A thoroughly enticing title but, alas, a misleading one: I’m afraid I don’t have any snaps of a hogtied Miss Hilton to share with you. But in my defence the title is taken directly from an article I spotted today on a celeb news site (feel free to put scare quotes round the words ‘article’ and ‘news’ in that sentence) that amounts to a plug for Paris’s forthcoming music album. (Which promises to be a treat, of course). The ultra-tenuous connection to bondage seems to be that Paris wore “S&M style” lingerie for a publicity photoshoot.
Which is fair enough: she can wear what she likes and promote herself how she likes. The thing I’m interested in is the idea of kink as a style, or a marketing gimmick. First and foremost it seems to me that, whether a celeb is actually a practicing kinkster or not, a surefire way of guaranteeing attention and column inches is to slip into a “racy” outfit and hint at a degree of kink.
It isn’t the first time Paris has done so, as this photo from 2008 illustrates:
The word “racy” was, of course, used in the articles covering that appearance, too. Which hints at the single most vital factor in the kink-style phenomenon: the media. In an era when mainstream audiences are less easily shocked than ever before – when they have, in a superficial sense at least, seen it all – the media machine still needs things to ‘shock’ people with. And it seems that kink (or watered-down, family-friendly kink-chic) fulfils that function right now.
Speaking personally, I’m not shocked or offended in the slightest by seeing someone famous in PVC. The thing that jumps out at me – the thing that gets closest to offending me – is the emptiness of the whole exercise; the studied cynicism of it. It feels like kink stripped of all its meaning; kink as nothing but a fashion statement. And it always does feel cynical; like a marketing ploy where none of the players have any investment beyond getting paid. The celeb pretends to be kinky, the media pretend to be breathlessly shocked (and faithfully copy and paste the relevant press release, with all the key buzzwords), the audience pay attention for two minutes then click onto another story.
And, while I would never claim ownership of all things kinky or seek to bar anyone from expressing themselves, I can’t help feeling somehow... cheapened by that.
Thoughts welcome!
Which is fair enough: she can wear what she likes and promote herself how she likes. The thing I’m interested in is the idea of kink as a style, or a marketing gimmick. First and foremost it seems to me that, whether a celeb is actually a practicing kinkster or not, a surefire way of guaranteeing attention and column inches is to slip into a “racy” outfit and hint at a degree of kink.
It isn’t the first time Paris has done so, as this photo from 2008 illustrates:
The word “racy” was, of course, used in the articles covering that appearance, too. Which hints at the single most vital factor in the kink-style phenomenon: the media. In an era when mainstream audiences are less easily shocked than ever before – when they have, in a superficial sense at least, seen it all – the media machine still needs things to ‘shock’ people with. And it seems that kink (or watered-down, family-friendly kink-chic) fulfils that function right now.
Speaking personally, I’m not shocked or offended in the slightest by seeing someone famous in PVC. The thing that jumps out at me – the thing that gets closest to offending me – is the emptiness of the whole exercise; the studied cynicism of it. It feels like kink stripped of all its meaning; kink as nothing but a fashion statement. And it always does feel cynical; like a marketing ploy where none of the players have any investment beyond getting paid. The celeb pretends to be kinky, the media pretend to be breathlessly shocked (and faithfully copy and paste the relevant press release, with all the key buzzwords), the audience pay attention for two minutes then click onto another story.
And, while I would never claim ownership of all things kinky or seek to bar anyone from expressing themselves, I can’t help feeling somehow... cheapened by that.
Thoughts welcome!
I think that's almost similar to 'geek culture' where all of a sudden, being labelled 'geek' or 'nerd' is a positive thing. And then you see a lot of youngsters wearing horrible tees with GEEK and NERD stamped on it to express their identity. But those from the other end of the spectrum would argue that people on the opposite end are being elitist (though this only comes in play when someone denies another the right to identify oneself in such a way).
ReplyDeleteBut that's the whole marketing scheme, isn't it? To create a character and to own a niche and then anytime you think of that particular item, you think of that brand or that person.
Did I ramble my way off the cliff? :P
Not at all :D You make excellent points, and get closer to what I was trying to say than I did.
DeleteI agree completely that it's an association thing, a process of commodification: the reduction of cultures or lifestyles to a series of images and/or products that can be put on, taken off, owned.
I don't think she's at all kinky and the only time I found Paris cute was when she was in her jail uniform..which probably makes me very kinky ..)
ReplyDeleteOh, you're kinky all right. Got a definite thing for prison-like institutions, for one. :P
DeleteMaybe we should have "kinky abd proud" T-shirts made , Penny.Only joking, big companies..)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good idea to me!
DeleteI've felt for a long time that the world runs on cynicism.
ReplyDeleteYou noted that the audience typically pays attention to these 'news' events for two minutes, which I'd say is about 118 seconds longer than warranted. Unfortunately, there are always a few small-brained, large-mouthed individuals who really are offended by stunts like this. The media waste no time aiming their cameras and microphones at these people, hoping to recapture public interest for another two minutes. If they can't find anyone to complain about the depravity of it all, they play the part themselves.
In my fantasy utopia, 100% of the public shrug their shoulders and say 'who cares?' to these non-stories. The media eventually learn their lesson and give us something genuinely interesting to look at.
Here's hoping, Bruno!
DeleteI think that the internet has already helped in this regard, and will continue to reshape the way people get their 'news'. Most fundamentally, it's democratised the process; opened it up to ordinary people and created an alternative to the traditional mainstream. And it's made the process bi- (or even multi-) directional, which has to be a good thing. On balance. Though most comment threads might suggest otherwise.
Still, the wisdom of crowds and all that!
An excellent take on it, Penny dear, and I agree completely. I guess it's the typical way to get attention for selling something that relies on some titillation. Be sexy, but don't offend too many potential customers. Kink is cool to a general audience if they don't see the blood of it. Now tie Paris Hilton over a trestle crying, authentic stripes of the cane shining across her nates, and we'd have a promo worthy of our attention. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, TFD! I'm glad you liked it. And I agree with your observations: it's an impression, a suggestion, rather than the thing itself.
DeleteAnd I must agree that 'Paris Does Kink For Real' would indeed be something worth watching. Poor little rich girl, oh!