Award shows are just the celebrity version of senior prom. The anxieties, the unrealistic expectations, the popularity game, and the months of meticulous planning to look your best are all similar. One just happens to include big-name celebrities with millions of viewers, and the other in your local reception center.
In Whitney Cumming’s latest podcast with Brianna LaPaglia and Grace O’Malley titled “Brianna Chickenfry & Grace O’Malley’s High School Trauma & Dating Older Men” they discuss how similar these two events are. “To me, Hollywood is high all over again,” said Cummings, “you think you’re kind of killing it, then Margot Robbie walks by and all the photographers swoop away from you.”
After attending both events, and becoming familiar with the nature of celebrity award shows, they described the uncanny resemblance between the People’s Choice Awards, or any celebrity award show for that matter, and your high school senior prom. “Why am I doing this myself all over again? This is prom. Both events I always left feeling bad about myself.” said Cummings when asked why she stopped attending award shows.
Here are just a few ways in which these two events mirror each other:
The Grand Entrance:
Both events have that pivotal moment when you first enter. You feel an immense amount of anxiety as you start your grand entrance. Whether you’re on the red carpet, surrounded by press capturing your every move, or taking your first step into the reception hall with all your peers turning their heads, there’s a monumental pressure associated with your first look. Months have been leading up to this exact moment and all eyes are on you.
Popularity and Status:
Exactly like high school, there is an unspoken hierarchy among celebrities at award shows. The popular ones are nominated, gain more attention from the paparazzi and are drawn to the crowd of hundreds of people. The prom kings and queens are simply just the high school equivalent of those celebrities. The toxic environment where the popular kids are the center of attention doesn’t stop when you graduate high school; it doesn’t even stop in an industry where everyone was once considered a “popular kid”.
Fashion and Appearance:
In both events, there is a significant emphasis on being the best dressed. There’s pressure to wear something unique, but not too avant-garde, and the need to impress those around you. Months of curated outfits and makeup to be praised by the media or your peers. This pretentious urge to appear at your absolute best on this one night feels identical whether you’re a renowned celebrity or a high school student.
Expectations and Pressure:
At both events, there is this unspoken pressure to have the most perfect night of your life. There is this concept of having an idealistic experience, from finding the right date to having a memorable night. Societal pressures are dictating that everything must unfold according to plan, and if it doesn’t, the entire night is deemed ruined. Both celebrity award shows and high school proms allude to this fairytale feeling that is nearly impossible to achieve. The questions of how to interact with others, and how to be seen without being embarrassed, all race through our heads as we strive to be perceived as having the most enjoyable night ever.
“It’s like the same contest all over again,” said Cummings.
These two seemingly disparate events encapsulate many of the same expectations and anxieties. So, if high school prom feels daunting, remember that even multi-million dollar celebrities experience similar feelings. Tweet, @VALLEYmag, your favorite celebrity who attended the People’s Choice Awards.
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