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I Want to Be Famous: When Everybody and Nobody Is a Celebrity
Not yet published
Expected 29 Sep 26A sharp, funny examination of fame in the digital era and what makes our hunger for it equally alluring and embarrassing—from the podcasters behind Who? Weekly
While being photographed in 1966, Warhol reportedly said, “Everyone wants to be famous.” (To which his photographer, Nat Finkelstein responded, “Yeah, for about fifteen minutes, Andy.”) But Warhol was right then, and he’s right now. Fifteen minutes be damned, all you need is the drive—or desperation—and a singular spark. But if you’re not careful, you’ll end up a Who.
Who is a Who? In I Want to Be Famous, Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber, the pop culture journalists behind the podcast Who? Weekly, distill celebrity into two categories—Whos and Thems—transcending the snarky, antiquated judgment of the “A-listers” to “D-listers.” If you come across an allegedly famous face you’ve never seen before and are compelled to utter “Who?”, well, there’s your answer (Can you picture Rita Ora, Ava Max, or Hilaria Baldwin without Googling them?). If the subject elicits something along the lines of, “Oh, Them,” there you’ve found the opposite (Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Tom Cruise). It’s the fundamental duality of fame.
And yet, as more Whos spawn, the path to Themdom narrows. We’ve entered an era where accessibility to fame is within everyone’s grasp, though only a select few can crack the algorithm and hold our ever-diminishing attention spans. Celebrities have taken desperate measures to stay relevant—from the makeup, supplements, and alcohol they peddle to the Notes App apologies they post—as the media who cover them compete with celebrities breaking their own news on social media and as PopCrave decides who “stuns” next.
Blending juicy pop culture history with the authors’ signature wit,I Want to Be Famous argues fame no longer means ubiquity and examines what the future holds for those seeking our collective attention.
While being photographed in 1966, Warhol reportedly said, “Everyone wants to be famous.” (To which his photographer, Nat Finkelstein responded, “Yeah, for about fifteen minutes, Andy.”) But Warhol was right then, and he’s right now. Fifteen minutes be damned, all you need is the drive—or desperation—and a singular spark. But if you’re not careful, you’ll end up a Who.
Who is a Who? In I Want to Be Famous, Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber, the pop culture journalists behind the podcast Who? Weekly, distill celebrity into two categories—Whos and Thems—transcending the snarky, antiquated judgment of the “A-listers” to “D-listers.” If you come across an allegedly famous face you’ve never seen before and are compelled to utter “Who?”, well, there’s your answer (Can you picture Rita Ora, Ava Max, or Hilaria Baldwin without Googling them?). If the subject elicits something along the lines of, “Oh, Them,” there you’ve found the opposite (Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Tom Cruise). It’s the fundamental duality of fame.
And yet, as more Whos spawn, the path to Themdom narrows. We’ve entered an era where accessibility to fame is within everyone’s grasp, though only a select few can crack the algorithm and hold our ever-diminishing attention spans. Celebrities have taken desperate measures to stay relevant—from the makeup, supplements, and alcohol they peddle to the Notes App apologies they post—as the media who cover them compete with celebrities breaking their own news on social media and as PopCrave decides who “stuns” next.
Blending juicy pop culture history with the authors’ signature wit,I Want to Be Famous argues fame no longer means ubiquity and examines what the future holds for those seeking our collective attention.
256 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 29, 2026
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January 29, 2026OMG
August 31, 2026
This is a really fun examination of the nature of celebrity in the modern age. I’ve never listened to the authors’ podcast, but I still got a lot out of this book. This isn’t just one for the fans, and if anything, I think it will inspire more people to listen to the podcast!
This book sent me down some rabbit holes of the best kind, by reminding me of past celebrity scandals that hadn’t crossed my mind in years and inspiring me to search where people are now. It also made me think about how much celebrity culture has changed in such a short time—within a few decades we’ve gone from Perez Hilton drawing bodily fluids on people’s faces to Deux Moi uncritically posting every tip she receives…admittedly that feels like a lateral move. My favourite chapter was the one about stan culture, but this book is honestly full of gems.
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a physical ARC of this book!
This book sent me down some rabbit holes of the best kind, by reminding me of past celebrity scandals that hadn’t crossed my mind in years and inspiring me to search where people are now. It also made me think about how much celebrity culture has changed in such a short time—within a few decades we’ve gone from Perez Hilton drawing bodily fluids on people’s faces to Deux Moi uncritically posting every tip she receives…admittedly that feels like a lateral move. My favourite chapter was the one about stan culture, but this book is honestly full of gems.
