Moving from Dallas to Manhattan in his late 20s, Jon Paul fancied himself a gay Mary Tyler Moore starring in a sitcom of his life called Alphabet City. A series of publicity jobs created madcap storylines, including a mishap with Whoopi Goldberg's Oscar, a mistaken identity as Tyra Banks' Turkish boy-toy, and finishing school lessons in the gossipy halls of Condé Nast. Unlike snarky tell-alls, Alphabet City maintains a Texas-sized optimistic spirit about life in the Big Apple, with guest appearances from Cameron Diaz, Gloria Estefan, Teri Hatcher, Derek Jeter, Ashley Judd, Rosie O'Donnell, Graham Norton, and Vanessa Williams. Following Jon Paul's journey from naive Southerner to wizened New Yorker, Alphabet City combines the glamour of Sex and the City with the warmth of Tales of the City, and taps into America's fascination with the world of celebrities. In the end, just like Mary, Jon Paul discovers he's going to make it after all.
Alphabet City: My So-Called Sitcom Life
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
Very entertaining and funny book giving you an 'insider' view into the working world of New York City!! Loved the comparisons to a sit-com life and all of the 'characters' and 'guest stars'! Especially loved the transparency of the author's view of NYC coming from Texas...not forgetting his roots but also making the jump to NYC with ease and as always, a fantastic sense of humor!
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I enjoyed it a lot. I feel as though a lot of light,fun books are overlooked because they are not world/life changing. This book is fun and changed the authors life and will make you reevaluate yours and put a little zest in your life,a little joy in your heart and a feeling overall of laughter and tears.
By K. Smith
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Alphabet City is as entertaining a memoir as you can ever pick up, especially if you're one of the plucky souls who has ever made the ole knuckle-headed move out to New York. Trust me, it'll chase your morning blues away on the subway. Stuffed like a goose on a "steady diet of seventies sitcoms," Jon Paul kissed his functionally dysfunctional Texas clan goodbye and struck out on his own, Mary Richards-style, in NYC at the age of 26. Now, Mary Richards, of course, moved to Minneapolis, but the point is, she made it after all and Jon Paul was determined to do the same. And, minus the perky bosom, he had everything that Mary Tyler Moore's character had going for her - a good head on his shoulders, a glinting smile, and a resolve to make the whole mess work - only to meet the storm surge of New York's p.r. industry. His life becomes all about keeping his head above water in a career and a city that require more wits than he ever imagined he had about him. Along the way, he must negotiate entertainment-industry pandemonium as he manages a cast of celebrities' unmanageable schedules and caters to their incalculable whims. Yet, just like Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid, experience brings him along like a fighter as he travels the globe, eventually writing for Conde Nast and developing an independent p.r. portfolio. But that's just part of a story that also includes poignant scenes of finding love, losing loved ones and realizing that the journey alone is worth the wear and tear. It's ALL in here - and it's a must-read for anyone who has a dream and packs up and splits for the city.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
If I Can Make It There, I'll Make It Anywhere!
Jon Paul Buchmeyer spent most of his 20s pursuing the West Coast version of the American dream... write the great American screenplay and wait until the William Morris Agency... Read more
Published on July 11, 2010 by JS
5.0 out of 5 stars
A pure enjoyment to read!
I wasn't able to put this book down while vacationing in Puerto Vallarta... written with great flair... an entertaining and enjoyable read not to be missed!
Published on April 7, 2010 by S. Turner
5.0 out of 5 stars
When's the mini series?
I just finished "Alphabet City: My So-Called Sitcom Life". I thought the "sitcom" framing device was a very fun way to structure book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Read more
Published on March 5, 2010 by Stewart
