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In early 2024, Variety1 reported that Netflix had acquired the rights to produce a television adaptation of Via Bleidner’s collection of essays, If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now (2021), from executive producers Kim Kardashian, Emma Roberts, and I. Marlene King. The show, titled Calabasas, is currently in pre-production.
Although Bleidner’s debut was not a bestseller for Macmillan Flatiron Books, it merits closer examination in anticipation of the attention this Kardashian-endorsed project will likely attract. Via Bleidner unapologetically channels her inner ‘valley girl,’ finds the middle ground between the critique and veneration of the concept of celebrity, and holds a flame to the California hedonism made famous by Eve Babitz.2
If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now (2021) offers a fascinating commentary on the upper-middle-class culture of the San Fernando Valley through a lens that is both sincere and unexpectedly insightful.
If You Lived Here, You’d Be Famous By Now (2021): Exploring Calabasas Through Rose-Colored Glasses
Bleidner’s bold reframing of the grotesque excesses of the Southern California suburbs confronts twentieth-century narratives of demonic Hollywood elites and the myth of the predatory Golden Coast.
Instead, it elicits a sun-kissed nostalgia for a moment that may have never existed outside of Katy Perry’s “California Gurls.” As a result, Kim Kardashian’s endorsement of this title likely stems from its capacity to both reflect and mythologize her lived experience as a ‘girl from Calabasas.’
Bleidner’s Kardashian endorsement is also likely a reflection of how her text navigates ‘celebrity.’ The Kardashians — whether they appear as themselves or as an allegory for the upper echelon — are not the subject of ridicule but of Bleidner’s classmates’ fascination. In If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now (2021), Bleidner’s rendering of celebrity culture is often embraced as a feature of the California lifestyle rather than an antagonistic force disrupting it.
“It’s embarrassing to admit, but we envy The Kardashians, a family from our hometown that seemingly tripped upon immense success with minimal effort. They’re a family driven by sex, by clothes, by makeup, by rap, by all the cool and amazing things that a high schooler wants to have.”
Bleidner, Via. If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now. Flatiron Books. 2021. Pg. 50.
Bleidner’s commentary on The Kardashians in If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now (2021) may be interpreted as obsequious or an attempt to obscure any critique of celebrity wealth hoarding with mundane anecdotes.
For example, one of the first essays in this collection, titled Kim Kardashian Stole My Salad, details how a local lunch spot in Woodland Hills, Health Nut, was transformed into a tourist attraction after its salads were promoted on an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians3 (2007-2021).
The Health Nut Saga: Unpacking The Iconic Kim Kardashian Stole My Salad Moment
In If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now (2021), Bleidner recounts how eating lunch off-campus at Health Nut with friends was a defining part of her high school experience. She explains that having a local spot where she was a regular felt like an important milestone, both as a student and as a resident of Calabasas. In many ways, it is clear that lunches at Health Nut were special; they served as an invitation to be a part of the in-group and a part of a tradition. However, what initially appears to be a nostalgic recollection of Bleidner’s high school days takes an unexpected turn.
“A wide shot, and I see it. We all see it. I gasp. It’s our clear plastic bowl, filled with our noodlerama, situated next to our iced mango greentini. And a forkful of our lettuce is headed directly for Kim Kardashian’s mouth.”
Bleidner, Via. If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now. Flatiron Books. 2021. Pg. 22.
The appearance of Health Nut products on Keeping Up With the Kardashians (2007-2021) predictably changed the restaurant’s culture overnight, leaving the students of Calabasas High School displaced.
Despite the initial frustration caused by the overcrowding and the diminished availability of food and beverages for students, Bleidner adopts an optimistic perspective. She concludes the essay by forgiving the Kardashians for popularizing the restaurant, as it ultimately brought success to a beloved, family-owned business.
“I carry the bowl at my side as I take a lap around the restaurant. There aren’t any tables, so I go home. I’m not upset. The Chois are a success story, and I’m happy for them.”
Bleidner, Via. If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now. Flatiron Books. 2021. Pg. 24.
The Kardashians + The Rise Of Our Parasocial Lives
However, the resolution of Kim Kardashian Stole My Salad reflects a subtle tension within the essay: Bleidner’s framing of the impact of the Kardashians’ influence appears to prioritize the ego of the celebrity over the spirit of the community. As a result, readers are, at first glance, denied an opportunity for critical reflection on the implications of influencer culture on the environment and local communities.
Instead, If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now (2021) presents the consequences of celebrity culture as inevitable rather than something that can be resisted. Despite this, it would be naive to argue that the significance of Kim’s Chinese Chicken Salad is entirely superficial. The incident foreshadows a more nuanced conversation that emerges later in If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now (2021), one that examines the influence of the parasocial relationships4 forged between the Kardashians and their teenage fans.
