A journalist who found fame in a notorious way, who can now add author to his resume, William Keck came to Hollywood to meet his “surrogate families” as he called them. Having lost his father at a young age, Keck found solace on the small screen and found companionship with families on TV, like the Brady’s and the Carington’s. Keck made a bold move when he first arrived in Hollywood, calling up Aaron Spelling’s office, seeking a job. It worked and he landed himself a seat coordinating a Dynasty reunion, where he had a chance to interact with the stars he had so long admired. After that role Keck decided to report on the celebrities he had always loved and found himself meeting many more of those families who felt like surrogates, albeit while crashing funerals (and much more) as a journalist with the National Enquirer.
While working for tabloids, Keck often felt the weight of an Angel on one shoulder and a Devil on the other. Always deciding if digging into celebrity secrets was worth the headline making news. In the end, the Angel won. Eventually Keck moved on to produce the talk show Home & Family for Hallmark, where he could welcome in the stars he loved and offer them a chance to tell their own story. He could be a trusted source, instead of someone seeking juicy gossip. At his book signing at West Hollywood’s Book Soup, Keck joked that the “only secrets they revealed on Home & Family were how to raise puppies and bake the best chocolate chip cookies.”
While Keck noted he quit the Enquirer after only 3 years, it took much longer for the Enquirer to quit him. He said he looked for those headline making quotes, what we today call clickbait for almost 10 years, even while working for more reputable outlets like USA Today and People. Even after he was welcomed into celebrities homes and hearts, he found himself ruffling their feathers. While William Keck’s new book, When You Step Upon A Star: Cringeworthy Confessions of a Tabloid Bad Boy, might seem like an opportunity to share more of the secrets he collected along the way, he said “this book isn’t to expose celeb secrets, I did that back in the day. This book is to apologize to the stars. And to reveal my own secrets.”
The times have certainly changed for the journalist who once received a lot of colorful remarks from the people he interviewed. For the book, he actually shared the stories of the stars he was writing about with them, to get their approval before going to print. While the media landscape has certainly changed, tabloids used to be all the rage, something everyone scanned in the checkout line at the grocery store or read in the pharmacy. It was a source of news on the stars we loved, whether it was factual or not. Social media and online outlets have changed that. Now stars can use their own voice, on their own time, to break news. In a way it’s been the death of tabloids.
Near the end of his time at the Enquirer, Keck had a turning point. He read a cover headline about Raquel Welch that talked about her sad, sorry life. Unfortunately, in media darkness sells, but he said to himself, “no more, I don’t want to make my living this way. I’m already living the sad life of William Keck, I don’t need to write it that of others.” In that moment Keck realized we all have choices in life and sometimes it’s best to take the road less traveled.
Keck believes life is full of lessons and they can be learned in many ways. He was lucky to have an editor early in his career, who became a mentor and was always willing to share those lessons. While writing his book, Keck looked back on the lessons he learned and decided to end each chapter of his book with one. Kat Kramer who led the Q+A at Book Soup asked Keck if there was anything he didn’t include in the book he could reveal to us. Letting out a boyish giggle, he laughed simply stating, “no.” He had already laid it all out there in the book – at least all that he could. Some secrets will have to be kept forever! You’ll have to find out what you can when you read When You Walk Upon A Star.
Journalists Note: While I am not the journalist who wants to reveal secrets, I will reveal one about William Keck. He signed my book with “you have a light in you that people will respond to.” As an entertainment reporter, that’s all I could ever hope for. Hearing about Keck’s love of The Brady Bunch and how he eventually went on to write about all of the Brady gang, and got in trouble with all of them for what he wrote, I was reminded of my own Brady Bunch encounter. I got to interview Maureen McCormick, who played Marcia Brady. She doesn’t do many interviews, but I asked sweetly on a red carpet and she obliged. She found me later in the evening, funnily enough in the ladies restroom and came at me with arms wide open for a big hug. She thanked me for the interview and being so warm with her. It meant the world to me, as just like Mr. Keck, I have always loved The Brady Bunch too. As he discovered, as did I, there is a lesson to be learned here. Maureen must have seen that light in me, the one Keck mentioned. I think it’s why she felt comfortable with me. The lesson is simply to find your light, or your good Angel and do what you love by being authentically you – you don’t have to step upon the stars to get there, you can just aim for them.
William Kecks book is full of funny stories, outrageuous moments and humbling anecdotes. If you love Hollywood and pop culture, you’ll love this page turner. Purchase your copy of When You Step Upon A Star on Amazon. For author William Keck on Instagram to see his recent articles and upcoming events. To learn more about Kat Kramer – actress, producer and film advocate – visit katharinekramer.com.
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