Added: 3 years ago
From: OhCurt
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  • I read the book,it only reinforced what I alread know to a certian degree!

  • @crypter27 hopefully that was a good thing.

  • @OhCurt With the economy going the way it is,I see a change in public attitude towards hollow things like sports,celebrities & video games their starting to become more politically aware. Some are still caught up in their sad obsession of sports trivia,video games celebrities & cartoons,not to mention their little personal drama's. The political situation were facing is scary,people are standing up!

  • @crypter27 But some people just don't want to face it because its so bad!

  • @crypter27 Ah, got it.

    Yep, I have to agree with you here.

  • @OhCurt thanks

  • read it for English class! Gotta write an essay soon, really loved the book :D

  • @JTeamjesters Hey, that's cool. Good luck (or does 'break a leg' fit better here?) on the assignment!

  • @OhCurt Thanks! I'm still stuck on a specific topic about fame. I want to talk about celebrity authors, and how some books just cross the charts despite predictable (or crappy) content (aka Twilight) and puts those authors on the spotlight. I dont know if these authors would count as celebs or just famous?

  • @JTeamjesters In terms of what he covered in the book, I'm not sure it counts either - but given what you pointed out there, you're definitely getting into strong territory for a separate essay.

  • @OhCurt Yahh, I'm a bit lost with a concrete topic at the moment, and I'm supposed to use the book to backup my claims, but thanks for the feedback :)

    Btw, the book itself was a really good read, but did you feel like it was giving alot of one-sided info?

  • @JTeamjesters One sided... well, I'm not sure if this fits but there seemed to be some 'star gazing' on the author's part even when he himself wasn't openly admitting it. It's possible that he may have been distracted by some of that "reflected glory" at play that prevented him from diving too deeply into the mindset of the famous - BUT including more of that might have caused the book to lose focus.

    Hard to say.

  • @OhCurt Hmm I dunno, I felt like at times he was forcefully trying to prove celebrity obsession and life horrible (not that its meant to be good always, but I didn't feel like his claim was balanced enough). I mean, maybe that's the basis for his book, but some of the comments and stats he included seemed a bit pretentious. Even if based on facts, would popular kids rather have dinner with Jesus than a celebrity? I dunno, I kinda felt some bias in parts, but it's probably just me.

  • @JTeamjesters AH, that part. Yeah, okay I see your point. The only thing I can tell you is that based on my own experiences dealing with people here in Los Angeles, just about everything he said along those lines rang very true to me. The obsession with celebrity out here is intense in a way I haven't seen elsewhere.

  • @OhCurt @OhCurt Ah, in that case, maybe the more closer you are to celebrities, the more intense the hype becomes. I guess its somewhat how Halpern mentions that you can be so close at the point of touching celebs but its only just best to admire them from a distance. Anyway, thanks for the chat, I had fun discussing the book :)

  • o that's nice one :) i'm actually writing an essay about fame on the web and now this is a must-read for me! thanks for recommending!

  • Terrific. I hope you enjoy it (there should be a lot in there to help you with your own project).

  • Like the fireside chats.

  • lol ohcurt...one of your tube buddies joined you in a video response. and it was funny!

  • Love the fireside chat look. I'm a big reader, and your review has made me put this one on my reading list. A lot of books I read are as a result of endorsements like this. Thanks.

  • LOL Believe it or not, I still read but I focus mostly on escapist fiction...

  • I don't care much for celebrities just because they may happen to be celebrities...

  • I don't really pay much attention to celebrities, or sports stars for that matter. I'm not actually a news junkie, but I now more about Putin and Medvedev than those people that you mentioned at the beginning of your video.

  • Sounds like a good book. I think somewhere in the back of my brain I remember hearing about the book.

    I think sometimes life gets kinda crazed that we need that escape and find out what Jennifer Aniston is doing or whom. But oversaturation of it ofcourse is not good. Which what is happening now in our society. : )

  • I'm reading 'World War Z' at the moment, since reading almost 2 books on my recent holiday I am intentionally trying to read more, to be honest I had forgotten how much I enjoyed it!

  • I love book reviews. Juicy quotes are also good for whetting the appetite. Just a thought. Exactly the sort of thing that the fair use clause was made for.

  • I hadn't thought of the quote thing - Thanks!

    And, seriously, I didn't think ANY reading out of the book was covered under fair use. This is good to know.

  • the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified ... for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.

  • Healthy read? Will it help me lose 40 lbs? I'm buying it then! =)

  • It caused me to gain 2 pounds.

