# Staff Picks: A hero-free Hollywood satire and another round for Mojito fiends

> New Miami Vice director's cut and a Hollywood satire about unlikable protagonists.
- Title: Staff Picks: A hero-free Hollywood satire and another round…
- Summary: New Miami Vice director's cut and a Hollywood satire about unlikable protagonists. Raj Ladlani's debut book The Simp explores Hollywood's racial and class…
- Keywords: the simp, raj ladlani, miami vice, michael mann, director's cut, hollywood satire, hollywood, hollywood industry, race, class, power imbalance, celebrity worship
- Source: AV Club — https://avclub.com/staff-picks-miami-vice-directors-cut-the-simp
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: the simp, raj ladlani, miami vice, michael mann, director's cut, hollywood satire, hollywood, hollywood industry, race, class, power imbalance, celebrity worship
## Staff Picks: A hero-free Hollywood satire
A.V. Club Staff highlights a new Hollywood satire with an unlikable protagonist.

> For anyone who doesn’t prefer books with unlikable protagonists, roshan sethi’s the simp might prove to be a challenge
## The Simp by Raj Ladlani
Raj Ladlani, a 31-year-old from new delhi, struggles to become a hollywood star.

> The book centers on sullen 31-year-old raj ladlani, who moved from new delhi to los angeles to become a hollywood star
## Hollywood satire premise
Raj’s life unravels as he manages a power couple’s schedule while babysitting and grocery shopping.

> The poor guy has to babysit, dogsit, grocery shop, coordinate household and vehicular repairs
## Raj’s relationship with employers
Raj’s job brings him closer to hollywood but strains his identity through constant responsibilities.

> But he doesn’t mind because his job brings him closer to hollywood than ever before
## The Simp’s inspiration
The book draws from a viral 2023 job posting, stories from actor karan soni, and william thackeray’s vanity fair.

> The inspiration for this story is threefold: a viral 2023 job posting; stories he heard from his husband, actor karan soni (deadpool, abbott elementary); and finally, william thackeray’s vanity fair
## Miami Vice: Director’s Final Cut
Michael Mann releases a director’s cut of Miami Vice for the 2026 beyond fest screening.

> Screened as part of beyond fest at american cinematheque in west hollywood earlier this month
## Director’s cut improvements
The new cut opens with go-fast boats and gives tubbs more screen time with his partner.

> The go-fast boats do, in fact, open the film now, better contextualizing the bust crockett and tubbs would abandon shortly into the film
## Miami Vice’s legacy
Mann’s director’s cut balances audience-friendly storytelling with the original’s iconic ending.

> It’s still miami vice, one of the 2000s’ great action films
## Key takeaway

Raj Ladlani's debut book The Simp explores Hollywood's racial and class struggles through a cynical protagonist, while Michael Mann releases a director's cut of Miami Vice.