Sellevision: A Novel (original 2000; edition 2003)

by Augusten Burroughs

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Darkly funny and gleefully mean-spirited,Sellevisionexplores greed, obsession and third tier celebrity, in the world of a fictional home shopping network. Welcome to the troubled world of Sellevision, America's premier retail broadcasting network. When Max Andrews, the much-loved and handsome (lonely and gay) host of "Slumber Sunday Sundown" accidentally exposes himself in front of twenty million kids and their parents during a "Toys for Tots" segment, Sellevision faces its first big scandal. As Max fails to find a job in television, another host, the popular and perky Peggy Jean Smythe is receiving sinister emails about her appearance from a stalker. Popping pills and drinking heavily, she fails to notice that her husband is spending a lot of time with the very young babysitter who lives next door. Then there's Leigh, whose affair with Sellevision boss Howard Toast is going nowhere, until she exposes him on air; and Bebe, Sellevision's star host, who finds Mr. Right through the Internet--if she can just stop her shopping addiction from taking over.… (more)

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Member:	jcjc614
Title:	Sellevision: A Novel
Authors:	Augusten Burroughs
Info:	Picador (2003), Paperback, 240 pages
Collections:	Your library
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Sellevision by Augusten Burroughs (2000)

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Having read other books by the author, I found this one not only hysterical but refreshing due to it being one of the only stories that addresses the idiocy of home shopping programs. Augusten of course does his best to exaggerate things and manages to fit a gay character in which is fitting. This plus some surprises towards the end makes for a tremendous romp poking fun at the over done, over baked and over the top hosts of these shows. He also makes a good point of how ridiculous consumerism has gotten since people become pack rats rather than realists. I highly recommend this book if you want to laugh your arse off! (

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Jonathan5 | Feb 20, 2023 |

An OK book about television personalities. I prefer Burroughs' memoir and non fiction work myself.
The characters felt too fake and the message, whatever it was, gets sort of lost because of it. Most of the characters were unsympathetic, too. Some of the situations were pretty funny, but you need good characters to make these situations more of a viable story.
Like I said, it was OK. I would recommend a non fiction piece over this book, such as Running With Scissors and A Wolf at the Table. (

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rkcraig88 | Jul 15, 2019 |

"You exposed your penis on national television, Max." The first line of the book and it's a wild ride from that point. Max the flasher in question is one of the hosts of a home shopping show for the Sellevision network. We follow Max's story and some of the other hosts from the network. Max is termed right after that first sentence and tries out for various other jobs. There's Peggy Jean a good Christian woman who finds herself with a stalker and turns to drugs and alcohol to try and cope. Bebe is the networks longest running hostess who has a bit of a shopping problem herself. There's also a younger hostess who's having an affair with the married boss. Throw in another philandering husband, a dry cleaner, a psychotic child with anger issues and you've got most of the characters in the book. Truly a hilarious book and you can't help but wonder what awful thing the characters are going to fall into next. Unlike most I did like this as much or more than Burroughs memoirs. (

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ChrisWeir | Nov 11, 2018 |

Not as good as his non-fiction stuff but I still enjoyed it. I can see this one being turned into a script for a quirky indie film. (

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Charlie_Boling | Apr 19, 2017 |

I didn't love this book. This is the first novel written by Augusten Burroughs, and while it was entertaining, it wasn't as funny or as interesting as his autobiographical pieces. What is great about Sellevision, is that you get a chance to see how Burroughs' writing talents developed, if you have read his more seasoned work first. So, I'm glad I read it. It was a quick and entertaining read, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who has never read any of the author's books. Running with Scissors is by far, his masterpiece. (

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RojaHorchata | Jul 11, 2016 |

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Sellevision

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Epigraph

Dedication

First words

You exposed your penis on national television, Max. What am I supposed to do?

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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

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Ellis, Bret Easton

Finnamore, Suzanne

Rodi, Robert

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Augusten Burroughs

Sellevision

▾Book descriptions

Darkly funny and gleefully mean-spirited,Sellevisionexplores greed, obsession and third tier celebrity, in the world of a fictional home shopping network. Welcome to the troubled world of Sellevision, America's premier retail broadcasting network. When Max Andrews, the much-loved and handsome (lonely and gay) host of "Slumber Sunday Sundown" accidentally exposes himself in front of twenty million kids and their parents during a "Toys for Tots" segment, Sellevision faces its first big scandal. As Max fails to find a job in television, another host, the popular and perky Peggy Jean Smythe is receiving sinister emails about her appearance from a stalker. Popping pills and drinking heavily, she fails to notice that her husband is spending a lot of time with the very young babysitter who lives next door. Then there's Leigh, whose affair with Sellevision boss Howard Toast is going nowhere, until she exposes him on air; and Bebe, Sellevision's star host, who finds Mr. Right through the Internet--if she can just stop her shopping addiction from taking over.

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