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Let Me Be Your Star
Fade in on a girl, with a hunger for fame...
...and with her uproariously funny, widely circulated, and often totally unhinged recaps of the television show SMASH, author, playwright, and perpetual non-speaking townsperson Rachel Shukert finally got a scrap of it to gnaw on.
A once-aspiring actress who never quite got over her dreams of Broadway stardom, Shukert lovingly sunk her teeth into analyzing (and often, inventing) every detail of NBC's embattled little-musical-that-couldn't, and before long, found herself at the center of the backstage drama behind the backstage drama that captivated America (or at least, the part of it that spends a lot of time handing out their head shots in Times Square.)
Childhood heroes became devoted fans. Rabid internet mobs called for her death. And through it all, Rachel kept recapping, risking her health, her sanity, and her sleep hygiene forever. And somehow, she made her Broadway dreams come true, although in a way she never could have imagined as a nine-year-old lip-synching her way through the original cast album of "Sunday in the Park With George" back in her living room in Omaha.
An inventive blend of memoir, cultural criticism, and wildly absurdist fan fiction (and including never-before-published material, suitable for sing-alongs!), LET ME BE YOUR STAR is your recap of recaps from a master of the form, lifting the veil on fan culture, Broadway, and the woman behind the keyboard desperately trying to think of another mildly erotic joke about Elaine Stritch at 4:30 am on a Tuesday.
Anyone who loves television, the Internet, or Into the Woods (and if you don't fall into any of these categories, please prove to this computer that you are a human being) won't want to miss this thoughtful, hilarious meditation on life, art, and the act of creation by one of our most inimitable comic voices.
...and with her uproariously funny, widely circulated, and often totally unhinged recaps of the television show SMASH, author, playwright, and perpetual non-speaking townsperson Rachel Shukert finally got a scrap of it to gnaw on.
A once-aspiring actress who never quite got over her dreams of Broadway stardom, Shukert lovingly sunk her teeth into analyzing (and often, inventing) every detail of NBC's embattled little-musical-that-couldn't, and before long, found herself at the center of the backstage drama behind the backstage drama that captivated America (or at least, the part of it that spends a lot of time handing out their head shots in Times Square.)
Childhood heroes became devoted fans. Rabid internet mobs called for her death. And through it all, Rachel kept recapping, risking her health, her sanity, and her sleep hygiene forever. And somehow, she made her Broadway dreams come true, although in a way she never could have imagined as a nine-year-old lip-synching her way through the original cast album of "Sunday in the Park With George" back in her living room in Omaha.
An inventive blend of memoir, cultural criticism, and wildly absurdist fan fiction (and including never-before-published material, suitable for sing-alongs!), LET ME BE YOUR STAR is your recap of recaps from a master of the form, lifting the veil on fan culture, Broadway, and the woman behind the keyboard desperately trying to think of another mildly erotic joke about Elaine Stritch at 4:30 am on a Tuesday.
Anyone who loves television, the Internet, or Into the Woods (and if you don't fall into any of these categories, please prove to this computer that you are a human being) won't want to miss this thoughtful, hilarious meditation on life, art, and the act of creation by one of our most inimitable comic voices.
44 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2013
9 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Shukert
7 books122 followersRachel Shukert is the author the the critically acclaimed memoirs Everything Is Going To Be Great and Have You No Shame? Her writing has appeared in numerous publications including Salon, McSweeney's, Slate, Gawker, the Daily Beast, Heeb, and Nerve, and been featured on National Public RAdio. She has also contributed to a variety of anthologies, including Click: When We Knew We Were Feminists and Best American Erotic Poetry: 1800 to the Present.
Rachel is also a contributing editor at Tablet Magazine, and an alumnus of Ars Nova's illustrious Play Group. She received a BFA from Tisch School of the Arts, and now lives in New York City with her husband Ben and her bipolar cat, Anjelica Huston.
