Post edited 12:00AM – Aug-18-09 by Glenn

I think Grant may be onto something regarding someone in the public eye and public persona. I once had the opportunity to witness the grueling tour de force that a movie premiere red-carpet press event can be. I was amazed and horrified at the four-hour marathon of six- second media events. I was able to chat with some notables informally. They spoke frankly of their awareness that their worst moment of that entire time would be most widely broadcast. When I asked how they endured it with such poise they mentioned that they were not being themselves, but playing the role of their public persona, and they knew how to do that quite well. Playing roles was what they did for a living.

None of these charming celebs indulged in illeism. But the stage was set.

Another possible explanation for the celebrity illeism is simply the self-serving opportunity to repeat your name over and over and over. A pronoun just can’t advertise, campaign, market, or promote like a repeated name. SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM…