John Mayer's latest controversial tweet and the biggest celebrity feuds of all time sound like causal conversation starters, but they are topics for regular classroom discussion for students enrolled in the Radio, Television and Film 4580 course, "Fame, Celebrity and Media Culture."
Led by George Plasketes, RTVF majors are exploring the impact fame and celebrities have on our lives.
"While 'fame' has always been a part of our cultural heritage, 'celebrity' has become one of the most distinguishing characteristics of contemporary American popular culture," Plasketes explains in the class syllabus. "In this course, we will explore how fame/celebrity continues to evolve into one of the most significant cultural phenomena, if not a culture unto itself."
A part of the curriculum for RTVF majors, the course involves study and discussion of contemporary materials including books, television, film and music.
The goal of the course is to better understand the significance of this celebrity culture.
"('Fame' and 'celebrity') are very important dimensions to our culture," Plasketes said. "It says a lot about us--where we're at, how we got here. It reflects the value scale, the times, all those things."
The course, which is offered once a year, has been a part of the RTVF course list for only a few years.
"It started in special topics one year and then got officially added to the curriculum," Plasketes said.
Although it is only offered to RTVF majors, Plasketes said he hopes it will be made available to students of all majors in the future.
"I think it is a course that has broad appeal, and we would very much like for people from other walks of life and other majors to take it because it obviously isn't limited to radio, television and film," Plasketes said. "But for now, it is just for our majors."
Having taught the course since it was first offered, Plasketes attributes his knowledge of and passion for the subject to his independent studies.
"Compared to other courses, this class is different in that the subject matter is more interesting," said Hilary Nalampoon, senior in RTVF.
While Plasketes' enthusiasm for the course is evident, his students seem equally excited about exploring the world of fame and celebrity.
"It's definitely exciting to have a class with such a focus on a specific topic," said Michael Stagno, senior in RTVF. "It's a lot more fun than traditional courses. I come to class every day because Dr. Plasketes is a trip."
With a background in communication and journalism, Plasketes received his doctorate in Bowling Green, Ohio.
"Bowling Green State was kind of the mecca of popular culture studies, so I combined radio, television, film and media with popular culture, and they merged very well," Plasketes said.
He is the only professor who teaches the course, and he said he likes it that way.
"This is kind of my baby," Plasketes said. "So when I become famous and move on, someone else will have to teach it."
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