History Main / FifteenMinutesOfFame

* ''WesternAnimation/MenInBlack'': Agent X called for a TV crew from his home planet so they'd make him the star of their show. Being unable to get rid of them, Zed punished X by offering a chance to have K instead of X as the star, which they quickly accepted. As J pointed out, fame was so fickle X didn't even have fifteen minutes of it.

* ''Fanfic/SomeThingsNeverChange'': During their final encounter, Squidward brings up his victories over Squilliam during the events of "Band Geeks" and later "House Fancy" as his one and only trump card. However, Squilliam laughs it off, pointing out how the true measure of fame isn’t gaining it but holding onto it and leaving your mark on society. Squilliam by this point [[spoiler: (and after his death)]] has had a lifelong career of countless achievements, and has been immortalized by Bikini Bottom as a RenaissanceMan. Meanwhile, Squidward's past accomplishments have long been forgotten, only remembered by the very few who even bother to care about him (like Sandy and Spongebob).

** Bart accidentally destroys a set while on the Krusty the Klown show and reflexively says "[[ImplausibleDeniability I didn't do it]]" to the audience. They find it incredibly amusing, and he gets promoted from being Krusty's off-screen "gofer" to having an entire sketch on the show dedicated to him. He loves it, then gets sick of the repetition, then accepts it again - only for it to become a DiscreditedMeme in-universe.

* WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyPonyLife has the segment "Ponies of the Moment" where the Mane Six become famous for a day after Spike uploads a silly video of Pinkie Pie online.

* After his father made his disappearance into ''Comicbook/BatmanNoMansLand'' incredibly public in his quest to have [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Tim]] returned to him he becomes a minor celebrity against his wishes, he's especially annoyed the government was willing to save one rich kid from the city it abandoned and cut off from the world but not the many others still trapped there. ''"People point at me everywhere. 'There's Tim Drake-the kid who got trapped in Gotham.' The President wanted to meet me."''

Note that ''what'' activity, exactly, causes the fame differs depending on the portrayal. More dramatic works will use a somewhat plausible act of heroism to get the point across, such as rescuing someone from a fire or from drowning. This will be done to get a point across via CharacterDevelopment. In comedy, the act will be something unusual but ultimately ridiculous. Like eating a thousand scoops of ice cream, or shaking the hand of a celebrity. Here, the point will often be to make jokes at the expense of the media. Alternatively, a person may win short-term fame or "go viral" on social media with an inflammatory or offensive remark or a risqué photo or video. With the last category, AnAesop may result on "looking before you leap".

So, it looks like it's just going to be another one of those normal regular old days when, all of a sudden, something exciting happens! One character does something unusual enough that there's a sudden media spotlight on them -- there's all this attention headed their way, and they can't get enough of it!

...Until, inevitably, the media gets bored and moves on to some other bizarre story. Ah, well. At least you had your fifteen minutes. Has a high chance of leading to AnAesop about being satisfied with what you have, and not to be too bummed when everybody gets bored by your one-note gag.

Note that ''what'' activity, exactly, causes the fame differs depending on the portrayal. More dramatic works will use a somewhat plausible act of heroism to get the point across, such as rescuing someone from a fire or from drowning. This will be done to get a point across via CharacterDevelopment. In comedy, the act will be something unusual but ultimately ridiculous. Like eating a thousand scoops of ice cream, or shaking the hand of a celebrity. Here, the point will often be to make jokes at the expense of the media.

A character trying to keep a low profile will often let another soak in the fifteen minutes, for fear of being discovered.

See ADayInTheLimelight for this trope in the meta-sense. Often leads to AcquiredSituationalNarcissism. Compare AFoolAndHisNewMoneyAreSoonParted, where it is money rather than popularity that comes and goes. Also compare HollywoodHypeMachine for this trope applied to show business. Compare YouAreTheNewTrend where the character becomes briefly famous for a distinctive look or outfit rather than actions.

...Until, inevitably, the media gets bored and moves onto some other bizarre story. Ah, well. At least you had your fifteen minutes. Has a high chance of leading to AnAesop about being satisfied with what you have, and not to be too bummed when everybody gets bored by your one-note gag.

