Dear Facebook, please make me a supermodel

December 12, 2008 | Tam Vo | Comments |

Public event listings on Facebook have been used to influence politics and organize protests. But now events organized through Facebook — and their chaotic aftermath — may just lead to… a modeling contract?

Two weeks ago, British teen Georgina Hobday posted a Facebook event to announce her birthday party, one worthy of MTV’s reality series My Super Sweet Sixteen (where spoiled rich teens throw lavish, themed tantrums to celebrate their coming-of-age, often with ponies and Range Rovers). She invited 100 guests online, but kept the event public. I would have immediately regretted that decision.

What ensued was over 400 gatecrashers stampeding Hobday’s family mansion in Brighton, U.K. A gang dubbing itself the “Facebook Republican Army,” which scours the internet and Facebook for parties to crash, trampled the lawn, burnt carpets and smashed anything breakable in sight. And I’m pretty sure they didn’t bring any gifts for the birthday girl. Hobday’s parents left four adult “bouncers” in charge, but they were no match for the teenage riot. Needless to say, Hobday’s mom was not pleased by the $7400 worth of damage, and vows to never throw her daughter another party again.

But wait! With all the publicity, photos of young Georgina quickly circulated, and it turns out she’s actually really adorable (okay, and super intense-looking). Now Kate Moss’s modeling agency, Storm, is now keen to meet and sign a contract with Hobday, who they believe could be a long-lost twin of supermodel Lily Cole. The moral of the story? 1) If you don’t want to see an army of gatecrashers (or run out of chips and dip), make your event private. 2) If your event does get out of control and covered by the media, it helps to be attractive.

Unlike YouTube, where user-generated videos can propel individuals into viral superstardom, or MySpace, where having a bajillion friends can land Tila Tequila a reality TV series, there isn’t a direct route to fame via Facebook yet, especially with its privacy settings. But it looks like no one will be telling Hobday “You looked hotter in your Facebook photo” anytime soon.