San Antonio College Library

"Celebrities attract the attention of commercial interests and other public figures. They receive payments from sponsors to endorse brands. They are sought out to appear with politicians during election campaigns. They are used to promote health messages. In other words, celebrities are often perceived to possess qualities that give them special value or what we will refer to here as 'celebrity capital'. This means that celebrities are regarded as...

In this book, two distinguished economists draw attention to an important and disturbing new trend that has dramatically transformed our economy in the last two decades: the spread of "winner-take-all" markets, where more and more people compete for ever fewer and bigger prizes. Such markets, where tiny differences in performance translate into huge differences in reward, have long been the hallmark of the performing arts and professional sports,...

Perhaps the best example of paparazzi-aided self-promotion, Paris Hilton has almost single-handedly refocused Big Media's editorial priorities. This program studies the cultural and technological forces that have shaped the modern tabloid industry and propelled Hilton's bizarre ascent to worldwide stardom. Experts featured in the program include celebrity photographer Jeff Vespa, media consultant and Hilton associate Elliot Mintz, New York Times columnist...