Going Off Script

by Lee Deltoro

1921: Six Characters In Search of An Author by Pirandello debuted at the Teatro Valle in Rome. The characters being portrayed enter and become active participants in the story telling. It is a groundbreaking theatrical endeavor dealing with the theme of self-awareness. The audience reception was lukewarm, reviews were mixed.

The 1960s: I assume the word “polarizing”, was created as a new descriptor for 22-year-old Muhammad Ali. Not only the most talented man in his sport, Ali was the most outspoken. Today, lauded for his courage in the face of adversity, rarely is the source of that adversity discussed - adversity manufactured by the men watching this “legend” in his prime. Some denounced him as presumptuous, cocky, arrogant, etc. His pacifist beliefs were vilified as “draft dodging”. Yet he was almost universally respected, for his skill in the ring and for his larger than life persona outside of it. All the while, Ali was acutely aware of, and dead set on defining his public perception. “I aint gonna be the champ the way you want me to be. I am gonna be the champ the way I want to be the champ”. He is the gold standard for celebrity in the modern era; champion of both boxing and the people. He is one of the first pop culture characters to tell his own story.

Ever since then, we have been searching for his predecessor - not only a performer to erntertain us, moreover an icon we could aspire to. But with the ascension of Rock n Roll, and subsequently, Hip Hop, the most famous athletes and artists in America were symbolic of the counterculture. They also became removed. The 90s were the last era in which celebrities retained their mystique and obscured their private lives from the public eye. Figures like Charles Barkley and Kurt Cobain did not have to concern themselves with the optics of their personal beliefs or relationships. They could choose not to acknowledge public opinion. The advent of Nancy Grace, TMZ, the twitterati, and a hypersensitive social "conscience" has forced the famous to become more self-aware. Media perception is as integral a facet of “brand” as performance. We have long taken interest in the personal lives of our stars, but in the past it was akin to a 3 hour walking tour, now it is a role-playing theme park. The price of fame, an all-access pass. Everyone has been assigned a storyline, better known as brand management. The public needs to know what and how to think about newsmakers, which realm to place them in. The star’s part is to simply learn the lines, to play the role. Kanye West and LeBron James are two of the most famous men on the planet. Successful, respected by their peers, good fathers, have no criminal records, and outspoken on issues of social injustice. One is the most popular rapper of this century and the other, its most popular athlete. Yet in the recent  past they have often exchanged the title of 2nd most hated black man in America. #Barrykeepyoheadup They are descendants of Muhammad Ali.

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February 2004: LeBron James dominates the Rookie/Sophomore All Star game and College Dropout hits the shelves. Kanye was mostly ignored, due to his middle class upbringing, uncommon style, and the incongruent subject matter of his music. LeBron, on the other hand, was treated quite dissimilarly. At 14, he was tapped as heir to the greatest basketball player of all time (yea, let that sink in), and up to that point had given a flawless command performance, winning a high school national championship, going first in the draft, and returning his hometown Cavaliers to relevance. In hindsight it seems as if their paths had already been chosen. LeBron, to be propelled into the athletic stratosphere en route to his place in Springfield; Kanye, driven to explore unprecedented creative frontiers, having been fueled by the rejections of his past.

2008-2012: Multiple Grammys and MVPs later, both were seemingly at the height of their popularity. So basically, they were screwed. James faltered in consecutive playoff runs, in which he was booed by his hometown fans and labeled as a choker. West had been befallen by much more serious personal traumas such as the passing of his mother and end of his relationship with his long time fiancee. He had transformed from a self-assured, almost precocious Jay-Z sidekick, to an entitled, brooding malcontent. During this period, he released 808s and Heartbreak and in what may be his most infamous act, seized the mic and the moment from Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMAs.  As if not to be outdone, LeBron produced a half hour special in which he laid waste to the hopes and dreams of Ohio and any notion that he was on the Jordan trajectory. I could be mistaken, but I do not believe there to be two more infamous statement in the 21st century lexicon than, “Excuse me, Ima let you finish” and “I’m taking my talents to South Beach.” What followed were years of villainy. Ironically, this is where both men achieved what could be seen as their greatest successes. Two championships, which included clutch performances from LeBron, and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, which is West’s greatest combination of critical acclaim and popular appeal.

