I need a word. This is what you would use to describe a person who's such an egomaniac that they've gotta parade their own neuroses to the world as if they're the first to experience it and that their personal problems are something of which to be proud.
A good example would be Susan Powter, who got marginally famous in the 90's for her books, I used to be fat, but now I'm not. You should be more like me., followed immediately by Well, it turns out that I was a complete drunk while you were trying to be like me for losing weight, but now I'm not. You should be more like me. Unfortunately, her fame was too fleeting for us to get the next volume, likely entitled Go figure, it turns out that I was sniffing glue while you were trying to be like me for sobering up after I was done losing weight, but now I'm not. You should be more like me.
Another good example would be Elton John who, in the 90's was proclaiming his new method of weight loss that involved chewing up food, but then spitting it into a pan rather than swallowing, a practice that nutritionists equate with bulemia. A few years later, he proclaimed that we should be proud of him because he was free of all kinds of personal demons. . .including a problem with bulemia. . .which he was proud of a few years earlier!
What brought this about is my visit to Barnes & Noble, where I saw a stack of Dr. Phil's latest book on weight loss, even though Dr. Phil himself is overweight. I'm certain that there'll likely be another volume in a few years in which he proclaims that his weight loss book was a load of hooey and now he's proud of being a druid or scientologist or something.
Anyway, I need a word for this weird need to tell the world that you're an archetype for success, even though it's obvious to everybody but you that you're screwed up.
