I have been contemplating two figures of legend and fact recently.
I have been contemplating them together because there are an amazing number of similarities between them.
Both of these figures, who were white males, are dead, and have been for some time. Yet they have generated enormous cult followings. They brought a great deal of joy to people in their lifetimes, which is part of the reason for the cult followings. The cult followings have transcended any reality that actually existed.
In life they wore outfits, self-designed, if myth is to be believed, that set them apart from everyone else. Now their imitaters wear these outfits, and they are instantly recognizable, certainly by anyone in the western world.
The outfits include a certain amount of idiosyncratic hair, including facial hair. Everyone who dresses like these two men must wear the hair to complete the outfit.
Both men usually are known by one name. The name has five letters in it.
Many people have claimed to see the "real" figure in many different places in the world. The interesting thing is that any time one of the imitators is encountered, he is treated as if he is the real person; it is bad etiquette to suggest otherwise.
Both men have been the subject of many stories and songs. They are treated with great reverence, for the most part.
They have both been in many movies, although in one case the real person was in the movies, in the other, only imitators.
Each person represents an enormous industry of merchandise which contains the likeness of the person. Each person has an unusual place of residence; if you mention the name of the residence, everyone knows who lives there.
Anyone is entitled to pretend to be these people, even if the pretender looks completely ridiculous in the outfit. Yet, something magical happens when the outfit is assumed, as if some portion of the charisma of the real person invests itself into the pretender.
OK, this is getting kind of annoying, isn't it? You must know by now who the two figures are. The pictures at the top of the post kind of clue you in.
Elvis and Santa.
They are in a unique pantheon, these two. Many people make a living (of sorts, in the case of Santa) out of wearing the costume. Santa (the real one, assuming that you believe there was a real Saint Nick) has been dead for a long time, but even Elvis has now been dead almost as long as he was alive, and he is still the top-earning dead celebrity, according to Forbes.
I have been contemplating them together because there are an amazing number of similarities between them.
Both of these figures, who were white males, are dead, and have been for some time. Yet they have generated enormous cult followings. They brought a great deal of joy to people in their lifetimes, which is part of the reason for the cult followings. The cult followings have transcended any reality that actually existed.
In life they wore outfits, self-designed, if myth is to be believed, that set them apart from everyone else. Now their imitaters wear these outfits, and they are instantly recognizable, certainly by anyone in the western world.
The outfits include a certain amount of idiosyncratic hair, including facial hair. Everyone who dresses like these two men must wear the hair to complete the outfit.
Both men usually are known by one name. The name has five letters in it.
Many people have claimed to see the "real" figure in many different places in the world. The interesting thing is that any time one of the imitators is encountered, he is treated as if he is the real person; it is bad etiquette to suggest otherwise.
Both men have been the subject of many stories and songs. They are treated with great reverence, for the most part.
They have both been in many movies, although in one case the real person was in the movies, in the other, only imitators.
Each person represents an enormous industry of merchandise which contains the likeness of the person. Each person has an unusual place of residence; if you mention the name of the residence, everyone knows who lives there.
Anyone is entitled to pretend to be these people, even if the pretender looks completely ridiculous in the outfit. Yet, something magical happens when the outfit is assumed, as if some portion of the charisma of the real person invests itself into the pretender.
OK, this is getting kind of annoying, isn't it? You must know by now who the two figures are. The pictures at the top of the post kind of clue you in.
Elvis and Santa.
They are in a unique pantheon, these two. Many people make a living (of sorts, in the case of Santa) out of wearing the costume. Santa (the real one, assuming that you believe there was a real Saint Nick) has been dead for a long time, but even Elvis has now been dead almost as long as he was alive, and he is still the top-earning dead celebrity, according to Forbes.
Yes, the black wig, mutton chops, and white sequined jumpsuit rock on.
Sadly, Elvis looked Santa-esque in his girth by the time of his death.
Elvis has a long way to go to achieve the cultural longevity of Santa, who really didn't exist in his current form until Thomas Nast gave him life in 1881. The true origins of Santa are shrouded in the mists of time; legend has him going back to St. Nicholas of Myra in 3rd-century Turkey. But the contemporary incarnation of Santa is so ingrained in western culture that he seems likely to be with us for a very long time to come.
At some point, all of the people who were alive when the real Elvis was alive will be dead. Only then will we see if Elvis has staying power as a legend, when the only flesh-and-blood Elvis anyone living will ever have seen will be an Elvis impersonator.
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