#1 on the Toronto Star’s National Bestseller List for Canadian Non-Fiction
“Shocking, emotional and charming” – Michael Bublé
Tempted chronicles Rick Campanelli’s journey from an idyllic childhood in Hamilton to a life in front of the camera during the peak years of MuchMusic and Entertainment Tonight Canada.
Rich in nostalgia for the 1990s and early 2000s, when music videos and the artists who created them were all that mattered, Rick celebrates the history of the Nation’s Music Station while slowly revealing his own secret gambling addiction that nearly destroyed his life.
Dragged down by the unrelenting pull of wagering money he didn’t have, Campanelli found himself drawn into a shadowy world of bookies and criminals as he pursued bigger payouts that offered only fleeting satisfaction while leaving him deeper in debt. It was only after he was arrested in Las Vegas that he knew he needed help.
Tempted is a fast-paced memoir through the world of music and entertainment, but it is also the story of Campanelli’s lost years, wandering through the temporary highs and crushing lows of an addiction that ultimately consumed him.
Available in ebook and hardcover.
My bio from the book jacket:
JOHN MEYER is a Canadian writer with extensive experience in broadcast and long-form storytelling. For more than fifteen years, he was the lead writer for Entertainment Tonight Canada, shaping over 4,000 episodes and helping define the show’s on-air voice. He is the author of three narrative travel books, including Shadows, Shells, and Spain, which blends history, memoir, and fiction. Meyer also works with public figures to develop long-form memoirs and biographies for publication.
The honesty of this memoir is important, so others with similar experiences know they’re not alone. A riveting and nostalgic memoir.
…Never in a million years did I think the adorable, humble, genuine Rick Campanelli was hiding a severe gambling addiction… This memoir is well-paced, filled with twists and turns and had me glued to my couch! 5 stars.
Wow! I really enjoyed this book. I’m always drawn to autobiographies, but often find myself losing interest about a quarter of the way through and start to skim..but this book was compelling and really told a story, as opposed to simply drawing a timeline. I think that’s where most autobiographies lose me… Great book. If you were a MuchMusic fan and are a little nostalgic for the 90s, you should check out this book.
What a candid, brave and inspiring memoir. Filled with amazing moments and memories and a cautionary tale or two.
This is an amazing behind the scenes book. I grew up watching Rick from the early days all the way to today. He’s just a lovable guy and the book shows that. Can’t put it down. Great read.
The way my jaw was on the floor for some of these stories. A whole new side to the baby faced, boy-band-ready Rick the Temp we grew up with.
Tempted is raw, honest, and a deeply human story about addiction, resilience, and finding your way back to yourself.
I was expecting stories about celebrities, and while I certainly got those, there was so much more to this book… This book was raw, vulnerable, funny and incredibly honest. I already loved my favourite VJ from my childhood, but somehow, I came away from this book liking him even more.
Really well written and so interesting. I’ve been a fan of “Rick the Temp” since his early days on MuchMusic… I had no idea about his struggles with addiction and I was shocked to hear about all the trouble he got into with it. I really enjoyed hearing all the stuff about his days at MuchMusic as that channel was such an important part of my life growing up.
May 2024 – The Day We Decided to Write a Book
February 2026 – The Day We Submitted the Final Draft