Overview

"An exploration of the effect our celebrity-dominated culture has on our ideas of what it means to live ""the good life""   What would happen if an average Joe tried out for American Idol, underwent a professional makeover, endured Gwyneth Paltrow’s “Clean Cleanse,” and followed the outrageous rituals of the rich and famous? Health law policy researcher Timothy Caulfield finds out in this thoroughly unique, engaging, and provocative book about celebrity culture and its iron grip on today’s society. Over the past decade, our perceptions of beauty, health, success, and happiness have become increasingly framed by a popular culture steeped in celebrity influence and ever more disconnected from reality. Research tells us that our health decisions and goals are influenced by celebrity culture and endorsements, our children's ambitions are now overwhelmingly governed by the fantasy of fame, and the ideals of beauty and success are mediated through a celebrity-dominated worldview. But while much has been written about the cause of our obsession with the rich and famous, Caulfield argues that not enough has been done to debunk celebrity messages and promises about health, diet, beauty, or happiness. From super-thin models to Gwyneth Paltrow’s endorsement of a gluten free-diet for almost anyone, celebrity opinions have the power to dominate our conversations and outlooks. In this book, Caulfield provides an entertaining look into the celebrity world, including vivid accounts of his own experiences trying out for American Idol, having his skin resurfaced, and doing the cleanse; interviews with actual celebrities; thought-provoking facts,  and a practical and evidence-based reality check on our own celebrity ambitions."

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9780807057483

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Reviews

An intelligent mix of research and pop culture, Caulfield's analysis of celebrity trends gets to the heart of America's obsession with the fame monster. Kirkus Reviews You'd think that with the steady march of science, we'd see the twilight of the quacks. On the contrary. We are awash in snake oil. Now Tim Caulfield provides an important and entertaining antidote to all this bunkum. Put down the deer antler spray and pick up this book. A. J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically Caulfield's thoughtful, amusing and engaging study of our celebrity-obsessed culture provides insight into why celebrity authority often trumps medical fact when it comes to our health. If you want to improve your health or that of others you would do well to read this book! Arthur Caplan, author of Smart Mice, Not So Smart People Health and science expert [Timothy Caulfield] debunks the most powerful and persuasive messages being spread by celebrities when it comes to our health and well-being: what works, what doesn't, what is worth our time and money, and what isn't. A fun and informative read. CBC Books An exhaustively researched, hilarious take on how celebrity culture influences everyday life, from ill-fated attempts to make it big on reality TV to celebrity-endorsed diets and beauty regimens. Emma Teitel, Maclean s

You'd think that with the steady march of science, we'd see the twilight of the quacks. On the contrary. We are awash in snake oil. Now Tim Caulfield provides an important and entertaining antidote to all this bunkum. Put down the deer antler spray and pick up this book. --A. J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically Caulfield's thoughtful, amusing and engaging study of our celebrity-obsessed culture provides insight into why celebrity authority often trumps medical fact when it comes to our health. If you want to improve your health or that of others you would do well to read this book! --Arthur Caplan, author of Smart Mice, Not So Smart People Health and science expert [Timothy Caulfield] debunks the most powerful and persuasive messages being spread by celebrities when it comes to our health and well-being: what works, what doesn't, what is worth our time and money, and what isn't. A fun and informative read. -- CBC Books An exhaustively researched, hilarious take on how celebrity culture influences everyday life, from ill-fated attempts to make it big on reality TV to celebrity-endorsed diets and beauty regimens. --Emma Teitel, Maclean's Praise for The Cure For Everything [Caulfield] thinks with an academic's rigor and precision and knows the health maintenance territory inside out. Mr. Caulfield is at his breezy best in discussions of exercise and diet, both of which he approaches with a certain swagger...Caulfield muses at amusing and instructive length on the exact definition of fitness--the bizarre, science-free equivalency the modern aesthetic has established between fitness and sexy abs--and the depressingly well-validated fact that the older you get, the more running it takes to stay in exactly the same place. --Abigail Zuger, MD, The New York Times

An intelligent mix of research and pop culture, Caulfield's analysis of celebrity trends gets to the heart of America's obsession with the fame monster. -- Kirkus Reviews You'd think that with the steady march of science, we'd see the twilight of the quacks. On the contrary. We are awash in snake oil. Now Tim Caulfield provides an important and entertaining antidote to all this bunkum. Put down the deer antler spray and pick up this book. --A. J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically Caulfield's thoughtful, amusing and engaging study of our celebrity-obsessed culture provides insight into why celebrity authority often trumps medical fact when it comes to our health. If you want to improve your health or that of others you would do well to read this book! --Arthur Caplan, author of Smart Mice, Not So Smart People Health and science expert [Timothy Caulfield] debunks the most powerful and persuasive messages being spread by celebrities when it comes to our health and well-being: what works, what doesn't, what is worth our time and money, and what isn't. A fun and informative read. -- CBC Books An exhaustively researched, hilarious take on how celebrity culture influences everyday life, from ill-fated attempts to make it big on reality TV to celebrity-endorsed diets and beauty regimens. --Emma Teitel, Maclean's Praise for The Cure For Everything [Caulfield] thinks with an academic's rigor and precision and knows the health maintenance territory inside out. Mr. Caulfield is at his breezy best in discussions of exercise and diet, both of which he approaches with a certain swagger...Caulfield muses at amusing and instructive length on the exact definition of fitness--the bizarre, science-free equivalency the modern aesthetic has established between fitness and sexy abs--and the depressingly well-validated fact that the older you get, the more running it takes to stay in exactly the same place. --Abigail Zuger, MD, The New York Times

An intelligent mix of research and pop culture, Caulfield's analysis of celebrity trends gets to the heart of America's obsession with the fame monster. -Kirkus Reviews You'd think that with the steady march of science, we'd see the twilight of the quacks. On the contrary. We are awash in snake oil. Now Tim Caulfield provides an important and entertaining antidote to all this bunkum. Put down the deer antler spray and pick up this book. -A. J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically Caulfield's thoughtful, amusing and engaging study of our celebrity-obsessed culture provides insight into why celebrity authority often trumps medical fact when it comes to our health. If you want to improve your health or that of others you would do well to read this book! -Arthur Caplan, author of Smart Mice, Not So Smart People Health and science expert [Timothy Caulfield] debunks the most powerful and persuasive messages being spread by celebrities when it comes to our health and well-being: what works, what doesn't, what is worth our time and money, and what isn't. A fun and informative read. -CBC Books An exhaustively researched, hilarious take on how celebrity culture influences everyday life, from ill-fated attempts to make it big on reality TV to celebrity-endorsed diets and beauty regimens. -Emma Teitel, Maclean's

Author Information

Timothy Caulfield is a Chair in Health Law and Policy and a Professor in the Faculty of Law and the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta. He has won numerous academic awards, has appeared in publications such as Time, Newsweek, Wired, National Geographic, and Scientific American, and been involved with a number of national and international policy and research ethics committees. He is the author of The Cure for Everything: Untangling Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness and Happiness.

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