John
Belushi. Jim Henson. Elvis. Lorne Michaels. Garry Shandling. Jerry
Seinfeld... Agent Bernie Brillstein, the founder of the powerful
and now defunct group Brillstein/Grey Entertainment, helped them
all start their illustrious careers amidst some of the most famed
infighting and show biz egos ever assembled. In WHERE DID I GO
RIGHT?: You're No One In Hollywood Unless Someone Wants You Dead,
Brillstein takes us on the long, strange trip of his roller-coaster
ride through the upper echelon of Hollywood stardom, power, and
glamour.He
started in the most menial job in Lala Land --- the mailroom at the
William Morris Agency. But from tiny acorns grow the mightiest of
powerful men, and Brillstein was one of them. His writing style
seems to mirror his well-known bombasticness --- he mixes the famed
names of his youth easily with the names of the entertainers he
made famous later in his career, all with the same "Look at me! I'm
a star!" quality. Granted, the man has had some intense adventures,
but there is a lot of "agent" talk that drags down the entertaining
narrative for the lay reader who doesn't care about commissions and
making deals. Nonetheless, these mechanics of his work are merely
stepping stones between ego-ridden but funny discussions about the
creation of comedic presence and the icons whom he helped to cement
a place in American cultural history. And there were
plenty.WHERE DID I GO RIGHT?: You're No One In Hollywood Unless
Someone Wants You Dead is a funny book, one that folks in the
industry will enjoy more than those who are not stuck in its
complex and funky mire. However, for fans of people like John
Belushi or Jim Henson, the stories about their rise to fame really
are fascinating. Brillstein and Rensin reveal some remarkable stuff
we would never have known about otherwise. A great quick
read.