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"Inside Inside" |
Book Review/October 2007 |
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Memoir Offers Nothing
New
When James Lipton
recently published his memoirs, we expected lots of new detail from
his five hour interview with Barbra Streisand. Sadly, Lipton offers
nothing that can't be gleaned by watching the edited video. |
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Not
So
'Inside'
October 19, 2007
James Lipton released his memoirs yesterday, recounting his
career as director, producer, actor, and most illustriously, as the
host of television's "Inside the Actors Studio." When Barbra Streisand
was interviewed by Lipton on November 8, 2003, the appearance lasted
over 5 hours. When the episode was eventually broadcast, only 90
minutes of interview footage was used. Since the broadcast omitted
much of the actual interview, we expected Lipton's book to be chock full of details about the
Streisand evening. Forget it. Despite Barbra's photo appearing on the
book's cover, Lipton devotes a scant two pages to Barbra's all-nighter
at The Actors Studio. Most of the information in the book was culled
from the 90 minute broadcast.
Lipton's complete interview with Streisand is an important video
document. Not only was it by far the lengthiest interview Barbra has
ever given, but it was the closest thing she has ever done to
approximate an autobiography. The complete videotape of the interview
needs to become available. We urge James Lipton, The New School, the
BRAVO channel, (or whoever owns the rights to the five hour video) to
release it. If not commercially, at least make it available for
academic viewing, perhaps at The New School, the Lincoln Center
Performing Arts Library or the Museum of Television.
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