Entertainment & Performing Arts

Kenan Thompson is Saturday Night Live’s longest-ever-serving cast member and a star of such pioneering sketches as “Black Jeopardy” and is hugely beloved thanks to a tidal wave of nostalgic fans who grew up on early 2000s classics All That, Good Burger, and Kenan & Kel on Nickelodeon....

The beloved star of Friends takes us behind the scenes of the hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this candid memoir.

Comedian Trevor Noah offers listeners a glimpse into his childhood during apartheid in South Africa in this award-winning memoir.

The woman behind the icon known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, the undisputed Queen of Halloween, reveals her full story, filled with intimate bombshells - and told by the bombshell herself....

In the mid-70s, Steve Martin exploded onto the comedy scene. By 1978 he was the biggest concert draw in the history of stand-up....

Wildflower is a portrait of Drew Barrymore's life in stories as she looks back on the adventures, challenges, and incredible experiences of her earlier years....

Jinger Vuolo, of Duggar family fame, tells how she began to question the ideology of her youth and learned to embrace freedom in Christ.

Since his first performance at the legendary New York nightclub “Catch a Rising Star” as a 21-year-old college student in fall of 1975, Jerry Seinfeld has written his own material and saved everything....

From a massively successful stand-up comedian and co-host of chart-topping podcasts “2 Bears 1 Cave” and “Your Mom’s House,” hilarious real-life stories of parenting, celebrity encounters, youthful mistakes, misanthropy, and so much more....

A wryly funny and surprisingly moving account of an extraordinary life lived almost entirely in the public eye....

Filled with empowering, easy-to-follow tips for crafting stories that forge lasting bonds with friends, family, and colleagues alike, this book will help you connect authentically with the world around you and unleash the power of story in your life.

From actor Cary Elwes, who played the iconic role of Westley in The Princess Bride, comes a first-person account and behind-the-scenes look at the making of the cult classic film....

A memoir of leadership and success: The executive chairman of Disney, Time’s 2019 businessperson of the year, shares the ideas and values he embraced during his 15 years as CEO while reinventing one of the world’s most beloved companies....

Rich in vivid detail and character, and steeped in the glamour and grit of professional ballet, The Swans of Harlem is the forgotten story of a pioneering group of five Black ballerinas and their fifty-year sisterhood, a legacy erased from history—until now....

The long-awaited first work of nonfiction from the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: a deliriously entertaining, wickedly intelligent cinema book as unique and creative as anything by Quentin Tarantino....

How do master storytellers compel us? There have been many attempts to understand what makes a good story, but few have used a scientific approach....

Outsider. Misfit. Criminal. Convict. . . . Movie star. Family man. Comedy legend. Joey Diaz has been called every name in the book (and then some). Now, for the first time, he shares the story of his unlikely rise to fame in his own words—with no punches pulled....

A celebration of and behind-the-scenes look at Jerry Seinfeld’s groundbreaking streaming series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee....

This heartfelt and wry career memoir from the director of Blood Diamond, The Last Samurai, Legends of the Fall, About Last Night, and Glory gives a dishy, behind-the-scenes look at working with some of the biggest names in Hollywood....

At 95, the legendary Mel Brooks continues to set the standard for comedy across television, film, and the stage. Now, for the first time, this EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner shares his story in his own words....

The co-founder and longtime president of Pixar updates and expands upon his New York Times bestseller on creative leadership, reflecting on the management principles used to build Pixar's singularly successful culture, including what he got wrong—and how he made it right....

Legendary filmmaker and celebrated author Werner Herzog tells in his inimitable voice the story of his epic artistic career in a long-awaited memoir that is as inventive and daring as anything he has done before....

The Perfect Story will help you take your stories and make them perfect. Learn how to take any story and make it perfect--from storytelling expert Karen Eber, whose TED Talk on the subject has nearly two million views....

Here's what started the phenomenon: This book has been a best seller for over 15 years and has been used by screenwriters around the world! Blake Snyder tells all in this fast, funny, and candid look inside the movie business....

From the archives of the American Film Institute comes a unique picture of what it was like to work in Hollywood from its beginnings to its present day....

Christina Crawford's book was an immediate bestseller, addressing the infrequently discussed topic of child abuse. When Paramount Pictures released the film, starring Faye Dunaway as Crawford, it was critically panned, and remains one of the most legendary critical bombs in film history. The lavish, big-screen adaptation drew unexpected laughter in the scenes depicting life in the Crawford household. Rarely have such good intentions been met with such ridicule.

An unflinching confrontation of humanity’s dark side, Brian De Palma’s crime drama film Scarface gave rise to a cultural revolution upon its release in 1983. Its impact was unprecedented, making globe-spanning waves as a defining portrait of the gritty Miami street life. From Al Pacino’s masterful characterization of Tony Montana to the iconic “Say hello to my little friend,” Scarface maintains its reputation as an unwavering game changer in cult classic cinema.

