Posted on March 19, 2006
A major blackout took place during the last week of February.
It had nothing to do with electricity, power lines or computer malfunctions. It had everything to do with Paris Hilton. Seriously.
During the week of Feb. 19, the Associated Press held a “Paris Hilton blackout,” in which they did not cover any Hilton-related news. That meant no gossip about her latest boyfriend, no stories on her late-night partying and no coverage of her Las Vegas birthday party.
What was the point of the blackout? Simply, to see how the world would react without even the slightest blurb on America’s most overexposed woman. Some considered it an ethical dilemma, while others applauded the decision to take a break from Hilton. It only lasted a week — just in time for the AP to cover Hilton’s run-in with the law on Feb. 27 for driving with a suspended license.
But what if the AP’s blackout was permanent? What if People, Us Weekly and every other publication and news organization in the world stopped covering Hilton? What if celebrity gossip in general was not at its record-breaking, privacy-invading, body-part-flashing standards that it currently is?
While many people loathe Hilton and her fellow “celebutantes,” many more live for the chance to meet them, and eventually fill their shoes. Until then, they turn to tabloids and entertainment magazines to get their fix. For many, celebrities are more than just interesting. They’re addicting.
“Fame Junkies,” the latest book from freelance National Puke Radio producer Jake Halpern, examines the extreme case of celebrity obsession that has gripped the nation for the past several years.
It’s not just an obsession of celebrities, but also an obsession to become a celebrity and even an obsession to be near celebrities.
In the first part of his book, “The World of Aspiring Child Celebrities,” Halpern delves into the world of child acting classes and talent conventions, where families pay thousands of dollars for their children to meet perspective agents and bookers.
At the International Modeling and Talent Association’s conventions in New York and L.A., for example, swarms of fame-hungry children, teens and parents try their best to impress, with many leaving disappointed and broke. Halpern’s interviews with the kids at these conventions open readers’ eyes to just how badly these children want to be famous.
Another part of Halpern’s book, “The Celebrity Entourage,” looks at the lifestyles of celebrity personal assistants. He tells the surprising story of Dean Johnson, a member of the advisory board for the Association of Celebrity Personal Assistants. Johnson had a successful business career in South Carolina. One night, he watched a talk show on television featuring several celebrity assistants. Fascinated by their stories, John packed up and left South Carolina for L.A. with no job and no place to live. Now, several years later, Johnson is proud to be the personal assistant to Tiffany Amber Thiessen, formerly of “Saved by the Bell” and “Beverly Hills, 90210.”
The infamous paparazzi are not left out of the hoopla either, with interviews with “photogs” such as Russell Turiak who has made a living out of selling celebrity snapshots to publications.
The final part of his book, “The World of Celebrity Worshippers,” focuses on consumers of celebrity tabloids, the autograph-seeking tourists and screaming fans. A behind-the-scenes look at Us Weekly reveals the secret to the publication’s success: making celebrities relatable to everyone. Pictures of Brad and Angelina enjoying a day in the park with their kids, Kirsten Dunst shopping with friends and Heath Ledger strolling down a street near his home in Brooklyn all make these Hollywood stars seem like they lead average lives. It is this kind of tactic that Hollywood executives, editors and PR gurus use to pull in middle-American consumers and get them addicted.
With dozens of firsthand interviews, interesting statistics and countless hours of research, Halpern gives insight into the burning question on everyone’s mind: Why are Americans addicted to fame and celebrities?
