Picture a scholar who swapped lecture halls for viral articles and bestselling books—meet Anne Helen Petersen! This American writer, armed with a Ph.D. in media studies, has a knack for dissecting celebrity gossip and cultural trends with academic flair. From her BuzzFeed days to her thought-provoking newsletter, Culture Study, Petersen bridges the gap between scholarly insight and pop-culture appeal, making her a unique voice in modern journalism.
The Making of Anne Helen Petersen
Born in Lewiston, Idaho, Anne Helen Petersen grew up with a curiosity for stories and their cultural weight. She earned a BA in Rhetoric and Film Studies from Whitman College in 2003, followed by an MA in English from the University of Oregon in 2007. Her academic journey peaked with a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in 2011, where she dove into the history of the gossip industry. While teaching at Whitman College, Petersen began writing for outlets like The Hairpin, discovering her love for non-academic writing that reached wider audiences.
Anne Helen Petersen’s Unforgettable Stories
Petersen’s work blends sharp analysis with accessible storytelling, often exploring fame, gender, and work culture. Her first book, Scandals of Classic Hollywood (2014), grew from her Hairpin series, uncovering juicy tales of Golden Age stars like Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe with a historian’s eye. In 2017, Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud examined how female celebrities defy societal norms, spotlighting figures like Serena Williams and Nicki Minaj. Her 2020 bestseller, Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation, struck a chord with its viral BuzzFeed roots, diagnosing millennial exhaustion with empathy and rigor. Co-written with her partner Charlie Warzel, Out of Office (2021) reimagines the future of remote work, blending personal anecdotes with cultural critique.
Her newsletter, Culture Study, launched on Substack in 2020, reaches over 100,000 readers weekly with eclectic takes on everything from parenting to celebrity culture. Petersen’s style—witty, research-driven, and unafraid of complexity—makes dense topics feel like chats with a smart friend. Whether unpacking Armie Hammer’s failed stardom or the loneliness of remote work, she connects the personal to the societal.
Why Anne Helen Petersen Matters
Petersen’s impact lies in her ability to make cultural analysis both relatable and revolutionary. Her work has redefined how we talk about burnout, particularly for millennials, sparking global conversations about labor and mental health. By bringing academic rigor to pop culture, she’s empowered readers to question societal norms around fame, gender, and work. Her podcasts, like Work Appropriate and Culture Study, further amplify her voice, offering practical yet playful insights. Living on Lummi Island, Washington, with her dogs Steve and Peggy, Petersen continues to shape discourse, proving that gossip and scholarship can coexist.
About Anne Helen Petersen
- Born: Circa 1981, Lewiston, Idaho
- Key Works: Scandals of Classic Hollywood, Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud, Can’t Even, Out of Office
- Notable Achievement: Her 2019 BuzzFeed article on millennial burnout became the site’s most-read piece of the year.
Snag Can’t Even or subscribe to Culture Study for a dose of Anne Helen Petersen’s brilliant, boundary-pushing insights!