    *RESULTS MAY VARY*

  • I still read and I belong to a book club. We meet once a month to discuss the book. I am headed to the bay area at the end if the month and I was looking for a book for the flight and airport time. I'll pick this one up. I like when a fellow YouTuber that I enjoy recommends a book.

  • Cool! I'm glad to hear people still do book clubs without relying on Oprah for guidance.

    :-D

    When I was bouncing around on Vloggerheads several months ago there were a handful of people there starting up a book club, presumably so they could all vlog about what they thought of the book once everyone read it. Sounds hard to coordinate but if it helps getting people to open books, more power to 'em, I say.

  • I haven't actively watched TV in years, and I'm thankful for that. I prefer to watch "little" guys here on YT. I only have a couple really big names that I'm subbed to, but I subbed to them before they were "big." I'd rather connect with real people than basically idolize those that couldn't care less who I am.

  • I concur. It wasn't until after spending a considerable amount of time here that I began to look at how UNreal 99% of television is. Aside from my DVD's, I really can't sit through any TV watching anymore. It's become painful.

  • I love the ambiance of this video :) Thanks for the recommendation... def picking up that book! I still read! EVERYONE should read!

  • I've been in need of an ambiance overhaul lately (videos where I don't bitch about YouTube - go figure!).

    I think you'll enjoy the book. A lot of the examples made me laugh, some made me cringe, but overall I feel like my OWN crazy behavior now finally makes more sense.

  • Hey Curt,

    If it might interest you to do so, I wonder if you wouldn't mind elaborating on what parts you hated reading and why.

    Warmest regards

  • Thanks for asking. That's one of the parts I edited out, actually, figuring nobody would care.

    Some of the people Halpern profiled were hardcore celebrity junkies, people who spend tons of money following, collecting, and trying to be near their celeb of choice. While I've never fixated on a celebrity that way, I have wasted a bunch of time and energy on specific TV shows over the years.

    All in all, it was enlightening and also a hard pill to swallow.

  • Much appreciated your response Curt. Thank you!

  • Reading is good, but I'm a career development decade right now, so I have to avoid reading brain candy like this. Funny how I can waste my time on all the DVDs in the world... Damn you Netflix!

  • Netflix is like crack! I managed to kick that habit a couple years ago but it wasn't easy.

    ...what's this thing you call a "career" ...?

  • Junior faulty position at a university, a research job that never ends but is a lot of fun. Could make time for this reading if I really wanted to, like everything in life. Just too lazy to. But love hearing about it vicariously.

  • I don't really follow famous people. I figure they still gotta crap everyday and put their panties/tidy whities one leg at a time. Not much different than anyone else. They need not be on a pedestal.

    BUT now I want to read the book. It would be interesting to know WHY people pay attention to famous people, more than they pay attention to their family/neighbor down the street, who might also be in rehab after wrecking his corvette.

    Funny how if you are famous people care, but if you aren't...

  • looove to read...

  • Curt, I am such a political junkie it might actually do me some good to spend some time focusing on celebrities.

    As to your question "Does anyone still read?" Well, I have five books going right now.

  • Sounds like a good read. I fall into that kinda stuff myself, and I forget stuff like community service and other things that really deserve my time. Good advice Curt.

    And reading is not dead, on life support, but certainly not dead.

  • Well, if it is on Oprah's book list then I am sure it is a good book to read.

  • Another great thing about reading in front of the fireplace: if you don't like it, you can burn it.

  • Hey, if it works for Sarah Palin...

  • Just so long as he's willing to take a cab home afterwards, sure.

    :o)

  • You know you look damn good when my cat's ass is blocking your face.

  • I love you

    You love me

    We're a happy fa-mi-ly!

  • I wonder if this would be known as copyright for advertising haha. I love reading so I will have to put it to the list of my books to read, gosh I have got so many books to read! "/

  • Nah, reviews are fine because it ... well... I don't know why. They just are.

    LOL

    I need to find MORE books to read just for recreation. School makes it a challenge to WANT to read more but it's important to keep that going I think.

  • Reading is fundamental. Thanks for the recommendation.

  • And funding is rudimental.

  • who are you again?

  • PFFFT!

  • damn fire... *so jealous*

  • What does it say about people who give two shakes of a rat's tail about celebrities?...heheh Or perhaps I should say two shakes of a raven's tail...hehehe  And yes...anyone does most definitely still read *smile*

  • There was a time when I could have told you just about anything going on with the cast of Will & Grace... but ask me anything pertaining to world events and my eyes would glaze over.

