A Teen Celebrity in 1804

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66 points·CoBE10··13 comments

He apparently went on to attend college and wanted to continue acting afterwards, but was not well received by critics. He tried to kill himself, failed, and went on to live off his fortune.

Sounds a bit similar to the plot of Birdman?

>Betty’s people paid critics for good reviews, leaked his letters to the press, and authorized production of medallions, snuff boxes, coffee cups, and other merchandise. Theaters probably also used tricks to inflate the reception Betty received, like strategically placing ringers in the audience to cheer for him.

It's always good to realise we aren't so much different from our previous generation. If anything, we just do what they did faster and with a greater impact on the world, for better or worse.

Feel like Mozart was similar, in the 18thc, if you are looking for another data point.

Mozart lives on,

Nobody has heard of Betty

You certainly have, now.

I doubt I'll remember this article in a couple of hours, let alone a couple of days.

That's more likely because there was no way to record Betty, but you can record Mozart.

From Mozart’s work, which is widely performed today, he is still regarded as one of the best composers of all time… Seems pretty different from somebody whose handlers paid for good reviews…

I don't mean to be snobby but while I rather like Mozart's later works, Mozart's early works really do sound like they were written by a kid that got famous.

Shakespeare's early Titus Andronicus isn't a pleasure either

Hey at least we get a genuine Shakespearean “yo momma”:

Demetrius: Thou hast undone our mother.

Aaron: Villain, I have done thy mother

You haven't seen the stunning film version by Julie Taymor.

https://youtu.be/OvZRvKf78yY?feature=shared

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