A Dream Turned Nightmare: The Crumbling Facade of Success in Entertainment

We’ve always known that the celebrity inhabits a world far removed from what the average person experiences in their lifetime– it’s opulent, it’s fantasy, it’s Babylon. Hollywood, an empire in its own right, sold us the idea of the “dream factory” in which aspiring actors, producers, and directors could one day bathe in euphoric glory the moment they make it big. But we all know the cautionary tales– boundless money and fame take control, and people become intoxicated on a newfound and feigned invincibility; the once simple pleasure in luxury transforms into the beasts of overindulgence and debauchery. 

So why describe this celebrity world as Babylon? Because Babylon is the city religiously associated with sin. Think greed, idolization, and premarital sex. Hollywood is a manifestation of the city that reaches into the heavens, the music industry is another. But it seems that it’s time for once “beloved” celebrities to come off their pedestals, or at least, be held accountable. 

Over the past several weeks, the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs case has been unfolding in the media, dropping jaws at descriptions of the fifty foot bed in his backyard, as well as accusations regarding human sex trafficking, sexual violence and abuse, drink spiking, orgies, and copious amounts of baby oil at his not-so-secret after-parties. While the decade-long period of these after-parties may seem unfathomable, Diddy is not the first to host lavish, nefarious get-togethers or events of debauchery–these parties have been present in entertainment for at least a century.

Babylon, a 2022 film directed by Damien Chazelle, serves as a perfect representation. The film is set in 1926 during the golden age for American entertainment: movie attendance doubled, jazz became a staple in film, and the rise of the flapper pushed sexual boundaries in dance. Opening with a 30-minute scene of an extravagant party based in an LA mansion,the scene is graphic and eccentric: hordes of nude dancers and guests maneuver through the mansion, orgies occur casually on the dancefloor, a circus elephant eventually walks through the room, and mountains of cocaine fill up a secret room–all while a live jazz band blasts music in the background. One could say that the scene is over-exaggerated, but perhaps there is some accuracy to it.

Another prime example of this hedonism and partying is Studio 54, a club that opened in 1977 and welcomed huge celebrity names such as Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Elton John, and Cher. Similar to the Babylon party, drugs, sex, fabulous music, and dance were all features of Studio 54 celebrations. Bags of cocaine were given to guests as party gifts and the club had an easy-to-clean sex balcony meant for those who wanted a night to *maybe* remember. And if you think a large animal wouldn’t enter a house party, take a look at Bianca Jagger riding on a white horse in the middle of the dance floor. 

Past the extravagant surface of these parties, there is a much darker core. Exploitation is a blaring theme in Babylon. In the opening scene alone, the audience witnesses a clear abuse of power between an underage actress and a much older man who seemed to promise her advancements in her career in return for deviant sexual favors. Not much time goes by before the young actress dies from a drug overdose and is secretly discarded from the mansion. It’s an uncomfortable watch, but it speaks to the larger issue of exploitation in the entertainment industry. 

There are, of course, other instances of exploitation in the movie in which the characters are forced to compromise their morals to keep their careers afloat. For example, Sidney Palmer, a talented jazz trumpeter, is pressured by Manny, the protagonist, to paint his face darker to conform to Jim Crow laws that prohibit light-skinned and dark-skinned individuals from appearing together in film. Sidney fights against it but eventually caves after being guilt-tripped by Manny. Manny himself undergoes his unfortunate transformation; he can be considered a kind-hearted character with mostly good intentions at the beginning of the film but as the film progresses, he becomes corrupt and starts to cater to the demands of other film executives to maintain his successful career as studio executive. 

This is all to say that the Hollywood “dream factory” ironically produces nightmares for many of those in it. To become successful, you may have to play into the sinister game created by those above you. The same sentiment could be applied to the music industry in regard to the Diddy case. Additional details suggest a deeper pervasiveness of power abuse and corruption within the industry than we once thought. What used to be considered mere rumors during his thirty-year reign have started to reveal themselves as a cold, sobering reality. 

What does this mean for celebrity culture? With the rise of social media, the mystique of celebrities has already diminished significantly in comparison to previous decades. Our favorite stars are more accessible, and oftentimes only an Instagram or Tik Tok comment away. It’s possible that exposing more corruption in entertainment could cause the general public to remove celebrities from their pedestal.The possible effects of Diddy’s case remain largely uncertain. Unearthing these sides of the music industry is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done to ensure this exploitation is put to an end rather than continuing under a glamorous guise. 

Strike out,

Strike St. Louis

Written by: Doris Lamour

Edited by: Ella Doppke and Emily Bekesh