Popular
comedian and
talk show host,
Ellen deGeneres first published this autobiographical book in 1995. In 2005 the book was relaunched and I'm sure many people remember Barck Obama reading a chapter from it on the Ellen deGeneres show. When she wrote it in 1995, Ellen was the star of her own sitcom
Ellen, where she played the character of a woman with her own
tv show who decides to come out during the course of the show. The show mirrored her own life as most of Ellen's projects do.
My point...and I do have one rose to No.1 on the Ney York Times Bestseller List.
The book is a series of autobiographical short stories where Ellen talks around many talking points never managing to get to a definite point but always saying something of substance in that cute, circulatory, ironic dead pan wit we love so much. Most stories are imaginary like the letter she writes to her neighbour: '
Dear Morgana...Thank you for inviting me to your party. I'm not very good at parties but I guess you know that by now...sorry about the dog shaving incident...and for biting your fiance' Purely imaginary but the way she writes it and what she writes about does reveal how she feels. A chagrined, up beat personality that will have you in stitches. And yes there is a dancing chapter - the ellen jelly (she calls it).
She includes letters from a Agony aunt column she used to write (or pretends she used to write?). Chapter 13 has been left out as 13 is an unlucky
number. And, in the mad method of doing things right, chapter 14 has been bypassed too as 14 technically becomes 13 so we skip right to chapter 15 which lists all the things she is scared of. Nothing ever gets serious - which I am so so so grateful for because no one in their right mind could ever take Ellen seriously. And to be honest, if that person did exist I think Ellen herself would be moronically disappointed.
Back to the book - she includes a recipe for French Toast, a trip down memory lane to her days as a travelling, unloved comedian. Her very very scary plane experience sitting next to a nun and the opinions of fabricated neighbours who may or may not remember her growing up in New Orleans.
I loved this book. And, part of its charm is the repeated claims that she is running out of
material to meet the publisher's demand of 60 000 words. A ridiculous number in her opinion which is perhaps why she makes up such ridiculous gimmicks to fill up the pages. The interview with Ellen comes to mind where she says the reader should pretend he is having a conversation with her and so she leaves blank spaces for the part of the reader to fill in. That way, everyone can have their own personalized dialogue with Ellen. Neat!