To See and Be Seen: Celebrity Practice on Twitter

TLDR

Social media enables people to connect by sharing content, and on Twitter, celebrity is practiced through backstage access and perceived authenticity, yet audiences recognize inherent power differentials that shape the experience. We examine the use of Twitter by famous people to conceptualize celebrity as a practice. Celebrity practitioners disclose personal details, acknowledge fans, and employ language and cultural references to forge intimacy and affiliation, while interactions with peers create an impression of candid, uncensored behind‑the‑persona views. While celebrity practice is theoretically open to all, it is not an equalizer or democratizing discourse.

Abstract

Social media technologies let people connect by creating and sharing content. We examine the use of Twitter by famous people to conceptualize celebrity as a practice. On Twitter, celebrity is practiced through the appearance and performance of ‘backstage’ access. Celebrity practitioners reveal what appears to be personal information to create a sense of intimacy between participant and follower, publicly acknowledge fans, and use language and cultural references to create affiliations with followers. Interactions with other celebrity practitioners and personalities give the impression of candid, uncensored looks at the people behind the personas. But the indeterminate ‘authenticity’ of these performances appeals to some audiences, who enjoy the game playing intrinsic to gossip consumption. While celebrity practice is theoretically open to all, it is not an equalizer or democratizing discourse. Indeed, in order to successfully practice celebrity, fans must recognize the power differentials intrinsic to the relationship.