As social theorists Donald Horton and R. Richard Wohl observed in 1956, one-sided relationships between ordinary individuals and media personas can develop into (usually) harmless delusions in which consumers grow attached to these personas, believing they know them intimately. This connection often resembles the affinity shared between close friends, except in this scenario, both parties do not know each other.
The phenomenon of parasocial relationships has intensified in recent years due to the rise of social media5, with the Kardashians standing at the forefront of this cultural transformation. Bleidner’s account in Kim Kardashian Stole My Salad reaffirms Horton and Wohl’s initial hypothesis that the boundaries between the interests of celebrities and those of individuals are often blurred.
For example, because the students of Calabasas High perceive the Kardashians as their neighbors, they do not consider it unreasonable for the family to encroach upon their daily lives. Moreover, some viewers of the show share a similar parasocial connection with the Kardashians, which leads them to feel either entitled or compelled to eat at Health Nut — even if doing so requires travel and negatively impacts local residents.
“Celebrity Sycophancy:” Understanding How We Resist The Cult of Fame
Awareness of the absurdity of parasocial tendencies has become more prominent in the 2020s, as evidenced by emerging trends such as the ‘ignoring celebrities6’ phenomenon in 2024 and widespread disillusionment during the Met Gala7, where many internet users drew comparisons between the ignorance of celebrities and the elites depicted in The Hunger Games (2008). This cultural shift has begun to reveal that celebrities are neither friends nor peers; rather, they often seem to exist in a world entirely removed from our own.
By reflecting on a period in recent history when society, often unconsciously, was at its most celebrity-obsessed, If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now (2021) flashbacks to a time before the responses of celebrities during the COVID-19 pandemic and the genocide in Gaza emphasized such a sharp divide between ‘us’ and ‘them.’ As the essays progress, the picture of this era grows increasingly detailed, forcing readers to confront the extent of their own complicity and participation in celebrity culture.
Further Down The Rabbit Hole: Decoding ‘Please Don’t Eat The Oranges’
Despite previous observations, Bleidner’s essays do not lack self-awareness or the capacity to critique the sycophantic tendencies she describes. Often, the absurdity of society’s relentless fascination with celebrity is systematically deconstructed throughout If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now (2021), as Bleidner’s persona begins to recognize it as both polluting and nonsensical.
“Collective awareness of proximal celebrity hovers in the air, thicker than the fog pumped in from rented machines. But because most Calabasas students earnestly believe they’re already famous, it’s an unspoken acknowledgement. Being ‘starstruck’ implies the forfeit of your own perceived stardom…It’s almost a contest. Who can play it most coy.”
Bleidner, Via. If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now. Flatiron Books. 2021. Pg. 67.
Bleidner explains that, according to the status quo of Calabasas High School, the preferred way to interact with celebrities involves treating them as equals while simultaneously allowing them to remain influential and enviable. This dynamic elevates the concept of a parasocial relationship8 to unprecedented levels, as students become consumed with how they are perceived by those they regard as ‘famous’ and convince themselves that these hypothetical moments of recognition hold significance.
The intensity of this dynamic is exemplified in the essay Please Don’t Eat the Oranges, in which Via is dared to knock on the door of what is rumored to be Kylie Jenner’s house during a slumber party. For her classmates, Via’s ability to complete this task while maintaining composure signifies her ability to meet the unspoken social expectations. Therefore, the anxiety Via experiences as she approaches the house communicates her recognition that her success or failure to complete the dare will inevitably be analyzed by her classmates.
Although the house is later revealed to likely have been unoccupied If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now (2021) prompts reflection on the performative nature of celebrity worship and how our participation is often a fundamentally social act.
“Celebrities:” Exploring The Roots Of Our Worship
Some evidence suggests9 that our desire to know or be known by those we consider high-status figures is instinctual. A fundamental aspect of human nature is our inherent desire to follow a leader, whether that leader is a king, a priest, or Kylie Jenner. Now more than ever, social media influencers have assumed the role of aspirational figures, individuals whom people look up to for inspiration on how to improve themselves.
This could manifest through adopting their fashion choices, using the products they endorse, or engaging in similar behaviors. Although human instincts play a role, there is also considerable influence from the manipulation of algorithms10, which continuously provide users with celebrity updates, reinforcing our predisposition to form parasocial bonds with media personas.
As If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now (2021) progresses past the initial exposition, Bleidner’s essays increasingly shift toward offering social commentary on the experience of coming of age in an era dominated by consumer culture, social media, and an obsessive fascination with the lives of the rich and famous.
In Please Don’t Eat the Oranges, Bleidner revisits the criticism of her parasocial relationship with the Kardashians, as she continues to expose the absurdity of this illusory connection. If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now (2021) reminds readers that despite our perceived parasocial bonds, the most extreme forms of affluence remain unattainable, even when invited into the gated community where the Kardashian-Jenners reside.
