Joe E. Stabile, a steadfast bandmate turned manager, stepped in after my uncle Ernie Glucksman—Jerry Lewis’s loyal producer and fixer—walked away when Jerry’s stubbornness destroyed his own TV comeback. Jerry could be genius or tyrant, brilliant or cruel, and he rewrote his past, erasing Ernie’s legacy to suit himself.

When Jerry wanted memorabilia only I had, he sent Joe to negotiate, dodged a face-to-face reckoning, and left old wounds unresolved. Years later, he made me his personal representative, but working with him meant fielding last-minute cancellations, managing a superstar who didn’t understand the internet, and cleaning up after his legendary rudeness—like when he snubbed a French reporter in front of me.

Behind the red carpet, loyalty was expendable and egos fragile. Through it all, the real story was clear—show business isn’t what it seems, and those who shine brightest onstage, often cast the darkest shadows offstage.