Tom Payne explores the world of Paris Hilton, Madonna, Lady Gaga, and the Rich & Famous. From Greek mythology and Roman history, to the stories of the Christian martyrs and the French Revolution, Payne shows how celebrity and fame have followed predictable patterns. I learned that Mae West originally said “No” to being on the cover of Sargent Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band until the Beatles wrote her a personal letter. That letter changed her mind and opened the door to more Fame. Of course, Fame is fleeting for most people, mostly Andy Warhol’s iconic “15 minutes of fame.” If you’re interested in cults of personality and the vagaries of Fame, this is the go-to book. GRADE: B+
Occasionally I wonder if the world belongs to fame whores and crazed narcissists while the rest of us just live in it.
Some people are addicted to Fame, Drongo. But, as Tom Payne points out, it’s a dangerous drug.
When someone like Snooki or “The Situation” can get famous, our culture really is scraping the bottom of the bucket.
I might add: When someone like me, whose only contact with reality TV is inadvertent (unless you count 30 minutes of “The Soup” once a week) knows who Snooki and The Situation are, things have come to a lowly state indeed.
FAME and the cult of personality dominates our culture, Deb. Lady Gaga’s big breakthrough was wearing her all-meat outfit. The more outrageous the behavior, the more fame it attracts.
If Paris Hilton is in this Crider is required to read it by law.
Amen, Deb.
*hands Deb her geezer bus pass, turns on left signal*
Paris Hilton is a good example of a celebrity being famous because she’s a celebrity, Jeff. The logic is circular, but that’s the way our culture works.
I stay away from the silly programs like Hollywood Access that show and tell all about the “stars”, I don’t read any of the Star-tell magazines, don’t watch sit-coms or reality TV (except Amazing Race) so I really try hard to keep this junk out of my life. I guess I succeed, as I have no idea who the heck snooki is, sounds like the name of a puffy little dog. As for the situation, are you referring to politics, like “the situation in Iran”? I get enough of that crap on the news. So no thanks to this book or any of the stuff. I’d rather read that Rumpole book you posted about yesterday.
While you and I ignore most of the celebrity “buzz,” Rick, millions of people wallow in it. What is FACEBOOK other than a media outlet for average people who want celebrity and fame? The strength of Tom Payne’s FAME is that Payne shows that the quest for fame goes back thousands of years. It must be hard-wired into our DNA.
also a note – are notoriety and fame considered the same? Where does prominence fit into that mix?
Notoriety tends to be associated with the shady side of celebrity, Rick. Fame and prominence go together based on mostly, in our culture, wealth. Interestingly, the wealthy class in our culture seems to be a bi-modal distribution: half seek fame, the other half is obsessed with privacy.
Rick, Snooki does bear a certain resemblance to a little puffy dog, now that you mention it.
Thanks for the geezer bus pass, Jeff, but I already got mine years ago!
/Leaves to yell at kids on the lawn.
Fame is all too fleeting for some people, Deb. Will anyone care about Snooki or The Situation 10 years from now?
God, I hope not!
One last thing–just this morning I was in the check-out line at the grocery store and I saw some woman on the cover of all the “glossy” tabloids (like OK and Star). I had no idea who she was until I saw a caption that said she was the “star” of “16 and Pregnant.” So that’s what passes as celebrity these days.
Heaven help us!
The tabloids love to wallow in dire predicaments like being 16 and pregnant, Deb. Remember how the STAR and the other tabloids went wild when Britney shaved her head?
Britney has a head? Sure doesn’t use it much.
I do think Paris was a turning point. Jackie used to read OK! and Hello magazines when we were in England and even got a subscription to one of them for a couple of years. For a couple of years before she was on the radar here Paris was already on the radar in Europe. She really was the breakthrough person for what George said – Famous For Being Famous – someone who never actually did something (sorry, Bill), but just was.
Before Paris Hilton, it was Lady Di, Jeff. I have a sister who will read ANYTHING about the dead princess.
Poor Paris. Will the persecution never cease?
I think not, Bob.