Full of warmth, humor, and unforgettable characters, this story mixes social issues with the absurdity of reality TV

The first round of auditions was a bit crazy. All these wannabe popstars sitting around trying to look wacky/soulful/tragic (delete as appropriate) to catch the attention of the TV cameras. At least we had an awesome back story. The story of me, Agnes, Jimmy, and baby Alfie too; the tears, the tragedy, the broken homes and feuding families, the star-crossed lovers. And only some of it was made up. If I say so myself, it was genius: a sure-fire golden ticket to stratospheric stardom--or at least that was the plan.