Snoop Dogg is one guy whose mainstream popularity I’ve never understood. There is a laundry list of things he has done that mainstream culture finds objectionable. Things like bringing two half-naked women to the MTV awards on leashes, being a crip gang member, producing porn films, or being tried for murder (mugshot). He was acquitted of the murder charges, but has had a number of other brushes with the law. With all that said, I actually like the guy (as do many other people). With all that he has done, he still gets roles in major movies, invitations to be on TV (on shows like The View), and even doing commercials for huge companies like AOL, Nokia, and T-Mobile. By all accounts, he is an “A” list celebrity.
Another example is President Bush. While there is certainly a lot of antipathy out there for him and his policies, many people really like the guy. This is despite the widespread beliefs/facts that he was a frequent concaine user, has benefitted from blatant nepotism, went out of his way to avoid going to Vietnam, ran several businesses into the ground, and was convicted of DWI. Those are just some of the claims made against him, yet he went on to become a 2-term president.
There are many other people like Bill Clinton, and Michael Jackson (until recently) who I could have used as examples. Basically, I wonder what makes certain people popular/likable, while others who have done/do similar things are ostracized? Is it that they (for the most part) are really talented? Is it confidence? What do you attribute it to?
I think it does because the thread isn’t about why Snoop Doog is likable, but rather why some people with questionable backgrounds are likable. But, if the mods think it should be moved, so be it. I doubt it will be necessary, seeing how this topic hasn’t aroused much interest.
I’ve been wondering the same thing about Snoop Dogg for years now, and in fact I almost started a thread about it a couple of days ago. The guy made one good album, over 12 years ago, and is still riding high on the “celebrity status” list. And it’s not even that he hasn’t done anything since then, he’s done a lot of crap. All of his follow-up albums have sucked (imo), and all of his movies have been horrible with the exception of Baby Boy, in which he had a fairly small part.
I think part of his appeal must be that he comes off so shy. People like the “walk softly and carry a big stick” attitude and are intrigued by quiet, mysterious people.
Bush, as far as I’m concerned, is just great at fooling the masses. He’s a Connecticut-born, multi-millionaire graduate of Harvard and Yale, and yet he plays himself off as a down-home, Christian “Every-man” from Texas and blasted his last political opponent for being a part of “elite” society.
I think this is an interesting question and it relates not only to famous people but to people we meet on a day-to-day basis. Sometimes you ‘click’ with a person for no apparent reason.
This statement is somewhat ironic because it is self-referential with respect to the topic in the OP.
That is, some threads that have an inane OP go on for pages and pages and you wonder why on earth is this going on for so long, whereas other threads have well-reasoned and interesting OPs and don’t spark much interest.
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I have a similar question about J.Lo. I caught a bit from a piece about her on E! and I’m not sure why she’s so famous. She made a couple of mediocre movies and somewhat successful songs, but nothing (that I am aware of) that would justify her current mega-star status. Or am I missing something?
The personalities that were previously mentioned were just that; personalities! People like Bill Clinton, Michael Jason, President Bush and Snopp Dogg are likeable because they have a personality. Think of how they have charisma, charm, they are suave and cool. They are generally gregarious and funny, and bascially people you would like to have around at a party. Now think of the oppoiste: the cold, stiff, stodgy type that has no personality.
Now think of the difference between these two types and think of how you would react or have reacted to hearing of them doing something wrong or illegal. The second part question of the OP is one that I can’t answer just yet: why are some ostracized while others aren’t? But this might help. I don’t know you said it first, but someone did something wrong and then said to the crowd “I’m a bad widdle boy!” And the people laughed! There is just something about the nature of the person. Like in the Simpsons with Frank Grimes who work hard and was forever considered a jerk. But with Homer Simpson, who sleeps on the job, its “That’s our Homer!” Same thing with others. “That’s our Bill!” “That’s our Dubya” “Oh, Snopp Dogg” They are likeable and for some reason they can get away with murder.
But you know people that like J.Lo. You can probably pick out a few of her songs. You might have even secretly hummed along to one while you were by yourself in the car. You know people that like The Cell and Maid in Manhattan, or Shall We Dance or The Wedding Planner, etc. etc.
I don’t know a single person who liked Bones or The Game is to be Sold, not to be Told. The only people I know who liked The Wash are my parents, and I’m pretty sure they’re outside of Snoop’s target demographic.
A combination of pherenome chemistry, physical appearance, and inborn “emotional intelligence” proficiency. High enough scores in all three categories and you can get away with murder.
As it is though Snoop Dogg hasn’t been convicted or charged with a crime in over 10 years (according to well, him, two nights ago on Larry King, maybe he was lying.) He seems to have moved on from actually being a gangster to being a pseudo-gangster, it’s a transition any rap icon needs to make if they want to be successful long term, a lot of them don’t make the transition.
Two years ago or something on the set of the Jimmy Kimmel Live show a woman alleges she was raped by a group of men, all partying and drinking alcohol in festivities that were somehow associated with Snoop Dogg being on the show.
Initially she made the claim that she was raped and immediately went after Jimmy Kimmel Live and ABC. Now, 2 years after the fact she has for the first time alleged that Snoop Dogg also raped her. Yet she’s never filed a police report with anyone and is suing everyone. Snoop Dogg said on Larry King Live he would not be another celebrity that just pays a problem like this to go away, he said he was going to fight it in civil court and that he hopes the woman carries through on criminal charges so he can fully exonerate himself.
I have no clue as to what happened obviously but it is suspect she makes the open allegation 2 years after it happens when it seems like her lawsuit against ABC is floundering and has never filed a police report.
And also the woman’s lawyer has said they have been trying to get a settlement with ABC/Disney but that hasn’t worked out. And it’s quite a coincidence she’s going after Snoop Dogg more directly now that the settlement with Disney isn’t panning through.
SD also has filed a countersuit against her claiming she has been trying to extort him for $5m for some time.
I think this is an interesting question, but I don’t have the answers.
It makes me think of Ken Griffey, Jr. Way back when he was new to MLB he was the golden boy. He was arrogant and a prima donna, but sports reporters lapped it up, called him “The Kid” and “Junior” and fawned all over him.
He signed with Cincinnati, started getting hurt a lot, and suddenly he was arrogant and a prima donna. Nothing had changed except his value to the reporters. He wasn’t vying for home run records, so he became expendable.
(What I find amusing in myself is that I hated the man when he was the chosen one. Now that he’s mocked more often, I don’t mind him at all.)
Could that have anything to do with the fact that when he was the “chosen” one he was a Seattle Mariner and when he became embattled he was a Cincinnati Red (a team in your state)?
I don’t know. It doesn’t seem that the Mariners really had much cache pre-Griffey. I don’t think they were considered a glamour team and that glamour rubbed off on him. On the contrary, I think the team’s mid to late 90s glamour came from Griffey, Johnson, and ARod. Now that all three are gone, the glamour seems to be gone.
Unless I’m misreading your question. In that case, er, I misread your question. Can you clarify?
In the case of movie stars, rock stars, etc., never discount the power of the publicity machine. As long as others can make money by keeping people like J. Lo. up on top of the heap, there she will be. If she had to depend on her talents, we’d all be asking, “Jennifer Who?”.
