It may sound dumb, but these days it seems like you can't look past a celebrity memoir without coming across it. The pages will probably be filled with trauma.
The past two years have seen a veritable explosion of celebrity memoirs that focus on their subjects' traumatic upbringings, breakthroughs, and adult lives. In the summer of 2022, the starting pistol went off with an unforgettable confession from Jennette McCurdy. I'm glad my mom diedOther celebrity “trauma titles” have since included memoirs by Britney Spears, Matthew Perry, Julia Fox and Elliot Page.
And while these memoirs vary in their alleged contributions from ghostwriters—McCurdy, Foxx, and Page, for example, all claim to have written this work themselves—one thing is certain: This is a careful depiction of past trauma. pain) seems to be the winning formula for today's celebrity memoirs.
But should you? Having read these works myself, I found not only the eerily similar narrative focus, but also the alarming message to writers about what it actually takes to sell a book, not to mention the contemporary I also discovered some pretty troubling implications regarding culture.There seems to be a good chance that such a memoir will be published. do not have It contributes to the bottom line, and its prevalence is considered to be detrimental to both readers and writers.
So, what good could such celebrity memoirs do, if any, and what can we ordinary people gain from their extraordinary popularity?
The era of radical honesty
Let's start with the cultural benefits. While these traumatic stories are certainly upsetting to read, they represent a positive cultural shift toward cultural acceptance. speaking About trauma. Just a decade ago, a similar story, even a celebrity, would have been met with ridicule and ignorance from both upper management and the general public.
But the spark started by #MeToo, along with similar social justice movements in the 2010s, was fanned into a flame of openness and accountability that increased significantly. In most cases this is a good thing. Gone are the days when Hollywood producers and executives could recklessly harass women. Similarly, many other social wrongs are also raised by people who speak out against racism, sexism, ableism, and other forms of prejudice and abuse in both institutional and personal contexts. , has been improved somewhat (though not completely).
And even influential celebrities, as we know them, are by no means immune from such abuse. In fact, the opposite appears to be true. They are increasing exponentially. more In the entertainment industry, we are exposed to more toxic people and environments than most.
In their memoirs, this may take the form of a nightmarish eating disorder-inducing stage parent (McCurdy's mother). a controlling boyfriend (Spears' past boyfriend Justin Timberlake) who insists on a secret abortion; or a culture of drug and alcohol use that leads to a lifelong battle with addiction (Matthew Perry's experience) friend).No matter where I go, it seems like I'm there – if you is a famous person, There It's a setting for horrific, virtually unavoidable trauma.
In my mind, these celebrities have a right to tell their stories as they see fit, and the people they are responsible for deserve our condemnation. There's no doubt about it. But I can't help but wonder. Would they have published their memoirs at all if they had no guarantee that their work would be profitable? Would these books exist if we weren't at a more culturally convenient time to exploit trauma?
Of course, we are all just products of our time, including (especially in many ways) famous people. However, these initial ideas about profitability lead to deeper, more problematic questions about the relative “value” of different trauma narratives.
Not all trauma is created equal.
you would have to live under a rock do not have You've probably heard at least one snippet of the title above in the last few months. Anecdotes from Mr. McCurdy, Mr. Perry, and Spears' memoirs all circulated widely on social media. I remember one week when I couldn't scroll for 30 seconds without encountering another clip narrated by Michelle Williams. the woman in me.
And while each of these three titles boasts well over 250,000 star ratings on Goodreads, and McCurdy's star rating is currently approaching 1 million, it's at least a fair (no surprise!) It is clear that it has succeeded in attracting attention and sympathy.
However, not all recent celebrity memoirs have been so successful. Some celebrity-related titles released in 2022 and beyond include works by Viola Davis. find me, Constance Wu's create a scene, and Jada Pinkett Smith worthy. These books are devoid of any significant trauma, from Davis' childhood in extreme poverty to Wu's experience of sexual assault on a movie set. fresh off the boat. But for some reason, their stories never nearly reached the same heights of social media exposure and pure reader frenzy as the aforementioned titles.
This is especially true for Wu and Pinkett Smith. While she's definitely not as famous as EGOT winner Viola Davis, the difference in fame still doesn't explain why each of her books has less than 10,000 star ratings on Goodreads.Jennette McCurdy is as When she released her memoir in August 2022, she was as famous, if not more famous than Wu and Pinkett Smith.why is that so? I'm glad my mom died has received nearly 100x the ratings of create a scene and worthy Do you have each?
