Contemporary Celebrity Research Articles

A.S. PUSHKIN AND MIKHAILOVSKOYE IN CRITICAL ARTICLES BY V.YA. KURBATOV

The article is the first registered attempt to comprehend the perception of A.S. Pushkin and the role of Mikhailovskoye in Pushkin’s inner spiritual life by V.Ya. Kurbatov (1939–2021), the well-known literary critic. The material for research is the critic’s articles and notes from the period of 1990–2010 collected in his book “Pushkin for Every Day” that make up his myth about the national poet. In this article the author demonstrates that it is the national idea that becomes the background for the interpretative angle of Kurbatov’s critical reflection in the epoch of self-identification. Being the unconditional value reference point for the critic, Pushkin is perceived by him as the benchmark for integrity and completeness as well as Mikhailovskoye is seen as the place where the comprehensiveness of the Russian life can be found yet at the same time being the reproach to the contemporaries for their duality and spiritual “emigration”. The specifics of V.Ys. Kurbatov’s position is conditioned by his triune religious, philosophic and literary approach to the phenomena of the Russian culture, on one hand, and by his subjective method together with his personal, individual view and his search for self-identity, on the other hand. In this article the author makes the conclusion that the articles and notes of V.Ya. Kurbatov about A.S. Pushkin written in line with the religious and philosophic interpretations of the national poet in XIX–XX centuries, reveal the deep and unique personality, ethical standpoint and aesthetic views of our famous contemporary.

Marlowe and Company in Barnfield’s Greene’s Funeralls (1594)

The accomplished and daring but minor poet Richard Barnfield (1574-1620) was among the first poets to engage creatively with the works of Greene, Marlowe, and Shakespeare. This article argues that Sonnet 9 in Barnfield’s Greene’s Funeralls (1594) reveals not only his admiration for these literary innovators, but also his difficult manoeuvres on the fringes of the group of poetic rivals. Barnfield’s often-quoted, but not fully understood “sonnet” reflects the young poet’s attempts to accost his more famous contemporaries and also sheds light on the date of composition of Doctor Faustus (B) and the early circulation of Shakespeare’s “sugred sonnets”.

Introduction to the special issue on social media influencers: performance, authenticity, and social media visibility

ABSTRACT Social media influencers, content creators and micro-celebrities can be read as new forms of contemporary celebrity, and yet their rise to fame can be traced back to a century-old film star system. With this in mind, this introduction to the Special Issue on ‘Social Media Influencers’ offers a brief overview of pre-existing fame cultures, the importance of public curiosity and the significance of authenticity, or at least the perception of authenticity, to old and new forms of fame alike. The article concludes by offering an overview of each original contribution in the volume.

Introduction: Why study celebrity and crisis?

The series The Kominsky Method (Netflix 2018–20) stars Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin as two ageing members of today’s Hollywood milieu. Sandy Kominsky (Douglas) is an acting coach. His effort of self-preservation and perpetuation of the star's charisma clashes with corporal decay and financial collapse. Norman Newlander (Arkin) is Sandy's agent and caustic friend. He has peculiar death thoughts and constantly makes humorous reference to both men's physical, psychological and social disparities. What does Kominsky tell us about contemporary celebrity culture as regards ageing and the crisis of public appearance thereto related? The show reveals film and television industry’s leading position in setting desirable or disputable models of old age through a renovated alliance with fashion. Arkin and Douglas’s looks express the shame of old age but also glamorize it. A self-reflexive narrative testifies Hollywood’s search for innovative strategies of self-representation that includes old-age, showcasing the transformation of celebrated bodies and underlying the value of personal flexibility. Amid the decline of their image and influence, Douglas and Arkin develop a new adaptability, demonstrated variously in terms of masculine aesthetics, through clothing, living spaces, gestures and dialogue. This article investigates the implied social meaning attached to the dressed old body in the public sphere when the predicaments concern privilege and influence. The main character’s costumes draw on fashion trends such as Dandyism, hipster style and Vintage. Arkin’s, on the other hand, stick to the classic, although not in a strict formal way. Their juxtaposition reveals how fashion trends come to the aid of celebrities’ effort to overcome crisis, a means to manage as well as spectacularize confused and ambivalent attitudes to ageing.

