Bruce Vilanch Explores the Art of the Hollywood Flop in New Memoir: ‘How Did These Things Get Made?’ (Exclusive)
‘It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time’ explores the writer and comedian’s career working on some “legendarily bad productions” in show business
‘It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time’ explores the writer and comedian’s career working on some “legendarily bad productions” in show business Rick Stockwell; Chicago Review Press Bruce Vilanch and the cover of 'It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time':max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/it-seemed-like-a-bad-idea-at-the-time-by-bruce-vilanch-112224-tout-f2f5679b55ba4d6f95e518281d36af28.jpg "Bruce Vilanch and the cover of 'It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time'")
Ever wonder what it takes to make a Hollywood flop? Bruce Vilanch has the answers.
PEOPLE can exclusively announce that the author, writer and comedian will publish his forthcoming memoir, It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time, in spring 2025. The book details Vilanch’s career as a comedy writer — including on some “legendarily bad productions,” per the memoir’s description.
Vilanch is best known as a comedy writer on a variety of shows and specials, including some that now live "in infamy,” like The Star Wars Holiday Special, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour and that unforgettable 1989 Oscars opening number with Rob Lowe and Snow White. Chicago Review Press 'It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time' by Bruce Vilanch
In It Seemed Like a Bad Idea, Vilanch looks back on it all, and tells PEOPLE that the book stemmed from fans’ curiosity about some of these projects.
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"All through COVID, I was a guest on podcasts hosted by people waaaay younger than myself and all they wanted to know about was some legendary TV specials I wrote waaaay before they were born — Star Wars is a hint,” Vilanch says in an exclusive statement shared with PEOPLE.
“They'd seen them all on YouTube and what they really wanted to know was ... how did these things get made? Who said yes? And has that person paid their debt to society? Plus ... what was it like to be in the middle of these particular wars?” Rick Stockwell Bruce Vilanch
Vilanch is a two-time Emmy winner, and has written material for the Tony Awards, the Grammy Awards and the Academy Awards. As a lyricist, he's written songs for legends like the Village People and Eartha Kitt, and has even worked in musical theater, as the co-creator of the Broadway musical Platinum.
His new memoir, while exploring the origins of Hollywood flops, also looks at the lessons that Vilanch had learned throughout his time in show business, and the comedic aspects of it all.
“The book answers those questions and more — it seemed like a bad idea at the time,” Vilanch says.
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It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time will be published on March 4, 2025 via Chicago Review Press and is now available for preorder, wherever books are sold.
