Don't You Know Who I Am?: Insider Diaries of Fame, Power and Naked Ambition [Hardcover]

I rather like Piers Morgan .Sure he is a vain , egocentric ,occasionally pompous, often wincingly smug human being but he is also reasonably witty , balanced and truly capable of laughing at him self. He also writes very entertaining books. "The Insider" was as addictive as something very addictive indeed and the follow up -which takes in his career post the "Mirror" sacking - is equally as compulsive. It is also a rather shallow examination of the trappings of fame and celebrity which basically amounts to Morgan saying I wanted to become rich and famous and here's how I went about it.
Thus this book takes in his break into mainstream television through humiliating appearances on "The Weakest Link ", the political show "Morgan And Platell " , "You Can't Fire Me I'm Famous" through to his big break through stateside with "America's Got Talent". Like "The Insider" it's written in diary form and is basically a heady trawl through all the celebrities, politicians( who he admits he finds mainly boring , duplicitous and only interested in one thing -themselves) and media people he meets along the way.
Through his "GQ" contact to interview numerous celebrities there are revealing conversations with Billie Piper( a very naughty girl indeed) ,Steve Coogan, Ulrika Johnson and most strikingly George Galloway who makes a truly conspicuous statement that is then frustratingly not followed up on later in the book.
Simon Cowell ( Seems a reasonable bloke apart from his hideous product but then Morgan would portray him that way wouldn't he) , "The Hoff David Hasselhoff ( Completely deranged and insecure)Anne Robinson , various cricketers , Gordon Ramsey ( Surprisingly likable) pop up regularly throughout the proceeding s. There is also a running narrative involving Morgan's attempts to woo Celia Walden ( Who is listed in the back as being his girlfriend so it worked ) which is actually the most tedious part of his book .His sons get lots of mentions but that's fair enough.
Like I said its hard to dislike the bloke. Anyone who calls Kate Moss a "stroppy , pinch-faced little coke snorter from Croydon" or Pete Doherty a "filthy talent less junkie" is alright by me and his venomous opinionated writings are often spot on you feel. His comments on the McCartney /Heather Mills break-up provoke an extraordinary outburst from the soon to be ex-Mrs McCartney and hard though it is I feel he is absolutely right about Boris Johnson's upper class twit act being a bit of a con. His tales that end up with him being the butt of the joke are great and one or twice he even offers glimpses of insecurity .
Morgan concludes that being a celebrity is hard work and often humiliating but the rewards are worth it. Bizarrely he deduces that being a celebrity is actually a talent in itself - that the power by sheer force of will to get people to believe in you is something that could be described as flair . I disagree on that point but also take his point that the success of so many reality celebs is partly a back lash against clean cut "Cosseted saccharine superstars". To believe someone is worthy because they have been on the goggle box is stupidity boiled down to its essence and to pursue fame avariciously for its sake is ultimately delusional , potentially disastrous ...Just ask Jade Goody . Yet Piers Morgan makes it seem a right laugh and a terrific life to lead. Indeed he's enjoying himself so much he even makes friends with Jeremy Clarkson.

Let me first say that I'm so glad that someone as well known and well off as Piers has been given a lucrative book deal - it's about time that yet another good thing should fall into his lap. He is a bit of a shrinking violet so this oxygen of publicity will, I'm sure, be most welcome. Some would say that Piers is one of those who are famous for being famous. This is manifestly untrue - in fact he lives on the edge of this group of people, and makes his living from them, like a parasite, but in a good way. I bought this book because I was fascinated to hear the deep thoughts of an ex-tabloid editor who helped spearhead the new, bracing intrusiveness of the printed press. His honesty (which some dunderheads would term 'ignorant rudeness') is also refreshing, in much the same way that a water cannon is. I imagine.

This book was a lighthearted read, but it becomes so apparent that Morgan truly does think of himself as a big-time celebrity long before he made it big on America's Got Talent. I would imagine that most people bought this book to read about gossip about various celebrities, and - like me - really aren't interested in Morgan's conversations with his children or gilfriend. He writes like he's a celebrity and worthy of a great deal of attention. He's not.