celebrity

Two new books take a look at the state of celebrity in our culture from different vantage points.

The Cult of Celebrity , by Cooper Lawrence, looks at what our facsination with celebs says about us as a society.

America’s fast-growing religion is—let’s face it—celebrity worship. From gossip magazines to entertainment TV, from blogs to ads featuring famous faces, the stars are our new gods and goddesses. But why are we so quick to put them on pedestals? Why are we even more spellbound when they topple back down to earth

The Cult of Celebrity is the first book to explore this phenomenon comprehensively and yet in eminently readable terms. In a compulsive read, Cooper Lawrence maps out the psychology behind the behavior of the stars—and that of the millions out there who follow their every move. She points both to the benefits and dangers not only to society but also to us personally; to our spending habits, health, social awareness, attitude toward personal failure and toward relationships, and above all, our self-image. And she offers practical tips on keeping our interest under control. Drawing on the latest research as well as interviews with fans and entertainment industry insiders, as well as celebrities themselves, The Cult of Celebrity is as accessible and sassy as it is thought-provoking.

On the other side of the coin is Perez Hilton’s Red Carpet Suicide which is a guide to becoming a celebrity from the expert himself.

Psycho celebrities dominate news, fashion, and trends, influencing how we speak, what we wear, and who we hang out with. We’re obsessed! Our gossip-driven world has set the barometer of what’s in or out. So, who are we trying to become and how do we become them? Post a grainy sex video online, drive high and wasted against oncoming traffic, flash for the cameras, and if that doesn’t work, attempt suicide and you’re bound to become a “Hilton.”

Now the man behind Hollywood’s most hated website—infamous for breaking raw superstar dish and jaw-dropping commentary—lends his fearless voice, notorious sense of humor, and outrageous sensibility to Red Carpet Suicide, the book celebrities have been looking forward to as much as their next DUI. Making sense of the madness and celebrity addiction that consumes us, Perez twists this irresistible and delicious guilty pleasure into a hysterically funny, shockingly true, and generation-defining survival guide.

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I saw this interesting article in Slate today about the emotion, elevation. In the article they explain what elevation is and explain how researchers are “testing” when elevation is felt:

Since oxytocin is released during breast-feeding, Dacher Keltner and the student brought in 42 lactating women and had them watch either an inspiring clip from The Oprah Winfrey Show about a gang member saved from a life of violence by a teacher or an amusing bit from a Jerry Seinfeld routine.

About half the Oprah-watching mothers either leaked milk into nursing pads or nursed their babies following the viewing; none of the Seinfeld watchers felt enough breast dilation to wet a pad, and fewer than 15 percent of them nursed. You could say elevation is Oprah’s opiate of the masses, so it’s fitting that she early on gave Obama her imprimatur. And that for his victory speech was up front in Grant Park, elevation’s moist embodiment, feeling so at one with humankind that she used a stranger as a handkerchief.

Interesting. This got me thinking about celebrities (like Oprah) and how many of them do make us feel elevation without us even realizing it which may be one reason many of us are drawn to celebrities and ultimately want to be near them.

I think Bono is a perfect example of this. If the U2 frontman can’t create and harness the emotion elevation, than I don’t know who can. And as a result he is “worshipped” by fans around the world.

Just one more thing to think about as we explore celebrity and fandom in our culture. Stay tuned.

Tagged as: celebrity