Kate Coyne

Kate Coyne is a magazine journalist, who reveals some of her best awkward celebrity encounters in this upbeat autobiography. With fun chapter titles such as, "Robert Downey Jr. Thinks I'm Emotionally Unhinged," "Tom Cruise is Going to Marry Me Someday", and "Anderson Cooper Would Like Me to Put Some Clothes On," this tell-all had me, ironically, bursting into awkward laughter in public places. A fun, self-effacing, and humbling chronicle from a charismatic and socially awkward writer, who could be your best friend next door.… (más)

This is an entertaining, well-written, funny and engaging insider's look at the celebrity gossip/journalism industry, from an insider who is currently an editor at People Magazine.

This is a perfect breezy read for those interested in celebrity news, and also a very good insider's look at the business of celebrity journalism. Those looking for a juicy tell-all, however, will be disappointed. Coyne's current position as an editor at People basically ensures that nothing written here will embarrass any celebrity, period. Ms. Coyne cannot afford to alienate the people she works with, and thus we get no dirty secrets or dishing on bad celeb behavior. What we get is a very positive and upbeat behind-the-scenes look at the celebrities featured, rather than a dish-the-dirt expose. Celebrities, their publicists, magazine and newspaper editors and everyone else she writes, like Robert Downey, Jr. Tom Cruise, Jennifer Lopez, Mariska Hargitay, et al, are viewed in a positive, sunny way. She hints that she has had her run-ins with less-than-kind celebrities, but they are not named and do not show up in any form on these pages. Nevertheless, it is fun and informative to find out what it’s like to interview Tom Cruise, say, or what never to say to a celebrity at a party.

It is enjoyable to get a look at celebrity journalism from the other side of the TV screen. I particularly like the insider’s view at how magazines choose their covers from month to month, and how publicists choose very carefully the ways in which their clients are presented, and on which covers they allow them to be profiled.

Coyne’s likeability comes through in her interactions with celebrities not only as a professional, but as a major fan, not only of the celebrities themselves but also of popular culture. Although she’s brushed elbows with, and airbrushed all the a-listers, and despite her admittedly privileged upbringing that brought her into contact, as a teenager, with the likes of Michael Douglas and George Michael, vacationing with them on the same exclusive island resorts, she seemingly has never lost her starry-eyed schoolgirl excitement about meeting them, and this makes her encounters with her celeb crushes likeable, too, and more appealing and relatable than if she came across as a jaded professional. The awkward encounters and faux pas are endearing, because she comes off as one of us.… (más)