“Wilde in America” documents Wilde’s 1882 lecture tour of America. Just 27 and still years from writing respected works such as “The Importance of Being Earnest” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” Wilde hatched a plan to make himself famous, despite no accomplishments to date.
In doing so, says author David M. Friedman, he was the first to become famous for fame’s own sake. If you want someone to blame for Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian and Honey Boo Boo, Oscar is your man.