He was the darling child actor in the early 80s who became part of a duo of Teen Beat heartthrobs in the late 80s and early 90s … but a recent appearance on The Today Show has many people wondering “what happened to Corey Feldman.”
The actor, decades removed from the pinnacle of his fame is trying to break into a new industry. No problem there. Actors and musicians try “both” all the time. Entertainment is entertainment, they think, and some do very well at both. Most typically work best in one venue or another, but there have been a few breakout stars of, pardon the cliché, stage and screen. After The Today Show appearance, most folks are not betting Feldman will be one of them. The star himself said later he got down on his knees and prayed not to make a fool of himself. Many said that’s exactly what he did.
Feldman sees it another way. In speaking to the Associated Press after the performance, Feldman said he was glad he wasn’t compelled to return to drugs and alcohol after the derision he received following the performance. In fact, he felt compelled to continue performing:
“If it wasn't God's will for me to continue performing, then I would just stop, but I think the fact that we did turn on so many new fans and gained supporters is amazing…” But Feldman also understands enough about the industry to not take himself too seriously, adding in the interview, that the performance was, of course, tongue in cheek: “I mean, come on, we've got girls with angel wings and halos. It's not the most serious music that's ever been created, but it is still art.”
Art that is earning the star some support from megastars in the music industry including Pink and Miley Cyrus. And a growing number of fans are coming to his defense online as well, going after the trolls and critics who have mocked Feldman unmercifully in recent days.
Feldman, understanding the power of media PR, has already agreed to another performance on The Today Show, one he says will be better. But not yet. He wants to do something bigger and better than last time.
Feldman isn’t blind to the criticism, though. He has actually taken it head on. Saying critique and opinions are fair play, but lamenting how personal and mean social media can be. In the meantime, though, Feldman is counting the money as album sales are “through the roof” and he plans a tour to promote the album. Just maybe, Feldman’s critics should consider that he might know a thing or two more about media than they do.
Elie Hirschfeld is a seasoned real estate developer in NYC.
No comments:
Post a Comment