FOLLOW-UP RESEARCH

Back in September 2003, I posted some cutting edge research linking the number of google hits (Star Power) associated with a celebrity with how cool they were about giving autographs. The general conclusion was that the more Star Power you had, the bigger an a-hole you were about autographs. Well, I've done some follow-up research to see what happens to the good ones after 13 months. The rankings, with their Star Power in September 2003 were:

2003
(1) Colin Farrell (348,000);
(2) Kate Bosworth (86,800);
(3) Asia Argento (140,000);
(3) Jennifer Love Hewitt (686,000);
(4) LeAnn Rimes (242,000);
(5-6) The Osbournes (447,000);
(7) Jessica Alba (449,000);
(8) Jennifer Garner (436,000);
(9) Kelly Hu (609,000); and
(10) Jessica Simpson (580,000).

Since then, the numbers have taken an alarming turn for most of these celebrities.

2004

(1) Colin Farrell (260,000, down 80,000);
(2) Kate Bosworth (74,000, down 12,000);
(3) Asia Argento (130,000, down 10,000);
(3) Jennifer Love Hewitt (677,000, down 10,000);
(4) LeAnn Rimes (259,000, up 17,000);
(5-6) The Osbournes (169,000, down a whopping 250,000);
(7) Jessica Alba (568,000, up over 100,000);
(8) Jennifer Garner (387,000, down 50,000);
(9) Kelly Hu (262,000, down a world-beating 330,000); and
(10) Jessica Simpson (998,000, up a tremendous 450,000).

From this, I think we can surmise that being nice to your fans is a waste of time. Even if you're hot, see e.g. Asia Argento, Jennifer Garner, Kelly Hu, you are not insulated from a sudden drop in Star Power by being nice to fans. Can't win, don't try, so you might as well go all Sean Penn on their asses.

By the way, the original worst celebrities list was:

1) Cameron Diaz (1,040,000);
(2) Bruce Willis (1,070,000);
(3) Demi Moore (416,000);
(4) Orlando Bloom (928,000);
(5) Shannon Elizabeth (884,000);
(6) Janet Jackson (1,170,000);
(7) Catherine Zeta-Jones (241,000);
(8) Eric Bana (97,700);
(9) Hugh Jackman (183,000); and
(10) Christina Aguilera (1,500,000)

Six of this group has higher Star Power now than they did then. The exceptions are Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, who are both washed up and celebrity hangers-on at this point, Cameron Diaz and Shannon Elizabeth. My theory is that Cameron has not appeared naked enough, and the novelty has worn off with Shannon being naked. Every single one of these other a-holes went up.

Is there a less on the real world in this research? Yes. Being nice is a fools game.