Key Terms: Meta-narrative, brand values, paradox, idealised,
Richard Dyer is a British media theorist, who discussed a star’s special place in the audience’s lives. He, like Hall, suggests that a star’s meta-narrative impacts on the consumption by the audience. He argued that the star image is manufactured and artificial and that individual stars have their own unique selling point (brand values).
The Paradox of the Star
Dyer’s central idea was that the star image could be described using two key paradoxes. ‘What on earth is a paradox,’ you may ask – well, it’s a statement that seems to contradict itself. Dyer suggested that a star image simultaneously carries two contradictory ideas. He said…
‘…a star is both ordinary & extraordinary.’
Dyer suggested that a star must be represented simultaneously as, just like us, the audience/regular people, but also at the same time possess something we do not have and something that makes them special, different, extraordinary… This might mean they are more talented, gifted, confident, passionate, artistic, sensitive, carefree or sexy, but also they are allowed, by social convention to be rebellious, anti-social, or angry maybe. They are idealised versions of humanity…idols.
‘…a star is both present & absent.’
Dyer also thought that the audience struggles with another paradox; and that is that the star is simultaneously present in our lives, be this in our social media chat, our style, our identity, and our consumption habits.. However they are also absent, something that we perceive as out of reach, on a pedestal, and not actually there. Note: This links in really nicely with a postmodern idea called hyper-reality.
Dyer argued that as an audience we strive to complete the star image through consuming their products, shows, merchandise etc. We strive to complete the image by engaging with the star’s meta-narrative and, if possible, seek the ultimate satisfaction, seeing them live!
The problem of course is that the meta-narrative shifts and changes as the star’s brand values change, updates and evolve and so we are constantly striving to complete the image and constantly frustrated in our attempts to do so.
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Glossary
- Meta-narrative – the story of the star through a range of media forms: films, videos, photos, interviews, music, reviews, appearances…
- Brand values – The values, attitudes and beliefs are the product (star) which are communicated by the meta-narrative.
- Paradox – Two contradictory ideas the appear to be simultaneously true.
- Idealised – A representation of something or someone as perfection. The myth of stardom (see Barthes)
KEY QUOTES – IN A NUTSHELL
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“Stars are commodities that are produced by institutions”
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“A star is a constructed images, represented across a range of media and mediums.”
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“Stars represent and embody certain ideologies”