Authenticating Whiteness: Karens, Selfies, and Pop Stars

185 Pages·2022·2.438 MB·English

by  Rachel E. Dubrofsky

AUTHENTICATING WHITENESS
Race, RhetoRic, and Media SeRieS
daviS W. houck, GeneRal editoR
AUTHENTICATING
WHITENESS
Karens, Selfies, and Pop Stars
Rachel E. Dubrofsky
University Press of Mississippi / Jackson
www.upress.state.ms.us
The University Press of Mississippi is a member
of the Association of University Presses.
Copyright © 2022 by University Press of Mississippi
All rights reserved
An earlier version of chapter 2 was originally published as
Dubrofsky, R. E. (2019). Monstrous authenticity: Trump’s whiteness.
In D. M. McIntosh, D. G. Moon & T. K. Nakayama (Eds.), Interrogating the
Communicative Power of Whiteness (pp. 155–175). Routledge. © 2019 Taylor & Francis.
Reproduced with permission of Taylor and Francis Group LLC through PLSclear.
An earlier version of chapter 2 also appeared in Dubrofsky, R. E. (2016). Authentic
Trump: Yearning for civility. Television & New Media, 17(7), 663–666.
An earlier version of chapter 5 was originally published as
Dubrofsky, R. E. (2016). A vernacular of surveillance: Taylor Swift and
Miley Cyrus perform white authenticity. Surveillance & Society, 14(2), 184–196.
An earlier version of chapter 3 was originally published as
Dubrofsky, R. E. (2018). Frayed edges: Selfies, Auschwitz, and a blushing emoticon.
a/b: Auto/Biography Studies, 33(3), 595–603. © The Autobiography Society,
reprinted by permission of Taylor & Francis Ltd. http://www.tandfonline.com
on behalf of The Autobiography Society.
First printing 2022
∞
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Dubrofsky, Rachel E., author.
Title: Authenticating Whiteness : Karens, selfies, and pop stars / Rachel E. Dubrofsky.
Other titles: Race, rhetoric, and media series.
Description: Jackson : University Press of Mississippi, 2022. | Series: Race,
Rhetoric, and Media series | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022033438 (print) | LCCN 2022033439 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781496843326 (hardback) | ISBN 9781496843333 (trade paperback) |
ISBN 9781496843340 (epub) | ISBN 9781496843357 (epub) |
ISBN 9781496843364 (pdf) | ISBN 9781496843371 (pdf)
Subjects: LCSH: Race in mass media. | White people—Race identity.
Classification: LCC P96.R31565 D83 2022 (print) | LCC P96.R31565 (ebook) |
DDC 305.809/073—dc23/eng/20220922
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022033438
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022033439
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Chapter 1. Authentic Emotion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Chapter 2. Authentic Monstrosity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Chapter 3. Authentic Redemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Chapter 4. Authentic Irony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Chapter 5. Authentic Whiteness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Chapter 6. Authentic Antiracism? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A few important people were instrumental for this project. Kent A. Ono
trained me to write this book. He is the kind of colleague and friend who,
when I was stuck, read every word so he could tell me what I was trying to do
and why I should bother. Marlene Kadar, for pushing me out of my comfort
zone and teaching me to enjoy the lovely mess that comes from interesting
research. Sarah Projansky, for her smart insights and for pointing out, years
ago, that my work has consistently always been about authenticity. Patrice
Buzzanell, for gently insisting the work get done and then reading every page
of the draft to confirm it was worth getting done. Emily Snyder Bandy, my
editor at the University Press of Mississippi, for her steadfast support and
commitment to the project from day one. Irwin Fefergrad, whose generosity
at a crucial moment was invaluable—Irwin, here is the final thank you out
of the three allotted. Craig Robertson, for his savvy advice, delivered with
curmudgeonly affection. Julie Gettman, for her unwavering conviction that
this book will get me invites to every talk show. Laurel Friedman, for reading
last-minute drafts and being the kind of friend who is more excited than I to
see this work in print. Debby Dubrofsky, my wonderful mom, for her faith
that if I did my thing, it would be good and for swooping in at the last minute
to work her editing magic. Seiyan Yang, my sweet little sister, for making me
want to do things she might find cool.
vii

AUTHENTICATING WHITENESS