceoftheEpicHero,andtosomeextenttheCelebrityProper,doesnotsuggest
192
thatelementsoftheheroicorthekindoftreatmentcharacteristicoftheCelebritydisappear
fromcoveragealtogether.Thewell-knownadagethat‘nothingfallsoutofthearchive’,
whichwasfirstreferredtoinChapter5andhasbeenattributedtoFoucault,stillringstrue.
Whiletheouteredges,theEpicHeroandtheCelebrityProper,largelydisappear,Starsand
Celebrities,tousethesewordsasgeneralorcommondescriptions,donot–inessence
thesetwofigureshavestayingpower.
Whatexplainsthisstayingpower,ononelevelatleast,istheconstant‘surveillance’bythe
paparazziand,moreimportantlyinthecaseoftheCelebrity,whatthissurveillancehopes
andaimstocaptureinvisualform.AndthisiswhereFoucaultsurfacesoncemore,andin
theliteratureofthecelebrity-studiesdisciplineitself.ThisliteraturereferstoFoucault’s
workthat,inturn,referstoJeremyBentham’sPanopticon(Foucault1975).Inadiscussion
devotedtothearchitectureofastructurecharacterisedbyacentralobservationtower,
Foucaultspeaksofadesignaimedatconstantsurveillanceand,crucially,theobservationof
themanybythefew.WhilethePanopticonmayactuallytakearchitecturalform,the
observationsthemetaphoricalPanopticonmakespossiblerangefromphysical
measurementsandassessmentstotheresultsofpsychologicaltests,resultingincase
histories.
Thereare,however,obviousdifferencesbetweentheconstantsurveillanceofprisonersin
theprisonyardandthattowhichcelebritiesaresubjected.Crucially,theseconcernwhoitis
thatis‘constantlyvisible’.InTheMediaandModernity,Thompson(1995)alludestoone
distinctionwhenhearguesthatthePanopticonisbuiltonthepremiseofthefewinpower
observingthepowerless,whereasintheworldofCelebrity,surveillanceisoftheselectfew
‘powerful’ones,therichandfamous,bythemany,thewanderingdocumenters,the
paparazziwiththeircameras.
ButthosebeingsubjecttoconstantvisibilitybymeansofthePanopticonarealsoinother
respectsverydifferentfromtheCelebrity.Foucault’ssubjectsinthecaseofDisciplineand
Punish(1975)areprisoners,butthosesubjectedtosurveillancecometoincludethe
inhabitantsofmanyclosedinstitutionssuchasprisons,hospitals,schoolsandpsychiatric
wards.Thedeviant,thesickandthedefiantyoungseemverydifferentfromtheapparently
free,glamorousandsuccessfulpeoplewecallCelebrities.But,andthisisthecrucialpoint,
withpanopticismthoseobservedarenotjust“constantlyvisible”,theyarealso“perfectly
individualized”(Foucault1975/1977:200,emphasisadded).Andwhenoneconsidersthe
193
processesinvolvedinthis‘perfectindividualisation’bywayofseeminglyunending
surveillance,theCelebrityandtheprisonerdonotseemthatfarremovedfromeachother.
Toreturnatthispointtothebiggerquestiondrivingthisconcludingreflection:whathas
beenlearntfromthis,theunexpected,linkingoftheprisonerandtheCelebritybywayof
theircommonsubjectiontosurveillance?IfFoucaultarguesthatindividualisationisthe
outcomeofthisprocess,howdoessurveillancework?Whatisobserved,andhowisthis
individualisationachieved?Inessence,forFoucaultitistheongoingdocumentationor
recordingoftheseobservations,andthefactthattheybuildapictureofwhatdistinguishes
thisprisonerorpatientfromhealthypeopleorgoodcitizensthatmakethehumansciences
possible.InthecaseofDisciplineandPunish(Foucault1975),bothcriminologyand,crucially
here,psychologyoriginateintheformofpunishmenttheprisonenacts.Takentogether,
prisonsandotherclosedinstitutionsrevealhowthingsgowrong,andbuildour
understandingofwhatitistobehumanandtheillsandthesinsthatfleshisheirto.To
makeabig,aninelegant,leapforward,toknowtheCelebrityistoknowmoreabouther
beautyandhersuccesses.Andthepaparazziwantandneedtorevealmoreaboutherthan
theposedred-carpetorstudioshotrevealand,inthecaseofheatatleast,capturingthe
flashofcellulite,thedrunkenstumbleandillegitimatekissareprizesthatpayandareworth
payingforinlonghoursofwaiting.
