HOLLYWOOD, INTERRUPTED

'''Hollywood, Interrupted: Insanity Chic in Babylon - The Case Against Celebrity''' is the title of a book and website authored by Mark Ebner, with co-author Andrew Breitbart. The book was published in 2004 by John Wiley and Sons. The writing focuses primarily on what Ebner sees as the disconnected, self-indulgent nature of Hollywood culture. The book was on the New York Times Best Seller list, and was also a ''Los Angeles Times'' bestseller.

Contents

Synopsis

Reception

References

External links

Synopsis

''Hollywood, Interrupted'' takes a look at the culture of celebrity, discussing the mannerisms of celebrities such as Barbara Streisand.^[1] The behavior of celebrities including Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr., Eddie Murphy and Angelina Jolie is also examined in the work.^[2] The work discusses some of the more scandalous of these and other celebrities, as well as their affects on society.^[3] Ebner writes about a woman who was employed by AOL, used their database to acquire private information about Hollywood celebrities, and then utilized this illicit information to later create a career for herself in the entertainment industry.^[4][5] Trey Parker, one of the creators of ''South Park'', is interviewed in the work, and was quoted commenting on the vices of individuals in the entertainment industry, such as prostitution and drug addiction.^[6]
Part of the book is devoted to Crossroads School, a private high school in Santa Monica, California whose students largely come from families involved in the entertainment industry, and various scandals associated with the teenagers who attend that school.^[7]
The book also includes an analysis of the Church of Scientology and its affects on the culture in Hollywood,¹ and has a chapter on Tom Cruise and John Travolta's relationship to Scientology.^[8]

Reception

''Hollywood Interrupted'' is a ''New York Times'' and ''Los Angeles Times'' bestseller.^[9] The book received a positive review in Britain's ''Telegraph'', in an article entitled: "How we fell in love with 'insanity chic'".² ''CNET News'' characterized the work as "..a humorous nonfiction account on runaway depravity in the entertainment industry."^[10]
An article in the ''Irish Independent'' was less positive.⁸ The article stated that though the book was witty and showed that the authors understood the material they were writing about, there was also a sense that they left out evidence in certain parts.⁸ A review in ''The Wall Street Journal'' stated that the work was: "..a terrific book, both snappy and snappish", however the reviewer went on to note that the work went into exhaustive detail to get across the point that: "People in Hollywood are nuts."^[11]

References

1. Switch and Bait. (Book Review) Jesse Walker

2. How we fell in love with 'insanity chic' Staff

3. Books: Soured account of Hollywood's scandalous A-listers; Hollywood, Interrupted by Andrew Breitbart and Mark Ebner Allison Jones

4. Hack Your Way to Hollywood Xeni Jardin

5. Analysis: Former AOL employee uses company's database to access the accounts of celebrites, forms relationships with them, and sells the story of her life to Hollywood Madeleine Brand

6. 'South Park' creators see through Isaac's haze Staff

7. School for Cool; A formerly gritty alternative school founded in 1971, Crossroads has become the elite, anti-prep mecca for entertainment-industry offspring. Frank Digiacomo

8. Thrills, spills, perverts 'n' pills: catching Hollywood in the act Staff

9. The Heart of the Blues Kathryn Jean Lopez "With co-author Mark Ebner, he recently told some tales out of town on how the Hollywood set lives, what they think, and what they think about the rest of us; it's all in their book Hollywood Interrupted. The book hit the New York and Los Angeles Times bestseller lists and will be released in paperback next month."
10. Breitbart.com has Drudge to thank for its success Greg Sandoval

11. Books: The Perfect Oscar-Night Side Dish Rob Long

External links

;Official sites

★ www.hollywoodinterrupted.com

★ Publisher's Site on book, at John Wiley & Sons, publishing
;Media

★ Interview, with Andrew Breitbart about the book, ''National Review'', January 14, 2005.