Customer Reviews

The Celebrity Psyche: A Psychological View of Life in the Land of Cinema, Money, Music, Sex and Power

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My hat is off to Dr. McPhaul. I used to work in the business of entertainment as a personal assistant, so everything struck me deeply. I picked up the book because it was pretty, and the picture layout inside was just beautiful. The book was supposed to be for decoration. When I started reading the book I couldn't put it down, and I learned so much about myself in the chapter on personal assistants. This book is small, but it packs so much power! The most shocking part of the book was Dr. McPhaul's part about the American Idol Show, because it looks as if no one ever considered the true feelings of the people who stand before the public to get humiliated for the sake of our amusement. Before reading this book, I never considered the emotions of those who get hurt trying to pursue their dreams in the context of American Idol. Me and my friends just laughed along with the rest of the public when someone's feelings were hurt. Who knew the experience could cause more serious problems? Also, Dr. McPhaul writes about Adjustment Disorder, and looking back on my days as a personal assistant to entertainment figures, now I realize I had it, but did not know what it was. Knowing then could have made my life easier, and better.

The Celebrity Psyche is one of the best books to hit the market. Being a huge fan of Oprah Winfrey, I was really mad when first reading what the author had to say about her. But like many I was in "denial" about some of Oprah's personality traits. The book was down right funny, and educational. My purchase was made right before boarding a flight from New York to Los Angeles, and I was able to finish the whole book before getting to L.A. This is even while I was answering questions of other passengers interested in the book, and its beautiful pictures.

Reading about John F. Kennedy, Jr. broke my heart and opened my eyes at the same time. The author delves into the psychology of John John, and what part he played in his own death because he believed he was "invincible," which the author says most celebrities are guilty of without having a conscious knowledge of it. The author has taught me a lot about emotional issues while keeping me entertained.

The book is an "honest" look at celebrities and the things that influence them. The author's explanation of Halle Berry's role in Monster's Ball, that bought her the Oscar, was one of the most enlightening sections in the entire book. It gave me a more intimate outline of The Academy Awards and the behind the scenes dysfunction that shapes the whole awards process.

The book is like People Magazine and New York Times meets the UCLA Psychology Department. A very good read!!!!!

This is the perfect book for anybody who has ever wondered why any, any famous rapper, athlete, movie star, politician, fashion model, or any famous person acts the way they do. As an up and coming rapper myself I could read the book and know what to do, and what to not do.

BasicInstinct

I was absolutely amazed when I read this book because the author explained so much about celebrity behavior that many people wonder about, and he did it in an easily understandable way! The author was so ahead of the curve regarding Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, and this was in June, months before their wedding that was called off. We get a real inside look at what is "driving" Jennifer. The psychological look at John F. Kennedy, Jr., Halle Berry, Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow, Martha Stewart, Mike Tyson, Bill Gates, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, and too many others to name was off the charts in terms of information and excitement. It just never occurred to me, as with other people, that so much was going on inside the minds and hearts of our favorite stars. Before reading The Celebrity Psyche, I really thought I had heard everything there was to hear about Michael Jackson. Boy, was I wrong! The information about Mike Tyson's upbringing was a real surprise, and two months after this book enlightened me, Tyson confirmed information about his tortured past never before revealed by Tyson. What's really good about the book is that the author actually walks through some of the psychological conditions that large amounts of celebrities deal with, and I learned a lot about depression, anxiety, adjustment disorder, bi-polar disorder and personality disorders. In college psychology was difficult, but this book was easy to grasp. Being a fan of Entertainment Tonight, E!News Live, People and Us Weekly Magazines, MTV and Vh1, it blew my mind to think that whenever a celebrity does something that may seem unusual, or just strange, that just journalists are commenting on the behavior instead of a person who would really know what causes the celebrity to act the way he/she does. We all want the "Scoop." The Celebrity Psyche gives it to us. I'm ready for the author's TV show!