TV talk show host-turned-sometimes-politician Michael Essany is beaming about his second book just being released and already doing quite well.

Essany, who turns 26 next month (is that only how old he is? Seems like he's been around forever) is that all-smiles guy from Valparaiso who first shot to international fame in 2002 by having stars like Kevin Bacon, comedians Tom Green and Carrot Top and singer Jewel, among others, stop by his parents' Valparaiso house to appear on "The Michael Essany Show" on E! network.

He also made two appearances as Jay Leno's guest on "The Tonight Show" and even directed and starred in an independent movie with Regis Philbin and Rosie O'Donnell.

His first book was an autobiography, "Building A Door: The Michael Essany Story" (2007 LifePress $12.95 ), which discussed the pivotal turning points during his young career, both successes and mistakes, and all the details of the deal he inked with E! Entertainment Television and Leeza Gibbons' production company to create his reality series.

His new book deal is "Reality Check: The art and business of reality TV" (October 2008 Elsevier/Imprint Focal Press $19).

The 288-page soft-cover book delves into the ins and outs, both good and bad, of being a reality star, including in-depth interviews with Philbin, along with Mark Burnett, Simon Cowell and others.

More than a year ago, Essany interviewed me as well for this book, knowing that over the years, I had interviewed and crossed paths with a roster of reality stars, including: Donald Trump; Tammy Faye Bakker and Ron Jeremy, who had shared the same space on VH1's "The Surreal Life"; "Survivor" Richard Hatch; and Reichen Lehmkuhl, "The Amazing Race 4" military man-turned-gay poster-boy model who was Lance Bass' boyfriend. While chatting with me at a party in Chicago at the Hard Rock Hotel, Lehmkuhl incidentally had little to offer intellectually and seemed more concerned with drinking white wine than red wine because the latter "stains your teeth."

Some of these reality stars, realizing what side their bread is buttered on, in addition to having signed contracts as thick as telephone books promising not to reveal details, won't discuss this business that has turned them into household names.

Others, like all-around good guy Chris Beckman, part of the cast of MTV's "Real World: Chicago" in 2002, was more than kind and conversational and never feared talking to me about any of the matters involving his moments on the small screen.

My own funnylady friend Phyllis Diller even talked to me a few years back about dipping her legendary toe in the pool of reality television when she was the featured guest star in 2003 on the series "Star Dates" on E! Entertainment, a show with a weak premise that set up celebs on blind dates and chronicled the romantic adventure with cameras.

Ever blunt and upfront, here's how Phyllis, then 85, described the experience: "It's all sorta silly. They call it reality, but I'm not so sure what was so real about anything, when you have cameras on you the entire time. It was a job, like anything else, so I thought I'd say yes to it. Honey, it's a paycheck."

Essany couldn't be more than pleased by his author role.

"This is my first working relationship with a major international house publisher, and I am thrilled about the opportunity, particularly to help warn aspiring talent and producers about the 'other side' of the reality-TV business," Essany said.

Though the book is just hitting stores (it's available at Borders in the Southlake Mall), Essany told me last week that the Web site Amazon already has it ranked as a "best-seller" in its category.

"Of the more than 100,000 books in this category, mine hit 19 on Thursday, Sept. 18, and is now the 15th best-seller of the top 100 they track," he said.

"It updates hourly, and the book will probably break the top 10 this weekend when I'm scheduled for a media blitz. As you know, your interview is featured in the book, and I can't thank you enough for helping me."

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

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