Expository Essay: Fame Junkies and Our Addiction to Fame

In his introduction to Fame Junkies, Jake Halpern writes:

Anyone who has ever been in the limelight, even for participating in a high school musical or telling a good story at a cocktail party, can attest to the fact that there is a rush that comes with commanding everyone’s attention. Isn’t it possible that this feeling is, in fact, addictive? Isn’t it possible that many behaviors related to fame—including becoming famous, being near the famous, and even reading about the famous—trigger a rush, a high, or even a numbing effect that is potentially addictive?

In a concise essay, illustrate some of the obsessive lengths the famous (and not-so-famous) go to to feed this addiction to celebrity. What drives them to so fervently pursue fame? How does their desire to simply be famous differ from a desire to be recognized for their talents or accomplishments? Finally, can their pursuit of fame really be likened to an addiction? Cite specific evidence from Fame Junkies to support your thesis.

Requirements:

• MLA Style, including parenthetical citation
• 3-page minimum
• Include a works cited page

The best papers will:

• Stay within the parameters of the prompt
• Have a concise thesis that both specifically addresses the subject matter and contains a viable argument
• Clearly support their thesis utilizing solid evidence presented in a logical structure
• Properly cite evidence from Fame Junkies using MLA's parenthetical citation method
• Conclude with a summation of the main points
• Be formatted according to MLA Style 

Due: Wednesday, Feb. 20th