The Allure & The Absurd

Curious Tales from Art, Music, Film, Sports & More

De: Michael Burk

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

REVIEWS
“Michael Burk recounts bizarre, fascinating, and tragic vignettes from cultural history… with a beguiling voice that is informative, respectful when necessary, and delightfully mischievous.” – Kirkus Reviews

“A carnival where the popcorn is stale, the rides are dangerous, and yet somehow, we can’t look away.” – Kirkus Reviews

“An absorbing, if often dark, compendium of stories from pop culture history.” – Kirkus Reviews

The Allure & The Absurd: Curious Tales from Art, Music, Film, Sports & More invites readers to dive into a world of quirky, often bizarre stories that shape the cultural landscape. From the tragic to the whimsical, this collection of tales explores the fascinating, the hidden, and the downright absurd in art, music, film, TV, games, and sports. Discover the untold struggles of icons like James Dean, Robin Williams, and John Candy, and the absurdities that follow the greatest disasters in pop culture history, such as the infamous lion attacks on the set of Roar and the tragic deaths linked to the Twilight Zone movie. It’s a rollicking, behind-the-scenes look at moments that left an indelible mark on entertainment history, along with obscure details concerning objects of everyday family fun.
Whether it's the drama lurking behind Hollywood’s facade, the musical genius of Beethoven, Freddie Mercury, Dolly Parton or Danny Gatton, or the unexplained phenomenon of deadly slip 'n slides and Cabbage Patch dolls, these stories span decades of unforgettable events. With a blend of tragedy, triumph, and shocking trivia, this book offers a unique lens through which to view the unpredictable and often hazardous world of entertainment. Every chapter delivers an intriguing mix of historical events, offbeat facts, and a deep dive into the lives of entertainers (or victims), and their enduring legacies. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when diversion, fame and folly collide, The Allure & The Absurd is the book for you.

Contents
Introduction
Part 1—The Big (and little) Screens
Algonquin Round Table
The Great Flood in Film & Life
Wired for Stardom, Tuned for Genius
Steve Allen
James Dean
Mister Roberts quarrels
Tony Curtis Kissing Hitler
Leave it to Wally & Beaver
Hogan, Bygone Hero?
A Tale of Two Darrins
Inger Stevens
Get Smart
The Poseidon Adventure
McLean Stevenson
Jean Seberg
The Mysterious Death of Bon Scott
Cast Attacked by Lions
Twilight Zone Movie
Alias Smith and Jones
Back to the Shue
Brandon Lee
River Phoenix
John Candy
Spy vs. Spy
Heath Ledger
Robin Williams
Tyler Skaggs
Scrubs, Cougars and Singers
Part 2—Art and Music
Beethoven’s Last
Franz Schubert
Frédéric Chopin
Starry, Starving Artist
Scriabin
Tchaikovsky
Nijinsky, Stravinsky, Diagalev
Lili Boulanger
The Woman Who Grokked Ravel
Edith Piaf
Buddy Holly
Billie Holiday
Stu Sutcliff
Decca v. The Beatles
Jimi Hendrix
Lenny Bruce
Badfinger, Bad Manager
Patty Donohue and The Waitresses
Richard Jeni
Greg Giraldo
Pete Best
Stephen Stills
Happy, Bad Jim Croce
Karen Carpenter
Best Bass Player in the World?
Freddie Mercury
Bill Hicks
Who the F-sharp Is Danny Gatton?
John Denver
The Cars and Benjamin Orr
Mitch Hedberg
Prince Rogers Nelson
Fountains of Adam Schlesinger
Emitt Rhodes
Debbie “Blondie” Harry
The Pretenders
Steve Vai
Dolly Parton
Part 3—Sports, Games and Toys
The Mechanical Turk
Deadly Pigskin
The Monopoly Monopolies
The Cursed Ouija Board
The Radioactive Educational Toy
Rugby Players Do What They Must
The Deadly Slip ‘N Slide
Lawn Darts
Len Bias
When Dolls Attack
The Crash That Changed NASCAR
Robot Chess
Deadly Water Beads
Gansu ultramarathon
Bibliography
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