Hollywood Star
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The Hollywood Star was a highly idiosyncratic gossip tabloid published on an erratic schedule in Hollywood, California by William Kern, who wrote much of the magazine under the pseudonym "Bill Dakota." Initially published in a newspaper format (and sold in newsracks), it appeared in 1976, was turned into a smaller stapled, two issue magazine format, as Hollywood "Confidential" Star Magazine, and the paper was closed down by 1981. Dakota has written his story in an unpublished bio titled Hollywood "Confidential" Star. Dakota was interviewed by Harriet Choice of the Chicago Tribune, whose interview went over the wire services across the country. Anne McDermott of CNN did a story, as well as Los Angeles Magazine, Movieline Magazine, the National Enquirer, and many foreign publications. He made headlines in the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner on a story about David Begelman.
Inspired by Confidential and other gossip magazines of the 1950s, The Hollywood Star had a homosexual subtext (Kern's other mid-70s paper was called Gayboy) and printed nude photos and sexually-oriented gossip with a frankness that had never been seen in gossip magazines. In addition to naming stars who were gay or bisexual, for example, the magazine published lists of male celebrities based on whether they were or were not circumcised. In one cover story, Dakota claimed Elvis Presley was bisexual. Charles Manson went on record with Dakota about various celebrities that he had been involved with, leading Frank Sinatra to threaten Dakota (one of Sinatra's daughters had been named by Manson). The threats, of course, were published in full. Dakota also headed the James Dean Memorial Foundation in Hollywood. Mayor Tom Bradley proclaimed September 30th as James Dean Day in Los Angeles, followed by a similar proclamation by the City of West Hollywood. Last but not least, Ginger Coyote of WHITE TRASH DEBUTANTES recorded a song called "BILL DAKOTA" on Tentacles Records produced by Billy Gould of FAITH NO MORE.