Via’s imagination of what she would say to Kylie Jenner when she knocks on her door reflects a lingering belief in the possibility of a life-changing celebrity encounter. Yet, the stillness of the house communicates the unbridgeable divide between America’s wealthiest individuals and everyone else.
“As I walk forward, I run through a script of what I’ll say when she answers the door. Hey, Kylie, big fan. No, that’s wrong. I’m not a fan. We’re supposed to be, like … equals, right? Both kids in the Valley. Hey, was just passing by, and — No, that’s ridiculous. I can’t pretend that I don’t know her.”
Bleidner, Via. If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now. Flatiron Books. 2021. Pg. 58.
Hidden Hills & Radioactive Citrus Gardens: Unveiling The Mystique
If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now (2021) continues to build upon the absurdist nature of extreme affluence by presenting the Kardashians’ neighborhood, Hidden Hills, as a paradoxical site, as exemplified by Bleidner’s use of oranges as a narrative device that alludes to both the Garden of Eden and the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) nuclear meltdown of 1959.
The essay features a scene in which a classmate reminds Via that the oranges in Hidden Hills are rumored to be poisoned by the fallout from the Santa Susana Field Laboratory disaster. The titular Please Don’t Eat the Oranges parallels the Book of Genesis, awarding symbolic weight to the concept of ‘forbidden fruit’ and hinting at the deeper ideological consequences of the paradise that is Calabasas’ most exclusive celebrity neighborhood.
“Here, in his neighborhood, Thomas walks me down the street. Hidden Hills is filled with citrus. In the springtime, the air carries the smell of eucalyptus trees, swimming pool chlorine, and orange groves. California perfume, a spritz of eau de Suburbia. It’s a major talking point for any real estate agent selling a double-H mansion. Tempted, I reach toward the bough of a nearby orange tree.”
Bleidner, Via. If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now. Flatiron Books. 2021. Pg. 49.
As Via recites the connection between the forbidden oranges and the SSFL meltdown, audiences are invited to acknowledge the inconsistent logic of celebrity sycophancy. To what extent do we want to be influenced by individuals who buy multimillion-dollar homes in former nuclear exclusion zones, surrounded by oranges they can’t eat?
This connection creates a valuable moment of critical reflection that balances the nonchalance towards the consequences of influencer culture exhibited in Kim Kardashian Stole My Salad. As a result, Bleidner presents a powerful allegory that comments on an essential element of the proposed discourse: to what extent should the perspectives of celebrities be valued?
Ultimately, If You Lived Here, You’d Be Famous By Now (2021) works to demythologize the notion of celebrity without falling victim to sounding pessimistic or detached. Instead, it catalyzes Via’s future experiences with her classmates in Calabassas, many of which are liberated from the specter of fame and focus instead on recounting sincere moments of connection, community, and self-discovery. Via matures alongside her narrative and graduates from Calabasas High as neither a skeptic nor a sycophant but a witty observer.
Coming Soon To Calabasas… The Next Chapter Unfolds
Via Bleidner’s If You Lived Here, You’d Be Famous By Now (2021) is a nuanced exploration of celebrity culture that blends critical insight into parasocial relationships, consumerism, and societal fascination with the allure of celebrity. Throughout her essays, Bleidner critiques the contradictions of fame and the commodification of community while balancing personal reflection with sharp social commentary.
However, as Netflix prepares to adapt If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now (2021) into the series Calabasas, it remains to be seen whether the television medium can effectively translate Bleidner’s layered critique or whether, with Kim Kardashian in the role of executive producer, this element of the text risks being misinterpreted or ignored. Only time will tell.
Footnotes
- Zee, M. (2024). Netflix Acquires ‘Calabasas’ Series From Kim Kardashian, Emma Roberts. [online] Variety. ↩︎
- (2025). Nytimes.com. ↩︎
- SNOBBISH (2022). I Tried the Famous Kardashian Salads from Health Nut. [online] SNOBBISH. ↩︎
- National Register of Health Service Psychologists (2015). Parasocial Relationships: the Nature of Celebrity Fascinations | Find a Psychologist. [online] Findapsychologist.org. ↩︎
- Cole, T. and Leets, L. (1999). Attachment Styles and Intimate Television Viewing: Insecurely Forming Relationships in a Parasocial Way. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 16(4), pp.495–511. ↩︎
- Beeching, L. (2024). TikTok’s ‘Ignore Celebrities’ Trend: Why Its Impact Stays on TikTok. [online] Lauren Beeching Crisis Management Expert. ↩︎
- Ally, A. (2024). Met Gala & Palestine: Are We Living in the Hunger Games? [online] Her Campus. ↩︎
- Barth, S. (2023). What Is Reality Television’s Impact And Accountability? [online] The Daily Fandom. ↩︎
- Harrison, P. (2024). Why Are We so Obsessed with Celebrities? [online] Deakin University. ↩︎
- Harrison, P. (2022). Why Are We so Invested in the Lives of Social Media influencers? [online] Deakin University. ↩︎