Frank Sinatra Has a Cold: myth, masculinity, and the modern hero in New Journalism
1
Issued Date
2026-01-01
Resource Type
eISSN
23311983
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105029119221
Journal Title
Cogent Arts and Humanities
Volume
13
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Cogent Arts and Humanities Vol.13 No.1 (2026)
Suggested Citation
Forster A. Frank Sinatra Has a Cold: myth, masculinity, and the modern hero in New Journalism. Cogent Arts and Humanities Vol.13 No.1 (2026). doi:10.1080/23311983.2026.2620824 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/114959
Title
Frank Sinatra Has a Cold: myth, masculinity, and the modern hero in New Journalism
Author(s)
Author's Affiliation
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
This paper examines Gay Talese’s landmark 1966 profile Frank Sinatra Has a Cold through the lens of mythic narrative structure and its ideological function. Arguing that Talese crafts a modern Hero’s Journey around Sinatra at a moment of cultural uncertainty, the study reveals how Talese constructs Sinatra as an embattled but resilient figure. Drawing upon Joseph Campbell’s theory of the Monomyth and Roland Barthes’ critique of myth as ideology, the paper demonstrates that Talese’s portrayal transcends conventional celebrity journalism. Rather than presenting Sinatra merely as an entertainer, Talese mythologizes him as a symbol of shifting ideals of masculinity, fame, and individualism, thereby naturalizing these concepts as innate truths. However, the analysis suggests that the article’s true lasting influence derives not only from its pioneering style of New Journalism, but also from its deeper narrative function which de-naturalizes the hero myth by exposing its construction. In doing so, Talese simultaneously critiques and perpetuates the celebrity myth, offering a portrait of Sinatra that resonates far beyond its immediate historical moment.