Michael J. Fox Says ‘We Used to Bust Our Ass’ to Be Famous and ‘You Had to Be Talented,’ but Now It’s: ‘What’s That Dance Step? And You’re the Most Famous Person in the World’
https://variety.com/2024/film/news/michael-j-fox-shades-social-media-stars-fame-1980s-tougher-1235968963/
29 comments
Oh Michael. Don’t be this way, please.
Andy Warhol predicted it best “ in the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.”
I think it just exposes how pointless and vain it all really is.
Social Media definitely changed some things. I think there is some validity to what he is saying if you’re comparing a more traditional acting background vs social media influencers.
Yeah there are more ways to be famous today, but to be a famous actor specifically it takes more effort than ever.
Celebrity worship is dead and I’m here for it
I’m roughly the same age as Michael J Fox.
Interesting to see people’s reactions to this.
Reading what he said, he’s clearly railing against the sort of talent-free instant fame that social media affords – influencers, tik Tok attention addicts and their ilk.
The world has always had talentless hacks and flash in the pan fame but never at this scale or level of audience engagement. That’s new.
It’s not an old man rant. It’s an observation that rings true to me from the vantage point of my old man perch.
Now if you’ll pardon me, there are kids making a tik Tok on my lawn I need to go yell at.
What is his point? It was talent and a crap ton of luck. In the 80s, moguls decided who’d be famous. Now, the people do.
Fame is wide, but it isn’t deep.
Fame is one thing but these people are actually becoming wealthy and as a working class grunt myself that’s what’s like, damn fuck these people lol
Ok yea, they’re famous for 5 minutes and then forgotten forever. Micheal J. Fox busted his ass as a kid, as a teen, and as an adult. He busted his ass on tv and in movies, and has busted his ass with Parkinson’s, and he will never be forgotten.
Better Tik Tok than Nickelodeon….just sayin
Yeah, but he’s definitely sounding like the old man yelling at clouds. I’m 50, and while I understand his point – the people today aren’t really “famous”, they are blips on the radar that are exploited for clicks. That’s really not the same as long term sustainable talent.
People still care about talent and no one can have a robust career on hype alone. At some point you have to have the goods. So yes, while it’s easier to get seen and noticed then back in the day – you’re also really not fooling anyone if you don’t work hard and have talent beyond the initial hype of whatever medium of art you are in.
Well it’s literally lasting 15 minutes, then they move on to shitty apartments and start podcasts.
Hollywood no longer dictates ‘celebrity’ as they once did….thats gotta hurt.
Hey you kids! Get off my lawn!!
Ugh I hate that social media is being too popular. I’d be very glad if it shuts down.
Meanwhile here I am. And the only program I’m likely to end up in is the news.
Well, he’s not wrong.
Yep. But it doesn’t seem to last long.
Bit of a sweeping generalization about the entertainment industry as a whole, but certainly conditionally accurate as it pertains to internet fame, influencers and the like.
There are definitely separate spheres of pop culture and fame, I’m largely (and shamelessly) out of step with at least one of them. And it’s baffling from the outside.
On the flip side I was listening to an interview with Jake Johnson and his take was if you’re talented, put in the work and are good to work with its never been easier to find an audience and possibly make it
The biggest difference between now and then is social media/internet and it is a huge difference. Someone’s ability to become famous today is much easier because things “can go viral” and allow you to create an entire career around that. You can go from social media “influencer” to reality show star to actor, model, or music star (provided you have the looks and a minimum amount of talent). It was much harder to be “discovered” in Michael J. Fox’s day and far fewer people controlled the access to fame. There would be no Kim Kardashian in his day who, by the estimation of most, literally has no talent except for her sex appeal stemming from a viral sex tape and a somewhat famous last name.
You used to have to have a talent. Now you just make a video blog of yourself buying a sandwich and the comments are OMG YOURE MY FAVORITE PERSON I WOULD DIE FOR YOU
It’s lonely people forming unhealthy parasocial relationships with youtubers who look in the camera and go “I’m your friend so give me money”
There is validity to what he is saying- but also a bit of gatekeeping. I am glad the idea of celebrity and fame is getting watered down.
He’s right, but no need to hate. Times have change.
It’s because there is more accessibility nowadays. Which is good if you look at the greater picture.
Hollywood is a very closed circle.
Many famous artists in the past weren’t all that talented.
Well, yes. HOWEVER nowadays, being famous is far less meaningful as well. Just as easy one becomes famous, they can easily be replaced, or worse, cancelled. Easy comes, easy goes.
Eh i say it kinda goes both ways. he is correct, its easier to become famous for a short period due to youtube and tiktok, but it is also harder to reach his level due to far far far far more competition, not just in the number of actors, but also in the amount of stuff released.
in the past we have ’13 channels of shit on the tv to choose from”..it makes it easier for family ties to succeed when video games werent that immersive, there was no youtube and only a couple of those channels were competition for the same people’s eyes.
I liked family ties, but would it survive if it was released today, with all the competition? IDK, maybe as it was funny but a lot less likely than when he first did it. today we have over 1000 tv channels, streaming channels and youtubes and tiktoks an vimeos and more immersive gaming and more stuff to do outside.. so in a way, its also much harder to become michael j fox. its just easier to get 15 minutes, or to get famous on your own without having to apply somewhere.