Beyoncé Has 600 Instagram Followers, part 3
Living in Georgia—the Black South—and being born in 2007, Beyoncé has always been a part of my life. Beginning high school, as social media began playing an increasingly pivotal part in my life and social survival, questions surrounding celebrity-worship and parasocial relationships began to pervade my imagination. Namely, when RENAISSANCE released, I remember my first thought being, how silly is it that grown adults are acting this way over this fellow grown woman whom they do not know? What are they escaping from, I thought? Maybe capitalism? Maybe the harsh realities of the real world? Okay. Fair enough. But then, I remembered why I found them so ridiculous in the first place. My peers, who were acting just like these adults, were naive like me, and still largely untouched by the concerns of the real world. This idol worship transcended age and circumstances. So what were they escaping from? What was the deal with all these unimpeachable idols, these appointed beacons of culture and perfection? What would happen to us, collectively, if these beacons were blown out, made “regular” like us? Who’d be our idols then? What would happen if Beyoncé had only 600 Instagram followers? This is the beginning of a play that begins to attempt to ask that question.
This is a continuation of Part Two.
SCENE IIIFour lamps at four corners of a room. People in chairs arranged in a semicircle (similar to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, for example). Center stage sits a sign that reads: “Fᴏʀ Tʜᴏsᴇ Wʜᴏ Sᴇᴇ Iᴅᴏʟs. Sᴜɴᴅᴀʏs 6-7:30”. Nɪʏᴀ sits in one of these chairs. Aᴅᴀᴍ, a frail man, in a collared sweater, enters.
ADAM Okay! How is everyoneee?
Silence.
ADAM Mhmm, Mkay. Well. we’re gonna go ahead and jump right into the ‘Destruction and Denial Prayer’, and then.. I think I see some new faces among us.. so we’ll do some introductions after that, mmkay?
Pause.
ADAM Mkay. For those new, you just repeat after me. Micah Five, Verse Thirteen, I will destroy your idols, and your sacred stones among you.
ALL Micah Five, Verse Thirteen, I will destroy your idols, and your sacred stones among you.
ADAM There are no such things as superheroes. There are no such things as celebrities.
ALL There are no such things as superheroes. There are no such things as celebrities.
ADAM Everything that I both love, as well as hate, I, or someone I know intimately as I know myself,
ALL Everything that I both love, as well as hate, I, or someone I know intimately as I know myself,
ADAM Has had a part in creating.
ALL Has had a part in creating.
ADAM Is it possible that it was all this beautiful, this entire time? And I, deceived? Yes it is.
ALL Is it possible that it was all this beautiful, this entire time? And I, deceived? Yes it is.
ADAM I will remember the two most important words. ‘God’ and ‘No.’ Amen.
ALL I will remember the two most important words. ‘God’ and ‘No.’ Amen.
ADAM Beautiful, people! Very very beautiful. Mkay. Like I said, there’s some new ones here.
He giggles to himself.
ADAM So we’re just going to do the standard introduction which is.. your name, what you were like, what happened, and what you hope to be now. Any volunteers?
Silence.
ADAM Mkay. We’ll start over… here. You. Yes, you.
JOHN Um, my name is John. Uh. I guess that. Before this started I was um, regular? I don’t know, I don’t think that’s the correct word to use. Um. I/ um
ADAM /What made you feel like you were “regular”, John?
JOHN I, hmmm. I felt like myself, I guess.
ADAM Beautiful! So honest! Truthful! Keep doing that. Perfect.
JOHN Oh, okay. Myself. Before this I was myself. What happened? Well, one day I woke up, and I went to go make a bowl of cereal, I think. Yes, a bowl of cereal. And I had this tune stuck in my head. A stupid little tune, honestly. I don’t even really like it. It’s just, well, was, when I was myself, just one of those things you aren’t even necessarily a fan of? Per se? You know? Just one of things that are everywhere, so you, naturally, pick up on it too. And it, I guess, just comes to your head one morning while you’re fixing yourself a bowl of cereal, y’know. Anyways, it went like, I don’t think I can forget now, it went like,
Jᴏʜɴ hums the melody of ‘Blank Space’ by Taylor Swift.
JOHN Yeah. Just like that. And I had it stuck in my head/ so
NIYA /Taylor Swift.
JOHN What? Yeah. Yeah that’s her name!
ADAM Excuse me, ma’am? I see that you’re a new face too. Forgive me for not laying down the rules yet. We do not interrupt/ here.
JOHN That’s the first time I’ve heard that name from anyone other than me in months!/ Wow!
ADAM /Yes, John. That’s a common experience here. I’m sorry that she interrupted you. The most important thing to remember, though, is that these are not ‘real’ people that we are recalling. They are idols, and when we hear these satanic names, we need to remember the two most important words. Do you remember those, John?
JOHN You said to be honest, right?
ADAM Um, yes. Yes, I did.
Jᴏʜɴ turns to Nɪʏᴀ.
JOHN Um. I know like, we’re not supposed to say those names, or like, enjoy the memory of them. But, sorry Adam, but you told me to be honest, and so, um, thank you? Like, that was really nice. Like even if we’re all a bunch of demonic little fuckers it’s nice to know that I’m not the only demonic little fucker. Which, I guess, is the point of this. Sorry for cursing.
Nɪʏᴀ giggles.
ADAM No, it’s fine John. Thank you for being honest. That is the point of this, so, good. Thank you. Just remember the two words. And what’s your name?
NIYA Allison.
ADAM Okay, Allison. Remember not to interrupt, mmkay?
NIYA (smirking a bit.) Mkay.
ADAM Okay, John, where were you at?
JOHN Um, can I just say one more thing.
ADAM Um, yes. Sure. You may.
JOHN (to Nɪʏᴀ.) Who was yours?
NIYA What?
JOHN Your, um, idol? I think /is what you call it.
NIYA /Beyoncé.
JOHN Haha! Yeah! Hell yeah, I remember her! Sorry Adam. It’s just, I mean, it’s Beyoncé! Haha. Wow. Yeah. Sure. Sorry. No and God. No and God.
ADAM It's okay, John.
Jᴏʜɴ and Nɪʏᴀ smile at each other for a beat.
ADAM (by this point, annoyed) John. What you hope to be now. You’re at “what you hope to be now”.
JOHN Oh my God! I’m so sorry, Adam. Truly. Sorry. Um. What I hope to be now. Less myself. Um, like. Less myself as I was. And more myself in the service of others. I want to know who I am when I begin to understand that thing you said. About how everything that I love and hate has been made by me and someone who I love. I want to live in that world. Where stuff isn’t made by some distant made-up idol, but by the people who I say that I love. Yeah.
ADAM That’s beautiful, John. Thank you. Mmkay. Allison?
Blackout.
To be continued..
Another banger! Cannot wait for this to be a fully fledged play