Hollywood Hype Machine: Difference between revisions

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{{quote|''There's no business like show business, like no business I know...''|''[[Annie Get Your Gun]]''}}
{{quote|''There's no business like show business, like no business I know...''|''[[Annie Get Your Gun]]''}}


Ever since Hollywood has been in existence, it has tried to make new stars. A new big star can sell a movie, and once they're proven a success, they can sell many ''other'' movies. This is especially handy when the fickle viewing audience turns on a big-name actor with star power, or [[Real Life Writes the Plot]] and they [[Undermined by Reality|do something]] [[Contractual Purity|scandalous]]. Having a long line of replacements always pays off, and you can never have too many major stars.
Ever since Hollywood has been in existence, it has tried to make new stars. A new big star can sell a movie, and once they're proven a success, they can sell many ''other'' movies. This is especially handy when the fickle viewing audience turns on a big-name actor with star power, or [[Real Life Writes the Plot]] and they [[Undermined by Reality|do something]] [[Contractual Purity|scandalous]]. Having a long line of replacements always pays off, and you can never have too many major stars.


The '''Hollywood Hype Machine''' refers to the massive set-up that is in place to create said new stars, or new TV shows, books or movies. An aspiring, good-looking young actor or actress, after getting a few noteworthy roles in indie films, TV shows, or [[Limey Goes to Hollywood|their home country]] under their belt, will be chosen by a studio to be the "Next Big Thing" (or "It Girl" if they're female) and will thus get a major headlining role. They'll immediately appear in celebrity magazines and on entertainment programs and be touted as the Next Big Thing, and they'll give interviews in every medium possible. Several new roles will be announced at once. Tabloids will start following them around. Men's/women's interest magazines will be lining up to offer them [[Public Exposure|a sexy photo shoot]]. They'll show up to host ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. They'll make ''People'''s list of the 50 Most Beautiful People and, if they're female, the "Top 100 Hottest Women" list of any men's magazine. Meanwhile, failed stars will suddenly drop off these lists. Did they suddenly become less good-looking? No, they're just not worth pushing any more.
The [[Hollywood Hype Machine]] refers to the massive set-up that is in place to create said new stars, or new TV shows, books or movies. An aspiring, good-looking young actor or actress, after getting a few noteworthy roles in indie films, TV shows, or [[Limey Goes to Hollywood|their home country]] under their belt, will be chosen by a studio to be the "Next Big Thing" (or "It Girl" if they're female) and will thus get a major headlining role. They'll immediately appear in celebrity magazines and on entertainment programs and be touted as the Next Big Thing, and they'll give interviews in every medium possible. Several new roles will be announced at once. Tabloids will start following them around. Men's/women's interest magazines will be lining up to offer them [[Public Exposure|a sexy photo shoot]]. They'll show up to host ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. They'll make ''People'''s list of the 50 Most Beautiful People and, if they're female, the "Top 100 Hottest Women" list of any men's magazine. Meanwhile, failed stars will suddenly drop off these lists. Did they suddenly become less good-looking? No, they're just not worth pushing any more.


