Why Do Marc and Heidi D'Amelio Have Their Own Podcast?

 

          Source: podcasts.apple.com

    Charli and Dixie D'Amelio, both made famous on Tiktok, are arguably two of the biggest social media influencers at the moment. They have a combined total of over 160 million followers on Tiktok and have branched out to other platforms, such as Youtube, and gained a significant following there as well. Surely two people with that amount of fame have the capabilities to give other people in their lives a platform as well, simply by association. However, the amount of fame that their parents, Marc and Heidi, are trying to capitalize on leaves a sour taste in my mouth. They are not the first parents to try and piggyback onto their child's success, however, in an era where social media can make anybody famous overnight, it is a lot easier to see the problematic nature of stage parents. 

             Source: forbes.com

     Stage parents have been around since the beginning of show business. In the early 1900's, Mama Rose was so controlling of her daughter, Gypsy Rose Lee, that a musical was written about her experiences. The musical, Gypsy, is still popular today and showcases the horrors of having an over ambitious parent that exploits their children. Unfortunately, this experience was not just had by Gypsy. Many stars from the golden age of Hollywood have reported unhealthy and traumatic life choices that were encouraged by their parents. For example, it was Judy Garland's mother who first gave her the drugs that ultimately led to her death, all because she wanted her daughter to be famous. Countless other celebrities over the years have come out about the desperation their parents had for their children to make it big. There are stories of parents taking money from their children, forcing them to work in awful conditions, and ignoring what the children wanted in order to fulfill their own dreams. However, back in the days of early Hollywood, these accounts were sometimes only revealed years later in memoirs. Other times, if the parent behaved a certain way on set, there would be rumors floating around. What makes the child and young adult stars of today different is that, because of social media, the audience sees more than they ever did before. Yes, they only show us what they chose to show us, but when so much of your life gets posted on social media, it is easy to lose track of what should be shared and what might be going too far. So, what does this have to do with the D'Amelios?

       Source: variety.com
    Though Charli and Dixie were able to gain their status on their own, this presents a new and unexplored issue with stage parenting. Where stage parents of the past had to solely rely on their children to get parts in movies or get their song on the radio, now parents can give themselves their own platform. However, they are still capitalizing on the fame of their children. Without Charli and Dixie, would Marc and Heidi have any of the following they do now? Without Charli and Dixie, would Marc and Heidi have a podcast? Without Charli and Dixie, would Marc and Heidi be stopped by paparazzi? The short answer to these questions is: no. Their following is primarily built up by fans of their daughters who want to see more of their lives. So, this brings me back to my original question: Why do Marc and Heidi D'Amelio have their own podcast?

    Their podcast, The Other D'Amelios, states that it is meant to explore what it is like to raise influencers like Charli and Dixie. But who is the audience for this podcast? There is probably a pool of other parents of influencers that might benefit from their experiences, however the main people who are going to be listening to it are fans of their daughters. The D'Amelio family also have a TV show coming out, which has already sparked controversy when fans noticed that it appeared like the girls were being forced to be there. They debunked this theory shortly after, but many still question if they are happy with their growing fame. This can be compared to another famous family, the Kardashian's. While most of the people involved seemed like the enjoyed the fame at the beginning, many of them started appearing less frequently as the years went on, mainly Kourtney and Kylie.  In several years from now, if either Dixie or Charli decide that they no longer want to be in the limelight, will the D'Amelio brand still be successful? The Other D'Amerlios podcast would have to completely change in content if the girls stopped wanting their lives to be showcased to all of the internet, and many of the people listening would potentially lose interest. This pressure might keep them from leaving the public eye when they want to, as to not bring everyone down with them. These girls are still young, and deserve to have a normal life if they choose to, and I only hope that if that time comes, their parents will behave better than stage parents of the past. Only time will tell. 

Sources

https://www.bustle.com/articles/79108-the-8-most-intense-stage-mothers-in-history