Hollywood Undercover: Revealing the Sordid Secrets of Tinseltown (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Ian Halperin is no stranger to undercover investigations. He posed as a model in 2001 to expose the fashion industry, his resulting in the exposé Shut Up and Smile. In Hollywood Undercover, he gives us a unique and scandalous glimpse behind the scenes of the movie business. This time he poses as an aspiring actor and soon finds himself with an agent, a job offer (admittedly in a hardcore porn film) and ultimately a part in The Aviator, directed by Martin Scorcese. In the interim, he is surprised to uncover anti-Semitism in Hollywood; infiltrates the Church of Scientology, whose celebrity stable includes Tom Cruise and John Travolta; and meets numerous A-listers, including Brad Pitt, Barbra Streisand, and Leonardo DiCaprio, who give him the inside track on what life in Hollywood is really like.

About the Author

Ian Halperin is a bestselling author and journalist who specializes in undercover investigations of the pop-culture world. His books include Bad and Beautiful: Inside the Dazzling and Deadly World of Supermodels, Best Ceos: How the Wild, Wild Web Was Won, and Who Killed Kurt Cobain?  

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Mainstream Publishing (January 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1845962664
• ISBN-13: 978-1845962661
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #810,582 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Waste of money, June 4, 2008

By	Shelley Shelley (Fayetteville, Arkansas) - See all my reviews

I was expecting a great, juicy exposé of insider news and gossip in this book and was sorely disappointed. Mr. Halperin's writing style is weak, he never mentions names when disclosing supposedly sordid secrets, and his facts are often inaccurate. In one section, he mentions how Debbie Reynolds stole Eddie Fisher away from Elizabeth Taylor, when quite the opposite is true. The information that is in this book is basically what one can read in any People magazine--and People has far better photos. The photos in this book are amateurish and feature the author in his ridiculous sequined coat and bow-tie. I hate to be mean, but this is one book that you shouldn't waste your time on. I bought it because of the two positive reviews--I was misinformed.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humorous account of Hollywood life, June 24, 2009

By	Baby Jane (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews

This book was written in a funny, conversational style. It poked fun at the business of trying to make it in Hollywood, and revealed a sordid underbelly that I already suspected was there. I really liked the infiltration of the Scientology group, and the author's humorous antics...especially his wardrobe choices. This is a quick, fun read.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Captivating, May 15, 2008

By	Mermaid (The Atlantic Ocean) - See all my reviews

I bought this book after hearing the author interviewed on a morning radio show (The Jay Thomas Show). What intrigued me the most was that the author said he started out to do a documentary on being an aspiring actor in Hollywood and came to Scientology. During the interview, the author claimed he was hiding out in the mountains of Canada as a result of threats he'd received on the phone and he's scared for his life.

Needless to say, I wanted to read all about the mysterious Scientologists.

I also was interested to see how everyone in Hollywood knows certain people are gay but that it's totally unknown to the general public. The reason I gave the book 4 stars was because he chooses not to out the actors...I wish he'd name drop.