  • Curling up by the fire with a good book and a warm beverage...mmmm!

    Sounds like a great read! Reading the book with Diana must have made it more interesting and fun. I tried doing it once with a good friend and it was awesome. I think it brought us closer.

    I still read. : )

  • Yay for reading!

    :-)

    Yeah, following this with Diana was a kick, although at any given time she was ahead of me or I was ahead of her. We were nice, though - we didn't spoil it for each other at any time.

  • I do still read and I'll give your suggestion a go. Thanks!

  • Always happy to share, Chuck!

  • Maybe I should write a book about YouTube "celebrities" lol

  • Those actually exist?

    OH GO ON!

    8-P

  • Whaddaya know, we're both plugging books about zombies!

  • Brains.

    BRRAAAAINNSS!!

  • Maybe if they actually told us what was going on in the government it would be a little easier for us to follow. ;)

    I prefer Youtubers over famous people. Yep I do.

  • Lol, I dont read so much. Normally just watch the film. Funny, when the video started I thought you were gonna end up throwing the book in the fireplace, but it just ended normally.

  • Oh and an off the wall question. How do you and others get your vids to play automatically on your page? Is it a special YT gift that only some can do? Inquiring minds want to know.

  • Sounds very interesting. Although I hate pop culture and could care less, what underwear if any B Spears is wearing. It might help explain my fellow man. Because truthfully, I DONT get the interest. I dare say obsession of Hollywood. Thanks 4 the shut out

  • For some odd reason I have tried to watch this video all morning. It wont load all the way. I blame YT of course.

    I am a news junkie. So catching up on things Pop are a little down my list of importance. But with the way news is reported these days. Even politics seems Pop anymore.

    Hope one day I can finish this video. ZZZZZZZZZ

  • I still read...

    since the 80s when People magazine started, the pop culture and fame fascination thing just escalated and too me gotten way out of perspective. I love pop culture though but as I've gotten older I view it more from afar in a social science kind of way, maybe that's egghead.

  • Reeding iz hared. (=

  • LOL

  • I was very much in to Pop Culture until around 30 ,,,and this it dropped off a bit then by 37 I was a bit less interested,,, and by 40 I didnt care one bit...and Yes I love to read.

  • Sounds like an interesting read Curt. I still read but not as often as I did before the computer became part of my life. I will keep an eye out for it at my used book store. My cheep ass aint paying retail for nothing if I can get away with it;)

  • I do! Just finishing Dan Brown's Deception Point, and then off to Paul Auster's Brooklyn Follies...I highly recommend Auster's Mr. Vertigo.

    Love the fireplace, Curt! Please tell me it is not a DVD... ;)

  • Sounds like my kinda book - going now to look it up on amazon. :)

  • Does this mean you're backing off your Rhoda obsession?

    BTW - just checked and my library has it :)

  • Great review, Curt! Sounds like an interesting book!

    -- Matt

  • Interesting book Curt, I'm currently re-reading the Mars Trilogy Kim Stanley Robinson.

  • I'd normally say that people's obsession with celebrity is the most staggering waste of time, but while you were talking, it occurred to me that lots of people make a hobby out of knowing a particular subject inside-out. What makes pop culture any worse than - say - steam trains or baseball statistics? Each to their own.

    Love the fireside book review. You _are_ the next Oprah.

  • Surprisingly enough, Over the last 1-2 years I've stopped caring about pop culture, especially celebrity gossip. I could care less about them. Maybe it's good that I'm a selfish son of a bitch and only care about myself and not who Paris Hilton is fucking now.

    Oh, and no I don't read anymore.

  • LOL, I still read, I am a book junkie.  Unfortunately I do not have a fireplace to curl up by, though.

  • I'm going to check this book out, it sounds like my kind of thing. To be honest, I'd be scared to death to be famous.

  • I must truely be an oddball for I have always been repelled by Celebs perhaps to the point of a phobia... Maybe I have one afterall...

    I think Celeb Worship is bizarre... I guess this has been obvious in my YT activity... Part of the reason I am an outcast here I suppose because tuberland is sooooo much about "worship ME worship ME"

    Thanks for your perspective...

  • Me too Pappy. Not since I was a teenager have I cared or been in awe of any famous person.

  • Best book I've read in a long time... we should totally start a book club :D

  • Count me in!! :)

  • I don't read enough. It's hurting my ability to formulate coherent and complex thoughts.