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a physical ARC of this book!
July 12, 2026
If you enjoy media studies and the silly levels/layers of celebrity, you’ll love this book. The authors apply an academic-style lens to the current micro/macro celebrity experience, including all that celebrities manufacture for public consumption (social media presence, white label partnerships that are usually endorsed on social media much more visibly than the overseas American celeb spokesperson in overseas commercials of the pre-2010s, and wayyyy too many forgotten podcasts, as celebs try to jump on the latest train in the attention economy). Does that sound niche to you or delectable?
The authors have been hosting a pop culture podcast for 10 years and occasionally slip in lil nuggets for longtime listeners (i.e., what other book is going to shout out Danielle Jonas shilling for big pork on Instagram??), but you do not need to be familiar with their podcast to enjoy this book. Though if you enjoy their book, you’ll probably enjoy their podcast Who? Weekly and should give it a listen.
Thank you Crown Publishing (of Penguin Random House) and NetGalley for providing an early copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The authors have been hosting a pop culture podcast for 10 years and occasionally slip in lil nuggets for longtime listeners (i.e., what other book is going to shout out Danielle Jonas shilling for big pork on Instagram??), but you do not need to be familiar with their podcast to enjoy this book. Though if you enjoy their book, you’ll probably enjoy their podcast Who? Weekly and should give it a listen.
Thank you Crown Publishing (of Penguin Random House) and NetGalley for providing an early copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you are already a fan of the Who? Weekly podcast, then I don't need to convince you that this book is a must-read. But even if you know little to nothing about the hosts Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber and their binary classification of fame into Whos (people on the low end of celebrity, those who might prompt the general public to ask "who?" when encountering them in the press or online) and Thems (A-listers), this book will interest anyone who enjoys good gossip and fun takes on Hollywood history. Specifically, fans of Anne Helen Petersen's "Scandals of Classic Hollywood" and Emily Nussbaum's "Cue the Sun!" will probably enjoy this exploration of fame and its many faces. I certainly did!
The book is divided into chapters on various aspects of fame and what drives people to chase celebrity. It focuses on the differences between Whos and Thems, and the processes by which one may go from one level of celebrity to the other. The tone is humorous and chatty, and it often reads like a transcript of a very good podcast (this is not a negative in any way). The breadth of the content is very broad and the discussions about people I'm not even familiar with held my attention as much as those about people and events which I already knew (I loved getting more information about things I witnessed first-hand as a Gen Xer who loves pop culture and has been consuming it voraciously for many decades).
I came out of reading this book with a sense of having a broader understanding of many pop culture events and personas. It is incredibly well written and extremely entertaining, and it will probably be my favorite non-fiction title of 2026! Bravo Bobby and Lindsey!
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the authors for providing a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
The book is divided into chapters on various aspects of fame and what drives people to chase celebrity. It focuses on the differences between Whos and Thems, and the processes by which one may go from one level of celebrity to the other. The tone is humorous and chatty, and it often reads like a transcript of a very good podcast (this is not a negative in any way). The breadth of the content is very broad and the discussions about people I'm not even familiar with held my attention as much as those about people and events which I already knew (I loved getting more information about things I witnessed first-hand as a Gen Xer who loves pop culture and has been consuming it voraciously for many decades).
I came out of reading this book with a sense of having a broader understanding of many pop culture events and personas. It is incredibly well written and extremely entertaining, and it will probably be my favorite non-fiction title of 2026! Bravo Bobby and Lindsey!
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the authors for providing a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.25
I've been listening to Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber's Who? Weekly podcast since its inception, so I went into I Want to Be Famous hoping it would capture the same humor and cultural commentary that has kept me listening for years. Thankfully, it absolutely does.
The book is at its best when it steps back from individual celebrities and examines the machinery behind modern fame: social media, brand partnerships, Notes app apologies, podcasts, and the endless pressure to remain culturally relevant. Even when discussing celebrities I couldn't care less about, I found myself invested because the larger argument is so sharp. Their "Who's" versus "Thems" taxonomy is funny, but it's also a genuinely useful lens for thinking about how attention has become our most valuable currency.
