There are many amazing things about technology and its place in our lives, but there are also some pretty serious downsides. Perhaps the biggest one is that many of us have forgotten how to actually communicate with one another face to face (or else we simply refuse to). While we used to be forced to have uncomfortable conversations in person. Now, many of us just resort to impersonal text messages — or, in some people’s cases, they hire D-list celebrities on Cameo to break bad news.
@jaronmyerscomedy I think my first cameo went pretty well! #cameo #comedian #breakup #dating #single #couple #relationships #date #ex
- Cameo is a strange little site. If you’ve never heard of it/used it before, it’s pretty simple. “Celebs” (and I put that in quotation marks for a reason) sign up to offer personalized videos for fans, but not for free. Each star can dictate their own prices, which can vary wildly. For instance, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” actor James Marsters charges $50, while Wayne Knight from “Seinfeld” and “Jurassic Park” charges a whopping $330. There are some stars that charge up to $2,000 for a message!
- Most people use Cameo for birthday and anniversary wishes. That was how things started out, at least. It was a cute way for people to buy well-wishes from some of their favorite stars for their loved ones for special occasions, and it’s great for that. Whether you’re into “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” or the “Twilight” movies, there’s someone for pretty much everyone. However, lately, things have taken a different turn.
- To be clear, not all the celebrities on Cameo are A-listers. In fact, the best you can hope for is B- status stars. This makes sense given that your Sandra Bullocks or George Clooneys of the world don’t really need the extra cash. In reality, a good portion of the “stars” on Cameo are C- and D-listers, and they also tend to be the least expensive to hire.
- People are hiring D-list Cameo stars to deliver bad news. Instead of birthday and anniversary wishes to loved ones, more and more people are using Cameo to deliver bad news and avoid awkward conversations. For instance, a newlywed named Jessica Van Wagnen was prepping to say “I do” when her sister made her watch a video from “Vanderpump Rules” star James Kennedy. It was a personalized message letting her know that she “did not look slutty, like a slutty skeleton” while in New Orleans. It was her sister’s way of apologizing for a comment she made while they were on vacation, per WSJ.
- People are quitting jobs and breaking up with their partners using Cameo. For instance, 35-year-old Christopher Gonzalez wanted to quit his job as a motion-graphics designer last year, but he didn’t want to do it the conventional way. Instead, he hit the company’s Slack channel with a Cameo video from former “American Idol” contestant William Hung. “Christopher is going to put in the notice to leave the current job for a new job in two weeks. He found a new job. He’ll miss all of you but you are all amazing so don’t give up creating the life you want,” Hung says in the video before he begins to sing. Other stars have admitted to being asked to end relationships. Sports influencer Robby Berger said one guy wanted him to do a video asking his wife for divorce since he thought it would “soften the blow.” He went ahead and did it.
- Cameo celebs have been asked to do increasingly awkward messages. It’s hard to tell if those requesting them are trying to make light of upsetting situations by using a pseudo-celeb to deliver their messages or if it’s an extreme example of cowardice (or both), but there’s nothing people won’t ask of creators. A TikTok influencer named Klaudia Fior, for instance, had someone request a video for his best friend with whom he’d been out of touch for two months to see if they could save the friendship. Another woman wanted Fior to tell her husband off because he kept watching Fior’s videos where she shows a lot of cleavage. As Fior told WSJ, “If your girlfriend’s feeling insecure to the point where she’s writing in, you’re not doing something right.”
- It’s hard to decide whether this is a good or bad thing. If the apology or notification you’re sending is generally no big deal and not serious business, it’s probably okay. However, if you’re using someone on Cameo to ask your partner for a divorce or tell them something life-changing, it’s probably better to buck up the courage and communicate directly.
@jvanwag Replying to @whitharv Here is the whole thing, please enjoy 😂
@joellenlove and yes that is a William Hung original, not a cover #jobtips #worklife
