Arsenio: A Memoir

Hall reflects on his career as a late-night TV trailblazer in this freewheeling autobiography. He begins by tracing his comic instincts to his 1960s Ohio childhood, recalling the first time he made an audience laugh at age five during a wedding officiated by his pastor father (“It is—I now realize—my first high”). From there, Hall charts his showbiz rise, recalling gigs as an adolescent magician, a decisive stand-up set in Chicago, a pivotal performance at the Improv in L.A. that precipitated his starring role in Coming to America alongside Eddie Murphy, and, in 1989, the launch of The Arsenio Hall Show. Along the way, Hall recounts his lifelong obsession with Johnny Carson, his hustles for free food during his early years as a comic, and his memorable encounters with the likes of Madonna, Prince, Patti LaBelle, and Richard Pryor. The most resonant passages balance Hall’s signature irreverence with empathy—particularly his account of Magic Johnson discussing his HIV diagnosis on The Arsenio Hall Show—and his devotion to his son, Cheron. The result is an energetic celebration of ambition and humor written in a loose, conversational style. Hall’s fans will pump their fists. Agent: Esther Newberg, CAA. (Mar.)