Quite a bit of Hollywood was in town for the inauguration, including Tom Hanks.
This led me to realize that I don't get Tom Hanks: Celebrity.
Tom Hanks: Actor. Absolutely.
Tom Hanks: Nice Guy. Sure.
Tom Hanks: Activist. Whatever.
Tom Hanks: Guy next to you, quietly eating a cheese danish? Fine.
But Tom Hanks: Celebrity? Not so much.
Celebrities are Big-Time Deals. They're interesting. Provocative. Sensational. Even downright notorious.
Tom's talented. But we know the intersection between talent and celebrity is often vague and sometimes non-existent. So, where's that celebrity oomph? Is Tom Hanks someone the press wants to follow? Is he really A-list material? Breaking it down even more: Is this the guy you want to party with?
Where's the glamour? The wacky persona? The substance abuse? The histrionics? Is Tom releasing a sex tape? Is Tom breaking up a marriage? Is Tom boldly displaying his lack of underwear? Can you see Tom getting arrested at 3 a.m. for throwing an empty bottle of Cristal at somebody's head during a drunken exchange?
No, no, you can not. And there's the rub.
Tom's not throwing anything at anybody.
Celebrity? Bah!
Isn't that what makes him so interesting? That non-conformity to Hollywood antics? I don't know...I'm just guessing.
ReplyDeleteBut you're right. No glamor or 3am arrests. It's unheard of.
No, but he did make a Splash.
ReplyDeleteGet it?
Get it?
I'll go back to my cage.
Tom Hanks - *gulp* - sex tape? *shudder*
ReplyDeleteDidn't Dustin Diamond try that, too?
I think he's a true celebrity because he's NOT out doing all the crank and whores. That's what makes him classy.
ReplyDeleteWe should set up a "Celebrity 101" class...charge mucho moola 50/50 split?
ReplyDeleteWe sort of had the same reaction at John Cusack. I mean, I love me some Say Anything, but... yeah... ?
ReplyDeleteWill you like me again if I throw an empty bottle of Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill (I can't afford Cristal) at some brainless talking head? If I picked Rush Limbaugh, I could hardly miss. And I don't do sex tapes. Any more. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI took Tom Hanks course on "how to be a celebrity". But nothing has ever happened for me since. Now I know why.
ReplyDeleteAnyone that was in the Burbs and or played a women on TV is a celebrity in my book.
ReplyDeleteOh come on! The guy started his career on TV as a cross-dresser living in a female-only apartment and sharing a room with Peter Scolari! What more could you possibly need?
ReplyDeleteTom Hank's hair in the DaVinci Code plus nudity of any kind equals me barfing.
ReplyDeleteI could deal with him naked Bosom Buddies...maybe.
Hm. I think Paris, LiLo, Brittany, and a few others should start taking a page out of Tom's play book. If their behavior is what constitutes celebrity, we could use a few less of those.
ReplyDeleteLiebchen: Hm, an anarchist who passes for mundane? It just could work.
ReplyDeleteNarm: At least you have that nice torn newspaper lining it.
f.B: True and disturbing.
Kate: Are true celebrities classy? I had no idea.
Fiona: Your idea, your profit.
LiLu: Wasn't that a sweet movie? His best work. "She's gone. She gave me a pen. I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen."
Bilbo: I never stopped liking you. But a swing at Rush would get you to hero status.
Mike: You wondered why there was no money back guarantee, didn't you?
LBluca77: MMMno.
Gilahi: Yeah, there's a power name: Peter Scolari.
Lemmonex: So in the wig and make up?
D.C. Confidential: Heresy! What would the tabloids cover? Our whole economy would collapse. ...oh.