Barry Diller is (finally) ready to tell his story.
Who knewwhich is the title of the media mogul's new memoir, will be released on May 20, 2025. It is said to be delivered in Diller's singular voice and will address both his personal and professional worlds. Or as Simon & Schuster CEO and acquisitions editor Jonathan Karp puts it: “Barry Diller's book is about much more than just business. It is a remarkably honest and funny account of his personal journey, an unconventional love story and a fascinating tour through the world of entertainment and digital media.”
He adds of a book that has already managed to infiltrate the gossip pages: «Readers know when an author is telling the truth, and Who knew it is delightfully heartfelt on every page, as well as being full of insights into our lives at work.”
For those who work in the entertainment industry, Diller's resume is well known. His career began in the William Morris post office and rose rapidly from there. He invented the TV movie of the week at just 27, became CEO of Paramount Pictures at 32 and, at 44, launched the nation's fourth network, Fox. During that time, he oversaw the production of high-profile film and television projects, including Saturday Night Fever, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Simpsons AND Married… with children. Diller subsequently shifted gears, purchasing Home Shopping Network and founding IAC, which he turned into a multibillion-dollar e-commerce business that, at various times, included Expedia, Tinder and Match.com. He remains the president of the IAC.
Notably, he managed to maintain his relevance in the years that followed by regularly doling out remarkably frank interviews, often about the plight of Hollywood, among other topics, and making his own bold moves, including an offer for Paramount early in this summer. Ultimately, the 82-year-old, for whom Forbes estimates a net worth of $4.6 billion, withdrew the aforementioned offer, noting that “he has decided that [he] I didn't really want it.” (He also acknowledged that his interest in acquiring the firm had been “more for the symmetry of my life” than any other reason.)
On the personal front, Diller has been married to fashion icon Diane von Fürstenberg since 2001, despite decades-long media speculation about the unconventional nature of their relationship. In fact, in 2013, she was asked about their marriage, about which the interviewer noted that “there's a lot of curiosity,” including the fact that the two lived in different homes. “I don't understand what there is to understand,” von Fürstenberg then replied. “Sometimes we were separated, sometimes we were just friends, sometimes we were lovers, sometimes we are husband and wife, this is our life.”
As for the technical details of Who knewSimon & Schuster acquired worldwide rights to the book, represented by Robert Barnett of Williams & Connolly. The cover features a portrait of Diller, taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. For Diller, the decision to proceed with a memoir at this stage was deceptively simple. “I have a history of telling stories and I thought mine was a good story,” Diller explains in a statement. “If I could write it myself and tell it truthfully, I would love to have it out there for others to judge, and I hope I enjoy it.”