about instant celebrity

warholschildren.com.au*

*the magazine about other people.

instant celebrity,

making random people famous,

for totally random reasons...

Making random people famous for random reasons – we used to say ‘it’s what Warhol would have wanted’ but then we got a letter from the Andy Warhol Foundation’s lawyers who said we can't say that any more. Seriously, evidently they’re the only ones who can legally speculate about what Andy would have wanted. Go figure. Anyway, now we say ‘it’s what Warhol may or may not have wanted’. They haven't got back to us on that one yet.... stay tuned.

first,

about the magazine,

about other people...

Before we introduce Instant Celebrity, we should probably introduce the magazine: We’re Warhol’s Children – www.warholschildren.com.au – and we’re the magazine about other people. We’re interested in what people are really thinking, not what talk back radio, reality shows, mainstream press, morning TV, tabloid journalists, ‘experts’ or the media tell us they’re thinking. We’re interested in what’s really going on. We’re interested in the world from other people’s point of view, in their words, and not ours. We’re interested in what they like, what they don’t. We’re interested in the subcultures, the obsessions, the possessions, the status symbols, the ambitions, the relationships, the careers and lives of other people. We’re interested in what interests them. Brands, music, sex, shopping. About what they wear. What they believe. We open a little window into the parallel universe that is the life of another person; the view can be interesting.

what’s instant celebrity

got to do with andy warhol? Good question. Andy is representative of a moment in history when celebrity got de-coupled from actual achievement, accomplishment or talent, he made people celebrities or “superstars” (as he called them) simply because he could. So are we being political here? Is this some sort of intellectual statement? Sure... maybe... but we’re not getting into that, no one wants us getting all ‘deep and meaningful’, so just think of it as simply our little tribute to Warhol’s contribution to the modern world. And, unlike the banal, vapid, anodyne airbrushed puppets that comprise the Instant Celebrities of reality TV shows and the mainstream media machine, we make a slightly different set of choices. Our Instant Celebrities are a little more interesting, a little more real. When you meet them, you'll see why and why we’ve chosen them, it’s not something we really have to spell out.

This is Valen Chang and she may have set a world record for international travel wearing a chipmunk costume. In March this year she travelled from Tokyo to Sydney wearing the chipmunk costume pictured here. Forget business class, she flies ‘chipmunk’. As we see it, not only is she now a world record holder, but she’s thrown down a pretty serious challenge to all international travellers. We’re going to make her famous, just for the hell of it, it’s the kind of thing Warhol’s Children do.

This is Stuz, one of our contributors, and one of our Instant Celebrities’, if you’ve read her work for Warhol’s Children, you’ll know why she was chosen.

This is Mickey Suzuki, she’s a writer and in fashion, she’s got a sharp mind, a good eye and a way with words, she’s an Instant Celebrity because we figure she’s someone to watch.

This is Camden, he’s a writer and a musician. We cover a lot of music, from playlists to festivals, it’s very much a crucial part of what we do.

This is Zoe Mattesson from Danger Haus in Adelaide (yes, Warhol's Children is a national thing) she’s rock and roll, tattoos and fashion entrepreneur, and Warhol’s Children love all of these things.

how it works...

It’s not complicated, we simply declare random people Instant Celebrities and publish their photos, a little information about them and a few links so you can discover them for yourself. We then invite our readers and friends to share the images and links with the idea that we’ll help our Instant Celebrities achieve some measure of ‘fame’ whatever that means (and for whatever it’s worth). It gives a little exposure to someone who may find a little exposure useful- to themselves, their cause, their idea, their work or their initiative, and at the very least it’s an interesting thing to do. It’s also part of our mission to give exposure to emerging creative people, so it kind of makes sense. And it’s what Warhol may or may not have wanted. If you get invited to be an Instant Celebrity, consider it a compliment, many are nominated, few are chosen – it means someone on staff, or one of our friends or readers must like you.

would you like to be famous?

If you’d like to be an instant celebrity, or know someone who would , let us know, we’re always accepting nominations and would love to hear from you - e-mail the editor at editor@warholschildren.com