  • I would say pop culture is a very distant spectator

    activity.Borderline pop culture illiterate.If that is even

    possible:)

    Back at ya with a book, The Shock Doctrine.

    A must read.Which movie are you rooting for Best

    Picture?Oscars are my fav pop culture thing:)

  • I'm going to get it. Sounds good

  • Joy, I think you'll like it.

  • Will have to hit the library; I read too much to buy books on a regular basis. Though, I do go and buy ones that I fall in love with. Thanks for the recommendation!

  • I envy you for being that much of a reader.

    :-)

  • your house is on fire :(

  • I am a book junkie.

    Sounds like a good read - but I am on restriction until I get through the giant double stack of unread volumes that is taking over the bedroom!

  • Hi Leslie

    Hugs

  • LOL - sounds like you and Blink are equally prone toward accidental book related head injuries.

  • I just comment here in case your fame rubs off on me

  • I hear if you rub it enough, a genie pops out and asks you to rate, comment and subscribe.

  • Thanks for the review Curt. That sounds like an interesting read & pretty relevant for this place maybe?

    Yes, i still read. Although not as much as i used to, or should do. But, i guess us Internet junkies are all guilty of that? :)

  • It was a little disturbing in terms of how a lot of it relates to YouTube - and just the world of online video in general.

    From one junkie to another...

    :-D

  • I LOVE to read!! I love to get lost in a good book. I enjoy period pieces, whether it be a movie or a book I enjoy getting lost in another world. I don't own a television and other than YT and occasional news videos I read a lot on the internet. TMI?

    TY for recommending this book! I'll be headed to the library tomorrow to see if they have it. Thanks Curt!

  • I think you'll enjoy it if you end up grabbing a copy. And while I still have a TV, I have enjoyed a more peaceful existence by not having the cable or satellite TV box attached to it anymore.

    And like you said, thanks to the web, we're not starving for news sources.

  • That does sound worth a read :)

  • It touches on a lot of what you've talked about before - people wanting to become famous and having no clue as to why or what for.

  • I haven't read for years; the computer took that time away.

    I do want to get a book, The God Delusion, I believe it is called.

  • Is it only focused on the US or does it talk about and to fame junkies all around the world?

    Thanks for sharing anyways... ;)

  • It focuses mainly on the United States, yes, but he does bring in comparisons here and there from other parts of the globe, such as the royal family in the UK.

  • rarely. but im def gon get that book :)

  • I have heard of that book...I just haven't read it...I'll wait for the movie?? hahaha! Thanks for the review! I have always wondered why people put so much faith in the words and lives of celebrities and treat them like Gods! Maybe I should read the book soon if he has answers to my question...:-)

  • He DOES answer that one, in a handful of different ways - ALL of them slightly disturbing while simultaneously being enlightening.

  • Dude, you and I and the Princess are all FAME JUNKIES!! Or we wouldn't be doing what we're doing! We all want our 15 minutes! ANDY WAS RIGHT!!!

  • He sho'nuff was! And you're right - if we weren't into getting the responses/feedback, what would be the point. I struggled with that one while making this... and I'm gonna blame that for why I sound sorta like a drama queen in this.

    :-)

  • I am going to put this book on my netbook list. Wait there's no such thing. I just had a great idea for a business! Don't steal my idea, or say my name out loud. :)

    I still read. Reading 2 books right now.

  • Wow, doesn't that get confusing, or do you have another set of eyeballs?

  • Perfect time of year to curl up by the fire with a good book? I thought you were down south where it doesn't get cold due to winter. :O

    I'm confused. :(

    I do need to read more these days. I've had no time these days due to class, though. All I read these days are notes on projector screens. :P

    Thanks for the review. I'm going to take note of this book and see if I can find it at the library. :)

  • LOL, yeah it's actually gotten colder than normal lately. But February is always our crappy cold weather month.

    And as you know, I can relate to class readings taking time away from other stuff.

    Hang in there!

  • great video and review !

  • omg my comment is next to bucks...sighhh i touched buck....tee hee hope you appreciate that joke..hope he does if he spots it...ha ha ha

  • Now that we are in a house instead of an apartment, we're unpacking all the boxes of books that I held onto in hopes of having someplace to put them again. I'm catching up with all my old loves. Right now I'm reading "Where did you go?" "Out" "What did you do?" "Nothing" - a real oldie but goodie. :)

  • I recently started reading again.  Like, more than magazines and stuff. I'll add this book to my stack.