HoweverdifficultitmightbetoseeFoucaultcastinglightnotonlyonthebigpicture,thatof
Disciplinarypower,butalsoondetailsofthiskind,adirectquotation,apassageimpossible
toparaphrase,mighthelp.Perhapsitispossibletomakeaconnectionbetweentheeighty-
yearperiodoverwhichthe“reversaloftheaxisofindividualization”isobservedinDiscipline
andPunishandthelaterhundredyearsoverwhichthetrajectorybeingdiscussedhere
unfolds.ReferringtotheemergenceofDisciplinarypoweritself,Foucaultnotesthatit
marks:
themomentwhenthereversalofthepoliticalaxisofindividualization–asonemight
callit–takesplace.Incertainsocieties[…]itmaybesaidthatindividualizationis
greatestwheresovereigntyisexercisedandinthehigherechelonsofpower.The
moreonepossessespowerorprivilege,themoreoneismarkedasanindividual,by
rituals,writtenaccountsorvisualreproductions.Aspowerbecomesmoreanonymous
andmorefunctional,thoseonwhomitisexercisedtendtobemorestrongly
individualized;itisexercisedbysurveillanceratherthanceremonies,byobservation
194
ratherthancommemorativeaccounts,bycomparativemeasuresthathavethe‘norm’
asreference;by‘gaps’ratherthanbydeeds.(Foucault1975/1977:192–193)
Thephrase“commemorativeaccounts”andthenthereferenceto“thenorm”andto“gaps”
areimportanthere.Butwhatisimportantfortheattempttofindanexplanatorycontextfor
thefigureoftheCelebrityworldwideisthefactthatthispassageraisesthequestionof
Disciplinarypowerbyexplicitlypointingtodifferentformsofrepresentation,todifferences
inthewaydifferentpeopleareindividualisedindifferentperiodsinthehistoryoftheWest,
ahistorythat,bywayofcolonisation,impactsonSouthAfrica.
WithDisciplinarypowercomesanewwayofindividualisingfocusednotonthepowerful
andtheexemplarybutonthosethatdisplaytheir‘pathologies’:theirweaknesses,theirnon-
normativeidiosyncrasies.Wenolongertreatperfections,successesandtriumphsasthe
naturalsubjectmatterforrepresentation.Thosewhodriveourpopular-medianarratives
todayarenotonlyworthyofcoverageattheirbestandintheirbestmomentsbutalso,
especiallyperhaps,intermsoftheirmostunguarded,eventhosethatcouldbeconsidered
tobetheirworst.
Isitpossiblethatinthebackground,howeverfarbackinthatbackground,mightseemtobe
what,incelebritystudiesitself,emergesastheideaofthefallofthe“GreatMenona
Pedestal”,torecallHenderson’s(2005)phrase.
PresidentKrugeriscoveredasona‘pedestal’quiteliterally:visualandtextualreferencesto
hisbustandstatuewereoftenportrayedinthecommemorativecoverageofthe‘great’
man,andthissenseofelevationremainsintheword‘star’itself.TheoriginalStarhailed
fromtheworldofthelarge-formatandelevated-screencinema.AndDollyRathebe,inSouth
Africainthe1950s,wasdescribedas“aspangled,glitter-bespatteredstar,upabovethe
heavenssohigh”.
HoweveroncetheCelebrityfigureemergesinmagazinecoveragefromthelate20thcentury
onwards,thereisadistinctsenseofdescent,andtheimageofa‘fall’isconjuredupby
changesinthecoverage,inbothstyleandcontent,fromthestill-extraordinarystatusofthe
StartothemoreordinaryfeaturesofpeopleinPeople.
Butofallthefiguresinthetrajectorytracedhere,theCelebrityProperisperhapsbest
illuminatedintermsofthewidercontextprovidedbyFoucault’swritingon“descending”
individualisation.
195
Inthepassagequotedabove,Foucaultendshisaccountofthedifferencesbetweenthe
ascendinganddescendingaxisofindividualisationandthegenericformsthatitisreflected
inbywayofanextraordinarilyrevealingexample:
AndiffromtheearlyMiddleAgestothepresentdaythe‘adventure’isanaccountof
individuality,thepassagefromtheepictothenovel,fromthenobledeedtothe
secretsingularity,fromlongexilestotheinternalsearchforchildhood,fromcombats
tophantasies,itisalsoinscribedintheformationofadisciplinarysociety.The
adventureofourchildhoodnolongerfindsexpressionin‘lebonpetitHenri’,butin
themisfortunesof‘littleHans’.(Foucault1975/1977:193–194)
Thepointandthephrasesusedtocaptureitherearerevealingoncemore:thereferenceto
“inscription”and“expression”,tothe“secretsingularity”,andthechoiceofacharacterina
fairytalecontrastedwithoneinacasehistory.
