The BlogWorld Expo out in Vegas, which wrapped up over the weekend, attracted some major star power. One session in particular included Anthony Edwards (whom you may remember from films like Revenge of the Nerds and Pet Sematary 2, as well as the television program ER), and Jermaine Dupri, the man who brought us groundbreaking hip hop acts Kris Kross and Da Brat. These guys and others discussed “the New Celebrity” and how new media is creating new opportunities for entertainers.
Robin Antin, who apparently “created” the Pussycat Dolls, for example, said that new media creates an opportunity to reach the world. Edwards added that there’s a great entertainment quality to social media, but that the device isn’t as important as the content.
Dupri talked about how new media cuts the middle man out. A celebrity can have direct contact with others. He doesn’t care about having a million followers because he can’t talk to all of them. He says to use social media to your own ability and for “what it should be used for.” For him, this means engagement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAWEQ5xt8Do
Topics touched upon in the session included how much is too much information, with regards to private vs. public, and celebrities leaving Twitter. Edwards says people want to know you, but not that well. The message has the weight, he says. They want to know what celebrities care about.
Antin says that your life is exposed with new media, and even though you put yourself out there, you have to be able to handle it. Dupri adds that it’s about control. People use the tools as toys, but they have to control it, he says. Otherwise it will all fall apart.
Dupri says he gives people the ability to see and live through him, which encourages fans to interact with each other too. He doesn’t want someone to tell him who is fans are. With new media, he can find out for himself.
Finally, Edwards noted that an “exciting” aspect about the digital age is the reach that comes with it, which can be used for good causes. He is currently working to build a children’s hospital in Africa. He said playing a doctor on ER for 8 years had quite an impact on him. Now he’s using new media outlets to help raise the money and awareness.
With social media, you can get the info out to everyone. This, he says, is “an amazing thing that just didn’t exist before.”
murdok reporter Abby Johnson contributed to this report from BlogWorld.