That said, the book occasionally overindulges in examples. Some chapters hammer home the same point with celebrity after celebrity, and the pacing starts to drag when another niche case study appears after you've already grasped the argument. I also suspect readers who aren't already familiar with Who? Weekly won't appreciate every running joke or reference in quite the same way.
Funny, insightful, and surprisingly substantive, I Want to Be Famous is about much more than celebrities; it examines why we collectively care so much about fame in the first place. Whether you've been listening to Who? Weekly for years, as I have, or are simply fascinated by the strange economics of internet celebrity, there's plenty here to enjoy.
Thank you to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I've been listening to Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber's Who? Weekly podcast since its inception, so I went into I Want to Be Famous hoping it would capture the same humor and cultural commentary that has kept me listening for years. Thankfully, it absolutely does.
The book is at its best when it steps back from individual celebrities and examines the machinery behind modern fame: social media, brand partnerships, Notes app apologies, podcasts, and the endless pressure to remain culturally relevant. Even when discussing celebrities I couldn't care less about, I found myself invested because the larger argument is so sharp. Their "Who's" versus "Thems" taxonomy is funny, but it's also a genuinely useful lens for thinking about how attention has become our most valuable currency.
That said, the book occasionally overindulges in examples. Some chapters hammer home the same point with celebrity after celebrity, and the pacing starts to drag when another niche case study appears after you've already grasped the argument. I also suspect readers who aren't already familiar with Who? Weekly won't appreciate every running joke or reference in quite the same way.
Funny, insightful, and surprisingly substantive, I Want to Be Famous is about much more than celebrities; it examines why we collectively care so much about fame in the first place. Whether you've been listening to Who? Weekly for years, as I have, or are simply fascinated by the strange economics of internet celebrity, there's plenty here to enjoy.
Thank you to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
𝘞𝘩𝘰? 𝘞𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘭𝘺 is a long-running podcast that has established a binary of celebrity status. You have Thems, the undeniable A-listers like Beyonce, Tom Hanks, or Lady Gaga, then you have your Whos, fame-thirsty D-listers often doing ridiculous things for a chance in the spotlight. Hearing a Who's name might leave you scratching your head, asking yourself 𝘞𝘩𝘰?. This book is the podcast hosts' debut collection of essays (though Bobby is a thrice-published novelist!) on a range of topics, from the history of gossip reporting, to reality TV, to nepo babies, to, of course, none other than Queen Who herself, Rita Ora.
One of the recurring segments on the podcast is a game called Who's More FamousBirthdays.com, where one of the hosts quizzes the other about which celebrity ranks higher on the iconic birthday website (today's top three is surprisingly Themmy: Vin Diesel, Nelson Mandela, and Kristen Bell. Happy birthday to Them!). This game is stupid and silly, and sometimes when people ask me about the podcast I'll use those same descriptors. However, this book of fame- and celebrity-centric essays was a refreshing reminder that the hosts are two smart, talented writers, with impressive journalism backgrounds.
While somewhat repetitive for avid listeners of the pod, this was still a fun read. For those unacquainted, this is a great introduction to 𝘞𝘩𝘰? 𝘞𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘭𝘺's thesis and if you enjoy fame culture, being terminally online, or media studies in general, I'd recommend this.
Thank you to @netgalley and @crownpubhlishing for the ARC. Crunch crunch!
One of the recurring segments on the podcast is a game called Who's More FamousBirthdays.com, where one of the hosts quizzes the other about which celebrity ranks higher on the iconic birthday website (today's top three is surprisingly Themmy: Vin Diesel, Nelson Mandela, and Kristen Bell. Happy birthday to Them!). This game is stupid and silly, and sometimes when people ask me about the podcast I'll use those same descriptors. However, this book of fame- and celebrity-centric essays was a refreshing reminder that the hosts are two smart, talented writers, with impressive journalism backgrounds.
While somewhat repetitive for avid listeners of the pod, this was still a fun read. For those unacquainted, this is a great introduction to 𝘞𝘩𝘰? 𝘞𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘭𝘺's thesis and if you enjoy fame culture, being terminally online, or media studies in general, I'd recommend this.
Thank you to @netgalley and @crownpubhlishing for the ARC. Crunch crunch!
August 19, 2026
Well, I didn’t like this book. I’m familiar with the podcast (but wouldn’t consider myself a Wholigan), which is why I requested (and received) the eARC from NetGalley. I thought they would have something more interesting to say about celebrity and culture.