The Kominsky Method, Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin: Fashionable impairments of an ageing Hollywood

The series The Kominsky Method (Netflix, 2018–20) stars Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin as two ageing members of today’s Hollywood milieu. Sandy Kominsky (Douglas) is an acting coach. His effort of self-preservation and perpetuation of the star’s charisma clashes with corporeal decay and financial collapse. Norman Newlander (Arkin) is Sandy’s agent and caustic friend. He has peculiar death thoughts and constantly makes humorous reference to both men’s physical, psychological and social disparities. What does Kominsky tell us about contemporary celebrity culture as regards ageing and the crisis of public appearance thereto related? The show reveals film and television industry’s leading position in setting desirable or disputable models of old age through a renovated alliance with fashion. Arkin and Douglas’s looks express the shame of old age but also glamorize it. A self-reflexive narrative testifies Hollywood’s search for innovative strategies of self-representation that includes old age, showcasing the transformation of celebrated bodies and underlying the value of personal flexibility. Amid the decline of their image and influence, Douglas and Arkin develop a new adaptability, demonstrated variously in terms of masculine aesthetics, through clothing, living spaces, gestures and dialogue. This article investigates the implied social meaning attached to the dressed old body in the public sphere when the predicaments concern privilege and influence. The main character’s costumes draw on fashion trends such as dandyism, hipster style and vintage. Arkin’s, on the other hand, stick to the classic, although not in a strict formal way. Their juxtaposition reveals how fashion trends come to the aid of celebrities’ effort to overcome crisis, a means to manage as well as spectacularize confused and ambivalent attitudes to ageing.

Coming out online: Memetic authenticity in Rebecca Black’s “Friday (Remix)”

ABSTRACT Rebecca Black was thirteen when her music video “Friday” went massively viral after it was uploaded to YouTube in 2011. Black re-entered the news cycle in 2020 after coming out as queer, and shortly thereafter releasing a remix of “Friday” for the video’s tenth anniversary. Through references to the online spaces and memetic cultures where Black was trolled and harassed, “Friday (Remix)” repackages trauma in a bright, nostalgic bundle. Through an analysis of the music video and media coverage around Black’s coming out, this article considers how “Friday (Remix)” positions Black’s rebrand as one in which, as a payoff for the resiliency she has exhibited throughout her career, the singer possesses newfound agency to express herself in an authentic way. Simultaneously, Black’s play with her virality in “Friday (Remix)” demonstrates an increasing need in contemporary celebrity culture to engage in constant self-commodification and self-“memeification” to achieve this sense of authenticity.

ONLY FOUR LETTERS: ABOUT THE CORRESPONDENCE OF L.N. TOLSTOY AND A.N. OSTROVSKY IN THE HISTORY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TWO WRITERS

The article provides an analytical understanding of Tolstoy’s letters to Ostrovsky, consideration of their content in the projection of reviews and literary disputes of the late 1850s–1860s. A scientific commentary is given on individual facts, events and opinions in Tolstoy’s letters to Ostrovsky, the problem of the ambiguous attitude of writers to each other’s work, their interaction while working in the Sovremennik magazine is touched upon. The role of Nekrasov in establishing creative ties between the writer and the playwright is noted, the individual features and characteristics that they valued and critically perceived in each other are emphasized. The author of the article cites the opinions of contemporaries who noted similarities in the work of famous contemporaries. The paper notes the possible influence of Ostrovsky on the late Tolstoy, the latter’s recognition of the nationwide significance of Ostrovsky’s talent.

