Seeing by Starlight

1. In paragraph 4, what does Flora mean by "cognitive whiplash?
I think she was saying that when paparazzi capture celebrities without make-up, with dingy clothes and their flaws. It shows how normal they are.

2. What is the "cultural niche" that celebrity watching fulfills in our society?
The red carpet, the Super Bowl ring, the hand prints outside Grumans Chinese Theater and it's ability to immortalize.

3. Flora writes that "celebrities provide a common currency in our society in our fractured world." What does she mean by this? Do you agree with her? Can you think of any instances where celebrities provide us with a way to connect?
Finding out gossip about a celebrity lets us realize that they too have issues.It takes us out of our world and puts us into their world. I know that when I was watching a show called "Cribs" that viewed celebrities lifestyle. I started imagining what if I lived like that.What would I do with all this money? Would I spend it the way they do or differently? I stepped outside of myself and the worries that I had and had the chance to be fascinated about someone else excited life.

4. What is the "exposure factor"?
The more the person is exposed the more that we take a liking to that person and their looks.

5. Why, according to Flora, are we so drawn to stars?
That they were once like us watching celebrities and shows just like us.

6. How might a reality TV star and an actor deal with fame differently?
A reality star is more cooperative, wants attention, enjoy publicity whereas an actor ambivalent feeling about fame and how it is tied in with her craft.

Discussion
1. In what ways can star watching be inspiring? What inspirational celebrities can you think of who fulfills this role? What needs can celebrity watching fulfill?
A celebrity that I found inspiring is Morgan Freeman. I watched a documentary that he made of High School students in Mississippi. He filmed this because he wanted to show that in 2010 that they were still have segregated proms. So Freeman wanted to pay for them to have one prom with both races attending. It was insane how the white students did not want to have the prom but state "they are not racist, and they don't feel that whites and blacks should party together." I fault their parents because they were there encouraging them that it was wrong to share the same space as blacks. I like the fact that Freeman brought it to the medias attention that things like this occurs. Even if all did not find this was wrong maybe he touched a few others to see differently.

2. How does celebrity watching affect your friendships?
I don't think it affects my friendship in any way.

3. Using the reading-against-the-grain strategy, can you find any flaw in Flor's argument?
I think she's accurate about it. Although I have yet to meet a celebrity I am sure that I will be excited about meeting one. I can see how we look at newspapers and get excited to read about the gossip in their lives especially when it has to do with money, infidelity, and surgery. We tend to get caught in their life.

4. Think of a current big celebrity; do Flora's points about our fascination with celebrities apply to this celebrity? Why or why not?
Yeah. I'm thinking of Kim Kardashian. How she started out was a bit extreme but now she one of the most famous women talked about. When we heard about her failed marriages many people were excited. Others speculate that she's had surgery to enhance her bottom. Her beauty and her style amazing. We all want to know and or see more of her.