Showbiz!: My Life as a Middle-Aged Man

Murray Hill

Book cover for Showbiz!: My Life as a Middle-Aged Man
Image for variant 9781668053706
Book cover for Showbiz!: My Life as a Middle-Aged Man
Image for variant 9781668053706

Showbiz!: My Life as a Middle-Aged Man

Showbiz!: My Life as a Middle-Aged Man

Murray Hill

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Description

In his powerful debut memoir, beloved comedian Murray Hill (Somebody Somewhere) opens up for the first time about how a painful past led to an unwavering commitment to spread joy--one rimshot at a time.

For more than three decades, Murray Hill has been a staple of New York City's downtown comedy scene. A trailblazing comic in a borrowed tux, the self-proclaimed "hardest working middle-aged man in show business" has turned feminist performance art into a way of life, delighting audiences around the world with his signature blend of campy humor and subversive showmanship. Much like Fred Rococo, his breakout role on HBO's award-winning Somebody Somewhere, Murray radiates relentless positivity and an indomitable spirit as entertaining as it is inspiring.

But behind the one-liners lies a deeper truth. Growing up in a conservative, New England household where abuse ran rampant, and silence reigned, Murray took refuge in showbiz memoirs and watching old-school comedians on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show. These tales of survival, in the face of abuse and discrimination, offered him hope and the possibility of reinvention through the world of entertainment.

After leaving home for college in Boston and attending graduate school in New York, Murray began the slow process of finding and defining his identity as a newly emancipated adult, a queer artist testing the boundaries of visual and performance art, and a nightlife king living by the mantra: "If you don't see yourself represented, go out and represent yourself."

His evolution, however, came at a cost. He drank to escape his past, and the depression he masked with alcohol spiraled into a mental health crisis that nearly cost him his life. Lovingly supported in his recovery by his chosen family and community, Murray not only found his people but also found himself.

Warm, fearless, and laugh-out-loud funny, Showbiz! is Murray Hill's story of survival, reinvention, and finding joy against the odds. Because when life hands you trauma, you turn it into a tight five.

That's Showbiz!

Also inside Showbiz!:
- A 16-page full-color photo insert from Murray's personal archives
- Never-before-seen photographs from Murray's career
- Rare behind-the-scenes nightlife photos taken by Murray himself
- Original illustrations by award-winning artist Julia Rothman

About the Author

Murray Hill is a one-man entertainment machine: comedian, host, actor, writer, producer, and walking time capsule of classic showbiz charm. Television audiences know him as the lovable Fred Rococo on HBO's award-winning Somebody Somewhere, and from his appearances on Life & Beth (HBO), Drag Me To Dinner (Hulu), Elsbeth (CBS), Welcome to Flatch (FOX), and King of Drag (Revry). NBC News selected him as one of modern history's 30 most iconic and influential drag performers. He's been included in New York magazine's Fifty Most Iconic Gender Benders of All Time and named one of the Top 12 gender-bending performers in NYC by Time Out. He was recently awarded the Trailblazer Award by Queerty, and selected as one of Logo30 for being a changemaker in entertainment. His campaign for Mayor of New York in 1996 was inducted into the New York Historical Society. He lives in Brooklyn in a fourth-floor walk-up.

Critical Reviews

"Reading Murray's memoir reveals why he is so beloved: what shaped him, what influenced him, and what made him such a smart, hilarious, and much-needed presence. What a thrill for those of us who love him so to have this beautiful, honest, brave, and important book, and what a treat for those who will come to know both the legend and the person." - Sarah Jessica Parker

"This is one Hill I'd die on." - Amy Sedaris, New York Times bestselling author of I Like You

"We all know Murray Hill is Mr. Showbiz, but this book shows so much more. His vulnerability, his kindness, his truth. Plus a lot of showbiz, too!" - Jeff Hiller, nationally bestselling author of Actress of a Certain Age

"Laugh-out-loud ridiculous, sweet and wholesome, and heartbreakingly poignant." - Library Journal, starred review

"A rip-roaring story of Liza-esque unsinkability from a Don Rickles-esque entertainer." - Kirkus Reviews

"In his gritty, forthright debut, drag king Hill looks back on his tumultuous early life with humility and good humor... An effortlessly charming self-portrait." - Publishers Weekly

"An inspiring must-read account/memoir from the Mayor of Misfits, Murray Hill. Murray's signature warmth, heart, and humor are on every page of this book. I did not want to put it down. Bracingly honest and brutally funny, this is an essential read for anyone longing to feel seen." - Bridget Everett, actor and voice of an angel

"At once a moving tale of survival, an invaluable history of nightlife, and eloquent proof that a chosen family can save a person's life." - Ada Calhoun, New York Times bestselling author of Why We Can't Sleep

"Murray Hill is a fixture of New York cabaret-comedy nightlife scene and starred on one of the funniest and tenderest shows in recent memory, Somebody Somewhere. If you're a sucker for an unconventional career path story told with the charm of a showman, this one's for you." - LitHub

"One of the best living comedians just wrote the book of the year." - Kathleen Hanna, New York Times bestselling author of Rebel Girl

"This man is a genius. This man is SHOWBIZ himself!" - Margaret Cho, comedian

"For readers of Jeff Hiller's Actress of a Certain Age, Showbiz! is a funny, candid coming-of-middle-age tale that will delight Hill's many fans." - BookPage

"This fantastic story of stumbling self-awareness combines heart, wit, and humor in generous portions." - Bay Area Reporter

Publishing Information

Publisher: Gallery Books
Pub date: 2026-10-06
Length: 352 pages

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