ABSTRACT
The American Dream might not have turned out to be as utopian as promised in the heady postwar years. Just as many young Americans ques - tioned the goals of materialism and suburban prosperity, celebrity stories focused on tales of unhappy, suffering celebrities during the 1960s and early 1970s. The magazines no longer described fame and fortune as a shortcut to happiness. Marriage would not necessarily bring a lifetime of bliss either, as celebrity divorces and rumors of unhappy relationships became a regular feature. Cohabitation, bearing children outside of marriage, and interracial relationships all challenged the accepted social order at a time when shifts in the racial and gender order took place. At the very same time these major changes occurred, the studio system also collapsed, seriously altering the production of celebrity culture. The sym - biotic relationship between movies and fan magazines faded, and coverage of other kinds of celebrities widened: television stars, athletes, and political figures became more common subjects in the magazines. Celebrity coverage also included more information the studios might have previously prevented from running, such as news of drug use and arrests. Gossip and more invasive stories became more common, and the coverage became much more similar to the no-holds-barred coverage we have today.
