by I understand book publishers are happy when books they publish sell many copies. I wish that this fiscal success did not have to come at the cost of the integrity of American society. Let us look at some forthcoming titles and ask ourselves how we got to the point that it has been acceptable to allow books by reality television stars to appear in book stores next to decent books. First, there is the news that Mike “The Situation” Sorentino has signed a book deal worth six figures. This was followed shortly by news that Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi has a book deal. We have to wonder, how did these barely literate people get book deals? The answer has to lay in the money, of course — the money that the book publishers are expecting to make.
Snooks is the latest Jersey Shore cast member to get a book deal, the AP reports. Hers will be Shore Thing, a novel involving, the publisher says, “big hair, dark tans, and fights galore.” It’s out in January.
Downright frightening.
I remember when I first saw a book with Paris Hilton’s name on it at the Tower Records in midtown Manhattan. I had two questions. One was who would pay for a book called “Confessions of an Heiress” — as though anyone really cared what someone who got famous for being in home video porn and just for being born thought. The second was who really wrote the book as I could not imagine that it had been written by Paris Hilton.
The answer to the first question turned out to be a lot of people. Without so many people buying Paris Hilton’s book, book publishers would not be as interested in publishing books by people who give themselves asinine nicknames like “Snooki” and “The Situation.”
Do yourself and this country a favor and do not spend any money on books written by fake celebrities about their “reality” as you will find no reality in these books. If there is any doubt that fake reality is getting all the attention, please note that “The Real Housewives” also have their own book. From my many encounters with housewives in Kew Gardens, I can assure you that none of the “real” housewives on any of the Bravo shows come close to reality.
I don’t understand the popularity of these Jersey Shore people. They are all vapid and one-mindedly stupid. Do people watch to feel superior to them? If so, that makes sense, but why would advertisers and book publishers pay to help perpetuate the joke beyond the screen?
I suppose they expect that they will get more money out of sucker book buyers than they put into making it? :/
Alas.
I haven’t seen this show. I have seen the characters on TV and magazines. Are they actors playing roles? Or are they just being who they are?
Anne,
I don’t think most people on ‘reality’ shows are really who they are. 🙂 I read a story of people sitting in a restaurant while ‘The Hills’ was being taped and seeing the people have the same conversation a few times in a row — for the benefit of the camera, of course.