Clive James' Postcard from...

Clive James set out to discover the truth about Miami. The city is now seen as the vice capital of America, teeming with money, illegal aliens and cocaine. He goes under cover and investigates beneath the surface. During his visit he meets two of Miami's most famous residents, actor Don Johnson and singer Gloria Estefan.

Rome: focal point in the 60s for the world's jet-set. Now James arrives determined to find the dolce vita and acquire some Roman sophistication. He stays on the Via Veneto, seeks advice from a notorious socialite prince and discovers Mussolini's son in an unlikely setting. He learns a dubious lesson or two from a self-styled sexologist and is taught a few more by an aristocrat billed as the wildest woman in town.

In May 1989, James set off to see the city that was once known as the 'Paris of the East' and discovered China on the brink of revolution. As the demonstrating students joined three million cyclists to clog the Shanghai streets, he fought his way through to meet a once wealthy socialite who survived the Cultural Revolution, a baby-washing entrepreneur, the local eel gutter and a jazz band playing Jingle Bells on an empty ferry cruising up the famous Huangpu River. Leaving on one of the last flights before the government clamped down, he brought back this personal view of a city at an exciting and crucial moment in its history.

Los Angeles is a city of big money, big cars and big dreams. Young people from around the world are drawn to it for a shot at the entertainment bigtime, but how do they go about becoming stars? James's exploration of LA takes in the contrasts between the glitz and sleaze apparent in the city and he meets ex-pat Dudley Moore and actress Kirstie Alley in his quest to discover how to become a star.