This book feels about 10 years too late to be this uncritical. The shallow analysis is uninspired and often had me thinking, “That’s it? That’s the chapter?”. There’s a taste of what I wanted in the last chapter about Rita Ora, but only amounts to a few short paragraphs after a wordcount filing description of her career. This recapping is common throughout the book which is frustrating when any significant point that could be made about the information dissolves into more recapping. Reads as a Twitter meme greatest hits compilation.
Fame is an interesting phenomenon, especially middle class fame (a who, more or less). More kids want to be influencers now than any other career because YouTube and IG are so ubiquitous in their downtime. The precariat gig working celeb who status has never been more coveted than it is now, while real celebrities find fame to be gauche and access a liability. It’s an interesting downline that deserves a more thoughtful analysis.
This book feels about 10 years too late to be this uncritical. The shallow analysis is uninspired and often had me thinking, “That’s it? That’s the chapter?”. There’s a taste of what I wanted in the last chapter about Rita Ora, but only amounts to a few short paragraphs after a wordcount filing description of her career. This recapping is common throughout the book which is frustrating when any significant point that could be made about the information dissolves into more recapping. Reads as a Twitter meme greatest hits compilation.
Fame is an interesting phenomenon, especially middle class fame (a who, more or less). More kids want to be influencers now than any other career because YouTube and IG are so ubiquitous in their downtime. The precariat gig working celeb who status has never been more coveted than it is now, while real celebrities find fame to be gauche and access a liability. It’s an interesting downline that deserves a more thoughtful analysis.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.
I Want to Be Famous explores modern celebrity culture by dividing fame into two categories: "Who's" and "Them's".
I liked the overall concept and structure, it made the book easy to follow. Some sections stood out more than others, especially the chapter on reality TV and celebrity couples, which felt nostalgic. Those moments captured how certain eras of fame actually felt and were the most engaging to read.
Other parts of the book didn't land for me. There are sections that delve into how social media changed how consumers engaged with celebrities and their brands. I was not aware that so many celebrities started podcasts. More than anything, I struggled to connect with the level of devotion to celebrities described throughout, whether real or performative.
I think this would work best for readers who are terminally online.
I Want to Be Famous explores modern celebrity culture by dividing fame into two categories: "Who's" and "Them's".
I liked the overall concept and structure, it made the book easy to follow. Some sections stood out more than others, especially the chapter on reality TV and celebrity couples, which felt nostalgic. Those moments captured how certain eras of fame actually felt and were the most engaging to read.
Other parts of the book didn't land for me. There are sections that delve into how social media changed how consumers engaged with celebrities and their brands. I was not aware that so many celebrities started podcasts. More than anything, I struggled to connect with the level of devotion to celebrities described throughout, whether real or performative.
I think this would work best for readers who are terminally online.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for this Advanced Reader Copy.
I Want to Be Famous, by Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber, is an insightful and hilarious inside look at fame and celebrity, giving the scoop on the who’s who and how they got there. You’ll learn about the “who’s” and the “thems” and exactly how they move from one to the other when in the spotlight. The authors have a podcast where they banter and talk out all things celebrity. This immense knowledge gives the book a snarky, satirical, and informational slant that you could only get from authors who live this daily. I Want to Be Famous leaves nothing out: the history of celebrity journalism, the evolution of what it means to be famous in today’s world, and how the contributions of gossip columnists and bloggers influence the public’s perceptions. If you are interested in celebrity culture and its influence on society, you will love this book!
I Want to Be Famous, by Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber, is an insightful and hilarious inside look at fame and celebrity, giving the scoop on the who’s who and how they got there. You’ll learn about the “who’s” and the “thems” and exactly how they move from one to the other when in the spotlight. The authors have a podcast where they banter and talk out all things celebrity. This immense knowledge gives the book a snarky, satirical, and informational slant that you could only get from authors who live this daily. I Want to Be Famous leaves nothing out: the history of celebrity journalism, the evolution of what it means to be famous in today’s world, and how the contributions of gossip columnists and bloggers influence the public’s perceptions. If you are interested in celebrity culture and its influence on society, you will love this book!
