Wait.. Who Is That?!
Will the real Posh and Becks please stand up.... You may not know their names, but they probably look extremely familiar. Meet Camilla Shadbolt and Andy Harmer... award-winning, professional Victoria and David Beckham look a-likes (and they're British as well, so they got the accent thing goin' too.) Camilla and Andy spend thousands of dollars each year to follow the current fashion trends and ever-changing hairstyles of D and V. They meticulously study photographs of them in order to perfect their poses and expressions. Camilla definitely has the bee-stung Posh pout down to a science, and with that spiked hair and those sunglasses Andy could fool anyone (he is even an accomplished soccer player and has tattooed his body with exact replications of David's, which include a picture of his wife on his upper arm and the names of his three sons on his wrist.) What's very strange though is that the two share very similar facial features to the real Beckhams.. perhaps they have had plastic surgery to get that way or maybe it is just a huge coincidence, either way, the uncanny resemblance is creepy.
Camilla and Andy are employed by Famous Faces, a talent/booking agency in London that specializes in employing celeb look-a-likes. And these two are cashing in. They have made millions being the 'LA Fakers' as they are commonly known and have faked appearances at awards shows, commercials, birthday parties and weddings. They have been fooling paparazzi, fans and other celebrities for over seven years now, and they used to date, but now they just pretend to be married when they impersonate Posh and Becks.
The real David and Victoria are well aware of their 'stunt doubles' and are a bit more frustrated and freaked out than they are flattered. In fact, they are threatening legal action against the imposters if they do not stop monopolizing on their fame. Camilla and Andy have enjoyed the perks of a free sports car, jewelry and VIP restaurant seating as a result of their professional posing. They even filmed a show for Sky One television in London called The Beckhams Go to Hollywood. David and Victoria's publicist say the fakers are bad for the Beckham brand and could ruin the couple's reputation.
The closest i've ever come to a celebrity look-a-like is in the form of a wax sculpture at one of Madame Tussaud's museums. This is a very strange idea to wrap my head around. These people make a living, devote their lives to "being" someone else. Are they really getting to have their own identities when they pose as the Beckhams 24/7? Is this their way of trying to escape reality and 'fake break' into the celebrity scene? I personally don't understand the appeal of having a job like that because it is defined by fantasy, though I will say it's unbelievable and a bit ridiculous how much they resemble the actual stars. Below is a link to an article that further explores the idea of celebrity impersonators.
5 comments:
I think this is a perfect example of Jenson's and Gamson's ideas of why some fans fantasize about being with or like a celebrity. It seems like these 2 are just taking it to the extreme. They must be big fans of the Beckhams to devote their entire lives to impersonating them. If the theories are true, they have the desire to be celebrities themselves (or at least live the celebrity lifestyle). The impersonators are basically making (more than) a living off of their fan involvement with the Beckhams... which I suppose they have to, otherwise they would go broke from spending all of their time researching every move Victoria and David make!!!
This concept also appeals to the uses and gratifications of fandom referred to in the Get a Life Article -- economic gain. It's kind of like the dentist from the Trekki video who turned his office into a Star Trek shrine to attract patients! The only difference here, however, is that the people being impersonated are the celebrities themselves, and not fantasy characters from the entertainment world. I think this difference makes it far easier to cross the line between what's right and what's excessive or wrong.
I think it's pretty safe to say that this couple is not truly getting their own identity by posing as the Beckhams. But, at the same time, this must be the life they aspire to have right now. The Beckhams are one of the most well known celebrity couples. Who would these impersonators be without them? They have certainly taken the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" phrase to another level. Does anyone else remember the Victoria Beckham Comes to America show? This reminds me of when Victoria inflated a blow up doll and used to as her decoy to go shopping - the paparazzi followed it around instead of her. Maybe the Beckhams should strike a deal with this couple for a little privacy!
I don't know if I actually believe these two want to be Victoria and David Beckham, but rather are more captivated by the fame they have received from looking exactly like them. They get gifts, go to parties, and make money off looking like them. I think Victoria and David should used these two for their advantage...when they want to get out of the paparazzi photographs and protect their children's privacy, they should use the two look a likes as decoy to the paparazzi.
Fandom as we clearly see has taken a toll on the real lives of these two individuals. This reminds me of the MTV show (I think?) "I want a famous face" where people were taken and transformed to look more like their favorite celebrities. Taken in context of our societal role as media consumers, the action of these fans is not surprising. People try and be like their favorite celebrities and many try to emulate them. The example here is clearly out of the ordinary. But in our media driven culture it is not so surprising to me that people would go to such extremes.
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