Tabloid Prodigy: Dishing the Dirt, Getting the Gossip, and Selling My Soul in the Cutthroat World of Hollywood Reporting [Hardcover]

Marlise Elizabeth Kast (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2007

“Hollywood’s Hottest Couple Exchange Mystery Rings!” “The Truth Behind Screen Beauty’s Pregnancy Rumors!” “Song Diva Sneaks Past Airport Security and Lands Behind Bars!” “TV’s Favorite Childhood Star Faces Drinking and Drug Charges!” “Teen Beauty Downplays Anorexia Rumors with Hot Dog!” “Hollywood’s Favorite Funnyman Has Secret Love Child!” “Couple Goes Head to Head in Custody Battle!” Who writes these stories? Marlise Kast used to. In fact, she was so good at it, at such a young age, she was considered a “tabloid prodigy.” Marlise, the daughter of a minister, grew up in a loving, conservative, slightly sheltered family, and aspired to a career as a respected journalist or television news anchor. She was perhaps the least likely person to become a star reporter for Globe. But, right out of college, with a journalism degree and few job prospects, she became a tabloid writer, playing the high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse with some of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities. There was almost nothing Marlise wouldn’t do to get the story behind the celebrity facade. Dumpster diving and hiding in the bushes were child’s play compared to ploys like posing as a drunk to crash one star’s wedding or bluffing her way through the L.A. Police Department to confirm the DUI of another celeb’s daughter. Using a combination of charm and brains, Marlise convinced co-workers, waiters, bouncers and bartenders to confess the juicy secrets of Hollywood stars. On the red carpet and VIP guest lists, she assumed countless identities, including those of a florist, a tennis player, a mourner, and a bridesmaid.Along the way, though, Marlise continually wondered: was she abandoning her principles in exchange for a shot at celebrity reporting? Torn between her journalistic duties and her moral responsibilities, Marlise tried to ignore the battle with her conscience, telling herself this wasn’t a permanent job, just a stepping stone to a more respectable career. Right? This riveting and entertaining memoir is full of her outrageous-but-true tabloid experiences. Marlise’s narrative details the behind-the-scenes deals, manipulations, and deceptions used to break the big stories. In an industry where turnover is high, and loyalty low, Marlise survived multiple bosses, a rotating roster of photographers, professional shenanigans, terrifying situations, and comical predicaments, as well as legal threats from some of the celebrities and “personalities” she wrote about. She eventually wrote over 200 articles for the tabloids. Her biggest story, though, is the one she’s never told before; how-after a dangerous high-speed chase, a corporate betrayal of her trust, and the doubts that continued to plague her-Marlise came face-to-face with a story her conscience would not allow her to tell. After so many years of lying about who she really was, Marlise had to discover her own truth. As this riveting memoir reveals, her redemption is more honest and personal than any celebrity news she’s ever reported.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Kast's story of her three years as a tabloid reporter is a walk on the wild, seamy side of workaday journalism in the mid-1990s. At age 21, recent college graduate Kast-a minister's daughter who "wanted to be Katie Couric"-was sucked in by the glitter and glitz of Hollywood tabloid reporting and soon found herself "prepared to jeopardize my morals, abandon the voice of ethics, and embrace perilous risks" for her job. As a reporter for the Globe, Kast was willing to do almost anything for a story, with a pat justification close by at all times ("I don't make celebrities do what they do - I just report it"). Kast is eager to recount many of the big stories she reeled in; unfortunately, a majority of her dishes are stale leftovers-remember Tanya Harding and her brawl with boyfriend Darren Silver, or Rick Rockwell and Darva Conger's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire romance?-and she's strangely spare with dates, perhaps silently acknowledging that a decade in tabloid-time might as well be a lifetime. While Kast's exploits are imaginative and daring, uneven writing and a pervasive feeling of distance make for a disappointing read.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Marlise Elizabeth Kast, a freelance journalist and extreme athlete, is a regular contributor to many sports, business, and travel publications. She recently completed a thirteen-month surfing and snowboarding expedition through twenty-eight countries. She is based in San Diego.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Running Press (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762429704
• ISBN-13: 978-0762429707
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #523,474 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hysterical and poignant, May 21, 2007

By 

J. Steverding (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tabloid Prodigy: Dishing the Dirt, Getting the Gossip, and Selling My Soul in the Cutthroat World of Hollywood Reporting (Hardcover)

The author tells the honest and often hysterical truth about tabloid journalism making you feel as if you are on the adventures with her. She is honest about the messiness of life; of selling your soul and the search for redemption. The Tabloid Prodigy is a funny and yet poignant read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Read!, May 29, 2007

By 

Amy M. Basha - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tabloid Prodigy: Dishing the Dirt, Getting the Gossip, and Selling My Soul in the Cutthroat World of Hollywood Reporting (Hardcover)

Many people are attracted to this book because of the celebrity factor. I was drawn to this book to read about the inner struggles of a young woman trying to to identify who she was between her conservative upbringing and the allure of Hollywood. Anyone who has walked the road of trying to figure themselves out can identify with the author. I will admit learning about the tactics tabloid reporters use to get their stories was quite entertaining as well. This is a great read not to be missed!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They said it couldn't be done..., May 27, 2007

By 

Art Martino (Rialto, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tabloid Prodigy: Dishing the Dirt, Getting the Gossip, and Selling My Soul in the Cutthroat World of Hollywood Reporting (Hardcover)

You aren't supposed to be able to reconcile Hollywood amorality and a tabloid writer's conscience, but Ms. Kast has done exactly that. She manages to entertain with typical tabloid-style titillating stories, but couches them all inside her own personal journey to a life of higher personal responsibility. A book set in Hollywood that is both entertaining and genuinely thought provoking? They said it couldn't be done...