"Contemporary culture" . . . . . . . . . . . "Celebrity and being-in-the-world : the experience of being famous ; a phenomenological investigation" . . "[Abstract] The experience of being famous is investigated through interviews with 15 well-known American celebrities. The interviews detail the existential parameters of being famous in contemporary culture. Research participants are celebrities in various societal categories: government, law, business, publishing, sports, music, film, television, news and entertainment (including morning, daytime, primetime, and late night television personalities). Transcendental Phenomenology is the qualitative method used, examining textural and structural relationship-to-world themes. The study finds that in relation to self, being famous lead to: entitization (depersonalization); loss of privacy; expectations; ego gratifcation; and symbolic immortality. In relation to other, being famous leads to: wealth; access; temptation; mistrust; and familial concerns. Celebrity is experienced as a process through four phases: love/hate; addiction; acceptance; and adaptation. Implications and applications for the fields of psychology, sociology, and communication are outlined." . "Media Social aspects" . .