TikTok, AI Sitcoms, and the Humiliations of Modern Celebrity: A Reflection on Hacks and The Comeback
In the world of television, where fame and fortune are often intertwined with the relentless pursuit of relevance, two HBO sitcoms, Hacks and The Comeback, offer a scathing critique of the modern celebrity landscape. These shows, starring women over 60, illuminate the cultural habit of projecting "comeback" narratives onto women who feel society's pressure to constantly reinvent themselves to have their greatness celebrated. They also mock the indignities of fame today, where we seem to force even the most iconic stars to chase relevance and clicks.
In Hacks, the legendary comedian Deborah Vance, played by Jean Smart, is plunged into crisis after leaving America's number one late-night talk show in a flurry of controversy. A vengeful non-compete clause bars her from performing new material, and she worries that her lifetime of work will be defined by her premature late-night exit. To secure her legacy, she sets her sights on staging a major comeback show at Madison Square Garden – and she'll stop at nothing to make it happen.
Similarly, in The Comeback, Valerie Cherish, played by Lisa Kudrow, is handed a career lifeline when she scores the lead role in a new sitcom. There's just one catch: the script has been written by AI, and this is a secret that Valerie is forbidden from sharing. It's the type of toe-curling scenario that could only come from Kudrow and her collaborator, Michael Patrick King, who is back on form after terrorising the world with And Just Like That.
What makes these shows particularly fascinating is the way they explore the demands of algorithm-era fame. In Hacks, Deborah is forced to practically stalk an unsuspecting Kristen Bell around an LA market to beg her to appear on her show. She is also subjected to endless TikToks and social clips, shaking hands at parties, and doing just about everything apart from what made her famous: comedy. In The Comeback, Valerie is trying (and failing) to master the dumbed-down "Real Housewives version" of Chicago on Broadway, and she went mega-viral on The Traitors for being totally useless.
These shows reveal the extreme, undignified lengths that Deborah and Valerie are willing to go in order to stage the perfect comeback story one more time. But should they have to? The shows highlight the bleakness of the attention economy, where if people stop talking about you for five minutes, you might as well not exist. It's a constant chase for relevance, and the goalposts keep moving, leaving these women always one failure away from being declared a flop.
In my opinion, these shows are a scathing critique of the modern celebrity landscape, where talent and legacy are often overshadowed by the relentless pursuit of clicks and views. They raise a deeper question: should we be forcing even the most iconic stars to chase relevance and clicks? It's a thought-provoking exploration of the humiliations of modern celebrity, and a reminder of the importance of artistic integrity and the value of legacy.
