Rebel Celebrity

Okay Louise Harman from Wembley was ejected from The Celebrity Big Brother house for, to all intense and purposes, being a rebel. As the self styled king of the Streets Dane Bowers so eloquently put it ‘You’re not Ghetto’.
The pseudo rebellious stances, shoulder shrugs and tit grabbing on her exit were just pathetically choreographer gestures. After all ‘Sov’ had to keep up her rep. That rep; being a stroppy teenager. But hold up love aren’t you, at twenty four, a bit too old for that?
After all, the queen of the grime scene has to be a rebel both at the microphone and in front of the camera.
Earlier in the week I had watched John Lydon on Sky Arts. As the lead singer in the Sex pistols he was a stroppy yet creative teenager. His rep was genuinely rebellious both musically and in the flesh. The gestures and stances real and effecting. At least he waited two decades to go on a reality TV show and came out of it looking good rather than looking like a production line rebel. Ms Harman is no more of a thrilling frightening icon than the sandwich board toting Mohican punks of Camden Lock.
Lydon reflected on his musical and cultural impact and influence, but all with a sense of humour that is unfortunately lacking in the likes of Lady S. When we heard and saw The Sex pistols it was thrilling and exhilarating and a great example of British creativity and eccentricity. That may be a lost art. When the likes of Sov are prompted and sculpted into ‘edgy’ and provocative performance it’s enough to make you cringe.
I wonder if Sky Arts 2030 in 3D will feature Louise and her career. Her groundbreaking foray into experimental Grime/classical/avant jazz released as an aerosol or her confrontational attitude towards an ageing Sir Jonathon Ross when interviewed by the New South bank show. Her impact on trends in clothing; the re-emergence of purple clear glass Ray bans for example.
Doubtful.
Of course it’s probably unfair to make comparisons , but when do we ever see anyone on mainstream TV who is a real British musical rebel? Her ladyship is just another example of how far we have come from a time when unmanufactured creative people were out there as talking points and inspirations.
At least and at best we can hope that some kind of authenticity emerges as the real stroppy teenagers look upon the cult of celebrity and plastic revolutionaries as outdated and then come up with something of their own that’s more substantial but long lasting.