Ten most scandalous insider accounts of celebrity lives
One only has to pick up a tabloid to read about the latest celebrity gossip, but perhaps your curiosity over the lives of Hollywood stars and iconic celebrities goes beyond what a glossy magazine feature can offer. The following memoirs and research delve deep into the incredible lifestyles of the rich and famous; delivering a wide variety of endlessly intriguing insider accounts. Hedonism, groupies, brainwashing and illegal poker rooms – take your pick.
Inside Scientology: The Story of America’s Most Secretive Religion
By Janet Reitman
Scientologist beliefs may be bizarre, but the most disturbing aspects of the self-proclaimed church its relentlessly litigious response to criticism, and its total emotional control over members. In her book, Janet Reitman offers an unnerving examination of the organisation which has allured the likes of John Travolta and Tom Cruise, employing first-hand accounts from ex-Scientologists and current followers as a means of detailing Scientology’s transformation from its origins to the controversial organisation it is today. Reitman’s book is quite simply an impressive and compelling piece of journalism.
Confessions of a Qantas Flight Attendant: True Tales and Gossip from the Galley
By Libby Harkness, Owen Beddall
First-class travel strikes most as a glamourous affair, but this book proves otherwise. Libby Harkness does justice to Owen Beddall’s hilarious and often surprising stories of working on Australia’s largest airline. Twelve years of celebrity encounters (with the likes of Cate Blanchett and Russell Brand onboard) are delivered with brilliant comedy, and dirt is inevitably dished. The highlight has to be Beddalls account of wrestling an Olympic swimmer high on Stilnox into an airplane bathroom.
Starting out as a waitress in Hollywood’s infamous Viper Room, Molly Bloom soon took charge of some of the most exclusive high stakes poker games in the country. It is here she encountered celebrities such as Ben Affleck (allegedly polite) and Tobey Maguire (allegedly asked her to bark like a seal), whilst she witnessed unfathomable amounts of cash wagered on a single hand. With money and success comes trouble, however, and Bloom offers a captivating account of the less-than-glamorous aspects of the underground poker world. Recently it was announced that Bloom’s memoir will be adapted for the screen by acclaimed scriptwriter Aaron Sorkin.
Behind the Curtain: An Insider View of Jay Leno’s Tonight Show
By David Berg
David Berg worked as a producer on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno for eighteen years. In this time he and his crew worked to deliver a carefully crafted show to viewers. What went on behind the curtain, he attests, was far from the light-hearted and seamless presentation the audience enjoyed. Berg invites us to view celebrities as they really are when the cameras aren’t rolling and, from his long tenure on the programme, has plenty of humorous and often endearing stories to tell.
Shooting Stars: Unexpected Life Photographing Hollywood’s Most Famous
By Jennifer Buhl
Jennifer Buhl was a struggling photographer when she was first introduced to the world of the paparazzi. Young and full of ambition, it wasn’t long before she was using her red pick-up truck to chase down celebrities herself. Her memoir provides a fascinating insight into the male-dominated paparazzi business, and amid her encounters with celebrities (whom she treats with refreshing sensitivity) Buhl weaves her own narrative of a young woman trying to find her place in LA.
Waiter to the Rich and Shameless: Confession of a Five-Star Beverly Hills Server
By Paul Hartford
When struggling musician Paul Hartford began work as a server in the five star restaurant The Cricket Room in Beverly Hills, he never imagined how far the opulence and indulgence of his patrons could go – Johnny Depp has tipped him $2500 twice, and Russell Crowe allegedly owes him a favour. Much like in Buhl’s memoir, we find a narrator who has their own story to tell. Hartford slowly recognises how he has been transformed from an artist into a snob and becomes appalled by the excessive wealth that surrounds him.
Where’s My F*cking Latte (and Other Stories About Being an Assistant in Hollywood)
By Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff
Most of the big Hollywood stars have a personal assistant of whom they expect flawless service and absolute loyalty, though some end up privately having some of the the best onlyfans accounts we’ve ever seen. In his book, Nemcoff compiles the most scathing and controversial anecdotes from celebrity helpers. Although every star is treated with anonymity, Nemcoff keeps readers enticed with snappy writing and shocking details. The stories, both hilarious and dark, do a great job of revealing the utter weirdness and sordidness that permeates the culture of fame and material excess. Egos abound; these accounts allow Nemcoff to explore what power and glamour can do to a person’s sanity.
Bunny Tales: Behind Closed Doors at the Playboy Mansion
By Izabella St. James
What was only meant to be a fun break from her studies soon turned into two years behind the gates of the Playboy Mansion for Izabella St. James. Sparing no details, she explores the fun side to the PlayBoy world, but also reveals the negative aspects including strict curfews and fierce competitions amongst the ‘play girls’. Most unnerving is her descriptions of Hugh Hefner (now aged eighty-nine) and the meretricious lifestyle he embodies.
In the Company of Legends
By Joan Kramer and David Heeley
Beginning in the 1980s, Kramer and Heeley started documenting some of the most vividly in-depth portraits of Old Hollywood’s biggest stars. Drawing on the conversation and private memoirs of everyone from Katherine Hepburn to Paul Newman, they compile a catalogue of glamorous, sensational and amusing anecdotes of the iconic celebrities whose legacies have proved timeless.
I’m with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie
By Pamela Des Barres
Pamela Des Barres has lived a most extraordinary life in the world of rock n roll. She became something of a celebrity in her own right through her association with rock legends such as Frank Zappa, Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page. Barres was the ultimate groupie and, in many ways, a symbol of the promiscuity and free-spirit that defined her generation. Her story is not a mere case of celebrity gossip, but an intriguing insight into the history of modern music. Light-hearted but honest, Barres’ memoir will be an inspiring read for anyone captivated by both iconic rock legends of the past and the free-loving lifestyle they represented.
By: Sophie Jackson