Buzzfeed’s Anne Helen Petersen writes longform stories about celebrity gossip, recently gaining attention for taking critics and to task with an analysis of how the world responded to a change in Renée Zellweger’s appearance: What’s Really Behind The Ridicule Of Renée Zellweger’s Face. She’ll visit with ONA Seattle members and guests on Nov. 25 to talk about the ethics of reporting on gossip and scandal — and how journalists can and should guide public discourse.
Her book “Scandals of Classic Hollywood” from Plume/Penguin is a fascinating look at the smear campaigns of Hollywood’s golden era, and how our culture has always been riveted with the scandals of the rich and famous.
Anne Helen Petersen received her Ph.D. in media studies from the University of Texas, where she studied the industrial history of the gossip industry. After teaching in the university setting for several years, she transitioned to full-time feature writing, most recently with BuzzFeed. Her work has appeared in The Believer, The Awl, The Hairpin, Laptham’s Quarterly, The Baffler, Pacific Standard, The Guardian, Los Angeles Review of Books, and Virginia Quarterly Review.
This is the first in a series of events aimed at gathering ONA Seattle members after a long hiatus. Come to find out more about getting involved with ONA Seattle going forward. Non-members are welcome to attend. We’ll adjourn for drinks at a nearby bar after Q&A.