July 9, 2026
I really enjoyed the discussion on how advertisements and access shape celebrity and how both streaming and reality TV have shifted that conversation in terms of the death of the “movie star.” The terms “Them” and “Who” are useful to an extent and definitely giving a useful framework for how they discuss celebrity on their podcast. However, I feel like sometimes there was a bit too much in the weeds discussion trying to make all of these examples fit exactly into this dichotomy even when it was a bit of a stretch and it meant that not every critique was as nuanced as it could be. It took me out of what was overall an interesting overview of the ways celebrity has changed and shifted for the internet age.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Although I admittedly went into this as a fan of Who? Weekly, I think anyone would enjoy this regardless. My favorite parts were when the authors leaned into history and took us through a journey when discussing various concepts (like the history of PR relationships). Even though I feel pretty up-to-date about current celebrities, I learned a lot more because of the historical discussions. You can really tell Lindsey and Bobby put their hearts into this, it is full of humor and passion for their art and their work. Crunch crunch- me in ARC reviews.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was insanely enjoyable to read. It is a really thorough exploration of celebrity culture and the history of celebrity. I liked how the authors would speak on the history of celebrity/the origins of modern celebrity and how it has morphed into what it is like today. The book had a perfect amount of snark, which I appreciated. The book was fantastic and I definitely recommend to anyone even a little interested in celebrity culture. It is such an easy and fun read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The book is interesting and I'm happy to receive a galley. The cover is busy, complicated, and hideous and the topics are really difficult to get into. The lack of thems and focus on whos really makes general buy-in difficult. If you are terminally online and you know who people like Rita Ora are, then you may be into this, but it doesn't really read, it is kind of a novelty book. I was surprised having read all of Finger's books.
July 16, 2026
As an avid Who? Weekly listener I was so hyped to read this book. Ultimately I thought it had some interesting parts, especially the deep dive into the historical aspects of celebrity but I often thought it was just repetitive of the pod so information I already knew without new or deeper analysis (which is what I was expecting). Because of this, I felt like it wasn’t really for the listeners but I also feel like if you don’t listen, then this topic isn’t for you so I am in the end confused who the target audience for this book is.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m a long time whooligan so I appreciate all the references and fabulousness that went into this book, but it’s not for everyone. I’m very online and love pop culture so I enjoyed most of it but I’m not sure if it was good. Loved the chapter on Rita Ora but it wasn’t a good closer & the 100 examples of everything in each chapter was a little much. Ugh, this one hurts.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was endlessly delightful, just like the podcast! I flew through it in a single sitting. Very well-written and well-researched.
My one caveat: If you've been a Very Online™ celebrity gossip obsessive for a while, much of I Want to Be Famous probably won't be entirely new to you. That said, it was an entertaining journey, and I still picked up a few interesting tidbits.
My one caveat: If you've been a Very Online™ celebrity gossip obsessive for a while, much of I Want to Be Famous probably won't be entirely new to you. That said, it was an entertaining journey, and I still picked up a few interesting tidbits.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Crunch crunch! I’ve been a Wholigan since the beginning so this book was everything I could have ever hoped for. Always up for a pop culture/media studies deep dive and when two of the funniest writers are doing it? It’s a Rita Ora pop song to my ears.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a fun and delightful read! As a Wholigan it felt like a nice history of the Who Weekly podcast itself and its coverage, but I also think that someone who hasn't listened to the podcast could get a lot of good media studies type info out of this. Crunch crunch!
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September 13, 2026Fun read for a Wholigan! Liked the media studies / celebrity journalism history and exploration stuff. Feels like an episode of the Patreon in a good way. Do wish it was little longer and more in depth though. Fun to get an early galley version 🤭 crunch crunch :)
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September 11, 2026interview with lindsey and bobby coming soon to npr's weekend edition. crunch crunch
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lindsey Weber & Bobby Finger host “Who, Weekly?,” a podcast where they discuss the goings on of Whos & Thems.
A decade of doing this podcast made them uniquely qualified to write this rumination on how the idea of fame has changed over the years and what people have to do to stay famous. Who knew things notes app apologies, sponsorship deals and Rita Ora could be so funny.
Bring back shame!
Crunch crunch.
Lindsey Weber & Bobby Finger host “Who, Weekly?,” a podcast where they discuss the goings on of Whos & Thems.
A decade of doing this podcast made them uniquely qualified to write this rumination on how the idea of fame has changed over the years and what people have to do to stay famous. Who knew things notes app apologies, sponsorship deals and Rita Ora could be so funny.
Bring back shame!
Crunch crunch.
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