Rosalía's Butterflies: Self-Reflective Celebrity and the Confessional Text

Abstract: In this essay, I examine Rosalía's Motomami (2022) as a confessional text in which the artist speaks openly about her feelings and reflects on being a celebrity and her relationship with audiences. Music critics immediately noted that it departs from the formula of her previous flamenco-based albums and praised its experimentation and combination of multiple genres. The symbol of the butterfly that appears on the album cover, in the lyrics of the first track ("Saoko"), and on Rosalía's dental grills represents this transformation. But perhaps the biggest change has to do with the intimate tone of the entire album, as Rosalía confesses her struggles, fears, and desires. As Foucault shows in the History of Sexuality , confession has been a central ritual in the discursive production of truth in Western societies. Prominent celebrity studies scholars such as Sean Redmond have noted that the confessional address has become pervasive in contemporary celebrity culture, since it is almost mandatory as a promotional strategy to brand the celebrity persona and do damage control in the case of waning stars. Rosalía's confession is striking because it is played out not only in the lyrics of Motomami but also through the musical features. Most songs have a minimalist composition, with few instrumentals that are filtered and devoid of high frequencies to allow for Rosalía's vocal delivery to stand out. And it is often a bare voice that appears in contrast to aggressive drums to convey the hostile environment Rosalía has faced in the last few years.

Scandal maketh the man? The evolution of Hugh Grant and the celebrity confessional

ABSTRACT Following a range of supporting roles in the late 1980s, Hugh Grant’s breakthrough performance in Four Weddings and A Funeral (1994) established him as Britain’s ‘go-to’ romantic lead. And yet, a potentially career-ending sex scandal while on the verge of Hollywood stardom could be considered the making of the man. By analysing press coverage using analytical approaches and frameworks from celebrity studies, this article shows how several flashpoints in Grant’s personal life and subsequent ‘celebrity confessionals’ have been central to Grant’s enduring popularity and evolving star persona. As I argue, scandals across three decades, and subsequent confessionals are mirrored in Grant’s maturing onscreen persona – from commitment-phobic characters, to experimentation with satire and comedy for the American market, to his triumphant return in British biography/dramedies. This article considers Grant’s evolving and unique engagement with the media as a type of ‘reverse confessional’ – where Grant’s confessions subsequently expose the shifting nature of celebrity engagement with the media, and less desirable aspects of the (British) tabloid press. In sum, I contend the reverse narrative mode employed by Grant as an ‘image restoration strategy’ has allowed him to reclaim his own narrative and expose key truths about privacy, press coverage, and contemporary celebrity culture.

THE USAGE OF THE EPISTOLARY HERITAGE IN THE PROCESS OF STUDYING THE BIOGRAPHY OF LESIA UKRAINKA

The article deals with the issue of using the epistolary heritage of Lesia Ukrainka as a significant original source for studying the biography of the writer, true evidence of her life and work.
 It claims that the epistolary heritage is an important source of cognition of Ukrainian fiction. It allows tracing the ways of forming the writer as a professional, the development of their literary and aesthetic views, features of the thinking process. It also highlights the relationship of the artist with famous contemporaries, and helps to understand artistic heritage, historical events.
 It concludes that the letters let scholars learn about writer’s friends, her like-minded people, about the national and cultural life of Ukraine, about the artistic preferences of various cultural and artistic figures of Slavic and European literature.
 It also points out the great cognitive and educational value of the epistolary heritage of writers in the lessons of Ukrainian literature.
 The emphasis is placed on the use of various forms and methods of working with letters that can help to form pupil’s personal attitude. It can be an important means of increasing pupils' interest in literature.
 It states that the epistolary heritage is the significant source for studying the biography of Lesia Ukrainka. It reveals her views on life and work, attitude toward the literary process and social life, especially the spiritual world of the writer. Therefore, the teacher of literature creates a certain emotional mood in the lesson, helps to penetrate into writer’s creative laboratory, to present worldview values, artistic and aesthetic preferences.
 It summarizes that reading Lesia’s letters helps pupils to feel and understand her worries. The epistolary materials make schoolchildren think about their own life and deepen into their own inward worlds. The use of epistolary materials increases students' interest in literature, the ability to understand the thoughts and feelings of others.

