Smart Living: Lifestyle Media and Popular ExpertiseWhat do the Fab Five from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, the Supernanny and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver all have in common? Lifestyle gurus are increasingly intruding on everyday life, directing ordinary people to see themselves as «projects» that can be «made over» through embracing an ethos of relentless self-improvement. Smart Living argues that they represent a new form of popular expertise sweeping the world. Written in a lively and accessible manner, the book examines this cult of expertise across a range of media and cultural sites and offers the reader a range of critical tools for understanding the recent emergence of this popular international phenomenon. Smart Living is a must-read for anyone interested in the relationship between popular media culture and contemporary social life. |
Contents
A history of modern lifestyle advice | 26 |
Chapter 2 | 48 |
Chapter 3 | 67 |
Producing lifestyle TV in Australia | 88 |
Chapter 5 | 114 |
Chapter 6 | 130 |
155 | |
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Common terms and phrases
advice aesthetics approach argues associated attempts audience Australian become brand broader celebrity central chapter chef choice complex concerns consumer consumption contemporary context continue cooking culture discourse discussed distinction domestic educational emergence emphasizing expertise families feminine figure Five focus formats forms growing Honey identity important increasingly individual industry instance interest involved issues Jamie kind knowledge largely lifestyle experts lifestyle media lifestyle TV linked lives magazines makeover male marked Martha masculinity meanings middle class models modes notes nutritional offered ordinary parenting particular played politics popular potential practices presented privatized production programmes providing Queer Eye questions range rational reality realm recent relation represent rise role seen shift show's skills social space specific status Stewart straight style suggest taste television tends traditional transformation values women