Gwyneth Paltrow
The Olsen Twins
Karl Lagerfeld
Barbara Streisand
Martha Stewart
I think of snobbery as more of a phenomenon of the acting and fashion worlds. Yes, there are some musicians that do seem particularly self-satisfied or a bit uppity, but generally speaking I think most singers (particularly of the pop variety) are smart enough to realize that they can only expect the public to be receptive to them and their projects if they make some efforts to appear friendly and relate with the common folk. Sure, Gaga's a bit artsy fartsy with those convoluted costumes/performances/videos, but I would hardly consider Gaga snobby when her whole thing is getting on the level of the fans, communicating with them constantly and preaching this*
I'm just like you message. Her uppity styling stands in total opposition to her demeanor, but her attempts to relate with her fans add an element of warmth to what she does. Beyonce is exceedingly sweet and good natured - so much so that at times I find myself wishing she'd break from this good-girl character. But it's not a character; she is truly just a very good person. She's polite, she's not a diva in the bad sense of the word, and she doesn't put on an air of importance. Britney is similarly humble and good-natured. Most people would scoff were I to describe Britney as a
good-girl, given the naughty nature of some of her music and certain troubles in her personal life, but the fact of the matter is, Britney really is a
good-girl. She doesn't have many of the bad qualities that you'd expect a woman of her status to have, and she's refreshingly humble for a woman who has been so successful. And though it may not be as evident in 2011, she still has some of that southern charm that made her so likable early in her career. I fully expect ATRL to misinterpret the reserved nature that's manifested itself in her personality post-breakdown/post-meds as standoffishness or snobbery. She wasn't always reserved and fearful of strangers, but given the way that people have fed off of her, abused her friendliness and mistreated her, you can't really blame her for retreating within herself just a bit. (Well, you can, but then that sort of makes you a heartless bitch and it just highlights your inability to grasp the bigger picture.
) She's in a bit of a paradox - being a celebrity and having this new-found reserve around people she does not know well, but I think if she harbored true dislike of her fans (not just an emotional inability to really connect with them on a personal level) she wouldn't be in the industry at all and she wouldn't*make any effort to please the fans. The fact that she even agreed to do meet and greets with her fans when outside issues have had an effect on her personality and rendered her uncomfortable in those sort of situations is, in my mind, the ultimate sign of her gratitude. Her smiles may seem disingenuous, and she might not honor every (or any) request for a hug, but she's making a conscious effort to give back to those who have always supported her. A snob wouldn't bother at all.