Ermotimo e Marco Aurelio

Lucian loves to manipulate iconic literary types with biographical details of contemporary celebrities thereby creating an intriguing dialectical exchange between fantasy and reality. Following this pattern, the main character of the Hermotimus both descends from the immortal philosophers of comedy and reveals some traits of the ‘philosopher in purple’ Marcus Aurelius. If the highlighted similarities between the image of Hermotimus and Marcus Aurelius’ life and are convincing, it becomes possible to suggest dating the dialogue to around 176 AD.

Смерть П. А. Столыпина в воспоминаниях современников: С. Ю. Витте, В. Н. Коковцов и другие

The tragic event of September 1, 1911, in Kiev, the death of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Minister of Internal Affairs Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin, is considered through the lens of the memoirs of his famous contemporaries: the former Minister of Finance, Chairman of the Commitee of Ministers .of the Russian Empire (1903–1906), Count Sergei Yulievich Witte, Minister of Finance, who became Prime Minister after the death of Stolypin; Vladimir Nikolayevich Kokovtsov, historian, leader of the Cadet Party; Pavel Nikolayevich Milyukov and Major General Svita, Moscow Governor (1905–1912), Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, commander of the Separate Corps of Gendarmes (1913–1915), Vladimir Fedorovich Dzhunkovsky. Each of these memoirs reveals certain sides, facets of the political portrait and the fatal end of Stolypin based on the life and state experience, on the authors’ relationships with him. In the Memoirs of S. Yu. Witte, we see the almost epic, political-state and moral-legal scale of the «dialogue», of the «feud» between the author and Stolypin, the condemnation of his policy and personality: «he is to blame». V. N. Kokovtsov is a living witness of the «event of September 1» and the direct successor of Stolypin. His memoirs are chronically rich, documentarily and psychologically expressive. They were carefully read by P. N. Milyukov, who fought with Stolypin in the Duma and gave his exact metaphor for the internal policy and for his demise (“the Moor may go”). The memoirs of V. F. Dzhunkovsky are interesting for their honest testimony, patriotic pathos, direct rejection of the shortcomings of the security service. Taken together, these memoirs give a holistic, expressive picture of the historical event of September 1, 1911, the death of P. A. Stolypin; they help to see the inner springs of action behind the external.

Трудовой путь капитана советского ледокольного флота Б.Н. Макарова

This paper attempts to reconstruct the career of one of the prominent captains of the Soviet icebreaker fleet, Boris N. Makarov. Up to date, Makarov’s biography, unlike the biographies of his famous contemporaries, representatives of the first generation of Soviet polar captains (P.A. Ponomarev, M.P. Belousov, V.I. Voronin, A.P. Melekhov, etc.), has not been studied. Meanwhile, his life’s journey was quite typical of the period of the foundation of the Soviet icebreaker fleet. The article traces Makarov’s entire career: a cabin boy, a sailor, a navigator, a chief mate, and a captain. On the basis of the documents from his personal collection, the chronology of Makarov’s service on more than fifteen ships, including icebreakers and icebreaking steamers, was restored. The research demonstrates Makarov’s outstanding role in the exploration of the Arctic during the pre-war period (the rescue expedition for the icebreaking steamer G. Sedov) and during the Great Patriotic War (work along the Northern Sea Route on the icebreaking steamer Montcalm and passing the complete route in 1943–1944) as well as in post-war redeployments of Soviet Navy units as part of special-purpose expeditions. Further, the paper points out the captain’s highest awards, including the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner of Labour, and the Order of the Red Star. Makarov’s recreated career complements a number of well-known biographies of Soviet icebreaker captains, heroes of the Arctic exploration. In addition, the article provides updated information on when the icebreaker Yermak was repaired in Antwerp and new details about post-war special-purpose expeditions to transfer large ship formations between the fleets, in two of which (no. 71 in 1961–1962 and no. 73 in 1963) Makarov participated. The paper is based on the materials from the collections of the St. Petersburg Branch of World Ocean Museum – Icebeaker Krassin, which had not been previously introduced into scientific discourse.

