America is fascinated with celebrities-from chefs to athletes to television, movie, and rock stars, and even to people who are only famous for being famous. This book explores the effect of celebrity on Americans' public and private lives. The contributors examine how celebrities bring about change, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and whether those changes are good or bad for the public that loves and follows them. They also discuss the flattening of celebrity and what the rise of pseudo celebrity portends for a society that accords fame without substantial accomplishment. Topics explored include health, philanthropy, activism, and celebrity attitudes toward feminism and police brutality-all issues that fall under the cultural magnifying glass today. Recommended for scholars of media studies, popular culture, and sociology.

Viewpoints on Media Effects: Pseudo-reality and Its Influence on Media Consumers continues the ongoing research of media effects by illuminating not only the negative effects of media consumption, but also some of the pro-social aspects, with a special focus on social media. Recommended for scholars and researchers with an interest in media studies, specifically the exploration of media effects in various media. Also relevant scholars and researchers within the fields of communication studies, English, education, and sociology.