GoodlittleHenry,theheroofacenturies-oldFrenchfairytalewhosaveshismotherby
successfullycompletinganumberofepictasks,providestheperfectcontrasttothephobic
‘littleHans’,thepseudonymFreudusesinthecasestudyofhisfive-year-oldpatientHerbert
Graf.HenrymaybeaminiatureHero,butevenasachildhehasthequalitiesofaHero,an
EpicHeroinfact,whereasHansisarealboywithapsychologicalillnessworthyofdetailed
exploration.
Withouttoomuchstrain,Ithink,theshiftfromHenrytoHanscanbelikenedtotheonewe
witnessinchangingunderstandingsoffameoverthe20thcentury.FromtheEpicHero
throughthefairytaleoftheStartothesupposedlytrue-to-life,sometimesself-indulgent,
worldoftheCelebrity,itisdifferentfromthatoftheunhappy,neuroticchild,butthe
dangersofpsychologicalillnessbecomeeverpresentwiththisshift.
Evenifcurrentmagazinerepresentationseemstoberetreatingfromfocusingonbehaviour
thatcouldpointtoseriouspsychologicalillness,anelementoftheunhappypsychologicalis
almostinvariablystillpresentinthatworldandsomethingwhichcontemporarymagazine
coverageseizesonwhenitcan.NunnandBiressi(2010:53)usethephrase“excavationof
the[…]troubledself”todescribethetypicalpsychologicalanalysisofcelebritybehaviourin
themedia,wheretheterm“excavation”againevokesasenseofdelving,diggingand
descent.Magazinescontinuetofocusontheemotionallifeofthepersonalitiestheycover,
andthecontextualisationofthisfocusoftenovertlyuseswhattheydescribeasthe“tropes
oftherapy”(Nunn&Biressi,2010:53).Implicit,sometimesexplicit,inthiscoverageisthe
ideaofaninnerlife,onetroubledandinturmoil,andinneedofrepair.
196
Whatisespeciallyinteresting,astheCelebrityflawsandtransgressionsarerevealed,isthat
theallurethatmustbepresentismaintained,butcomparedtotheStarandtheEpicHero,it
isoftenbackgrounded.Celebritycoverageoffersmultipleoptionsonthelevelofboth
contentandstyle,anditcomestoincludethe‘appealing’andthe‘appalling’elements;the
physicalbeautyandthecharmsofthetalentedbut,importantly,alsowhatcouldbe
describedastheschadenfreudeofrevealedfailings,bothphysicaland,crucially,
psychological.AnditistheseerrorsthatarehighlightedasdistinguishingCelebritiesfrom
StarsandcertainlyfromHeroesoftheepickind.
Oneofthestrikingthingsaboutthismovetorevealwhatisapparentlynegative,but
certainlylessthanideal,isthatoftheCelebrityfigure’srelationtothepublicityofthis
negativekind.Inthefaceofthissupposedlyunflatteringexposure,thereseemstobean
increasingtendency,almostapressure,forCelebritiesthemselvestorespondactivelyand
onthesametermstothispotentiallydamagingpublicity.Whatsurfacesinthecoverageis
thatCelebritiescaninsomesense‘save’theirreputationsand,crucially,gainfurthermedia
attention,iftheyconfesstheirsins.
AnditistoanunderstandingofthisseemingparadoxthatFoucaultcomestoouraidonce
morebyrevealinghowsurveillanceandconfession,powerandknowledgeand,especially
significanthere,self-knowledge,functionintheageofDisciplinarypower.AsKing(2008)
pointsout,Foucault’swritingon‘avowal’,orconfession,isoftencitedinsupportofthe
argumentthat“contemporary“man”isaconfessinganimal”(King2008:115).But,asKing
(2008)alsopointsout,todayconfessionisalsoaformofpower.Itisoneofthemethods
throughwhichsubjectsareformedinmodernitybutalsooneinwhichtheobject(or,inthis
case,subject)ofthatpowercanexploitit.Confessioncan,asRedmond(2008:110)adds,
“authenticate,humanize,resurrect,extendandenrich”theCelebrityimage.Asafirst-
personacknowledgement,confessionnecessarilycontributestoasenseofreality,of
truthfulnessandauthenticityand,inthisway,retrievessomeofthedamagethatcould
comewithexposure.