From master comedian Mark Schiff, a long-time touring partner of Jerry Seinfeld, comes a hilarious account of decades of foolery with comedy and acting legends and how he honed his mensch skills in all of life's arenas.

The Provincetown Players created a revolution in American theatre, making room for truly modern approaches to playwriting, stage production, and performance. In Staging America, Jeffery Kennedy gives the unabridged story in a meticulously researched and comprehensive narrative that sheds new light on the history of the Provincetown Players. At the center of the study is an extensive account of the career of George Cram Cook, the Players' leader and artistic conscience, as well as one of the most significant facilitators of modernist writing in early twentieth-century American literature.

Step into the whimsical world of "The DEI Chronicles: A Humorous Fictional Journey" where Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion take center stage in the most unexpected and uproarious ways. In this fantastical realm, the fanatical agenda of DEI is turned on its head, revealing the absurdity and divisiveness lurking beneath its surface. Prepare to burst into laughter as you follow the misadventures of a pirate whose pronouns are "Trump Won," as he outsmarts the bumbling Sniffing Joe in a battle of wits. But the laughter doesn't stop there – Story after story brings to light how DEI agenda is ...

The sad truth: It takes me 8 back to back shots of 100 proof alcohol to get drunk, and my buzzing is the average persons alcohol poison. A 750 ml bottle a day (Fifth) and I didn't start drinking until I was 30 years old, I'm 42 now. How? Why? As I write this hiding in a 4X8 shed in the middle of the desert in New Mexico, I wonder myself. There is no lessons to be learned from this book, no preaching, no teaching. I'm drinking whiskey as I'm typing this. So to all my fellow Unapologetic Alcoholics, enjoy, and have a drink on me.

Enter the world of director and producer Don Mischer, who has notched a lifetime of history-making moments with Beyoncé and Baryshnikov, Willie Nelson and Muhammad Ali, Olympic flames, inaugurations, and Prince in the rain.

Updated for 2020 and beyond! A lot has changed since the original edition of Street Smarts in 2012, so this covers everything new, from fake news & bias to dealing with social media, and more. Of course some things never change, so the original text is included as well.Whether you're still in college, just starting out, looking for that next job, simply trying to navigate the minefield of office politics, or want to be a better broadcast journalist, you'll find advice to help you avoid the mistakes that can derail your career... and tips to help you enhance it.Because you don't need to be ...

Because sometimes, we just need to cry. Make Me Cry, Please is an essay by James J. Caterino, the author of Reviews and Essays, 50 Films, My Encounter with the Partridge Family, sort of, The Girl Out of Time, What If, The Address Book, and much more.

The book draws on history and sociology, and more personally on the author's early career as a professional cellist, as well as on his later work as a city planner and social thinker. It traces the evolution of performing spaces in the city; the emergence of actors, musicians, and dancers as independent artists; the inequality between performer and spectator; the uneasy relations between artistic creation and social and religious ritual; the uses and abuses of acting by politicians. The Janus-faced art of performing is both destructive and civilizing.

This book is an invaluable and inspirational material for the film, television and theater professional. It helps directors, actors, writers, designers, producers and executives tap into their imagination and instincts, in turn helping them create the films they’ve always dreamed of creating.

"The World of Bob Newhart" offers a delightful exploration into the comedic universe of one of America's most iconic entertainers. With his signature dry wit and understated charm, Bob Newhart invites audiences on a journey through the everyday absurdities and eccentric characters that populate his comedic landscape.

"According to Bob Newhart" offers a captivating glimpse into the comedic genius and profound insights of one of America's most beloved comedians. With his trademark deadpan delivery and keen observational humor, Bob Newhart invites audiences into his world, weaving together a tapestry of wit, wisdom, and laughter.

Do you love to write, but aren't sure what to do with it? Wondering how to approach the industry, find a market, or get an in with the right folks? Stephan Bugaj (Pixar, Telltale Games) and Justin Sloan (Roku's Cypher, the Reclaiming Honor novels) have come together to share advice on living the writer dream. Let them show you exactly what it takes to make it in the world of creative writing. What follows is a collection of their advice and interviews with the experts. This includes screenwriters, video game writers, and authors of books and comics. In this book you'll read interviews with ...

"Lenny Bruce Live at the Curran Theatre, San Francisco, Nov 19th 1961" captures the raw, unfiltered brilliance of one of the most influential and controversial comedians of the 20th century. On that historic night in 1961, Lenny Bruce took the stage at the Curran Theatre and unleashed his sharp wit, incisive social commentary, and fearless exploration of taboo topics.