I'm looking for tales about the dark side of Hollywood, showbiz, and the gossip/tabloid industry. I've read "Day of the Locust" and "The Mailroom: Hollywood History from the Bottom Up", seen "All About Eve" and "Sweet Smell of Success" and "Showgirls", am halfway through Julia Phillips' "You'll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again", and am planning on reading Joe Eszterhas' "Hollywood Animal: A Memoir". I'm not looking for gossip, per se, as much as I am looking for explorations, whether first-hand or fictional, of how screwed up the cult of celebrity is. Suggestions for books, movies, musicals, blogs, or whatever would be welcomed.
posted on Jan 1, 2006 - 35 answers

This probably won't generate as many responses as this AskMeFi thread, but it inspired me to ask: What Broadway/Off-Broadway musicals, or scenes from musicals, make you break down and bawl? Even if they're performed by amateur groups (high schools, community theatre, summer camp)? Especially if they're performed by amateur groups?
posted on Aug 10, 2004 - 17 answers