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Overview
Tabloid magazines, television shows, and Internet sites inundate us with daily updates about movie stars, musicians, athletes, and even those who have achieved celebrity status simply for being rich and extravagant. Disturbingly, it appears that the harder our celebrities fall, the more fascinating they are to us.
As popular culture becomes more influential, it is important to understand both the positive and negative aspects of celebrity. This volume traces the development of the concept of celebrity, discusses some of the problems facing both celebrities and their followers, and points to future trends and developments in our cultural understanding of celebrity. The author's treatment is unflinchingly honest, revealing the importance of the public's role in celebrities' lives and establishing firm criteria for determining who is a celebrity—and who is not.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781598844849 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Publication date: | 01/12/2011 |
| Series: | Contemporary World Issues |
| Pages: | 296 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d) |
| Age Range: | 15 - 18 Years |
About the Author
Table of Contents
List of Tables xi
Preface xiii
1 Background and History 1
A Modern Celebrity 1
Early Uses and Meanings 2
The Classical Civilizations 4
The World in Transition 7
Important Progress in Europe 8
America Stirs 10
The Rise of Media in 19th-century America 10
Media Gain Strength in the Early 20th Century 12
Media Become Powerful in the Late 20th Century 14
The Public's Role in Celebrity 15
Celebrities as Stars 17
The Remarkable 21st Century 18
A Celebrity Taxonomy 23
Members of the General Public as Seekers of Fame 24
Members of the Public as Famous Newsmakers 25
References 28
2 Problems, Controversies, and Solutions 31
Is Celebrity Finite? 31
Celebrities Who Violate Social or Moral Norms 36
Celebrity Endorsement 45
Fictional and Cartoon Celebrities 47
Source and Quality of Celebrity Information 49
Celebrity Magazines 50
Celebrity Television Programs 57
Celebrities and Electronic Media 62
Traditional Information Sources 62
New Media Information Sources 64
Social Media and Celebrities 66
Misconceptions about Celebrity 69
Summary and Conclusion 72
References 73
3 Worldwide Perspective 75
Entertainment Celebrities 76
Celebrities and Politics 77
Limits on Worldwide Celebrity 80
A Look at the Worldwide Celebrity Taxonomy 82
Politics and Government 83
The Arts 89
Science and Medicine 90
Academia 93
Business 96
Religion 97
Summary 100
References 101
4 Chronology 105
References 120
5 Biographical Sketches 121
Glenn Beck 121
Beyoncè 122
Kobe Bryant 123
George Clooney 123
Tom Cruise 124
Entertainment Celebrities 76
Celebrities and Politics 77
Limits on Worldwide Celebrity 80
A Look at the Worldwide Celebrity Taxonomy 82
Politics and Government 83
The Arts 89
Science and Medicine 90
Academia 93
Business 96
Religion 97
Summary 100
References 101
4 Chronology 105
References 120
5 Biographical Sketches 121
Glenn Beck 121
Beyoncè 122
Kobe Bryant 123
George Clooney 123
Tom Cruise 124
Ellen DeGeneres 125
Tony Dungy 126
Bill Gates 126
Al Gore 127
Scarlett Johansson 128
Angelina Jolie 129
Michael Jordan 129
Jennifer Lopez 130
Stephenie Meyer 131
Michael Moore 132
Barack Obama 132
Conan O'Brien 133
Bill O'Reilly 134
Danica Patrick 135
Brad Pitt 136
Rachael Ray 137
Arnold Schwarzenegger 137
Martin Scorsese 138
Britney Spears 139
Steven Spielberg 140
Jon Stewart 140
Taylor Swift 141
Rick Warren 142
Oprah Winfrey 143
Mark Zuckerberg 143
6 Data and Documents 145
Celebrity Magazines and Television Programs 145
Celebrities and the Movies 147
Gender Differences in Prime Time Television Celebrity Earnings 149
Highest-Earning Celebrities 151
Top Celebrity Fundraisers 152
Celebrities and Religion 153
Celebrity Chefs 154
AKA (Also Known As) 154
Celebrities and Music 165
Specialized Celebrities 168
Celebrity Families 170
Early Celebrity Jobs 173
Early Celebrity Deaths 173
Celebrity Writers 174
Celebrity Business Criminals 177
Celebrities and Controversial Issues 179
Celebrities and the Public 181
Two Celebrity-Related Leisure Activities 182
Recreational Expenditures 183
Internet Use 184
Letters to Celebrities 185
7 Directory of Celebrity Organizations and Web Sites 191
Celebrity-Sponsored Charities 192
Celebrity-Affiliated Charities 199
Professional Organizations 201
Multi-Service Organizations 205
Speakers Bureaus 207
Celebrity Look-Alikes 209
Celebrity News and Gossip Web Sites 211
Connections to Celebrity Fan Clubs and Web Sites 221
8 Selected Print and Nonprint Resources 225
Print Resources 225
Books with Historical Perspectives 225
Books with Special Perspectives 228
Academic Journal Articles 233
Academic Journals 240
Selected General-Interest Celebrity Magazines 243
Nonprint Resources 246
Video 246
Video Games 251
Audio 252
Useful Internet Sites 254
Glossary 259
Index 263
About the Author 273