Semi-Famous

May 15, 2022
An online comedian, author, and former Paralympian muses on fame and happiness. Sundquist was tagged in an Instagram story by someone who described him as "this semi famous Internet comedian," prompting a mix of pleasure at the recognition and discontent with its not entirely complimentary nature. He nonscientifically polled his followers, discovering that a third of them would prefer fame to happiness. His ensuing exploration of celebrity, illustrated with whimsical hand-drawn graphs, journeys from the days of Alexander the Great to present-day social media. After he fulfilled his childhood dream of appearing on MTV--a dream he was willing to repeatedly embarrass himself to achieve--the achievement thrust him into a multiyear depression. Sundquist, a White man who lost a leg to childhood cancer, briefly discusses how fame's gatekeepers might have excluded or included him solely because he is an amputee. He also describes how contemporary virality exposed him to a TikTok disability truther who claimed he was faking his missing leg. Research studies and interviews with major and minor celebrities pepper this diverting narrative of fame's traumas and rewards, and the whole is held together by Sundquist's own journey to semi-fame. The exploration of fame's darker side includes addiction and suicide but curiously never addresses exploitation or abuse despite Chapter 1's opening epigraph from Britney Spears, one of the most famously abused celebrities. Cleverly humorous and extremely timely reading for those who seek renown. (endnotes) (Nonfiction. 13-18)

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August 1, 2022

Gr 8 Up-After someone tagged him in a Twitter post referring to him as a "semi-famous internet comedian," Sundquist decided to explore the elements of fame, along with the relationship between fame and happiness, in a cleverly funny memoir-slash-expos�. Set up as lessons throughout a school day, the text begins with English class, where Sundquist defines the types of fame, including his own brush with fame as a Paralympic athlete. He continues with a full course load, from historical figures to the mathematics of fame, all the while acknowledging his investigation is mostly anecdotal and certainly not scientifically significant, but telling nonetheless for his purposes. The biology section is compelling, and offers more of a psychological exploration of the toll expectations and recognition can take on a person's psyche and behavior. Full of hand-drawn graphs and diagrams, along with personal stories from celebrities and the author's own experiences, the text posits a convincing argument warning those who seek fame and fortune, particularly internet fame, that happiness doesn't necessarily come with the glitz and glamour of being recognized. VERDICT An engaging read, this is a fun and thoughtful work suitable for every young person living in our tech-driven world.-Kaitlin Malixi

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Starred review from June 1, 2022
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* After Sundquist is tagged on Instagram as a "semi-famous internet comedian" by someone who recognizes him on the street, he investigates the ideas of celebrity and fame in this insightful and humorous book that's part memoir, part "nerdy semi-scientific book." Sundquist, once desperate to be a host on MTV, wants to find out if achieving fame or celebrity can make people happy. His dive into the topic includes interviews with famous and semi-famous celebrities (actors, musicians, performers) who help answer his questions: "Is this fame thing making you happy? If not, why are you doing it? If so, what's your secret?" The book is written as six school-day class periods (subdivided into smaller chapters, a lunch break, and a final exam with an answer key that offers wise advice, such as "chase passion, not fame"). There's intriguing information, too, about celebrity culture, including what it's really like to be a K-pop idol trainee. Sundquist's own awkward pursuit of fame is sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, and he offers wise and down-to-earth advice for those who come in already convinced that fame alone is a worthy goal. Highly recommended. Back matter includes black-and-white illustrations, recommended reading, endnotes, and footnotes.

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