STAR THEORY- RICHARD DYER

• Richard Dyer is a British media theorist, who discussed a star's special place in the audiences' lives.
• He suggests that a star's image impacts on the consumption by the audience
• He argued that the star image is manufactured and artificial and that identical stars have their own unique selling point (brand and values) in order to grab and old our attention- for example- Justin Bieber's hair, Amy Winehouse and her tattoos 
• A star image relies on the following

- Rebelliousness
- Youthfulness
- Anti-authortarian
- Sexuality
- Passion
- Being artistic
- Difference
- Talent
- Confidence/youthful swagger
- Style

• Dyer suggested that a star must be represented simultaneously as, just like us (the audience/regular people), but also at the same time possess something we do not have and something that makes them special, different extraordinary... they are idealised version of humanity... idols
• Dyer's central idea was that the star image could be discussed using two key paradoxes:

1. '... a star is both ordinary and extraordinary'
2. '... a star is both present and absent' 

Star image-

• For a star to maintain their celebrity status and their target audience they need to constantly reinvent themselves as their audience grows up and grows older.
• For example, Miley cyrus is a perfect case study; 

- Started out as a synthetic pop star working for Disney and had a star image of being clean cut and wholesome

- As Miley grew up and her audience aged she attempted to reinvent herself as a more mature artist for example party in the USA

- Stage three of Miley, was that she started to act more rebellious and anti-authoritatrain around the time of 'wrecking ball' and used her sexuality in order to help sell herself and rebrand her image. This included 'we can't stop' with the whole twerking episode in 2013

- Since this point she has also tried to make her self appear more rebellious and different by working with the independent band 'flaming lips' and coming out as bisexual and gender neutral 

- Ultimately Miley Cyrus ha splayed with her image in order to widen and change her target audience and also to rebel against the industrial system that she was packaged to be part of.