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Open‐Ended Analyses of the Sociopolitical Impact of Celebrity Change: Advantages, Operationalization, and an Illustration with Hong Kong Celebrity

This study contributes to advancing research on a central problem in the sociology of celebrity: the sociopolitical impact of celebrity change. The paper argues for the need for more open‐ended analyses of the sociopolitical impact of contemporary celebrity change. These analyses utilize non‐Western data, avoid techno‐determinism, prioritize questions of why and how celebrity becomes progressive over monolithic assessments, and emphasize the investigation of celebrity’s institutional and political contexts. It also supplies a partial solution to operationalize such analyses: focusing on whether and how a given celebrity system is becoming more (or less) democratized. Then it tests this solution by using it to examine Hong Kong celebrity change in the 2000s. My data sources include in‐depth interviews of 32 celebrities and industry insiders, participant observation, informal interviews, audiences’ online discourses, and documentary materials. I find that Hong Kong celebrity became less democratized and that it was de‐democratized by six institutional changes: corporate suppression of media‐assisted paths of celebrity‐making, corporate corruption of fame reward systems, ‘new ascribed celebrities,’ corporate appropriation of celebrity news media, and the state’s interference of celebrity. My findings demonstrate the utility of open‐ended analyses and my partial solution for operationalizing them.

Somewhere over the Rainbow

Festival decorations are crucial indicators of the carnivalesque atmosphere of events as they capture celebratory experiences in tangible forms. Due to the strong presence of rainbow colors, LGBT+ Pride events provide fertile grounds for the discussion of decorative materials. While the acclaimed symbol of the rainbow is an expression of the LGBT+ community and their campaign for equality, the color combination is contested due to commercializing and appropriating forces. Next to altered color compositions highlighting particular identities and communities within the LGBT+ spectrum, explorations for alternative decorative patterns and visual expressions inform contemporary celebrations of equality during LGBT+ Pride events. In this article, I begin with a conceptual discussion of the carnivalesque notion, its inherent contradictions of subversion and discipline, and their expression in the form of decorative materials. Through an ethnographic study of the commemorative LGBT50 celebration in the context of Hull UK City of Culture 2017, I argue that alternative decorative approaches not only aesthetically influence the event but enable the reclaiming of the subversive atmospheres produced by the carnivalesque environment. Countering disciplining mechanisms of brand-like rainbow strategies, I outline how artistic practices negotiate innovative approaches to frame LGBT+ communities, identities, and celebrations.

Документы из архива баронессы Варвары фон Крюденер и отражение в них личности Наполеона Бонапарта

The article examines the archive of Baroness Barbara (Varvara) Krüdener (German: Beate Barbara Juliane von Krüdener, nee v. Vietinghof (1764–1824)) was a famous preacher, missionary and writer of the 19th century. The Baroness corresponded with many famous contemporaries, a significant part of the letters from which have been preserved in the collections of the Manuscripts Department of the Russian National Library and covers the period from the beginning of the 19th century to the end of the 1830s. The materials under consideration allow us to trace how the personality and historical path of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) was reflected by his contemporaries in personal correspondence, diaries, notes and excerpts of letters, whose contribution to history is beyond doubt with all the ambiguity of his assessment, ranging from enthusiastic reverence to extremely negative perception.. It should be noted that the value of the archive stored in the Department of Manuscripts of the Russian National Library consists in the fact that it presents evidence of Napoleon by various authors: both the Baroness herself and her relatives and acquaintances who held important posts in the Russian Empire. Opinions about the French emperor, presented in letters and notes, differ strikingly. As shown by the analysis of archival sources from the Baroness Kruedener foundation containing references to Napoleon Bonaparte, the peculiarity of the written testimonies of contemporaries was that the official characteristic of Bonaparte differed from the assessment expressed in documents of a more private nature.

