Stories (I Sort of Remember) from a Life Lived Out Loud
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.