• Recall this Book 20: The Drama of Celebrity with Sharon Marcus

    Author(s):
    Sharon Marcus, John Plotz
    Date:
    2019
    Subject(s):
    Celebrities--Study and teaching, Motion picture industry, California--Los Angeles--Hollywood
    Item Type:
    Podcast
    Tag(s):
    Celebrity studies, Hollywood
    Permanent URL:
    https://doi.org/10.17613/sbvy-ms85
    Abstract:
    John sits down with Columbia University professor Sharon Marcus to discuss her latest book, The Drama of Celebrity, a tour-de-force argument about how stars are born, publicized, and in time devoutly scrapbooked by adoring fans. They tackle a question at least as old as Sarah Bernhardt: who or what makes a star? Rather than crediting star making to the culture industry, to fans, or to star themselves, Sharon makes the case that all three forces together constitute a celebrity creation machine. After discussing her archival work on theatrical scrapbooking in Indiana, Sharon pulls from the vaults a marvelous Hollywood memoir, Brooke Haywood's Haywired. That triggers discussion of the studio system and how its models of celebrity are and are not with us today. Sharon's two Recallable Books also capitalize on mid-century notions of celebrity: Mommie Dearest by Christina Crawford and Edie: American Girl by Jean Stein and George Plimpton. John's choice, The Entertainer by Margaret Talbot, another biographical account written by a star's daughter, gives a slightly rosier perspective on the family memoir.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Published as:
    Podcast     Show details
    Pub. URL:
    https://newbooksnetwork.com/20-the-drama-of-celebrity-with-sharon-marcus-jp
    Publisher:
    Brandeis University
    Pub. Date:
    12/19/2019
    Episode:
    20
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    12 months ago
    License:
    Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
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