«Музыка для струнных» Револя Бунина: стиль, тембровая поэтика, интерпретация

The article examines the timbral poetics of “Music for Strings” by Revol Samuilovich Bunin (1924–1976). This score captures the most important features of the composer’s instrumental style. There feels a lack in serious systematic research of Bunin’s life and legacy. Thus it is required the coordination of historical and biographical information. For the first time, the memoirs and analytical opinions of famous contemporaries who closely communicated with the composer are introduced into scientific circulation. This largely clarifies his personality in life and music. The detailed analysis of textural plasticity, timbral dramaturgy, “tonal-light”, coloristic, articulatory-agogic, spatial-perspective properties of “Music for Strings” reflects an attempt of the first morphological study of the score. But which is more important – the practical results of its concert “revival” and premiere digital recording. An extraordinary type of timbral continuation is considered as a defining phenomenological aspect distinguishing Bunin’s orchestral style. In “Music for Strings” this orchestral feature is embodying the image of a peculiarly condensed chronos of the composition. A detailed examination of the most important elements of timbral poetics and stylistic means of expression allowed us to determine the basic principles of studying and conducting interpretation of “Music for Strings” and other works of the artist.

ТРАДИЦИИ ИСТОРИЧЕСКОГО ЗНАНИЯ РАННЕГО НОВОГО ВРЕМЕНИ (НА ПРИМЕРЕ ХРОНИКИ КАРОЛЬДО)

The article considers the features of the chronicle by Gian Giacomo Caroldo and its place in the historiography of Venice. Caroldo was a Venetian politician, diplomat and historian who lived in the 16th century. His work covers the historical period from 421 to 1382. Caroldo’s chronicle reflects the diversity and complexity of the political life of Venice. In Venice, according to J. C. Hocquet, there were two directions of historical thought since the 14th century onwards. The first group expressed support for the active military policy of the Republic. The second proposed the development of trade advancement instead of a military-political expansion. The influence of the above trends on the work of Caroldo has not been raised in historiography. For that reason, there is a research task (goal) to determine the place of Caroldo’s chronicle in the historiography of Venice. In order to achieve it, a number of intermediate tasks were solved. It was demonstrated how the social, political and cultural features of the Venice history in the late 15th and early 16th centuries influenced the views of the author. The manuscript tradition of the Caroldo chronicle and its widespread distribution in the Veneto region was also investigated. The article considers specifics of Caroldo’s views on history as an educational tool in the formation of the competencies of statesmen. The analysis of the previous traditions of historical thought (the chronicles of Andrea Dandolo, Caresini, Enrico Dandolo, Morosini, Lorenzo de Monacis and Sabellico), on which the chronicler could rely in his work, was conducted. The author comes to the conclusion that Caroldo, like his famous contemporaries Machiavelli and Guicciardini, made a significant step in the formation of scientific principles of historical knowledge. Caroldo’s rationalism, consistency and rigour in the selection of facts contributed to the creation of many copies of his chronicle.

Infaq In Times Of Pandemic: The New Norm Of Islamic Eschatology

This study reveals the currents social welfare which includes the uprising practice of Islamic charity, namely Infaq (voluntary alms giving), an instrument to help the unfortunate people (asnaf). It used qualitative approach involving semi-structured interviews focusing on six themes with six respondents. They engage in Infaq during the MCO or Movement Control Order. The results showed that there was a rise of contemporary fame of Infaq among Malaysian middle-class Muslims and charity body or organisation that specialise in sedekah/Infaq programmes . These parties make use of the platform of social media to record their activities and raise funds activity to help the needy who demand immediate and non-bureaucratic donations especially in a form of material help like food and daily necessities. This indeed has changed the course of how sedekah or Infaq used to be done back then. More Muslims who perform these Islamic charities display their efficiency and transparency in their donations as in Islam, sedekah is as a spiritual ‘investment’ to the donors despite the hard time people face during pandemic.