Showbiz!: My Life as a Middle-Aged Man

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 Read more