Celebrity Fakes
From LoveToKnow Celebrity
If you can’t be a real celebrity, what better way to get a shot at the good life than being a celebrity fake? Fake celebrities are big business, and they often make big bucks (and sometimes, big headlines) pretending to be famous.
Fake Paris
On an episode of Simple Life: `Til Death Do Us Part, Paris Hilton decides she doesn’t feel like going to work. She does what anyone of us would do, of course. She calls in a selection of Paris Hilton look-alikes for an audition and sends her favorite to work in her place. That pretend Paris was peeped by former Hilton B.F.F. Nicole Richie, but clearly not everyone looks at Paris’ face that closely, because there is one Paris celebrity fake out there who has managed to fool more than a few guest list checkers.
In February 2006, TMZ scored this video of Natalie Reid, aka counterfeit Paris, bluffing her way into the front row of Nicole Miller’s New York Fashion Week show. Apparently, Reid attended several Fashion Week events without anyone uncovering her secret. In addition to using her “Hilton-ness” to get into exclusive events, Reid also commands $5,000 per appearance at parties.
It seems Paris fakers are doing well all over the world. Just ask Chantelle Houghton, former Paris Hilton impersonator and winner of the UK version of Big Brother. She’s ridden her Paris-like looks from the Big Brother house to TV (and tabloid) stardom.
Fake Brad Pitt
OK, this celebrity fake didn’t really mean to be a celebrity fake, but it’s a good story anyway. In June 2006, a Jordanian man, who was involved in a scheme with his Dubai based brother to rob the brother’s place of employment, decided to forge himself a passport for the trip to Dubai. He downloaded a photo from the internet to use as his own. And whose photo did the man download you might ask? Brad Pitt’s. The man claimed he had no idea just who this Brad Pitt character was, but pairing Pitt’s picture with an Arabic name did not get him very far with airport security. LTK Celebrity has been unable to confirm if this man actually possesses the Pitt-like looks required to pull off such a scam, or if he merely has a rather inflated opinion of his own attractiveness.
Fake Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson fakes are plentiful. Michael Jackson fakes are also obsessive, with some impersonators seeking the same “extreme” plastic surgery that MJ himself has had. But many are being compensated quite well for in exchange for their chin implants. Take the case of Navi, the so-called world’s number one Michael Jackson impersonator. Navi has wowed the crowds in dozens of countries and performed for corporate clients ranging from MTV to Coca-Cola. He has appeared on a VH1 special and in several videos. Navi even impressed the man himself enough to be personally invited by Jackson to perform at his 43rd birthday concert. This celebrity fake now has his own entourage of back-up dancers and sells out venues in his own right.
That’s not to say that being a faux Michael Jackson is easy. In the wake of Jackson’s abuse trial, many impersonators saw their business plummet.
Other Celebrity Fakes
Hoping that your next dinner party will feature a guest list as diverse as say, Angelina Jolie, Bono, Kelly Ripa, and The Backstreet Boys? If you can dream it, chances are there is a celebrity look-alike business out there that can make it happen. Companies like Party Pop, The Impersonators, and Celebrity Impersonators specialize in providing A-list doppelgangers for corporate events, weddings, parties, and even stage productions. The most in demand look-alikes:
- Elvis
- Madonna
- Frank Sinatra
The Celebrity Impersonator Convention
Every May, in Las Vegas, several Chers and Elvises, a few Marilyn Monroes, and the Pope, to name a few, gather to swap stories and network at the annual Celebrity Impersonator Convention. The climax of the convention is the The Reel Awards. The awards honor…greatness in celebrity imitation. The Oscar style ceremony has been held annually for 17 years and counting and is an important way for celebrity fakes to attract new clients.
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