Synopses & Reviews
The rags-to-riches story of a groundbreaking, beloved entertainer When The Flip Wilson Show debuted in 1970, black faces were still rare on television, black hosts nonexistent. So how did Clerow “Flip” Wilson go from Jersey City grade-school dropout to national celebrity, heralded on the cover of Time as “TV’s First Black Superstar”?
Flip is a candid, entertaining biography of a consummate comedian who changed the face of American popular culture. Kevin Cook chronicles Flip’s meteoric rise through the Chitlin’ Circuit of segregated nightclubs to his breakthrough on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show to his hit variety show, on which he created such outrageous and hilarious characters as the sassy Geraldine and flock-fleecing Reverend Leroy. As one of the biggest stars of his time, he performed and partied with Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and other stars of the 1970s.
Drawing on interviews with family, friends, and celebrities, Cook delivers the inspiring story of a complex man who broke the prime-time color barrier, blazing a trail for generations of African American performers who followed him.
Review
"Stalag Leadbetter sounds like the golf-learning inferno these kids all need-to get away from their imperious parents. Driven is not a bedtime story, but its a must read!"
-Gary McCord, PGA Tour pro, bestselling author, and CBS golf commentator
Review
"Candid and entertaining... Cook's fiercely honest biography captures the tumultuous and winning personality of the man."
~Publishers Weekly
“An engaging story.”
~The Los Angeles Times
[Kevin Cook] keeps the story just as Flip Wilson kept his act and his audience, "in fun."
~The Wall Street Journal
"Flip Wilson was wonderful. His material advanced the possibility of human unity and hilarity."
~Lily Tomlin
Synopsis
An inside look at the creation of the new breed of superstar golfers Golf keeps looking for the next phenom who will take over the game the way Tiger Woods did in the mid-nineties. But in all likelihood this young golfer will not be discovered but created in a gated three-hundred-acre complex in Florida called the David Leadbetter Golf Academy. Here exists a fierce training ground, where ultra-high-tech cameras provide cutting-edge swing analysis and young players spend almost every waking hour on the driving range.
In Driven, award-winning journalist Kevin Cook shows how the game has evolved from a sport of paunchy men to one populated with muscular youngsters blasting tape-measure drives. A vivid snapshot of a rapidly changing game, Driven is a riveting look at the making of golf 's next generation.
Synopsis
The first biography of the beloved entertainer who broke the prime-time color barrier
When The Flip Wilson Show debuted in 1970, black faces were still rare on television, and black hosts nonexistent. Then came Flipto instant acclaim and top ratings. But how did a motherless Jersey City grade-school dropout become the celebrity heralded on the cover of Time as TVs First Black Superstar”? Drawing on interviews with family, friends, and celebrities, Kevin Cook offers a riveting account of the remarkable man who transformed American entertainment. Star-studded and uncensored, Flip will enthrall everyone who remembers Flips heyday.
Synopsis
The first biography of the beloved entertainer who broke the prime-time color barrier
When The Flip Wilson Show debuted in 1970, black faces were still rare on television and black hosts nonexistent. Then came Flipto instant acclaim. His show dueled Marcus Welby, M.D. for the top spot in the ratings. His characters and catchphrases fixed themselves in Americas consciousness, and he helped launch new talent, including Richard Pryor and George Carlin. But how did Clerow Wilson, a motherless Jersey City grade-school dropout, become the celebrity heralded on the cover of TIME as TVs First Black Superstar”? Drawing on interviews with family, friends, and celebrities, Kevin Cook offers an inspiring salute to a self-made star who fell from grace, but not before blazing a trail for generations of entertainers to come.
About the Author
Kevin Cook is the author of
The Last Headbangers,
Titanic Thompson, and
Tommy’s Honor. The former editor in chief of
Golf Magazine, he has written for
Sports Illustrated,
GQ,
Playboy,
Details,
Men’s Journal, and many other magazines, and has appeared on ESPN, CNN, and FOX TV. He lives in New York City.