Rachel is also a contributing editor at Tablet Magazine, and an alumnus of Ars Nova's illustrious Play Group. She received a BFA from Tisch School of the Arts, and now lives in New York City with her husband Ben and her bipolar cat, Anjelica Huston.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 6, 2019
After 4 years of wanting to read this, I finally downloaded it thanks to a 5$ gift voucher for books on Amazon and oh my god, it was worth the wait. I’ve reread the initial preview maybe 4-5 times and I can’t believe I finally read the full thing. Shukert’s writing is a fucking amazing hive mind clusterfuck of humour and references and craziness. It makes me giddy with joy to read! Also I was slightly high so that helped too. 10/10
July 18, 2013
It's not hyperbole when I say I *lived* for Rachel Shukert's Smash recaps. At first, I thought this book was just a compendium of all the recaps, and still bought it, so when I found out it was all-new writing *about* writing the recaps? Even better.
Throughout two seasons, I went from excited about Smash to dismayed at how awful it turned out to be to again excited, only because I knew there was hilarity waiting for me on Vulture the next morning. It's been a while since I've discovered a writer whose sense of humor seems to be so aligned with my own.
I also agree with her assessment of the show as a deeply flawed show about something I love so much. Which is why we all stuck with it to the end anyway, right? If NBC had a brain or sense of humor (which seems unlikely), they would commission Shukert to write the official novelization of Smash based on her recaps. Or maybe we can do a Kickstarter to get her to write the continuing adventures of Used Kleenex Karen Cartwright, Ivy, Cousin Debbie, Carpet (oh Carpet. I think I'll miss you most of all), Ellis Dappledawn, Kyle Goblinweed, Midriff, Eyelid, et al. Maybe a graphic novel!
Throughout two seasons, I went from excited about Smash to dismayed at how awful it turned out to be to again excited, only because I knew there was hilarity waiting for me on Vulture the next morning. It's been a while since I've discovered a writer whose sense of humor seems to be so aligned with my own.
I also agree with her assessment of the show as a deeply flawed show about something I love so much. Which is why we all stuck with it to the end anyway, right? If NBC had a brain or sense of humor (which seems unlikely), they would commission Shukert to write the official novelization of Smash based on her recaps. Or maybe we can do a Kickstarter to get her to write the continuing adventures of Used Kleenex Karen Cartwright, Ivy, Cousin Debbie, Carpet (oh Carpet. I think I'll miss you most of all), Ellis Dappledawn, Kyle Goblinweed, Midriff, Eyelid, et al. Maybe a graphic novel!
August 3, 2013
For fans of Shukert's Smash recaps, of musical comedy, and of laughing. I wanted more, but enjoyed this enough to justify the .99 Kindle price -- Shukert's hilariously free-associative style is addictive.
September 5, 2017
Don't bother to read this unless you were ashamed that you watched and liked Smash.
January 19, 2023
Well, I am officially in love (awe?) of this woman!! Such eloquence and wry, sophisticated humor!!! I had a ball re-reading many passages and pithy statements throughout this entertaining book. I immediately searched for more of her work and viola! I had another in my kindle selection that I had purchased a while back! What a great friend she would be to have!! Such an imaginative mind and playful sense of storytelling. Great stuff, Rachel!! Keep em' coming!! Please!! :) Oh, and I high-lighted many passages and quips of hers all the way through!!
August 1, 2013
I went into this book with anticipation because I love "Smash" and all things Broadway. So I could definitely relate to Rachel in that way. She actually reminds me of another Rachel...Rachel Berry from "Glee."
Overall, unless you eat, sleep and breathe theater, you will not understand most of the references mentioned in this book. Also, the writing style is overwhelming and I had to read paragraphs and sentences several times before they made sense.
What kept me going...doses of humor and mentions of "Into the Woods." Oh, and any "Smash" reference. I actually could also relate about being known for writing about other people's writing, given that I'm a book blogger and a famous author called me by name in a public forum. I didn't curl up in a fetal position in the bathroom over it though. :) I also loved how she talked about Debra Messing being a cool older cousin. I could see that!
I just wish she didn't compare my favorite new hottie to a Boston Marathon bomber. No need to go there.
I definitely have to check out Marie's Crisis if I ever get back to NYC. It sounds like so much fun!
The best part of this book is the part in the extras section where she lays out the transcript for a Funny or Die video that never happened. I wish she had made it happen because I would have watched that multiple times. Hilarious!
This book does make me curious about her actual "Smash" recaps.
I think the writing style and obscure name dropping weighed it down though.
