Customer Reviews

Hollywood Undercover: Revealing the Sordid Secrets of Tinseltown

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

As someone else called it, the book is an aimless mishmash. Interesting
at the start, but it becomes so light and silly towards the end of the book,
with the author writing about himself and his
presenting himself as "His Highness from Israel," and other nonsense, that I decided it's a waste of time,
and tossed it. Read the other one-star
reviews - I agree with them.

I bought this book hoping for an amusing or engaging nonfiction narrative, but it's an aimless and tedious mishmash. The author, whose writing style is competent rather than absorbing or witty, careens inconclusively from one subject to the next in Hollywood (ex. homophobia, Scientology, anti-Semitism), not getting anywhere with any of them. His narrative relies primarily on rehashing media reports, magazine articles, and common gossip. Most of the people whom the author interviews or meets seem to be as low on the credibility meter as they are on the Hollywood success ladder, and much of his book is based on repeating unsubstantiated and/or anonymous gossip about unidentified studio executives and unnamed celebrities.

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.

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.

It is a very good book which gives a full insight into the world of showbiz. you could see the book was very well researched.