Friday, May 13, 2011

Anonymous Superstars

I live about 40 miles southeast of Cleveland and many people in my area were just 'uncelebrating' the first year anniversary of Quitness Day, the day NBA superstar Lebron James left his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavs, to play for the Miami Heat. (After living in northeast Ohio for a couple of years, I really can't blame the guy). This unusual anniversary got me thinking about the importance of Lebron James to those brave enough to call themselves Cavalier fans. The organization is still essentially the same. Only James is missing. As far as I know, it has the same owners and the same coaches. Management is the same for the Cavs. They just lost an employee. Yet still, everyone is freaking out.

Justin Bieber (for reasons that I cannot fathom) has in recent years become a pop sensation. He's got music, a book, a documentary, and more. His fans love him. He's a superstar. But who is his manager? Who negotiates his contracts? Who is his trainer? Who teaches him to sing and dance? Does anyone know the names of these people--the people who bring Bieber into the limelight?

It seems like, in the Entertainment industry, it is oddly enough the line workers who get all the credit. The managers--those in charge of these entertainers for hire--are the unsung heroes that fade into the background. Think about industries outside of entertainment. Everybody knows who Steve Jobs is, but can anyone name a single Apple engineer that assisted in the creation of the iPad? You may have heard of Howard Schultz, but I'm still waiting to catch wind of a nationally-recognized Starbucks barista? In entertainment, it seems management gets the short end of the stick. In all other fields, the contributions of employees on the frontlines go unnoticed.

This post is dedicated to the unsung heroes. The anonymous superstars. The producers for the latest blockbuster. The defensive coordinator for the team leading in sacks and interceptions. Or perhaps the people who designed your room at the hotel you are staying at. The people who put together the engine in your car. To all the people who don't get the credit, whose contributions do not appear to be valued, who we just don't seem to care about: we DO care. We'll never tell you. You probably won't get any press. Likely, you'll always be in someone else's shadow. But that doesn't matter. YOU ARE A SUPERSTAR. Not because WE say you are, but because YOU are creating something valuable and YOU know it! Keep doing what you're doing. You're a gift to the rest of us, even if we never let you know. You ARE a superstar.

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