Showbiz!: My Life as a Middle-Aged Man by Hill, Murray

In his powerful debut memoir, beloved comedian Murray Hill (Somebody Somewhere) opens up for the first time about how his painful past led to his unwavering commitment to spread joy--one rimshot at a time

Murray Hill, the trailblazing comic and self-proclaimed "hardest working middle-aged man in show business," has been delighting audiences around the world with his signature blend of campy humor and subversive showmanship for three decades. Much like Fred Rococo, his character on HBO's Somebody Somewhere, Murray radiates relentless positivity and an indomitable spirit as entertaining as it is inspiring.

Behind the one-liners lies a deeper truth. Growing up in a conservative New England household where abuse ran rampant, Murray found refuge in showbiz memoirs and watching old-school comedians on The Tonight Show. These tales of survival, in the face of maltreatment and discrimination, offered him hope and the possibility of reinvention through the world of entertainment.

After leaving home, Murray began the slow process of finding and defining his identity as a newly emancipated adult and queer, boundary-pushing artist. It wasn't always easy. Murray drank to escape his past, and masked his depression with alcohol. His drinking spiraled into a mental health crisis that nearly cost him his life. But with loving support from his chosen family and community, Murray found not only his people but himself.

Warm, fearless, and laugh-out-loud funny, Showbiz! 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. Showbiz!

Author: Murray Hill
Publisher: Gallery Books
Published: 10/06/2026
Pages: 352
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 8.90h x 5.80w x 1.30d
ISBN: 9781668053706

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 08/17/2026
Library Journal 09/01/2026 pg. 115
Kirkus Reviews 10/01/2026
Booklist 10/01/2026

About the Author
Murray Hill, a.k.a. Mr. Showbiz and the self-proclaimed "hardest working middle-aged man in show business," is a one-man entertainment machine: comedian, host, actor, writer, producer, and walking time capsule of classic showbiz charm. Television audiences know him as the lovable Fred Rococo on HBO's award-winning Somebody Somewhere, and from his appearances on Life & Beth, Drag Me to Dinner, Elsbeth, Welcome to Flatch, and King of Drag. His campaign for Mayor of New York in 1997 was inducted into the New York Historical Society. He lives in Brooklyn. Visit him at MisterShowbiz.com.