Overall, unless you eat, sleep and breathe theater, you will not understand most of the references mentioned in this book. Also, the writing style is overwhelming and I had to read paragraphs and sentences several times before they made sense.
What kept me going...doses of humor and mentions of "Into the Woods." Oh, and any "Smash" reference. I actually could also relate about being known for writing about other people's writing, given that I'm a book blogger and a famous author called me by name in a public forum. I didn't curl up in a fetal position in the bathroom over it though. :) I also loved how she talked about Debra Messing being a cool older cousin. I could see that!
I just wish she didn't compare my favorite new hottie to a Boston Marathon bomber. No need to go there.
I definitely have to check out Marie's Crisis if I ever get back to NYC. It sounds like so much fun!
The best part of this book is the part in the extras section where she lays out the transcript for a Funny or Die video that never happened. I wish she had made it happen because I would have watched that multiple times. Hilarious!
This book does make me curious about her actual "Smash" recaps.
I think the writing style and obscure name dropping weighed it down though.
July 21, 2013
A friend of mine recommended "Let Me Be Your Star" to read because he knew I was a big fan of the television show SMASH. When I checked it out, I realized it was realized that it was written by Rachel Shukert, who did the SMASH recaps for Vulture. I couldn't wait to read it. I faithfully read Shukert's weekly recap, although I must admit that towards the end, I found her writing a little too exhausting to read (I fault myself more to not fully appreciating her style) In here, she writes about how her recaps took off, and even got the attention of Tony Kushner. I knew the piece was going to be short, but I just wished it as more focused. I wish she spoke more and in depth on the process on how she wrote her recaps. She only hints at it, saying she did it in the wee hours of the morning. I also think that she had a major break up in the middle of the second season, and I think that would have added a great personal touch to the story - maybe compare/contrast to Ivy or Karen's story? But maybe I was expecting too much? Maybe a fully-formed memoir is in the making? I hope so.
http://luhathoughts.blogspot.com/2013...
http://luhathoughts.blogspot.com/2013...
December 31, 2013
A typical Kindle Single which left me wanting a bit more (specifically, more excerpts from the actual recaps would have been nice), but which was still enjoyable. It was interesting to read about how Shukert came to write the SMASH recaps and how she felt about the way they were received. The Single could have used better editing (several missing words/typos) but it didn't really impede my reading.
You can find all of Shukert's recaps here: http://nymag.com/author/rachel%20shuk...
(Note that they are quite raunchy in parts! I also found some of them overly long and rather tiring to read, but I kept on with them because she is, overall, a good writer and parts of each one were pretty funny.)
Also, any Amazon Prime members should know that this is available as one of their Free Lending Library titles.
You can find all of Shukert's recaps here: http://nymag.com/author/rachel%20shuk...
(Note that they are quite raunchy in parts! I also found some of them overly long and rather tiring to read, but I kept on with them because she is, overall, a good writer and parts of each one were pretty funny.)
Also, any Amazon Prime members should know that this is available as one of their Free Lending Library titles.
November 12, 2013
As much as I loved these Smash recaps, their tone gets exhausting when drawn out to book (even Kindle Single) length. BUT I'm so glad I kept reading because in the end Shukert's thoughts on what it means to be a theater person, and how her love and hope for what Smash could have been lay under all the snark really...moved me? Go figure. I'm also super sad that her Christian Borle/Jack Davenport sketch (included at the end in script form) was never filmed.
July 5, 2015
I entered "Let Me Be Your Star" on the premise that it was about "Smash," since the author wrote recaps of "Smash," and since the title directly references the show. But instead, the piece is an extended essay on the world of theater and the author's work process (almost her victory lap). I was disappointed in this, and frustrated with the style. (Quirky stream of conscious is fine when used judiciously. This book uses it heavily and at times to the detriment of clarity.)
May 23, 2020
Meanders a bit much at the beginning, but ends very strongly. There are moments when I wish this talked more about the show, but that’s what the recaps were for. I’m sure I felt the recaps themselves were disposable in the same way Shukert does at the end when I first read this, but having rewatched the show and reread the recaps as I went along, I’m grateful to have this bonkers flawed thing in my life forever. Long live Smash.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews