Jake Halpern will be reading at Brookline Booksmith at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, January 10.
Why were many Americans fixated on the scandal swirling around Miss USA Tara Conner? Why do celebrities constantly complain about the pressure of fame yet keep coming back for more? And what is the long-term impact of society's focus on fame?
Author Jake Halpern, whose new book Fame Junkies will be released on January 10, tries to answer all of these questions and comes to the conclusion that Americans are addicted to fame.
Like any addiction, America's fascination with fame isn't healthy, especially for young people who worship celebrities. Halpern surveyed middle-school students in Rochester, New York, and found that far too many young people, especially girls, would rather be famous than intelligent or powerful. In one disturbing statistic, girls overwhelmingly chose being an assistant to a celebrity over becoming a senator.
Halpern also investigated the lives of children who are trying to become famous. He traveled to conventions where families go so a child can be discovered, and he found that "Parents have lost their heads over fame as much as the kids."
American society as a whole has grown to "idolize the concept of fame" over actual skills and talents. Halpern says, "In another time, it was money we did that with. With the Carnegies and the Rockefellers, at least there's the idea of hard work - and hustle."
The celebrities who reap the rewards of this adulation don't have it any better, and there may be some truth in their complaining. Halpern spoke with Dr. Robert Millman, the former Medical Director for Major League Baseball, and he found that fame can have a "corrosive and warping effect on you. You're not used to hearing hard truths." He cites the public meltdowns of Michael Jackson, Tom Cruise, and Russell Crowe as examples.
Halpern's research, which included spending time with Rod Stewart's number-one fan and child-star wannabes, led him to conclude that fame is an addiction like any other. While describing former celebrities who embarrass themselves back into the public eye, he says, "You get a taste for something you like - gosh, I would like to do that one more time. They [celebrities] want one last hit of it, in the hope that it will segue into something better. Who in their right mind would want to go back to the other way?"
More interview after the jump.
Halpern can see why fame can be so addictive. He is now in the unusual position of reaping the benefits of the very phenomenon he criticizes. He used to sleep on couches during his last book tour. But people are so interested in celebrities, not to mention the underside of celebrity, that his life as a freelance writer just became a whole lot easier with the release of his new book. Now his publisher puts him up in swanky hotels like the Waldorf.
The phone is also ringing more frequently, and Halpern has turned down interviews with those who can't resist chatting about celebrities. In one instance, he was invited by a talk show that shall remain nameless, and he immediately passed on it because they were in the habit of covering "prostitutes and midgets." It seems as if this brand of talk show exploits celebrities - and those who write about them - as much as they exploit those who are pushed to the margins of society.
This sudden burst of attention has made Halpern feel a little guilty, and he has said to himself about Fame Junkies, "It's still another excuse for talking about these celebrities! You're contributing to the roar of the fame machine!"
When asked if there's any solution to the problem he's identified, Halpern says, "I'm definitely not a Puritan. My message in the book is one of moderation, not of abstinence."
Halpern says parents can reduce the damage done by a fame addiction. He seems floored by the stage moms and dads who push their kids to train for fame. Not everyone can be famous, no matter how many reality shows are on television. He thinks parents should have a talk with starstruck kids and ask them, "This is great, but do you really want to be the next Macaulay Culkin?"
For the kids who don't enjoy parental involvement in their lives, this problem becomes difficult to solve. In the Rochester survey, kids from low-income backgrounds and troubled family lives were much more likely to see fame as a balm that would soothe all their problems. In that case, it's up to society to set more realistic standards. Maybe kids would be better off studying or training instead of watching MTV Cribs and The Fabulous Life Of So-and-So.
Then, if these kids establish real skills, as opposed to dreaming all day about stardom or assisting celebrities, they might have a shot of making something of themselves, either in or out of the spotlight.
Image of the Fame Junkies book cover from Amazon.
add to digg
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