See ADayInTheLimelight for this trope in the meta-sense. Often leads to AcquiredSituationalNarcissism. Compare AFoolAndHisNewMoneyAreSoonParted, where it is money rather than popularity that comes and goes. Also compare HollywoodHypeMachine for this trope applied to show business. Compare YouAreTheNewTrend where the character become briefly famous for a distinctive look or outfit rather than actions.

* ''Fanfic/SomeThingsNeverChange'': During their final encounter, Squidward brings up his victories over Squilliam during the events of "Band Geeks" and later "House Fancy" as his one and only trump card. However, Squilliam laughs it off, pointing out how the true measure of fame isn’t gaining it but holding onto it and leaving your mark on society. Squilliam by this point [[spoiler: (and after his death)]] has had a lifelong career of countless achievements, and has been immortalized by Bikini Bottom as a RenaissanceMan. Meanwhile Squidward's past accomplishments have long been forgotten, only remembered by the very few who even bother to care about him (like Sandy and Spongebob).

* A dark example in ''Film/ITonya''; after having her life thrown apart and career ended by the scandal that makes her a punchline, the media immediately moves onto the next celebrity scandal: the Creator/OJSimpson trial.

* In ''Film/Scream2'', this is [[spoiler:Mickey's]] motivations for the murders. Unlike every other Ghostface he actually ''wants'' to get caught, looking forward to the media sensation that will follow and the lasting infamy he will have.
* [[spoiler:Jill]] from ''Film/Scream4'' is even worse, and actually lists this by name. [[spoiler:She committed the murders so that she can be immortalized as a FinalGirl, just like her cousin Sidney.]]

* Navin Johnson, the protagonist of the Steve Martin vehicle ''Film/TheJerk'', is a regular gas station attentdant who hits it big when he creates a device that hold eyeglasses in place. His fame and fortune are short-lived when the entrepreneur he sold the idea to files a class action suit after the device causes his eyes to be permanently crossed.

** Peg becomes famous when she claims she saw Elvis and found a shirt of Al's with a sweat-stain of the King. At first, Al passes this off as baloney but eventually tries to cash in on her fame by selling blue suede shoes. Unfortunately, before he can, Elvis is spotted in Youngstown and Peg's fame is lost as quickly as it's gained.

* ''VideoGame/DeadRising2OffTheRecord'' shows that Frank West was celebrated as a hero and even shook hands with the President after the events of the first game. He lived off the riches and fame he got until it dried up, and now people consider him a washed up D-lister. Saving the day again in this story presumably reignited his popularity, though a lot of this adventure is non-canon to the overall series, save for what happened between games. ''VideoGame/DeadRising4'' reveals that the book Frank wrote about the incident at Willamette was derided as conspiracy theorist nonsense, that his only true fans are also loopy conspiracy theorists and the meeting where Frank shook hands with the President actually ended in Frank accidentally punching him in the throat.

* ''Fanfic/SomeThingsNeverChange'': During their final encounter, Squidward brings up his victories over Squilliam during the events of "Band Geeks" and later "House Fancy" as his one and only trump card. However, Squilliam laughs it off, pointing out how the true measure of fame isn’t gaining it but holding onto it and leaving your mark on society. Squilliam by this point [[spoiler: (and after his death)]] has had a lifelong career of countless achievements and has been immortalized by Bikini Bottom as a RenaissanceMan who will go down in history as a genius, while Squidward's past accomplishments have long been forgotten, only remembered by the very few who even bother to care about him (like Sandy and Spongebob).

* ''Fanfic/SomeThingsNeverChange'': During their final encounter, Squidward brings up his victories over Squilliam during the events of "Band Geeks" and later "House Fancy" as his one and only trump card. However, Squilliam laughs it off, pointing out how the true measure of fame isn’t gaining it but holding onto it and leaving your mark on society. Squilliam by this point [[spoiler: (and after his death)]] has had a lifelong career of countless achievements, while Squidward's past accomplishments have long been forgotten, only remembered by the very few who even bother to care about him (like Sandy and Spongebob).

