False protaganists
It's interesting that when people admire another person in the limelight, they can manipulate that limelight and ride on the coat tails of that person's fame, by becoming that derisive public element.
I have seen this happen in other fields.
They become "false protaganists" of their icon.
WIKIPEDIA: "Sometimes, a work will initially highlight a particular character, as though they were the protagonist, and then unexpectedly dispose of that character as a dramatic device. Such a character is called a false protagonist."