Who Knew

De: Barry Diller

Narrado por: Barry Diller

Barry Diller, one of America’s most successful businessmen, reveals himself here—his successes, failures, and struggles—with surprising candor and intimacy in a memoir rich in Hollywood lore and filled with business acumen.

Writing in his singular voice, Barry Diller delivers an astute business memoir, an unvarnished look at Hollywood, a primer on media, and a surprisingly frank coming-of-age story.

“I want to work in the mail room at William Morris.” So begins Diller’s show business life. Diller did not aspire to be an agent, nor was he a glove fit for William Morris, the legendary talent agency he describes as resembling a “Jewish Vatican.” But he was a good assistant and student and took it all in.

Before long, Diller was offered a job at ABC. His ascent was meteoric, launching ABC TV’s Movie of the Week at age twenty-seven, becoming CEO of Paramount Pictures at age thirty-two, and launching the Fox TV network at age forty-four. Along the way, Diller oversaw the production of classic films such as Saturday Night Fever, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Home Alone (a film he credits with saving Rupert Murdoch’s career) and hit TV shows such as The Simpsons, Married…with Children, and Cops. He programmed and developed by instinct—not by research or data.

Diller’s media savvy changed the course of American culture. His championing of Alex Haley’s Roots put long-form miniseries on the map. He was never cowed by the talent—actors, directors, and producers—and worked with them all. Indeed, throughout his career, Diller championed “creative conflict,” encouraging argument in every business he managed (“I’ve never thought decision-making should be peaceful,” he writes). Diller also recognized our digital future, founding IAC and growing it into a billion-dollar constellation of brands, including Match, Tinder, and Expedia.

Moving beyond business, Diller recounts his family life, personal struggles, and regrets, his joyful marriage to Diane von Furstenburg, and where he has found fulfillment.

Intimate, candid, and moving, Who Knew is a different kind of business memoir, one that holds nothing back.

©2025 Barry Diller (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio

What an amazing book!

I so loved this book. It is many things. It is a look behind the curtain at show biz machinations. It is the remarkable story of an undisciplined teen who has his share (maybe more than his share) of luck and leverages those opportunities to navigate the circuitous path to the very top of American enterprise. It is a chronicle of the attitudes and struggles of being gay. It is about appreciation and ultimately about love: for life, for risk-taking and for other human beings.

I read a lot of memoirs. Many are total bores, others seem like absolute fabrications. But the best give you a comprehensive portrait of a remarkable individual. That is definitely how I would describe Who Knew. This was a delight to read.

Outstanding

An excellent read. What a life. I cannot recommend this book more. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Great book & narrated by author

Great overview of 60s, 70s & 80s movie and TV industries. Very enjoyable. Barry Diller had a nice, clear voice for narration. Great job

Such a Great Book

A great book by a brilliant, entertaining person. What more can I say? Absolutely nothing!

The honesty

The candid dialogue of his business success. I say this as a former public company CEO

Fantastic!

It's an engrossing story told in an engaging. factual, personable way.
And his narration is superb!
I don't want it to end.

Good memoir

Really enjoyed this memoir. It was well written and a real page turner. I recommend it, especially for anyone interested in business. His career was very interesting.

A great life story

Diller does a great job of being entertaining, honest, skillful and engaging with his memoir- an inspiring production!

I think the best memoirs are such that you want to meet the guy, shake their hand, say thanks and offer to buy them a beer- definitely the case here.

Great story from someone behind many of our cultural and entertainment trends, from movies to iconic TV and the internet!

Comfortable narrative voice and well paced story. Hard to believe Barry is behind so many entertainment trends and communication/social networking technologies!

What a read!!!

What a journey! What a life! What an inspiration! I could not put it away, listened through in a day.