What a Night in Hollywood Taught Me About My Own Life
By: Brian Hoeflinger, MD
July 13, 2025 | #53
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Disclaimer: Opinions are my own. Not medical advice.
Medical Trivia of the Week
Chronic disruption of REM sleep has been most strongly linked to increased risk in which of the following neurological conditions? (the correct answer is at the end of this email)
- A) Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- B) Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
- C) Alzheimer’s Disease
- D) Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
A Night in Hollywood: Sunset Marquis and the World of Rock 'n' Roll
I was recently invited to the Hollywood premiere of a yet-to-be-released documentary. The film tells the story of a famous, and yet somewhat unknown, landmark: the Sunset Marquis Hotel. It is located just off the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California.
This hotel opened its doors in 1963 and quickly became a home away from home for an innumerable number of Rock 'n' Roll legends. The Doors, Bob Marley, The Who, ZZ Top, KISS, Ozzy Osbourne, Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses, the Chili Peppers, Heart, Phil Collins, Sting, The Ramones, The Kinks, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, and Cyndi Lauper, just to name a few. Actors such as George Clooney, Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, and Billy Bob Thornton also became regulars at the hotel.
The premiere was held at the Directors Guild of America Theater in Hollywood, which was filled to its capacity of 600 people. Directors, producers, musicians, actors, and many others attended this private event, including, somewhat out of place, a neurosurgeon... me. I was like a fish out of water. I had no real connection to any of this, other than through an invitation from a friend.
The documentary itself was a fascinating, and often unbelievable, recollection of life at the Sunset Marquis Hotel. When you think of the Rock Star lifestyle as you might see it on TV, the documentary suggested it’s all true. Sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll.
After the premiere, the event moved to the actual Sunset Marquis Hotel, the place where it all happened. And what a party it was. Music, food, and drinks were flowing. I met the owner of the hotel, television writers, producers, a movie actor, and a variety of other interesting people. The hotel has truly stood the test of time. You could feel the history all around you, as a bygone era met the present day. The outdoor spaces were filled with excitement and allure as you made your way through the crowd.
Before the night was over, I was invited down to the space beneath the hotel, a full-fledged recording studio where artists like Aerosmith, Bob Dylan, Hall & Oates, Rihanna, Tyra, John Legend, Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, Elton John, Christina Aguilera, Billy Idol, Sheryl Crow, Foreigner, Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Ozzy Osbourne, Nick Jonas, Post Malone, U2, Usher, 50 Cent, Miley Cyrus, The Weeknd, and hundreds more have all recorded their music. I met the founder and owner of the BlueBird Recording Studio, a legend in his own right, Jed Leiber.
The space felt like something right out of a movie, three unique and fully equipped working studios. It was surreal standing in the very spot where so many songs I’ve heard throughout my life were actually recorded.
For me, the night felt like a fantasy. It was a world I had never seen before, a way of life that’s hard to comprehend for a neurosurgeon like myself. Some people may find my world of brain surgery fascinating. It can be. But my world is very even-keeled and controlled. Life at the Sunset Marquis was anything but that, and the documentary exemplified this point. The hotel was a safe haven where rock celebrities could be among like-minded individuals, a retreat away from the public eye where they could step back and be themselves. I understood and appreciated that.
Now a bygone era, but in its heyday, the Sunset Marquis was a true community of rock 'n' roll legends. It was now getting late, and the party seemed never-ending. But for this 60-year-old neurosurgeon, I made my way back to my hotel room at 2:00 a.m., which would have been 5:00 a.m. back home in Toledo, Ohio. I slept for three or four hours, then made my way to the airport and boarded a flight back home.
As I thought back over my brief time in Hollywood, it made me realize just how unique everyone’s individual life truly is. We all have different careers and interests. We look at other people’s lives and think they have it made, but that’s just our perception looking in, and most of the time, it’s not reality.
Yes, being a rock star might be cool. But being normal isn’t bad either. Having a home, a family, and consistency in your life is pretty good too. I guess what I’m trying to say is: it’s a nice place to visit… but I wouldn’t want to live there.
Impactful Quote of the Week
"You can admire someone else’s life and still love your own."
- Brianna Wiest
All my best,
Brian Hoeflinger
P.S. - if you enjoyed this newsletter, you may enjoy my book that details my life as neurosurgeon and the loss of my oldest son, Brian (see below a synopsis).
Check out My Book
Life and Death . . . Two words with such opposite meaning and which inflict such contradictory emotions and yet are so closely intertwined in our lives. As parents, we bring meaning and life into this world through our children. Our lives become defined as a result. We learn the joy, hardship, and responsibility of shaping an innocent life. But a day will come when that life will be taken. For some, death will come too soon. This is the story of my son, Brian Nicholas Hoeflinger, who died unexpectedly at age 18.
https://doctorhoeflinger.com/products/the-night-he-died-the-harsh-reality-of-teenage-drinking
Check out My Merch
https://doctorhoeflinger.com/collections/frontpage
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Medical Trivia Answer:
The correct answer is C) Alzheimer’s Disease
