I’m not super obsessed with famous people. However, I do enjoy reading their bios, should they be so inclined to share them with us. I’ll admit: I enjoy it when they tell scandalous stories from their pasts, but that’s not the only reason I like these. It’s just fun to learn more about people I respect and enjoy watching.

Lots of books have been written about this famous family, but it makes so much more sense to have one written by someone who’s also a member. Plus, I’ve been an Anderson Cooper fan since he was on Channel One when I was in middle school. This one absolutely kept me engaged, but I have to say that it was pretty narrow on which family members Cooper discussed. I’m glad it didn’t get too broad, and the stories Cooper picked to tell were captivating.

I first enjoyed Andrew McCarthy in Weekend at Bernie’s. I was a click young for full Brat Pack Mania. I have since gone back and watched most of those movies: Class, Pretty in Pink, etc. Weekend at Bernie’s is still my favorite. This was a good read, though. I love reading about people putting the work in. The best overnight successes always do – we just don’t see it. He also doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to his drinking. This was a quick read, but I liked that because I could immerse myself in the world of Andrew McCarthy.

I grew up in the age of the Fresh Prince. I remember arguing on the playground whether the lyric was “My life got flipped” vs. “My life got twisted.” (For the record: it is flipped and I was right, but I digress.) That was my first exposure to Will Smith. I didn’t realize until later that he was actually a rapper before he was Will in Bel-Air. Looking back now, it’s almost hard to realize that he was Will in Bel-Air now that he’s a super megastar. The nosy part of me wishes he would have gone into more details about his relationship with Jada, but I respect his right to privacy. I probably wouldn’t share a lot about my marriage either. Good read. Once I got into it, I didn’t want to put it down. *This was read and written prior to the incident at the Academy Awards. 

I’ve been a fan of Leslie Jordan for a while, probably from his Emmy Award-winning performance as Beverly Leslie on Will and Grace. He always pops up in the weirdest places – usually with the best roles. This book is a fun batch of stories from Leslie, from growing up in Chattanooga to singing hymns with Dolly Parton. It’s quick read, but I found it highly enjoyable. Also, Leslie plays a baker in Mayim Bialik’s new sitcom, Call Me Kat. If you haven’t watched, you should.

I usually enjoy reading salacious behind-the-scenes stories while fully admitting to myself that I would not be brave enough to share my own nitty gritty details. Katie Couric does not have that problem. In fact, much like broadcasting her colonoscopy to the world, I feel like maybe she overshared a bit here. That said, it is still an enjoyable read. I’d kind of lost track of Katie after she left the Today show. I don’t really watch much TV news, so I had no idea what all she’d been up to since leaving NBC. I didn’t even know she’d gotten remarried. Good read overall, if a little cringeworthy in spots. And now in my best Sacha Baron Cohen accent may I ask, “Will you be my Katie Couric?”*

Happy celebrity-ing…
:) Amanda

* See Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby