Inside Inside

Inside Inside

3.65 of 5 stars 3.65  ·  rating details  ·  232 ratings  ·  66 reviews
A REVEALING BEHIND-THE-SCENES PORTRAIT OF THE AWARD-WINNING TV SHOW INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO� AND ITS CREATOR AND HOST JAMES LIPTON

Each week Inside the Actors Studio takes the unique insights and intimate revelations of its celebrated guests into 84 million homes on the Bravo network and 125 countries. Now, with Inside Inside, James Lipton, the 2007 recipient of the Life...more
Hardcover, 512 pages
Published October 18th 2007 by Dutton Adult
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Pat
This is a struggle of a read. As a fan of the tv show Inside the Actor's Studio; I was excited to read this. However, Lipton's pedantic approach to over-telling a point has been a hurdle. Given that, the story of the origins of the Studio; as well as his personal history has been enlightening and his revealing stories of a wealth of actors, writers and directors is worth the sometimes convoluted trip.

As I continue, my previous feelings haven't changed. I find it ironic that he states early on in...more
Lorie Singer
Dec 04, 2012 Lorie Singer rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: actors, performers, television producers
Shelves: loved-it
A surprising and enjoyable book about a man you may think you know something about. James Lipton approached his autobiography with the same attention to detail that he uses when approaching an interview on Inside The Actor's Studio. Readers may know about his love of dance and flying, but they probably don't know about his difficult childhood, his time as a pimp or his many television producing firsts. This is a great read for people who enjoy the history of television production, the mechanics...more
Devlin Scott
Some readers thought this was supposed to be a 'tell all' about the Actors Studio and its guests. They may have been confused by the 'Inside, Inside' title. Anyone who has seen James Lipton's interviews should know that he isn't a gossip monger but, is actually in search of the creative process and how it is born and develops in his guests and students lives. This book is an excellent 'tell all' about his creative development throughout both his life and the guests and students he's encountered...more
Meg Goertzen
Jan 25, 2009 Meg Goertzen rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Actors, Directors, Playwrights, Theatre/Film Lovers
As an actor, I found this book invaluable.

Anyone who has see "Inside the Actors Studio" is familiar with James Lipton the interviewer, but this book reveals James Lipton the person, and his incredibly exciting life. It does not solely serve as his autobiography, however; through the stories of his life Lipton chronicles the forming of The Actors Studio and along with it the Masters program associated with it. He includes wonderful accounts of working with some of the most prominent acting teach...more
jill
Feb 09, 2010 jill rated it 3 of 5 stars
Shelves: memoir
My edition of An Exaltation of Larks lacks a group term for "anecdote," and, since this book proves the necessity of having one, I am inventing my own. James Lipton's life has provided him with a coma of anecdotes.

This results in some very interesting stories but also an eye-roll of name dropping. (Making these up is so much fun!) When the stories are good, they are very very good, but Lipton seems reluctant to leave anyone out. I'm not sure James Lipton has met any young people that are not hi...more
Margaret
I’m slightly surprised to be giving this book four stars, but then, it was a slightly surprising read. Somehow it hadn’t occurred to me that the James Lipton I know as the host of Inside the Actors’ Studio - pedantic, ponderous, sycophantic, unctuous – might be in fact a highly developed and detailed character performance, carefully designed to get the optimum result from his guests. As it turns out, behind that persona there is (a) an extremely good sport (pace Will Ferrell) and (b) a brilliant...more
Mike
The most interesting part of this book is found in all of the ideas and quotes of Lipton's self-professed "Heroes": the actors who have appeared on his show and revealed their emotional guts to students and a nation of TV watchers.

The least interesting part of this book, (unfortunately much larger in comparison), is all of the name-dropping, self-important bloviating by the author.

Lipton's prose style is about as freewheeling as a loaded train in a swamp bog- just about the last way you want to...more
Carolyn
You know how when you read a biography and you think to yourself, wow, this person really overcame something difficult, or accomplished a lot, and i'm impressed? Well, this book is nothing like that. James Lipton is so impressed with himself there's no room for your admiration. He's a name dropper of the first order, but not in the charming, self-effacing way of a Dominick Dunne, for example. He actually has an entire paragraph in the first chapter where he just lists famous people.

There is som...more
Pam
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Travis McClain
Like many people, I was largely familiar with James Lipton from his hosting duties on Bravo's Inside the Actors Studio series and sporadic appearances on Late Nite with Conan O'Brien. I've long prided myself on my vocabulary, so Lipton has existed for me on a particularly high pedestal; he's one of those few people who bandy about uncommon words with such ease that it does not feel pretentious or condescending. It's rare enough to find someone who will challenge the anti-intellectual strain of t...more
Deborah Edwards
Those familiar with the show "Inside the Actor's Studio" will know the author of this book as the host of that show. The book's title suggests that we will encounter a book filled with the details of Lipton's discussions with the actors/directors/musicians he has interviewed over the years, and perhaps new details of their approach to craft. Several chapters do indeed deal with this subject matter and often the material offers rare insights that can be translated to any creative pursuit. As a po...more
Lani
Favorite James Lipton facts:
- He's married to Miss Scarlet.
- He was a pimp in France.
- He was a nationally competitive equestrian.

This is a pretty difficult book to review... The first third of the book is largely about Lipton's pre-Bravo career. I suppose if I knew more about earlier eras of film and the entertainment industry this could have been fascinating. But I find Method acting to be irritating - successful or not, its practitioners are always annoying as hell. The occasional snippet fro...more
Bev Sykes
I decided I have to review this book in three sections. I found it a little difficult to get into because the erudite Lipton can be rather pompously pedantic and I could not proceed at my usual lickety-split pace. But once I slowed down and began to savor the writing and immerse myself in Lipton's own incredibly varied story, and learn about Stanislavsky, "The Method," and the foundation of The Actors' Studio, I was hooked and could not put the book down. My journal entries reflect a delight in...more
Lena
Sep 15, 2009 Lena rated it 4 of 5 stars
Shelves: memoir
James Lipton is the host of the Bravo network's Inside the Actor's Studio, a show in which performers and directors discuss their lives and craft. Inside Inside is Lipton's account of the events in his life that lead him to found the show and a reflection on some of the program's most memorable moments.

The subject matter of the book covers three primary sections. In the beginning, he discusses his relationship with the Actor's Studio and the founding of its Drama School, of which the show is a p...more
Michael
I only know of James Lipton from his cable program "Inside the Actor's Guild." Lipton's biography gives him credibility to interview the different entertainers that he has on his show. His experience in the world of entertainment (and I mean a variety of entertainment genres) is fascinating. A great book if you enjoy getting insights on how people have become successful in the entertainment industry. He also includes insights he gained through his interviews with premier entertainers of our time...more
Joy
Who knew there was so much more to the gentlemanly interviewer of Inside the Actors Studio? A first class account of James Lipton's life, well written, alternately serious and crack-you-up amusing. We learn that TV airs only about 20% of the stars' visits to the school, and Lipton knows the rest. A fascinating account by a man who himself has an astonishing array of talents.

I timed this read well. Bravo is having an Inside marathon the day after Christmas. I'm firing up the recorder.

My favorite...more
Emily
If you have an interest in the performing arts, it's hard to hate this book. James Lipton has actively pursued many areas of the arts and this book pays homage to all those memories before the landslide of INSIDE THE ACTOR'S STUDIO stories are told. On the other hand, if you can't get into his humble/stuffy voice, it might not be for you.

This was a bedside book for me for the last year, and I'm really glad it was. I can't imagine having to read this in a hurry--skimming over it would lose all t...more
Jen
I expected a book about Inside the Actors Studio. I wanted to learn more about the people who'd been on it and how the questionnaire came into being and so on. I did learn about that. This could have been a slim 100-pager that I enjoyed instead of the tome-which-wouldn't-end that it was.

I also learned about Method acting (far more, actually, than I'd ever hoped to know), about Mr. Lipton's beginnings, middles, endings and all the famous people he knows. I just didn't care that much about James...more
Suzy
The first read was a library book and I HAD to get my own copy as soon as it was in paperback. I can't believe how much I learned from new words, foreign words, information on "The Method" and Stanislavski to fun stories about many, many actors. VERY well-written and my review doesn't cover much I know, but I don't write reviews as much as my opinions on books.
Steven
I enjoyed the way James Lipton segwayed from his childhood to now. It is interesting to know how some of our most renowned actors, musicians, directors got their start and what they faced (some being harsh realities). They open up alot especially those who are private. I found to be an interesting read. The beginning was slow, but it became very fascinating.
Nick
Who was James Lipton before he became known to millions as the incredibly pompous questioner on Inside the Actors' Studio? He was a ballet dancer, an actor in soaps and on Broadway, a writer and producer of soaps, a producer of presidential galas and Bob Hope specials, an expert on veneral terms, and a pimp. He has apparently met, slept with, or had a drink with every single famous person you've ever heard of. And he's been in really embarrassing positions with most of them -- or they have with...more
Amanda
Don't get me wrong - James Lipton can come across as a pompous jackass, and I sometimes wonder if he uses certain words just to prove that he can. But in the end, he has a fascinating life history and put together a read that I found myself really enjoying and looking for spaces in my day where I could read more (always the sign of an interesting one). As a fan of the show, I liked the history of the show and the school as well as the actor anecdotes sprinkled throughout.
Tomoaki
It was quite some time ago when I was watching the show, Inside the Actors Studio.

From the title of the book, most people think the book is more like behind the story of the program and I thought so too. Of course, yes it is but half of it is not. The first half of the book is memoir of James Lipton, the creator and host of the show. I actually did not know much about who James Lipton is and now I know who he is.

The first part of the book is rather difficult to read through since his writing st...more
Leypeople
I picked this up expecting it to be interesting. Let's say there is a reason it was on the discount table. I kept reading hoping it would get better. It never did. Sadly disappointed with a book that had possibilities to be good. Don't waste your time.
Bunny
I really really enjoyed this book. For fans of ItAS, they might not have enjoyed the celebrity interview tidbits as much as I did, because I haven't seen a lot of the interviews he talked about. It's also really nice to see his personal take on things, and what happened in the green room.

Unlike the other reviewers, I really enjoyed the personal stuff. James Lipton seems like a guy I'd like to have a conversation with. Though some of the words he used in this book made my eyes cross. Semihemidemi...more
Christine H
Lipton is so endearingly prolix that you can't help but be lulled by the rhythm of his words! Inside Inside makes me appreciate actors, writers, and directors so much more. Lipton observes how in no other occupation does a person set him/herself up for rejection countless times every year as in the performing arts. How poignant! How true! As the pages I had yet to read kept reducing in number, I had to fight my eagerness to read quickly (because the information was just so intoxicating!) with...more
Mopar1195
Yup, I am an entertainment junkie. I especially like the selection of interviewes that James Liptons picks. I always seem to miss this show this one looks like a greatest hits of all his interviews. LOVE IT!
Marilyn
This is a "must" read for fans of Inside the Actor's Studio. The author writes like he speaks, but it is still very interesting to read and gives some insight into the way the author thinks.
Elizabeth
I felt guilty - like I was reading a celebrity magazine but actually there is a lot of good insight from the interviews that he highlights. I skipped all of the parts about Lipton himself.
Lisa Kindberg
If it were called Inside - James Lipton it would have been aptly named. Frankly I was looking for more about the studio and its members and less about James Lipton touting himself.
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Inside Inside (Paperback)
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James Lipton is an American writer, poet, and dean emeritus of the Actors Studio Drama School in New York City. He is the executive producer, writer and host of the Bravo cable television series, Inside the Actors Studio, which debuted in 1994. He is also a pilot and a member of AOPA.
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