American television personality James Lipton was a pimp

October 24, 2007 James Lipton, the host of Inside the Actors Studio, mentions in his recently released memoir, Inside Inside, that he once worked as a pimp when he was living in France.

"This was when I was very very young, living in Paris, penniless, unable to get any kind of working permit," said Lipton. "I had a friend who worked in what is called the Milieu, which is that world and she suggested to me one night, `Look, you'll be my mec... We would translate it perhaps... as pimp. We were earning our living together, this young woman and I, we made a rather good living, I must say."

He had spoken about it before on his show, when he interviewed Julia Roberts and mentioned his familiarity with prostitutes.

"I had to set the record straight," he said. "God, it was awful that night with Julia. I was dying. And those were my students laughing at me!"