> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thefilmmaven.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Is Ishtar Truly the Worst Movie Ever Made? (Ticklish Business) - URL: https://thefilmmaven.com/ishtar-elaine-may-ticklish-business/ - Published: 2026-05-28T16:00:19.000Z - Updated: 2026-05-28T16:00:19.000Z - Description: The movie that ruined Elaine May's directing career is actually....pretty damn good. - Author: Kristen Lopez - Tags: Podcast *You can listen to Ticklish Business via* [*Spotify*](https://open.spotify.com/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc?ref=thefilmmaven.com) *and* [*Apple Podcasts*](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ticklish-business/id1129352801?ref=thefilmmaven.com)*. You can also subscribe to our* [*Patreon*](https://www.patreon.com/TicklishBiz?ref=thefilmmaven.com) *where we have bonus episodes and more.* *This post is *free to enjoy* butit's worth it to become part of my exclusive* [***Gold Star Crew***](https://thefilmmaven.com/film-maven-gold-star-crew/) **of Silver and Gold Film Mavens*.* ***🌟Supporters like:*** Sarah E Wethern, Matt McDaniel, Sofiya Cheyenne, Wiley Sutton, Rachel Dinga, Llai, KYoder, Franker Cline, Mark Murphy, and Tasya Swisko💫 *Paid subscribers are the backbone of The Film Maven who support independent journalism, as well as female- and disabled-created content. Paid Film Mavens get access to *shout-outs, exclusive articles and series, Zoom mixers, and The Film Maven Discord server*.* [*Consider becoming a paid subscriber*](https://thefilmmaven.com/gold-film-maven-deal) *and joining the community that invests in independent journalism free of AI and influencer opinions!* --- Our tribute to beleaguered director Elaine May closes with a look at the movie that ruined her career, 1987's *Ishtar*. Is it the worst film ever made? May biographer Elizabeth Alsop joins Kristen to break down the infamous flop and what went wrong. The pair discuss Warren Beatty as the Patient Zero for everything, debunking established stories, and if telling the truth really is a dangerous business. **Works Cited**: [⁠*The Road to Ishtar* by David Blum⁠](https://books.google.com/books?id=dOQCAAAAMBAJ&q=Ishtar%2Bdunes&pg=PA34&ref=thefilmmaven.com#v=onepage&q=Ishtar%2Bdunes&f=true) [⁠Editor William Reynolds (*American CinemaEditor* Magazine)⁠](https://web.archive.org/web/20260111024133/https://editfestglobal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/91-2reynolds.pdf) [⁠Elaine May in Conversation With Mike Nichols⁠](https://web.archive.org/web/20061017112821/http://www.filmlinc.com/fcm/ja06/elainemay.htm) [⁠*Madness in Morocco: The Road to Ishtar* by Peter Biskind⁠](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2010/02/ishtar-excerpt-201002?ref=thefilmmaven.com) [⁠**Buy Elizabeth's book Elaine May (Contemporary Directors) at this link.**⁠](https://amzn.to/4exDcVj?ref=thefilmmaven.com) I have a new book dropping on July 28th! [⁠⁠***Preorder But Have You Read the Book: Romance Edition here.***⁠⁠⁠](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kristen-lopez/but-have-you-read-the-book-romance-edition/9798894142296/?ref=thefilmmaven.com) **You can** [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠**now watch episodes of Ticklish Business over on our YouTube channel**⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://www.youtube.com/@TicklishBusiness?ref=thefilmmaven.com)**!** Be sure to like and subscribe to stay in the know on our latest videos. Be sure to follow us via social media at @ticklish\_biz on X and @ticklishbiz everywhere else. Also like and subscribe to us on all podcast apps and, if you love us, leave us a review. Find Kristen books wherever you buy books. Kristen's latest, [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*Popcorn Disabilities*⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://amzn.to/4mkjb5B?ref=thefilmmaven.com), is available to buy now! [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kristen-lopez/but-have-you-read-the-book-romance-edition/9798894142296/?ref=thefilmmaven.com) • Love T shirts, pins, and other merch? [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The merch shop