Bending us to like the Beckhams
By Karen Thomas
USA Today
Beck-who?
Only in the United States can David and Victoria Beckham stroll the streets unnoticed, as they did in Los Angeles several days ago. While some celebrities might relish such anonymity, the English duo — wildly famous everywhere else in the world — aren't used to being ignored.
David Beckham
The former Spice Girl and the soccer superstar are eager to change that with a well-orchestrated British invasion aimed at raising their U.S. profile.
The Beckham Blitz so far:
• Last month, they met with New York fashion editors and music execs about Victoria Beckham's new album and her plans to launch a fashion line.
• They did a joint interview on ABC's "20/20."
Victoria Beckham
• They appeared at the MTV Movie Awards in Los Angeles on May 31, dressed in matching Dolce & Gabbana.
The two have enough lined up to keep them here most of the summer.
Victoria hits Manhattan again late this month to record final tracks for her album, due in September. She'll also continue negotiations on launching her fashion line.
David will be here in July for four exhibition matches with his soccer team, Manchester United. He'll also be here this fall to promote his second autobiography.
The couple — young, fit, attractive, successful and obscenely rich — are to Britain what Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe once were to America: a glamorous prom king-and-queen merger of macho athleticism and feminine sex appeal.
But conquering America may not be so easy.
On their side: They have a head start here, thanks to the sleeper movie hit "Bend It Like Beckham" (about his sport) and her heyday in the '90s as pouty Posh Spice. And overseas, he's a fashion trendsetter, especially in hairstyles.
Against them: In the United States, soccer (known as football everywhere else) is popular with suburban moms but not NFL fans. Posh's first solo album was a pop flop, and she's hardly a red-carpet fashion favorite.
"They are this new, hot, incredibly good-looking couple, and we've OD'd on Ben (Affleck) and Jen (Lopez). But we don't watch soccer, so that's a problem," says Merle Ginsberg, entertainment editor at W and Women's Wear Daily.
Robert Thompson, a professor of pop culture at Syracuse University, says he'd be "surprised if they became our new royal couple. After the smoke clears and this whole coming-to-America party is over, we'll still be talking about Brad (Pitt) and Jennifer (Aniston)."
