2002 "Peter Gabriel" - Don't Give Up
Stage 46 is basically afictionalized-but-not-really-all-that-fictional account of astarry-eyed aspiring film-maker, Ben, who naively believes that aproduction assistant job on a TV talent show called The Next Singing Starwill be his big Hollywood break. He's mistaken. Instead he spends hisdays getting his head chewed off, almost literally, by his clinicallyobese and ethically unsound boss, Jill, a mean-tempered harpie whoexpects him to fetch her donuts and fudge her budgets. Jill, of course,could be modeled on any nasty show-business soulsucker--characters likeher are not at all uncommon in entertainment. Ditto for T, thepromiscuous travel coordinator who shows up to the office insee-through stripperwear, decorates her desk with empty whiskeybottles, and sleeps with every male bigwig at the network. There's alot of women in showbiz like T, too.
2005 "Peter Gabriel" - the first digital download to sell one million copies
There's been a lot of hype about a new "novel"called Stage 46: The Reality Of RealityTelevision. And understandably so. Anonymously penned by someone who goes by the generic monker "R. Smith,"and reportedly based on interviews with actual disgruntled American Idol employees, the book aims to be the AmIdol equivalent of, say, The Devil Wears Prada or Swimming With Sharks.
2006 "Peter Gabriel"- the first digital download to sell one million copies
Gwen Stefani first came into the public conscious as the lead singer of overnight sensation No Doubt; with the advent of the band's first single, "Just a Girl," her blonde hair and belly piercing became immediate hits amongst the teens.