The first hypothesis is obvious, albeit a rather discouraging one. Merciless McCurdy's memoir is a more fascinating read than those of Wu or Pinkett Smith. McCurdy's dysfunctional upbringing led her to become a victim of abuse. icarly She suffered from a severe eating disorder and could barely catch her breath. As cynical as it may sound, McCurdy far exceeds other celebrities in terms of the amount and variety of her traumas.
Another hypothesis, and I think there's ample evidence to support this, is that as readers, as social media participants, and as a society, we don't find the stories of women of color that interesting or valuable. It means that it is not. White women's stuff. Of course, we see this pattern in many different ways, in the popularity of white-led books and TV shows, in the more sinister context of medical gaslighting, but I personally find the gulf also evident in celebrity memoirs. I've been shocked.
The main exception to this hypothesis would be Michelle Obama's memoir, which was a phenomenal bestseller in 2018. Become…but critically, Become This is a less traumatic and more hopeful memoir. Even if we don't unilaterally downplay celebrity WoC stories compared to white celebrities, this data point does reflect what we tend to expect (and ultimately prefer) from WoC stories: I think it speaks to tenacity, optimism, and gratitude rather than being graphic. Honesty and trauma.
That said, it's hard to pinpoint one factor that makes some celebrity memoirs more successful than others. But even if we can't be sure of the root cause, the conclusion is the same.all trauma is do not have It was created equally among celebrities.
And when you dig into the impact on people other than celebrities, the gulf becomes even deeper.
The dangers of non-celebrity imitators
If you've spent much time on TikTok lately, you'll know that stories of trauma, whether played for laughs or genuinely painful, aren't just a celebrity-only commodity. Celebrities may have helped movements like #MeToo take off, but the broader trend of sharing trauma was primarily spread on social media by civilians.
As a result, it is no surprise that celebrity memoirs increasingly focus on trauma, creating a vicious cycle of equalizing “norms.” more They broadcast their own shows and encouraged them to leverage it through TikTok, podcasts, and even their own revealing memoirs.
The problem with this is not only that non-celebrity memoirists are less likely to reach the same level of success, but even if they did achieve the same level of success. do If you get unwanted exposure, you won't be able to rely on existing resources like most celebrities. A civilian might see these celebrity memoirs ranking high on bestseller lists and think, “What? Hey, I have some interesting trauma. I can do that too! But the public seems prepared to ultimately regret having made their lives so public. And they won't have the money, legal assets, or powerful friends to soften the blow for similarly remorseful celebrities.
Also, even if you are a highly successful celebrity memoirist, still At some point, I wish they hadn't revealed so much.while reading I'm glad my mom diedTime and time again, I was struck by how much of McCurdy's trauma is not only tragic, but humiliatingly scrutinized. It reads more like her personal diary or therapy notes than a polished, traditionally published book. If this had been written by a biographer rather than McCurdy himself (again), it would have felt overwhelmingly exploitative.
Of course, this could be intentional. It's a strategically intimate style designed to captivate readers and sell more books. But given how little introspection there is throughout; IGMMD — and it's not until the end of the memoir that McCurdy begins seeing an actual therapist — I wonder how she'll look in the future on this very public record of her most harrowing moments. I can't help but wonder if I would feel it. If it's potentially that bad for her (and Spears, Page, and everyone else), it's only going to be even worse for non-celebrities in the same situation.
Will these books ultimately help us?
Despite my cynicism about the capitalist-driven narratives, the cultural values assigned to different kinds of trauma, and, indeed, the possibility that their writers have regrets, it is important to note that these trauma memoirs are inherently I don't think it's useful.
Many ordinary people have seen their own struggles reflected in the memoirs of famous people. And even I would not underestimate the cathartic and practical effects of this. Also, if read carefully, such stories can greatly increase people's empathy for issues other than their own experiences, and this broadening of emotional horizons has the potential to impact the lives of more people. there is.
That being said, I feel strongly that we would all benefit from more reflection on this kind of trauma narrative and why we find it so fascinating. It is human nature to be curious and likewise sympathize with each other about life's challenges. But we must strive to keep that same humanity intact. Don’t just keep track of your ever-growing personal trauma and feed your impatient brain.
To do this, these stories must always be considered in their cultural context. By searching for patterns of presentation and consumption. And by remembering that behind each memoir, no matter how famous the face on the cover, there's a real person with deep feelings.
If these things can be accomplished, there may be hope for celebrity trauma memoirs after all.
