Erin A. Meyers – författare

Extraordinarily Ordinary offers a critical analysis of the production of a distinct form of twenty-first century celebrity constructed through the exploding coverage of reality television cast members in Us Weekly magazine. Erin A. Meyers connects the economic and industrial forces that helped propel Us Weekly to the top of the celebrity gossip market in the early 2000s with the ways in which reality television cast members fit neatly into the social and cultural norms that shaped the successful gossip formulas of the magazine. Us Weekly's construction of the "extraordinarily ordinary" celebrity within its gossip narratives is a significant symptom of the broader intensification of discourses of ordinariness and the private in the production of contemporary celebrity, in which fame is paradoxically grounded in "just being yourself" while simultaneously defining what the "right" sort of self is in contemporary culture.

Extraordinarily Ordinary offers a critical analysis of the production of a distinct form of twenty-first century celebrity constructed through the exploding coverage of reality television cast members in Us Weekly magazine. Erin A. Meyers connects the economic and industrial forces that helped propel Us Weekly to the top of the celebrity gossip market in the early 2000s with the ways in which reality television cast members fit neatly into the social and cultural norms that shaped the successful gossip formulas of the magazine. Us Weekly's construction of the "extraordinarily ordinary" celebrity within its gossip narratives is a significant symptom of the broader intensification of discourses of ordinariness and the private in the production of contemporary celebrity, in which fame is paradoxically grounded in "just being yourself" while simultaneously defining what the "right" sort of self is in contemporary culture.

This collection offers a critical and feminist media scholarship approach to the ongoing 21st-century true crime media boom.Including contributions from a range of media scholars with diverse areas of expertise and interest, televising true crime features essays that analyze the intersections between and across streaming programs, traditional television, and podcasts, while also exploring the ethics and audiences of true crime, narrative and affect, and genre. Each section presents several essays addressing broad topics from divergent theoretical and methodological approaches but sharing an underlying critical feminist approach to media culture.This multidisciplinary volume will interest students and researchers of media studies, cultural studies, television studies, journalism, critical feminism, true crime genre, documentary studies, platform studies, and gender studies.

Fame is fickle, as conventional wisdom has it, but in current times, celebrity seems to be in crisis more than ever. Sexual abuse scandals and the #MeToo movement have rocked the foundations of celebrity culture; media and AI developments have questioned the nature of the 'star' as a human figure; various forms of societal, cultural, and political polarisation have put celebrities under increased public pressure; and more and more famous figures are opening up about their mental health crises and the negative effects of fame, such as burnout, anxiety, the impact of hate speech, body-shaming, or performance pressure.This edited collection explores how such moments of crisis—scandals, reputational breakdowns, public controversies, and conflicts—shape the contemporary dynamics of celebrity culture. Bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives from media studies, cultural studies, and sociology, the contributions examine a wide range of cases, from high-profile public scandals to the affective politics of celebrity failure and reputational repair. This book highlights how celebrity figures become focal points for broader social debates about gender, class, race, morality, and authenticity, offering critical insights into the mechanisms of fame, the politics of visibility, and the cultural work performed by celebrity scandals in the digital age.This volume will be of great interest to postgraduate students, researchers, and academics in media and cultural studies, sociology, communication studies, and celebrity studies as well as anyone interested in understanding the complex relationship between fame, power, and contemporary culture. It was originally published as a special issue of Celebrity Studies.