Roll credits. Any Disney film worth its salt would end right here, with an all white clad Heat Nation chanting an exultant Kanye anthem, witness to the triumph of their adopted hero. Prophecy fulfilled.

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March 2015: “I was like, ‘I’m gonna take my ball and go home.’ If ya’ll ain’t going (to) let me play where I wanna play and do clothes and do this…” This is a quote from a recent Kanye interview with Power 105, referencing Yeezus. The 2013 album, a critical success, was almost completely devoted to frustrating its listeners. It’s eerily resonant with the quote from “Ali”.  Both quotes demonstrate an unwillingness to accept our adoration on any terms other than their own. At times they both seemed to revile the spotlight they so doggedly sought out. Kanye dares us to hate him. Many of us oblige. West is an immense creative force, and that is how he wishes to be seen. Not simply as a rapper or producer or designer, but as a world builder. Anything short is unacceptable. We cannot enjoy Kanye’s art over the sound of him screaming. Dive into any portion of Kanye’s catalogue, “All Falls Down” to “I Am A God,” and you quickly encounter his obsession with the perception of others. Though he seems to be an inquisitive, engaging guy who has varied interests - someone who could be comfortable in any room - West seems hell bent on isolation, incessantly tap dancing on America’s single remaining nerve. Why?  Because he can. It’s that simple.  He knows that no matter how frustrated we are with his antics, we will still appreciate his art. I do not enjoy Yeezus, but I recognize the skill in creating it. For Kanye West, that is greatness. He became famous despite his image, not because of it.There are very few in pop culture who have successfully walked that line. That which he was deprived of, he learned to live without. The greatest compliment you could pay Kanye West is that you love the art and detest the artist.

The basketball talent of LeBron James has now been celebrated for over 16 years. He does not have an underdog story. Yes, he came from an underprivileged background, but he has never been overlooked. He is the sure thing that panned out. He has never been in trouble with the law, never made a culturally insensitive statement, never even been accused of being a bad teammate -- unselfish on and off the court. He accepted less money to win championships and is always quick to take blame and share praise. The epitome of a superstar, yet he seems to be searching for some type of affirmation. Not of his place in basketball lore (that is more than solidified), but of his stature in the culture. At some point LeBron realized that basketball would no longer be enough to satiate the crowd, that no number of points, rebounds, assists, or championships would be enough. Someone solely concerned with their basketball biography would have remained in Cleveland, and subsequently remained in Miami, but James seems to be in search of something more. So he began playing the long game. The game of legacy. He wants to walk into a room at the age of 60 and be applauded not only for his play but for his personal achievements. His announced goal of becoming a billionaire entertainer would make him more than a sports icon, it would cement him as a cultural phenomenon. That is why he is now a general manager, producer, philanthropist, sports agent, etc. LeBron has spent his entire teenage and adult life as a great basketball player. The best compliment that you could pay him is that he is a renaissance man.

This brings us to the conundrums of a 21st century celebrity. Can you choose your brand of fame? Are self-awareness and authenticity mutually exclusive?   How would we feel about Kanye if he graciously accepted our adulation, thanked his mom, his fans, and his lucky stars, then took a seat?  Would we embrace LeBron wholeheartedly if he dutifully recited the “winner take all”, “zero sum game”, “ball is life” pre-approved script? Both men seemed to have analyzed the example of Ali and chosen a portion. Which is more noble: to be admired for your talent, or for your character? Both confronted their reflections in the public eye, and seek to master it. But can we actively control how we are perceived? What happens when the characters control the narrative? Truthfully, both LeBron and Kanye sound more like “Game of Thrones” characters than entertainers when monologuing about vision and relevance. But in a sense, we are all chronicling our own stories through the lens of social media. We choose which moments to share, carefully crafting a sort of public persona. Celebrities do the same, and it is amplified by the thousands of likes times the ten thousands of followers. For that reason, I enjoy these mens’ improvisational performances. While forfeiting assured approval, they hold the potential for profound significance. Each is both character and author, allowing us access to the self-curated exhibitions of their lives. Reviews are mixed.