A Short History of Celebrity (Patreon)

The concept for this came to me after a phone call with an A-List actor who supports my content. We talked about his role as a black person in the black community. While he insisted he's just an actor (and therefore just a celebrity), after a quick breakdown on the political and social influence of celebs, he begrudgingly admitted that he has a larger role to play in the community than he wanted to accept. While any American can say that they don't care about celebrities (and seriously, good for you!), no American can say that celebrities don't impact their lives. Just look at who the president is. 

This video is foundational for content I'd like to explore in the future, filed under the questionable name Celebritea. While this 31-minute beauty delves into the concept of American celebrity since the 19th century, A LOT more can be said. By the time you reach the end of this video, you'll understand why discourse about celebrities and how they impact our world is crucial.  I have other topics in mind, like how Americans process celebrity death, black celebrity culture, celebrities and religion, celebrities and sex scandals, and celebrities and public policy. If you like this video, be sure to like it and let me know!

Anatomy of A Stan: Celebrity Idolatry and Obsession will premiere next week. This video will remain exclusive on patreon until next week. 

Sources + Further Reading

• Celebrity: A History of Fame (Susan J. Douglass and Andrea McDonnell)
• A Short History of Fame (Fred Inglis)
• The Drama of Celebrity (Sharon Marcus)
• The Naughty Nineties: The Triumph of The American Libido (David Friend)
• Celebrity Culture: Famous For Being Famous  
• Jayne Mansfield: The First Reality Star?
•  How Anna Nicole Smith Became America's Punchline 
• Paw Paw & Lady Love
• Baby Groupies 
• The 70s groupies who broke the rules of style and sexuality 
• Star Magazine Archive 
• I Lost My Virginity to David Bowie 
• The Unwatched Life Is Not Worth Living: The Elevation of the Ordinary in Celebrity Culture