“Celebrity” is subjective. In a 24/7 news cycle, where many of us get our virtual thrills from a swipe or click, even the most mundane can go viral. But when top entertainers, athletes, and changemakers decide it’s worth documenting their travails, anything is possible. As Celebrity Autobiography, the latest Broadway money grab proves, that’s not always a good thing.
Created, co-developed, and co-directed by Eugene Pack, the concept of reading direct excerpts from ridiculous memoirs dates back nearly 30 years, with performances in Los Angeles, Off-Broadway, and elsewhere. The migration to Broadway’s Shubert Theatre raises the stakes with a rotating roster of talent from the stage and screen.
What happens when Hollywood trips onto Broadway?
The opening night performance charged out of the gate with a hilarious reading from David Hasselhoff’s Don’t Hassle the Hoff by Scott Adsit (30 Rock, Tartuffe), who recalled the Knight Rider star’s short-lived run in Broadway’s Jekyll & Hyde. But the evening quickly ran out of gas.
Star chasers (and there were plenty at the stage door post-show) may get a kick out of the under-rehearsed pinings from the likes of Jason Alexander, Kenan Thompson, Andrea Martin, Jeff Miller and other scheduled-to-appear talent. Pack wants to be part of the pack, inserting himself into the readings with a kind of awkward wedding speech cadence that’s squeamish from the outset.
The show isn’t without its chuckles and creativity as Pack and co-director Dayle Reyfel splice together similarly themed subjects. Jackie Hoffman’s dry take on Oprah Winfrey’s chai tea obsession was brilliant. Later, the he-said-she-said account of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher’s marriage and the affair with Elizabeth Taylor that blew the whole thing up proves just how subjective memory can be.
Unfortunately, fame is fleeting. Are Joe Namath and Neil Sedaka—successes, sure—really in today’s cultural zeitgeist? But with the right talent, it doesn’t really matter. Emmy winner Jeff Hiller took a bite out of Sandy: The Autobiography of a Star, about Annie’s four-legged bestie.
Those who’ve already seen this season’s hit-or-miss Broadway pickings may find something fresh in Celebrity Autobiography. Or save your cash and enjoy a good book from your couch.
It wants better content.
Is ‘Celebrity Autobiography’ worth seeing?
Celebrity Autobiography is a highlight reel masquerading as a full show. Catch it for the stars, not the structure.
- Shubert Theatre, 225 West 44th Street, New York City
- Notable performers (depending on date): Ken Jeong, Kenan Thompson, Matthew Broderick, Molly Shannon
- Running time: Approximately 90 minutes
- Performances through August 16, 2026
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