There is no denying that we are obsessed with celebrities - critiquing their clothes, criticizing their weight, and harping on their every move. The fact that we hold stars in such a high regard makes us even more intrigued by their mishaps because, I think, it provides us with a twisted sense of comfort to know that their lives are not as perfect and pristine as they appear.

The Pop-Up Book of Celebrity Meltdowns takes on the challenge of exploiting the not-so-glamorous events of an incredibly glamorous segment of our population by parodying some of the more well-known missteps of the past few years. This exploitation is enhanced by its presentation within the context of an adult pop-up book with caricatures and illustrations (some of which are hands-on, requiring readers to push and pull) that detail the event and literally jump off the page.

The book does not play favorites, poking fun at some of the most well-known stars and their foolish, sometimes tragic mistakes. The situations highlighted include Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction, Tom Cruise’s couch-jumping proclamation of love, Russell Crowe’s hurling of a phone, Kate Moss’s cocaine binge, Michael Jackson dangling his son outside his hotel room window, Hugh Grant’s meeting with a Hollywood hooker, Winona Ryder’s case of sticky fingers, and Mike Tyson’s decision to bite the ear of his opponent. These calamities are topped off with O.J. Simpson’s high speed chase and the distribution of Paris Hilton’s sex tape video. Yes, it’s all in there, with the inclusion of a witty narration of each occurrence,along with masterful pop-up art to ensure that readers get a perfect picture of what transpired.

I readily admit that The Pop-Up Book of Celebrity Meltdowns is a guilty pleasure. However, it is one that I would not gladly exchange for even the largest hot fudge sundae – even if it had a cherry.