Arsenio Hall Reveals 'Bracingly Candid' New Memoir on His Life and Iconic Career Moments — See the Cover! (Exclusive)

Arsenio Hall is telling each successful a caller project.

The character and comedian, 69, is revealing nan highs, lows and astir iconic moments from his agelong and winding profession — from his commencement arsenic a magician to his decade-defining talk show — successful a caller memoir, Black Privilege Publishing, an imprint of Simon & Schuster's Atria Books division, announced Wednesday, Oct. 8.

The book, Arsenio: A Memoir, is headed to shelves April 7, 2026, and PEOPLE tin exclusively uncover nan cover.

From his memorable turns successful films for illustration Coming to America and Harlem Nights to hosting his eponymous show, The Arsenio Hall Show, Hall “holds a uniquely salient spot successful American culture,” an charismatic explanation for nan memoir states. “Now, he pulls backmost nan curtain and takes america to a different clip successful Hollywood.”

Among nan moments explored successful Arsenio: A Memoir are his days “starting retired arsenic a young magician successful Cleveland,”as good arsenic “hosting his first talk show successful nan basement of his flat building erstwhile he was successful simple school” and “cutting his teeth astatine nan world-famous Comedy Store successful Hollywood,” per nan book's description.

Hall will besides recount Richard Pryor’s teachings “about drama and life,” nan explanation states, arsenic good arsenic “forming lifelong bonds” pinch nan likes of Muhammad Ali, Luther Vandross and Sammy Davis Jr. — arsenic good as, of course, his Coming to America costar Eddie Murphy.

Hall will besides look backmost connected “tasting superstar success” pinch his and Murphy’s iconic 1988 drama — which later received nan 2021 sequel Coming 2 America — arsenic good arsenic his consequent clip arsenic a talk show host.

Arsenio: A Memoir will spot nan comedian callback immoderate of nan “unforgettable, groundbreaking interviews” he conducted during nan The Arsenio Hall Show’s six-season tally from 1989 to 1994. Celebrities, politicians and figures for illustration Bill Clinton,  Madonna, Magic Johnson, Tupac Shakur, Maya Angelou will each person mentions successful nan forthcoming book.

Other moments nan memoir will research see “rescuing a family from a location fire” pinch Jay Leno, “sharing basking sauces and blackjack” pinch Patti LaBelle and chilling pinch Prince, nan explanation says. And if readers opt alternatively for nan audiobook, Hall will recount them successful his ain words, arsenic he is narrating nan memoir himself!

Arsenio: A Memoir will not conscionable show nan communicative of Hall’s profession successes and personage interviews, but will besides item erstwhile he “made nan difficult determination to locomotion away” from it all, per nan description.

"This bracingly candid memoir offers a caller appreciation for this earthy talent and talented storyteller, who nightly, for six years, hosted what felt for illustration a televised 'party' that changed nan scenery of late-night tv and brought Black civilization into surviving rooms crossed America,” nan explanation states. “With this book, he does it 1 much time.”

Hall antecedently opened up astir his talk show era to PEOPLE, which he said was came astir acknowledgment to “my fortunate timing” and popular culture.

“Every creator successful showbiz wasn't a bully fresh for The Tonight Show assemblage successful those days,” he told PEOPLE successful 2023. “I created a show for group who didn't person a show.”

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Arsenio: A Memoir is headed to shelves April 7, 2026 and disposable for preorder now, wherever books are sold.