Why Me? The Sammy Davis, Jr. Story

by Burt Boyar

Why Me? is the self-portrait of one of the extraordinary men of our time, who became a figure of controversy because he dared to live his life not as a Negro but as a man. "I've got to be a star like another man has to breathe," write Sammy Davis. "I've got to get so big, so powerful, so famous that the day will come when they'll look at me and see a man, and then somewhere along the way they'll notice he's a Negro."

ebook

First published May 24, 2013

About the author

Burt Boyar, born in New York in 1927, was thrown into the limelight at an early age. His father, Benjamin Boyar, worked for acclaimed Broadway producer Max Gordon, and Burt grew into the showbiz environment, eventually nabbing the lead role of Archie Andrews at age 12, and starring in various other radio dramas and commercials.

A passion for the literary arts caused him to drop out of school, and pursue his career as a showbiz columnist. He met Sammy Davis Jr. while scheduling an interview, and the two became firm friends, leading Burt to co-write and publish Davis` autobiography, “Yes I Can” and its follow up “Why Me?”, as well as the compendium of photographs “Photo By Sammy Davis, Jr.”, concluding Boyar´s work as his best friend`s historian.

Burt is currently pursuing a long-awaited film adaptation of “Yes I Can”, in order to put to rest the rumors and misconceptions about his dear friend Sammy.

Since then, Boyar has written several historic boos and memoirs, partnered by his late wife Jane, who passed away in 1997.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have always thought Sammy was exceptionally talented, but I almost wish I hadn't read this book. His profligate spending, drug use, promiscuity, and neglect of his children annoyed and disappointed me. He'd spend thousands of dollars on a shirt and seemed surprised to find himself in debt when he was making millions each year. I didn't buy his excuse that he needed huge diamonds on every finger to maintain his stardom.
At least his kids had May Britt, who seemed like a great mother.

P.S. I read the hardcover edition with this cover photo, even though Goodreads says there is no HC edition.

[Marlene Banks · Rating 2 out of 5]

This Biography started out as a repeat of YES I CAN, which I'd just read. But once I got past those chapters it was okay. It covered his life as he started getting older with his third and final wife. The underscored theme seems to be how he was driven in his craft, caught up in Hollywood/Vegas glitz and night life and materialism and how Sammy Davis Jr lived outside the boundaries given to black people making no apologies. He made a celebrated name for himself but it was all an uphill journey to get there and stay there. The one thing I noticed in both his autobiographies was that he never truly seemed contented or happy, even at the height of his fame.

[Beth Amkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

He was an exceptional entertainer and probably the best of our time. I was surprised by his outrageous spending, his drug use & how little time he spent with his family. He always had to be “on.” I don’t think he knew any other way to live and be loved other than being on stage and the audience loving him.. Exceptional man and how he overcame the hate that was directed at him because of his color.

[Alexandre Sena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sammy Davis Jr.foi uma pessoa complexa. O livro mostra uma pessoa que gravita entre ajudar sua comunidade e se preocupar em manter o status quo. Talvez seu ponto mais controverso foi a associação com Nixon.

Um ponto negativo é o livro ser muito condescendente com ele em relação as suas justificativas com a família.