How Kirstie, Cameron, Beyonce tackle tabloid tales

By SAMANTHA ETTUS
Scripps Howard News Service
29-JUL-04

Think back to high school: If there were a rumor spread about you, how would you react? Depending on your physical stature and emotional maturity, you might beat up the gossipmonger, throw eggs at their home or choose not to dignify the rumor with a response, realizing a response would only serve to lend credibility to the rumor.

Tabloids and gossip columns are the adult equivalent of rumor spreaders. Although we love to hate them as they crudely dish about the latest scandal, we can't help wondering if the stories are just gossip, or if they might be true.

How stars react to such rumors provides crucial insight into the style and substance of their personal brand management.

This week we take a peek at how celebrities manage the tabloid invasion. With four celebrity-focused weekly magazines competing for readers _ People, Us, In Touch and the newly revamped Star _ the competition for photos and dirt on Hollywood favorites has never been greater.

How do celebrities deal with this affront? Are they reacting in ways that might negatively impact their personal brands, their greatest assets?

The brand-assets meter ranges from $ to $$$$.

Kirstie Alley

The former "Cheers" and "Veronica's Closet" TV star went on the offensive against the tabloid's portrayal of her as a plumped-up former beauty. Rather than sue, she approached Showtime with an idea for a reality comedy series called "Fat Actress," in which she would star as an overweight celebrity.

The show was picked up and is slated for a fall launch, but the jury is still out as to whether this was a good branding move for Alley. It is one thing for others to pin you with a label, but quite another to adopt that label yourself; it will be hard for Alley to lose the "fat actress" image once she self-identifies with the new moniker.

Should the six-episode series becomes a hit and renews interest in Alley, this will be viewed as an intelligent move. But if the series proves unsuccessful, the legacy of the show's name will follow Alley as she further recedes from the spotlight.

Kirstie's Brand A$$ets

Beyonce Knowles

This young starlet proves that age and maturity are not mutually exclusive. Though rumors of the singing sensation's romantic link with rap star Jay Z have persisted for more than four years, she has refused to publicly admit the relationship, determined to keep her private life just that. Yet protecting her privacy has not been easy, as she's faced probing questions from throngs of reporters and even Oprah. By providing the gossip columns with little ammunition from which to draw, Beyonce has been able to maintain her overwhelmingly positive press coverage.

Beyonce is now the spokeswoman for L'Oreal and has cultivated a steadily growing film career. Her image is all about her work, and it looks as if we can count on her keeping it that way.

Beyonce's Brand A$$$$ets

Cameron Diaz

Diaz has proved that the old adage is true _ her junior beau has kept her young at heart. Outraged at the way her boyfriend of one year, rock star Justin Timberlake, was vilified by the tabloids last week, she fought back in the very same pages that had labeled him a cheater.

In an uncharacteristic move, she landed the cover of Us Weekly magazine by proclaiming, "Justin is not a cheater. We are solid."

The maneuver was both bold and bizarre _ akin to proclaiming you're happy rather than just wearing a smile. By dignifying the "misinformation" with a response, Diaz stooped to the tabloid level and ensured that those of us who skipped last week's issue didn't miss out on hearing the news anyway. In the past, Diaz has been described as carefree and easygoing. But if her goal is to turn into a tabloid target rather than a Hollywood darling, she is headed in the right direction.

Cameron's Brand A$$ets

Remember: The most dependable road to the top is to treat your brand as your greatest asset.

(Samantha Ettus, president of Ettus Media Management, is a leading voice on personality-driven brands. Her first book, "The Experts' Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do" (Random House), will be published in September. Send comments and questions to Samantha(at)celebrityassets.com.)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.shns.com)