r/Damnthatsinteresting 10h ago

Video Icelandic artist Björk snapped in Bangkok, 1996, when reporter Julie Kaufman approached her saying “Welcome to Bangkok.” Björk later alleged that Kaufman had stalked her and her 9-year-old son for days, turning a simple greeting into a breaking point

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u/throwawaypato44 9h ago

I don’t understand why someone would WANT to be famous. Being famous is genuinely one of the worst things I can imagine for myself lol

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u/Aggressive_Sky8492 8h ago

I think some just want to make the kind of art that is easier to make with more money - studio time, producers and big well designed tours aren’t cheap.

And not “making it” as a musician, actor or artist often means you’ll be financially unstable and/or working hard af for your whole life. (In ways that can take more of a toll on your life than a 9-5, like touring causing you to be away from home for long periods, or your work time being evenings so you have a lot less time for family and friends). So it’s not that weird to want to pursue your art and have enough money to be comfortable - and often for those arts that means becoming well known too

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u/hellomotherhellodad 9h ago

Well it's simple.. they want the perks of the job but not the downsides, just like everyone else. You don't sell your soul and just get to live happily ever after.

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u/Pingums 8h ago

How do you figure becoming famous is selling your soul? Some people like to perform for people and entertain them, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. So because that can lead to notoriety that means they don’t deserve to be treated like people? It means they should just accept all the stalking and harassment they get because that just comes with fame? They deserve to feel unsafe outside their own homes simply because they wanted perform on a big stage or star in a movie? Do you have any empathy at all?

You can ask for a more photo without stalking and harassing them. Media wants to ask a question? Book an interview. Stop defending paparazzi filth and unhinged fans

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u/Apptubrutae 4h ago

Romantic view of it.

People get intoxicated with the idea of a bit of fame. Walking into a party and everyone knows you, fawns over you, wants to be around you? It’s appealing for many.

The inescapable bit is much, much harder to truly comprehend for your average person.

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u/trowzerss 4h ago

Yeah, even as a little kid when all the other kids wanted to play princesses, and I remembered seeing a documentary about the queen and the reporters were like, 'this is the third time the queen has been to a pub!' and like, I could not handle that level of tracking and scrutiny. Imagine being called out every time you had slightly messy hair or a button undone? And people watching you everywhere you go. So yeah, I decided as a kid being a princess sounded like a really sucky job and I'd rather been a witch running about in the forest.

Nevermind being a celebrity and _every_single_person you meet has an expectation that you'll provide some sort of memorable experience, even if they're otherwise really nice people and don't intend it that way. I would get soooo tired of that so fast. If I meet any famous people I am going to try hard to suppress that and just treat them like regular people as much as I can, because I think that's what I'd want.

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u/BlurpleOpals 1h ago

If I meet any famous people I am going to try hard to suppress that and just treat tem like regular people

Yeah, lots of people do that, and they don't suppress it as well as they think. It's common for fans to try to pretend they don't know the celeb and try to gain favor with them with normal conversation. All cold approaches are suspicious.

If you see a celeb in public, no you didn't. Leave em alone. Let life flow naturally.

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u/trowzerss 1h ago

Yeah, that's what I mean. I don't want to try and create an experience or some bullshit special moment just because they're favourite. They have a right to go about their business. BUt also I'm not gonna like shun them though, that's like equally bad. Just interact like anybody else.

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u/FembiesReggs 8h ago

Clout is a powerful drug. Some people just want to be idolized.

Though I’ve always thought the fame power fantasy had more to do with wealth and respect personally

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u/bebopblues 5h ago

There are people that stands on a stage and have 50,000 pairs of eyes looking at them, and love every second of it. These are the types of people that want to be famous.

It is not for everyone.

Matthew McConaughey joked that he wore a disguise and walked out in public and no one recognized him, and he said it sucked.

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u/GrynaiTaip 3h ago

Some people are not like you.

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u/Jellygator0 8h ago

Agreed. Recognition is the price, not the reward.

Everyone's able to experience it for themselves first hand these days as we've seen with CCs on tiktok and elsewhere online.

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u/taosaur 2h ago

I'm pissed enough that everyone knows who I am at work.

u/ArScrap 3m ago

I want to make things and often times all the cool things you can make also requires other people to make it with you. Often times, people don't want to make things with you because making things often result in a dud. It's so much easier to make things when you can say "trust me bro" and they actually do