From Elvis to Eminem: The White Trash Aesthetic (post 2)

By almost all accounts, Elvis Presley was more than a mere mortal. According to legions of fans, he is a near-God, a Saint, or at the very least, the King. Though it is hard to distinguish Elvis as much more than a pop idol in King Creole, as his career progressed, so did his sheer mythological quality. As Gael Sweeney describes in his essay on Elvis, the legacy of the performer has become enmeshed with religion, from his early comments like, “I don’t mind being controversial. Even Jesus wasn’t loved in his day,” to the communion-esque process of Elvis impersonation. This famous practice was enough to attract the attention of Eric Lott, a writer who delved into the process, purpose, and implications of Elvis impersonation in “All the King’s Men.” Though Lott too draws on the almost spiritual experience of Elvis Impersonators, he focuses more on Elvis as being a symbol of working class masculinity.

While early Elvis, the sort that is embodied in King Creole, surely does represent virility, rebellion, and masculinity, the later Elvis, enrobed in white bejeweled jumpsuits and laden with extra pounds and a clear drug habit, came to be canonized as a white trash icon. Every aspect of him, from his extreme weight, which brazenly disobeyed normative body ideals, to his purveyance of tacky looks, locations, and lifestyle, enshrined him as the King of the underclass. But even before his reign as the White Trash King, Elvis was censored and reviled. First, it was for his body and the raw sexual power that he wielded over teenage girls, then perhaps, as Sweeny suggests, for his overturning of the Puritanical American ideal of success. While success is expected to come through education, hard work, and some level of prudence, Elvis’ fame defied this process, and placed a legitimate member of the lower class at the pinnacle of fame in America.

This distrust of so-called white trash is not limited to the King. It has occurred even in political leaders like Bill Clinton. As a society, we seem to have a familiarity, yet distrust of “white trash,” a prejudice that may stem from what Sweeney describes as their vicinity to African Americans and black culture. Elvis himself was often described as having a “black” aesthetic. And the blurring of racial and class divisions has continued to be a controversial yet successful enterprise. Most notably, Eminem opened up the primarily African American world of rap to white America, and was incredibly successful. Thus, while the label of white trash may seem to be a handicap, for a few select performers, most notably Elvis, the stereotype has been a blessing rather than a curse, leading him to be immortalized on in so many black velvet portraits and belt buckles.

1. If we as Americans are so afraid of this racial and class blurring, how do idols like Elvis, and more recently Eminem become such popular figures?
2. As a clear representative of white trash, how was Eminem able to achieve so much success, while a clearly accomplished man like Bill Clinton found the label so challenging?
3. Is the label of white trash really just an outgrowth of racism directed at African Americans?