What Happens When a Massive Pop Star Goes to Boot Camp?

Imagine a world where 18-year-old music sensation Billie Eilish, fresh off her six Grammy wins in February, had to report to boot camp at Fort Benning, Georgia, in March. How would the Army handle the media glare, and how would her fellow recruits react?

That's the situation in Israel right now. Noa Kirel has been famous since age 14 for her YouTube videos that led to stardom on reality television, teen dramas and TV commercials. She recently signed a multimillion-dollar recording contract with Atlantic Records.

The Washington Post reports that Kirel, now 19, has been drafted into the Israeli Army to fulfill her required service under the country's mandatory conscription law. Noa will serve at least two years before she can return to her career full time.

Some of our readers are old enough to remember Elvis Presley's Army service 60 years ago. A lot has changed since then, and the Army didn't have to deal with a pack of paparazzi and a bottomless appetite for gossip on social media at that time.

Things in Israel have not gotten off to a great start. Kirel pissed off the brass by making a commercial for Israeli streaming service Yes+ that has her playacting in American fatigues in a fake boot camp. She's singing "Let the Sunshine In" from "Hair," a show that even Israelis remember for its anti-war sentiments.

"Wonder Woman" actress Gal Gadot also did her Israeli military service, but she had yet to launch her acting career at that point. Still, she was already famous as the winner of the Miss Israel pageant, but local media insist that Kirel's current fame dwarfs Gadot's at that time.

Kirel may be causing chaos, but she chose to fulfill her obligation even though she could have opted out because she's got only one kidney. Her commitment to serve no matter what counts for a lot in Israeli society.

"I felt that, because I was famous, I had to serve to set an example to others," Kirel said. "I know people abroad will probably not understand this, not understand why I have put everything on hold, but it was clear to me that I had to do this."

Kirel represents the first wave of a new problem facing the Israeli military. The modern definition of fame is changing, and there are dozens of Israeli youths becoming popular solely through their social media profiles on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

Making an exception for one big star might be a challenge that the Israeli Army is prepared to meet, but what happens when you've got a whole platoon of teenage celebrities reporting to boot camp?

That's not a problem we're likely to face anytime soon. It's not likely the USA will have compulsory national service in the near future. We can't even convince people to wear a mask over here.

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