If the resulting push succeeds, great. [[Star-Derailing Role|If it bombs...]]? Well, the star will linger for a year or two before disappearing, as people wonder "what the hell ever happened to...?". At best, they will continue working in indie flicks, low-key studio pictures, and television, and may even be able to [[Career Resurrection|mount a comeback later]]. At worst, they will be in rehab, unemployment lines, and "Where Are They Now?" specials ([[Bleached Underpants|or]] [[The Internet Is for Porn|worse]]). Sometimes the actors [[Celebrity Is Overrated|reject Hollywood]] for a normal life, get overwhelmed and suffer public burn-outs, or become too associated [[I Am Not Spock|with a particular role]].
If the resulting push succeeds, great. [[Star-Derailing Role|If it bombs...]]? Well, the star will linger for a year or two before disappearing, as people wonder "what the hell ever happened to...?". At best, they will continue working in indie flicks, low-key studio pictures, and television, and may even be able to [[Career Resurrection|mount a comeback later]]. At worst, they will be in rehab, unemployment lines, and "Where Are They Now?" specials ([[Bleached Underpants|or]] [[The Internet Is for Porn|worse]]). Sometimes the actors [[Celebrity Is Overrated|reject Hollywood]] for a normal life, get overwhelmed and suffer public burn-outs, or become too associated [[I Am Not Spock|with a particular role]].
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Women seem more affected by this than men, perhaps as a result of roles and stardom coming to the most recent pretty new girl on the scene. As the female stars age, Hollywood decides they aren't [[White Dwarf Starlet|pretty enough anymore]], and casts the new young thing. Male stars, meanwhile, are offered a lot more leeway with their looks, and can even be downright unattractive (and can therefore get known for things besides their bodies), so they are less affected and are generally less replaceable. The main exceptions are, of course, young [[Bishonen]] actors whose main purpose is to make young women [[Squee]] their way to the theater. For every [[Leonardo DiCaprio]] who makes it to the top, there are countless young studs off of [[The WB]] or [[The CW]] who don't.
Women seem more affected by this than men, perhaps as a result of roles and stardom coming to the most recent pretty new girl on the scene. As the female stars age, Hollywood decides they aren't [[White Dwarf Starlet|pretty enough anymore]], and casts the new young thing. Male stars, meanwhile, are offered a lot more leeway with their looks, and can even be downright unattractive (and can therefore get known for things besides their bodies), so they are less affected and are generally less replaceable. The main exceptions are, of course, young [[Bishonen]] actors whose main purpose is to make young women [[Squee]] their way to the theater. For every [[Leonardo DiCaprio]] who makes it to the top, there are countless young studs off of [[The WB]] or [[The CW]] who don't.



Compare [[Deader Than Disco]], [[Hype Aversion]], [[Hype Backlash]]. Also compare it to the "star system" employed by the studios during the [[Golden Age of Hollywood]], which this is effectively a modernized version of.
Compare [[Deader Than Disco]], [[Hype Aversion]], [[Hype Backlash]]. Also compare it to the "star system" employed by the studios during the [[Golden Age of Hollywood]], which this is effectively a modernized version of.


{{examples|Examples that didn't hold up (try to keep to the particularly glaring examples):}}
{{examples|Examples that didn't hold up (try to keep to the particularly glaring examples):}}

* Silent film actress Clara Bow was [[Trope Maker|the original]] "It Girl" (because she starred in [[Trope Namer|a movie called]] ''It''). Natural charisma and an earthy sexuality uncommon for that era made her a huge star in the latter 1920s. She was able to overcome a thick Brooklyn accent and transition to talkies, but an exceedingly fragile psyche combined with an adversarial relationship with Paramount Pictures led to a nervous breakdown in 1931. Paramount fired her, and after an abortive comeback attempt she retired from movies at the age of 28.
* Silent film actress Clara Bow was [[Trope Maker|the original]] "It Girl" (because she starred in [[Trope Namer|a movie called]] ''It''). Natural charisma and an earthy sexuality uncommon for that era made her a huge star in the latter 1920s. She was able to overcome a thick Brooklyn accent and transition to talkies, but an exceedingly fragile psyche combined with an adversarial relationship with Paramount Pictures led to a nervous breakdown in 1931. Paramount fired her, and after an abortive comeback attempt she retired from movies at the age of 28.
* Matthew McConaughey is a defining example. When ''A Time to Kill'' came out in 1996, he was basically called the "next [[Brad Pitt]]" and given a ''ton'' of new major roles. ''People'' Magazine covers soon followed, and he was expected to become the next A-list star. What ended up happening was a major string of box-office disappointments and minor roles, and he became instead known for appearing shirtless in "Celebrity Beach Body" specials, showing up in [[Direct to Video]] indie films, and being the romantic male lead in [[Chick Flick]]s. Not quite what was expected.
* Matthew McConaughey is a defining example. When ''A Time to Kill'' came out in 1996, he was basically called the "next [[Brad Pitt]]" and given a ''ton'' of new major roles. ''People'' Magazine covers soon followed, and he was expected to become the next A-list star. What ended up happening was a major string of box-office disappointments and minor roles, and he became instead known for appearing shirtless in "Celebrity Beach Body" specials, showing up in [[Direct to Video]] indie films, and being the romantic male lead in [[Chick Flick]]s. Not quite what was expected.
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