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.