is live⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://creators.spotify.com/dash/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc/%E2%81%A0https://www.redbubble.com/people/ticklishbiz/shop%E2%81%A0?ref=thefilmmaven.com)! • ICMYI, the best way to support Ticklish Biz is to [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠become a Patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://creators.spotify.com/dash/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc/%E2%81%A0https://www.patreon.com/ticklishbiz%E2%81%A0%C2%A0?ref=thefilmmaven.com):[⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://creators.spotify.com/dash/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc/%E2%81%A0https://www.instagram.com/msemilyedwards%E2%81%A0%C2%A0?ref=thefilmmaven.com) • [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kristen's Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://creators.spotify.com/dash/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc/%E2%81%A0https://www.instagram.com/kristenlopez88%E2%81%A0?ref=thefilmmaven.com) **This episode was created thanks to our Patrons**: Ali Moore Danny David Floyd Gates mcf Shawn Goodreau Richard Silver A Button Called Smalls Chris McKay Jacob Haller Peter Blitstein Debbie Lynne Peter Bryant Reyna Moya-James Linda Lindley Erin Bridget M. Hester Cat Cooper Daniel Tafoya David Baxter Diana Madden Harry Holland Lucy Soles Nick Weerts Kate G **You just read this for free! Here's what you missed by not becoming a** [**Gold Star paid subscriber**](https://thefilmmaven.com/film-maven-gold-star-crew/) **starting at just $4 a month or $30 a year:** - **Access to all my paid content and exclusive series** like: [Lisa Bonet, Bill Cosby, and What Happens When Good Girls Grow UpThe transition from girl to woman isn’t even, especially when you’re America’s Hollywood teen dream![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)The Film MavenKristen Lopez![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/37/24372e80-8819-45cd-8a9d-4dbc679f7337/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-b6c5dbf1291ff63034655e10a957b386819886ca59fbf626d22da064d5ec5507.jpg)](https://thefilmmaven.com/lisa-bonet-bill-cosby/) [Popcorn Disabilities: Joan Crawford Raises a Blind Teen in The Story of Esther CostelloThe movie Helen Keller’s estate threatened to sue for libel![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)The Film MavenKristen Lopez![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/37/24372e80-8819-45cd-8a9d-4dbc679f7337/content/images/thumbnail/StoryofEstherCostello_1957_half_style_B_original_film_art_5000x-9ba81055720e81bca3debcb27f32cce476357697928f7e6443395a3e2a37c8b5.webp)](https://thefilmmaven.com/the-story-of-esther-costello-joan-crawford/) - **Shout outs on my newsletter** when you join and whenever you have something you're launching. - **Included on my Gold Star Crew list** - **Bi-Monthly Zoom Mixers** where we can talk entertainment, get advice on journalism, and generally discuss the world. - **Access to our Discord server** where we can chat about movies and entertainment. It's also where I host my yearly Golden Globes and Oscar watches. - Participation in my new **Film Maven Secret Santa Gift Exchange** (launching November 2026), book clubs, and film discussion groups (launching later this year) --- *I have a new book dropping on July 28th! It's* [***But Have You Read the Book: Romance Edition***](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kristen-lopez/but-have-you-read-the-book-romance-edition/9798894142296/?ref=thefilmmaven.com)*! I look at 40 of the most iconic romance novels and their filmic counterparts to show you the changes in between.* [***Preorder your copy now!***](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kristen-lopez/but-have-you-read-the-book-romance-edition/9798894142296/?ref=thefilmmaven.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/37/24372e80-8819-45cd-8a9d-4dbc679f7337/content/images/2026/02/images-3.jpeg) ## Want to Work Together? Improve Your Disability Representation? Book a Consult With Me. [KristenWelcome to my scheduling page. 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