InCelebrityculture,confessionnolongerhastheoriginalreligiousconnotationofsininthe
Biblicalsense,yetitcontinuestobecolouredbythenotionoffaultandfaltering.Thereis,in
fact,thesuggestionthatentertainmentpersonalitiesmightbecoveredinweeklymagazines
inordertogivereadersasenseoftheirown‘power’(althoughnotinthestrongsenseofthe
term)overtheCelebritiesbymovingtherichandfamous‘offthepedestal’.Andinthis,the
magazines’effortsseemtohavebeensuccessful.AsHermes(1995:126)notes,regular
197
readersofCelebritymagazinesreportenjoyingandgaining“asecretsenseofpower”over
thosecoveredintheserevealing,exposingways.
Thissenseofpowerischaracterisedbyadeeperpenetrationoftheprivatesphereofthe
entertainmentpersonalitythaneverbefore:theprivacyofthebedroominthehome,for
instance,but,crucially,alsotheprivatethoughtsortheinnerpsychologicallife.
Thismoveto‘bedroomthings’isrelatedtotheincreasedattentionpaidtotheflesh.The
secretsofthoserepresseddesires,andtheknowledgeandself-knowledgeofthemarenow
crucialtoidentity.Intermsofconfession,sexhasaprivilegedpositioninthatitrepresents
therevelationandexplorationofthatwhichismostsecret.Sexmaybeanespecially
importanttypeoftransgression,onethatgarnersspecialattentionintermsofconfession,
butthereismoretotheideaofconfessionthanitsrelationtosinsandtransgressions.
AsFoucaultpointsoutintheintroductiontotheHistoryofSexuality(1976),inthe18th
centurytheredevelopedan‘immenseverbosity’aroundsex.Thisincludesspecialised
discoursesofdoctorsandtheinterestinquestionsofpopulationbutalsoself-knowledge,
introspectionandthe‘airing’ofthetroubledselfinasecularmode.Itdoesnotconcern
“talkingabouttheobligationtoadmittoviolationsofthelawsofsex,asrequiredby
traditionalpenance,”Foucaultwrites:
butofthenearlyinfinitetaskoftelling—tellingoneselfandanother,asoftenas
possible,everythingthatmightconcerntheinterplayofinnumerablepleasures,
sensations,andthoughtswhich,throughthebodyandthesoul,hadsomeaffinity
withsex.(Foucault1976/1981:20)
Thisexternalisationof“everything”regardingsex,boththroughthebodyand,crucially,the
soul,isbroadlyunderstoodtobetheresultoftheemergenceofpsychologicalknowledge.
Self-understandingandashiftingofthesecretsofsexualdesireintoapositionwherethey
canbespokenaboutandunderstoodisthedefiningcharacteristicofwhathavecome,after
Foucault,tobecalledthecalled‘psy’-industries:“Allthesciences,analysesorpractices
employingtheroot‘psycho-’havetheiroriginin[the]historicalreversaloftheproceduresof
individualization”(Foucault(1975/1977:193).
Andintracingandcharacterisingthisreversal,Foucaultisyetagainconcernedwith
questionsofrepresentation.Inadditiontothereversalmarkingthe“passagefromthenoble
deedtothesecretsingularity,fromlongexilestotheinternalsearchforchildhood,from
combatstophantasies”,healsospeaksofamovementfromthe“theepictothenovel”
198
(Foucault1975/1977:193).Incontrastingtheepicwiththenovelinthispassageaboutthe
“reversaloftheproceduresofindividualization”,Foucaultappearstorevealthatthereis
somekindofconnectiontobetracedbetweenthenovel,thenotionofdescending
proceduresofindividualisationanditsconnectiontothepsychological.
Earlier,inTheFather’sNo(1971),Foucaultpreparedforanunderstandingoftheentranceof
thiscontradictionintoourculture,inaphrasethatseemsextraordinarilyrelevanttothe
argumentaboutchangingformsoffamebeingadvancedhere:“Thepsychologicaldimension
inourcultureisthenegationofepicperceptions”(Foucault,1971/1989:10).Inotherwords,
thewiderroleforpsychologyhascomeattheexpenseofepicperceptions,andmy
observationsonthetrajectoryoffamewouldbearguablypoorerfornotconsideringthis
pointmadebyFoucaultabouttheuneasy,perhapsimpossible,co-existenceoftheepic,
whichcharacterisedearly20th-centurymagazinecoverage,andthepsychological,which
couldbesaidtocastlightonwhatwebothseeanddonotseeinmagazinesnow.Today
thereisnothingbutthesmallestspace,ifanyatall,foraconfessingKruger,anepicBarack
ObamaoranentirelyuntroubledBritneySpears.AndinSouthAfrica,thetruismthat‘history
repeatsitself’inaperiodasshortasahundredyearsoutlinesinvividtermsthetension
betweenepicperceptionsandthoseexpressingthedominanceofthepsychologicalin
contemporaryculture.
199
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