Customer Reviews

Dish:: How Gossip Became the News and the News Became Just Another Show

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If you have any fascination with gossip/celebrities or how the "media machine" works, this is a great book. It is very fast pace, tracing the history of gossip columns from the early "penny papers" through Walter Winchell, Louella Parsons, the ET tonight type programming, and Matt Drudge. Lots of interesting tidbits about celebrities that I never knew, plus lots of information on how exactly the "publicity people" in Hollywood earn their keep. Who gets access to stars, why, and the hoops they jump through to keep it. I have to admit, it made me wonder about my own character (why am I so interested in what perfect strangers are up to) but then again, it is all in fun. A fun, quick read, with lots of historical information and background.

Ms. Walls obviously did a lot of research for this book. It is well written, easy to read and a real eye-opener. The book follows the development of information published in newspapers and on television from the early days of Hollywood.

The biggest shocker in here for me was the revelations about how 60 Minutes operates. I grew up watching 60 minutes and believing in their stories whole heartedly. Well, the integrity level is not quite where I thought is was.

I don't avidly follow celebrity news, but since reading this book, I view it with a very different outlook and spend time considering who may actually be doing what to whom. (Or should it be to who?) When the recent Tiger Woods bru-ha-ha hit the news, it left me with some questions. The first one being - why now? Obviously this has been going on for a long time, why are the media reporting it NOW? Why not several years ago? Tiger must of ticked off the wrong media person.

For a great read, some interesting tidbits on past celebrities, and some insight into how the news is selected for reporting I strongly recommend this book. I also recommend Ms. Walls story of her childhood, The Glass Castle. A gripping story, sometimes I had to put it down for a while because I wasn't sure I was strong enough for what was coming next. At the beginning of the book I had to keep reminding myself that is was not fiction but a true story.

I found "Dish" to be extremely interesting. Not only does the book give an in depth account of the rise and fall and then the resurrection of the gossip column and the tabloid, but it also paints a fascinating picture of how the media, and the "news" became what it is today. While this book was written in 2000, it is still timely, as it clearly depicts the changes in the media industry that have led us to the point where White House party crashers can become celebrities rather than inmates, and reality tv can supplant both creative and truly newsworthy programming.

This well-written book is a modern history of "reporters" that deal with scoops involving the entertainment industry and related political stories. From the many newspaper columnists of the 1930s and 40s to modern tabloid and television journalists, the book is a great overview of the industry, filled with behind-the-scenes stories that at times are shocking.

Most interesting are the truths now able to be uncovered about politicians like President Kennedy. The entire Kennedy family comes across as mafia-like abusers of the political system, with a President who threatens those who report his affairs and his brother who misuses his power of Attorney General to silence people with trumped-up charges. Anyone who questions whether the sexual lives of politicians have any impact on their way of governing needs to read this book--the answer is a resounding "Yes!" And that means that those journalists willing to uncover such abuse of power should be praised, not condemed (see the Bill Clinton saga).

The one question that doesn't get answered is what exactly is gossip. There is no definition of the term here--and there really needs to be one. Catching a President in an affair with a starlet, then using his power to illegally cover up her death is not "gossip"--it's a news story worthy of Watergate-style reporting.

The most disappointing conclusion after reading this book is that the major media, such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, ABC and others, are all in cahoots to protect liberal politicians and accept bribes to keep these stories covered up. If it weren't for Matt Drudge we would not have known about the Clinton sex scandal, which was a legitimate news story due to the President's lying under oath and misuse of office (and, by the way, Drudge is uncovered here as not the conservative the media paint him to be but a gay liberal).

The book ends up being an indictment against the terrible job supposed legitimate journalists do by ignoring actual news stories by claiming that they're just gossip. Those in high-level journalistic positions are just part of an insiders club that includes politicians and celebrity PR people, all looking to protect each other's interests. Often what's called gossip is really legitimate news that should get front-page coverage.

Love Jeanette Walls. The first book I read by her. I am 63 and when I was very young my grandmother passed on all her TV magazines to me. She was full time care-giver to my grandfather who was an invalid and I suppose her sisters provided her with the magazines. So I grew up reading about all the "stars" and cutting out their pics and wishing to become like Natalie Wood. This book follows the history of the printed media about everyone famous then on to the electronic media, rating who you could depend on for the facts, or not. Brought us up to the present with today's magazines and TV entertainment shows. Loved it.

Dish by Jeannette Walls is an interesting look at scandal sheets (rags) &
how even though you were ashamed to look in their direction at one time have
now become more where America is at rather than news items. I understand
the slow transition into "dirt" but wonder why we care more about who's on
American Idol, who is sleeping with who, instead of where the country is headed.
Sadly the trend seems to be to bury our heads in the sand & watch Jon & Kate plus
8 divorce.

This was an interesing read, not gossipy but informative. She's an exceptional writer. Her bios were wonderful and this is just another side, very well investigated.

OK, it is not a scholarly piece but lots of fun to read how reporters relentlessly got their dirt, the payoffs involved and how the studios controlled a lot that was published. A different kind of papparazi. Sometimes it's fun to read about gossip if you can keep it in mind that it is exactly that...gossip. Rag publishers will do anything to sell magazines and you would be surprised how much was put out there on purpose.

Society has long held a fascination with the inside life of the rich and famous. National Enquirer built an empire on "reporting" on the scandalous inner workings of the stars of the silver screen.

This book endeavors to chronicle the beginnings of the gossip trade, from the giant Walter Winchell, passing the torch to Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons, and on to the scandal rags of todays society.

Along the way,this book examines some of the seminal celebrity stories over the past forty years. Elvis, Michael Jackson, and Princess Di are all given the once over, as well as OJ and several other subjects. Princess Di was perhaps the most interesting, as she seemed to understand the power of the press, and was ruthless in manipulating it. She spun an image of herself for the world see that was at odds with the inner Di.

The read was, at times, a little tedious, but the subjects were household names, and some of the stories were penetrating. Seeing how the gossip Divas of the day, such as Rona Barrett, rose and fell, conquered and were spit out, was fascinating.

I found this a worthy subject, and for the most part, a relevent read.