Famous: How Celebrity Lives Affect Our Own explores the effects celebrities have on their impressionable audience's lives, from copycat suicides, to postfeminist hypersexuality, to taking questionable celebrity health advice, and more. Celebrity advocacy and philanthropy are analyzed as contributors discuss Brad Pitt's rebuilding effort after Hurricane Katrina, Angelina Jolie's recent casting controversy, and Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protest. Star brand building through social media and how that translates to the Broadway stage are also examined, as well as how the privacy laws demanded by celebrities can infringe on their own audience's First Amendment rights.

Contributions by: Janelle Applequist, Joshua N. Azriel, Deborah S. Bowen, Kevin Calcamp, Michelle Colpean, Matthew Corr, Meghann Droeger, Holeka G. Inaba, Joy Jenkins, Kristina Kraus, Carol M. Madere, Timothy Michaels, Joseph Mirando, Dylan Rollo, Dominique Schuster, Riva Tukachinsky Forster, Meg Tully, Tia Tyree, Melvin L. Williams, Michelle Williams, Bradley Wolfe, J. David Wolfgang