* ''Fanfic/SomeThingsNeverChange'': During their final encounter, Squidward brings up his victories over Squilliam during the events of "Band Geeks" and later "House Fancy" as his one and only trump card. However, Squilliam laughs it off, pointing out how the true measure of fame isn’t gaining it but holding onto it and leaving your mark on society. Squilliam by this point (and after his death) has had a lifelong career of countless achievements, while Squidward's past accomplishments have long been forgotten, only remembered by the very few who even bother to care about him (like Sandy and Spongebob).

* ''Fanfic/SomeThingsNeverChange'': During their final encounter, Squidward brings up his victories over Squilliam during the events of "Band Geeks" and later "House Fancy" as his one and only trump card but Squilliam laughs it off, pointing out how the true measure of fame isn’t gaining it but holding onto it and leaving your mark on society, which he has achieved a long time ago, thanks to his decades-long career and countless achievements, while Squidward hasn't.

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So, it looks like it's just going to be another one of those normal regular old days when, all of a sudden, something exciting happens! One character does something unusual enough that there's a sudden media spotlight on them- there's all this attention headed their way and they can't get enough of it!

...Until, inevitably, the media gets bored and moves onto some other bizarre story. Ah well. At least you had your fifteen minutes. Has a high chance of leading to AnAesop about being satisfied with what you have, and not to be too bummed when everybody gets bored by your one-note gag.

* Subverted with the Squid Sisters in ''Franchise/{{Splatoon}}''. The duo was very popular in the timeframe of the first game, and while they no longer host Inkopolis News come ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'', that's because their careers had exploded in the years since. Callie in particular became quite the film and TV star, while Marie made a name for herself on radio. That said, younger Inklings aren't quite as familiar with them, and Agent 4 in particular has ''no'' idea who they are (with [[AllThereInTheManual the character's official biography]] explaining that they just never watch TV).

* Downplayed with the Squid Sisters in ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}''. The duo was very popular in the timeframe of the first game, but [[VideoGame/Splatoon2 two years later]], the lack of activity stemming from their separation seems to have caused them to become relatively unknown among the younger Inklings of Inkopolis Square, though Off the Hook's newscast implies that they're still quite famous among the general populace. [[spoiler: Though of course, Marina holds them in particular regard since they literally changed her life through a performance.]]

* As with much of everything else, Music/MarilynManson puts a dark spin on the phrase in "I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)":

* ''VideoGame/DeadRising2OffTheRecord'' shows that Frank West was celebrated as a hero and even shook hands with the President after the events of the first game. He lived off the riches and fame he got until it dried up, and now people consider him a washed up D-lister. Saving the day again in this story presumably reignited his popularity, though a lot of this adventure is non-canon to the overall series, save for what happened between games. ''VideoGame/DeadRising4'' reveals that the book Frank wrote about the incident at Willamette was derided as conspiracy theorist nonsense, that his only true fans are also loopy conspiracy theorists and the meeting where Franks hook hands with the President actually ended in Frank accidentally punching him in the throat.

* The ''{{Literature/Goosebumps}}'' story "How I Learned To Fly" has the protagonist learn to fly (along with another kid who's the living embodiment of AlwaySomeoneBetter), gaining the attention of the media and the government, and ends with him suddenly being unable to, crashing to the ground in front of a crowd who'd gathered there to watch him. He has utterly lost his ability to fly, much to the frustration of his StageDad, [[spoiler:but the end reveals he actually still can, he just wanted his attention-free life back]].

* ''VideoGame/DeadRising2: Off the Record'' shows that Frank West was celebrated as a hero and even shook hands with the President after the events of the first game. He lived off the riches and fame he got until it dried up, and now people consider him a washed up D-lister. Saving the day again in this story presumably reignited his popularity. ''VideoGame/DeadRising4'' later revealed that the book Frank wrote about the incident at Willamette was derided as conspiracy theorist nonsense, that his only true fans are also loopy conspiracy theorists and the meeting where Franks hook hands with the President actually ended in Frank accidentally punching him in the throat.