Year Ender 2023: Year of Orry & ‘India’s famous for being famous’ brigade

Heard of Zsa Zsa Gabor? The Hungarian blonde who famously drawled ‘darling’ into ‘dahlink’, had eight husbands, a ton of jewels, was at times silly, often conceited and flamboyant, and not many remember her fairly forgettable film career. Well, she might have been a dud on screen but she was ‘human entertainment’, providing entertainment by the very process of living. You know, what we call ‘famous for being famous’. That’s the Zsa Zsa Factor - humans who have gained recognition for having done virtually nothing of significance. And Zsa Zsa is the prototype of doing nothing and being famous for famous.

American journalist and writer Neal Gabler might have been the first to define celebrity as ‘human entertainment’ but British journalist Malcolm Muggeridge was probably the first to use the actual phrase in the introduction to his book Muggeridge Through The Microphone (1967) in which he wrote: “In the past if someone was famous or notorious, it was for something- as a writer or an actor or a criminal; for some talent or distinction or abomination. Today one is famous for being famous. People who come up to one in the street or in public places to claim recognition nearly always say: "I've seen you on the telly!”

Well, these ‘famous for being famous’ entities are not merely peeping out of the television rectangles. They crowd the phone screens, they jump out of tabloids, their reels are discussed more than wars, and their faces are forced-stuck in our eyes and minds. Hate them or not, they do nothing yet they are famous. And cashing it, too. Paris Hilton, the Kardashians, NeNe, Snooki, Jon or Kate Gosselin, Honey Boo Boo - the list is endless. But we do not have to look West for our own Zsa Zsas. We have a celeb-cluster, too.
Know Orry? His real name is Orhan Awatramani. At every red carpet, he is the arm candy and/or selfie companion. No one knows what exactly is his livelihood except being Bollywood’s BFF. He is everywhere. And he gets paid for taking selfies with other celebrities. Not a penny or two. That’s a staggering Rs 25-30 lakhs for a ‘one-night appearance’.  So he confessed in Big Boss 17 where he was locked for two days. “I get paid to get pictures clicked at the events with the pose that I do and post them. I earn around Rs 20-30 lakh for these pictures in one night,” the man with tiny man-bun, three phones and five managers said. “I am the liver”, he said. Liver? What’s that Orry? Am still deciphering the simile. But Orry can call himself anything he wants, the eager crowd shall lend the ear. Because Orry is supremely famous for being famous.

Urfi Javed (she prefers Uorfi) sews tea bags, clothespins, plastic bags, combs (yes, combs) into a dress. Even a cotton candy. Her outfits are itsy-bitsy, and utterly outrageous - but paps buzz around her and publications give her a full-spread. From a post-it dress to one from an Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla atelier, she surely has swum mainstream. The ace designers even paid a homage to her on their Instagram page: “Love her or hate her, you cannot ignore her. Uorfi Javed radiates pure panache in a hand embroidered silk tulle saree. Sparkling with crystals and sequins in silver and gold, her intricate garment is from the all new 'Dazzle Collection'. By dressing Uorfi, Abu Sandeep represent her essence as an individual - one that continues to shine no matter what”. That’s a elegant praise for someone who once wore a semblance of a bikini top that was merely two black mobile phones dangling precariously on her breasts.