Book Description
Former Playboy centerfold and soft-porn movie actress Xuxa (SHOO-sha) emerged in the 1980s as Brazil's mass media megastar. Through her children's television show, which reaches millions of people in Latin America and the United States, this blond sex symbol has attained extraordinary cultural authority. Reaching far beyond younger audiences, Xuxa's show informs the culture at large about gender relations, racial democracy, and idealized beauty.

Backed by Brazil's TV Globo, the fourth-largest commercial network in the world, Xuxa has built an empire. Amelia Simoson's colorful portrayal is the first book to explore how Xuxa's representation of femininity, her privileging of a white ideal of beauty, and her promotional approach to culture perpetuate inequality on an unprecedented scale. Simpson's thoughtful analysis exposes the complicity of a mass audience eager to celebrate Xuxa's deeply compromised representations of gender, race, and modernity.

Xuxa also explores the meaning behind the myth—Xuxa's long-term relationship with Brazil's soccer idol, Pelé, and the near-worship of her atypical blond, blue-eyed appearance by Brazil's population. As the author examines Xuxa's suggestive style juxtaposed with juvenile entertainment, and the phenomenon of Xuxa-look-alike teenaged paquitas, she unfold the symbolic territory of blond sex symbols worldwide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Xuxa is not to blame for Brazil's problems or the troubles of America's feminists
Don't blame Xuxa for Brazil's problems. They are the result of American corporate fascism's take-over of the country.The screed of American feminist puritanism is a joke.They hate Xuxa because she loves children instead of aborting them.

Xuxa can not be blamed for all of Brazil's social problems.
The book definately fills in some background information on Xuxa that mostUS fans do not have. However, the author has surprisingly little to sayabout Xuxa. Nearly every paragraph has a footnote referencing anarticle/interview written by someone else. This book is more of acollection of other people's comments and quotes about Xuxa (or from Xuxa)and her impact on Brazilian society. The book in many ways tries to linkXuxa with many social problems facing Brazil including: racisim, the classsystem, declining school attendance, illiteracy, teen pregnancy, bulimia,and the sexual exploitation of children. Wow, has she been busy! I thinkthat Xuxa represents some "ideals" to the Brazilian society, butto almost blame her for the continuation of these problems seems a littlemuch. I recommend the book for anyone wanting to learn more about Xuxahistory (good and bad)and her rise to fame. This book is not for theaverage fan.

Puts the Xuxa phenomenon into perspective
Xuxa's syndicated show on American TV may have been a flop, but this scholarly book remains an interesting study of the Brazilian entertainer.Amelia Simpson interleaves biographical information with background material on the Brazilian entertainment industry, combined with a very insightful analysis of Xuxa's incredible fame among the impoverished populations of South America. At times the writing comes across a little bit like a thesis composed by an overly earnest grad student.This has, to some extent, the odd effect of legitimizing Xuxa's appeal as transcending that of a mere pop culture icon. If anybody was truly qualified to play Evita, it is Xuxa.She was, after all, born very close to the border of Argentina. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from El Ritmo de la Noche, published by Editorial Sur, Inc. on October 1, 1997. The length of the article is 954 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Xuxa: un éxito internacional. (María da Graca Xuxa Meneghel, actriz brasileña)(TT: Xuxa: an international success) (TA: María da Graca Xuxa Meneghel, Brazilian actress)(Interview)
Author: Alfredo de Armas
Publication: El Ritmo de la Noche (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 1997
Publisher: Editorial Sur, Inc.
Volume: v3Page: p40(3)

Article Type: Interview

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Semana, published by Spanish Publications, Inc. on October 14, 1999. The length of the article is 634 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Es la mejor mentira de todas.(Xuxa, presentadora de televisión Brasileña)(TT: The best lie of them all.)(TA: Xuxa, Brazilian television hostess)
Publication: Semana (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 14, 1999
Publisher: Spanish Publications, Inc.
Volume: 6Issue: 346Page: 7

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Semana, published by Spanish Publications, Inc. on April 2, 1998. The length of the article is 3092 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Xuxa recibe primeros regalos maternales. (modelo y presentadora de televisión brasileña)(TT: Xuxa receives its first maternity presents) (TA: Brazilian model and television presenter)
Publication: Semana (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 2, 1998
Publisher: Spanish Publications, Inc.
Volume: v5Issue: n267Page: p17(1)

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Epoca, published by Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA) on December 13, 1999. The length of the article is 695 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Gente.(breves notas)(TT: People.)(TA: brief notes)(Columna)
Publication: Epoca (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 13, 1999
Publisher: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
Page: 50

Article Type: Columna

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Semana, published by Spanish Publications, Inc. on July 15, 1999. The length of the article is 554 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Persiguiendo el Sonido.(variedad de artículos)(TT: Persecuting the sound.)(TA: various articles)
Publication: Semana (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 15, 1999
Publisher: Spanish Publications, Inc.
Volume: 6Issue: 333Page: 15

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Semana, published by Thomson Gale on April 6, 2003. The length of the article is 1125 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Archivos X. (Espectaculos).
Publication: Semana (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 6, 2003
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 9Issue: 527Page: 30(1)

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Semana, published by Spanish Publications, Inc. on March 2, 2000. The length of the article is 5594 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Flash Espectacular.(TT: Spectacular flash.)
Publication: Semana (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 2, 2000
Publisher: Spanish Publications, Inc.
Volume: 6Issue: 366Page: 21

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Semana, published by Spanish Publications, Inc. on June 26, 1997. The length of the article is 958 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: ¡Temblor musical! (noticias sobre nuevos discos en el mercado)(TT: Musical trembling!) (TA: news about new recordings on the market)
Author: Eduardo Mendieta
Publication: Semana (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 26, 1997
Publisher: Spanish Publications, Inc.
Volume: v4Issue: n227Page: p20(1)

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Semana, published by Spanish Publications, Inc. on December 8, 2000. The length of the article is 680 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Breves del Espectáculo.(TT: Show business news.)(Artículo Breve)(Columna)
Publication: Semana (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 8, 2000
Publisher: Spanish Publications, Inc.
Volume: 6Issue: 406Page: 35

Article Type: Artículo Breve, Columna

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