Photo: Bettina May Save Story Save this story Save Story Save this story Hollywood is a strange and mysterious place, even for those who have operated within its orbit for decades. But author, comedian, and drag king Murray Hill’s new memoir, Showbiz!: My Life as a Middle-Aged Man (Gallery Books), sheds an alternately moving and hilarious light on “the industry,” charting Hill’s rise from a fraught New England childhood to a career starring in New York and Boston cabaret shows and appearing on television series including Somebody, Somewhere , Life & Beth , and Elsbeth .
In the latest edition of Vogue ’s Required Reading series , Hill shares a selection of books that have inspired his own memoir and seen him through the ups and downs of Hollywood life.
Kathleen Hanna is a punk-rock icon, feminist trailblazer, and one of my dearest friends. She’s spent her life making noise, breaking rules, and telling the establishment to beat it. What I love about this book is how she writes about the messy, painful, and hilarious realities behind being a revolutionary. She built her own stage, grabbed the microphone, and started a movement. She is my forever inspiration.
I, Tina by Tina Turner and Kurt Loder Save to wishlist Save to wishlist
Tina Turner didn’t just make a comeback. She kicked down the door in her red patent leather heels and reclaimed her life while inspiring millions of people all over the world. This book is about surviving abuse, and refusing to let somebody else write your ending. I was drawn to performers like Tina because they showed me that no matter how bad things got, you could get out and start where you are. If I were a religious person (I’m still a recovering Catholic), Tina would be my God.
Etta James had one of the greatest voices in music and one helluva life. Addiction, heartbreak, chaos, and that voice...raw, powerful, and breathtaking. I connected with the struggle behind the spotlight. Etta’s story reminded me that surviving is an accomplishment in itself, even before the curtain goes up.
Jeff Hiller is one of my dearest friends, and one of the funniest people I know. He can make me laugh at a drop of a hat (whatever that means). We both spent decades in show business waiting for the phone to ring. Jeff’s story is proof that there’s no expiration date on making it. Especially for us middle-aged guys who love to improv! And let me tell you, nobody deserves a standing ovation more than this guy.
Finding Me by Viola Davis Save to wishlist Save to wishlist
Viola Davis tells her story with such raw honesty, it practically jumps off the page and grabs you by the collar. Growing up with trauma, feeling invisible, and then fighting to be seen…I know a little something about that. She didn’t just find herself, she fought like hell to become herself. And now the world gets to revel in her talent and strength.
Sammy could sing, dance, act, do impressions, tell jokes—the ultimate entertainer. But what stayed with me was everything he had to overcome just to stand on that stage. He faced racism and rejection and still managed to dazzle the world. Sammy taught me that showbiz magic is making it look easy when nothing about it is and that talent always transcends.
I love Sedaris’s ability to find the absurdity in everyday life, especially the humiliating parts. He writes about family, being an outsider, and all the ridiculous things people do to one another. He reminds me that sometimes you don’t need to make anything up.…