  • A fireplace? Really? You live in L.A.!! For the love!!

    About the time this book came out, i met a girl who was actually doing her Masters thesis on pop culture. It seemed like such a waste to me. What can she tell me about these trends that the rest of us couldn't? Somehow it's just become this obsession that we all give far too much credit and value to in our everyday lives.

  • And I see where you're going with the YouTube connection and where ppl on this site are obsessed with internet "fame" and treat it like a commodity or something. There's an amazing side to this crazy place, but then there's that desperate fame craved aspect of it too that makes me want to hurl up a hair ball. I'd love to read this some time.

  • Why are you barfing hair?

    Do we need to take you to the groomer?!

    ;-P

    I'm betting that girl found TONS of material to base her thesis on, although I think I would have had the same reaction you did to that.

    And, yeah, this fireplace is coming in handy right now. It's gotten down into the 50s at night!

    8-(

  • Cool, my library has it, it's on the list.

  • i shall pick it up on your recommendation. i need to remember this tho. my memory is that of an amoeba.

  • I forgot what I was gonna type here.

    8-|

  • I am so behind on my list of books its scary, but soon I will have a lot of free time :-)

    Thanks for recommending it, pop culture is a big part for me too, I think my wall of DVDs can serve as an example.

  • You and me both with the DVDs, Ran!

    :-)

  • I am just curious about a book including YT Fame Junkies ... if congress and these real celebrities like as Paris Hilton are still meaning something ... When I am watching some dramas then I think some people here already got their fame already by bad publicity.

    Great book review ... I only have too less time to read ... hehe, maybe making a movie from the book is better for me, hahaha.

  • If this author chose to turn his attention to YouTube, he could build a whole additional chapter, I'm convinced of it.

  • way cool. now i want to read the book. wondering if any of it will smack me in the face or if i will just keep nodding my head like a bobble doll!

  • I kept doing both, actually. Just about got a case of whiplash amidst the bruises to my forehead.

  • ha ha ha...snicker

  • i feel like I read it? or part of it......sounds interesting!

  • There's a lot in there that might help explain some of the recent attention you've had to endure.

  • I didn't hear a word you were saying. I was thinking about a video idea that I know will get at least 100,000 views. : P

  • Please tell me so I can copy the idea and put your user name in my tags!!

  • Hmm it seems like a great book!!! Really should check it out at my local library!!! I'm such a Book Worm!!

  • Can I borrow your copy? But really, I'll try to look it up. :) *hug*

  • Great, yet another book to throw on top of my pile of books to read. One of these days that thing is going to tumble down again and I'm not going to be able to dig myself out from under it! Maybe one of these days I should, like, actually read one of them or something. BTW, sounds like a cool little book club ya got there:)

  • HA! Book club... the mental image I have right now is of a club with "book club" written on it.

    BONK!!!

    Wanted to do this as a response to Chris' "Show and Tell" but didn't have the time to throw it together that week.

  • But...can we still watch the Oscars?

    God...I have to admit, I don't read near as much as I used to...

  • Same here. It's taking effort to alter course.

  • A ringing endorsement if I ever heard one. I actually got two good sized gift certs from Borders for Christmas and so far the only book on the list is John Dean's "Worse than Watergate" that somehow we skipped when it came out. So I'll add this one to the list. Thank you. And yes, I read offline as well as here. I keep too many books and so got a kindle but still people keep giving me 'real' books. Hmmm. Nice vlog btw.

  • Thanks. There was more I wanted to say about how the book can be related to what goes on here at YT, but I figured I've already made enough YT-related videos in the last couple weeks.

    *sigh*

  • I still read! :)

  • I still read, or I should say I read offline too, I go to the library most of the time but I'll buy books from time to time. I don't read much fiction though, I read more information than anything else. My favorite fiction author of all time would have to be Douglas Adams.

    I recently got done with The Grapes of Wrath for the second time, I read it sometime back in high school and I had to revisit that one.

  • Reading a book for a second time, wow. That's impressive - and something I've rarely done.

  • I still read. ha ha

  • What's a book?

  • Something that takes valuable time away from getting breast implants.

  • First?

  • You win. Congratulations.

  • It was a "bullshit" win, but a win nonetheless, LOL.

  • The only advantage to being first anymore is that you get to see the video all junked up and pixelated before it finally converts to high quality.

    I have too many blemishes for HD.

  • As a matter of fact I was just thinking that same thing while I was watching the video. On the other hand the early cat gets the undismembered mouse.

  • LOL!

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