I just got back from a couple days in Vegas, great fun, and of course the class was on my mind as Elvis was everywhere. But something else really struck me there, a show in our hotel called American Superstars, which featured celebrity impersonators. I was first struck by the line-up, some givens were our class favorites, Britney, Elvis, Michael, but also Christina Aguilera and Tim McGraw? A little research and I found that some past performers included some that seemed right like Madonna, but also randoms like Ricky Martin, ZZ Top, and Charlie Daniels. I’m not sure Daniels qualifies as a superstar. Also odd to me (I had a lot of time to think about the ads in just about every elevator ride to the 37th floor) was the patriotism of the posters, that often featured the performers in front of an American flag. Are these stars so great that it should make us proud to be Americans? Most of them, Britney, Michael, Elvis, were quite troubled individuals, but somehow their great talent and showmanship should make us well up with patriotism. Also, I was appalled that this show has been going on for years and so they must fill up the seats, and it costs $50! (Although I think that includes a dinner buffet… oh Vegas). I can’t imagine anyone paying $50 to see a bunch of fake celebrities, let alone enough to warrant hundreds of shows. Are we as a society so desperate with celebrity fever that we will not only pay huge amounts of money to get a glimpse of the actual people, but fake celebrities too? I guess the existence of “American Superstars” shows that at least several dozens a night in Vegas are.
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