Where Do I Begin?

July 8, 2019
A radio star looks back on a life of partying, interviewing, and just generally talking in this rambling autobiography. Duran, host of the syndicated Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, recounts his rise from DJ-ing at Texas stations in the 1980s, a cocaine-fueled revel that came to a sobering halt when he discovered the murder/suicide scene of a colleague and her boyfriend, to his reign as ratings champ of New York morning radio and further adventures interviewing celebrities on TV. His narrative feels like a drive-time hodge-podge, veering between gonzo anecdotes (“There was pee spraying everywhere, on the walls, on the marble floor of the hallway, on me”), wry banter (“my allergy to extra work... really bothers my agent”), self-help advice (“There’s no job that isn’t worth doing right”), and confessional passages on the author’s life as a gay man and struggle with weight-loss surgery. Duran and coauthor Barr shine when analyzing the radio biz and the intricacies of blending the right vibe, on-air personalities, and comedy bits to keep listeners hooked, but the book drags when gushing over and name-dropping pop stars Duran has interviewed. Duran’s fans will like the witty reflections and the behind-the-scenes look at radio hosting, but others will probably tune out this insubstantial gab-fest.

August 9, 2019

While Duran has headed Z100's Elvis Duran and the Morning Show for more than 20 years, he was no overnight success. Long before the nationally syndicated radio show, with its millions of listeners, Duran was a little kid in a Dallas suburb who fell in love with radio. His first foray into broadcasting ended with his home-built transmitter setting fire to his bedroom closet. However, Duran wasn't derailed, and at 14 he got his first job at a radio station. Soon he was darting around the country, landing and losing jobs before winding up in New York City. The stories here are humorous, with some heartbreaks, including drug- and alcohol-fueled shenanigans. The bulk of the book is set at Z100, with Duran explaining the show's evolution (September 11 changed his perspective on the program's purpose). He takes readers backstage, illustrating the less glamorous side of show business and presenting celebrities as ordinary people with extraordinary jobs. VERDICT Duran's success stems from his ability to connect personally with celebrities and listeners. Here he connects with readers through heartfelt remembrances and hilariously filthy tirades that are sure to please his national fan base.--Terry Bosky, Madison, WI

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 15, 2019
A memoir of a successful career built on a lifelong love affair with radio. Duran, whose program is "the most-listened to Top 40 morning show," presents himself less as a DJ and more as a people connector. He is in the business of making friends, both with unseen listeners and with the stars who appear on his broadcasts and reveal hidden dimensions of their characters. As much as he admires Howard Stern--"a hero to radio people," he writes, and then continues, "he's our North Star"--Duran's own personality and approach are much different. The author is not abrasive and doesn't try to put people on edge or make them uncomfortable. His radio program is more like a safe haven, where celebrities can let down their hair and be themselves, where those of whatever political affiliation or sexual orientation can feel like they belong. As a child of Dallas exurbia, Duran felt like "a weird kid trying to fit in." He was not athletic or outgoing, and he realized he was somehow different than the rest of the kids even before he recognized that he was gay--or even knew what that meant. Radio offered a refuge and a connection, a place where he felt like he had a friend and could make friends. He started broadcasting from his own makeshift studio in his bedroom and then pursued it as a vocation. At first, he worked for small Texas stations before moving on to Houston (where cocaine almost derailed him) and other stops before landing in New York, where he has reigned as the morning host at Z100. He has made it seem easy, but here the author shows how and where it hasn't been: the firings and job switches, the personal tolls in terms of romantic relationships, the dedication it takes to get to the top and stay there. Of radio, he writes, "it's not about transmitters. It's not about ad rates. It's about connecting with people." A people person offers a friendly, occasionally amusing peek behind the curtain of the radio business.

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