I am an artsy-fartsy, music loving, geek who loves the show Glee.
And, I am a big fan of good humor. So, Jane Lynch's Happy Accidents seemed like a great read for me. She is on Glee, she is a theater pro, and she is funny as all heck!
Well, at least she was for a couple chapters...
Jane Lynch's childhood dream was to be an actress, like her idols Ronnie Howard, Anson Williams and Vicki Lawrence. So, she sent a letter to some Hollywood casting companies and was promptly, but nicely, told to go away and get some training. So, she did. She joined a school production of The Ugly Duckling, and then quit days later because she had stage fright. Things were not looking good...
The path was not an easy one. Struggling in high school with being not only a theater geek, but also a lesbian, Lynch eventually became an alcoholic to hide her discomfort with others. In college, she hid behind a mean, judgmental streak in order to avoid her fears about her own self worth. As an adult, she finally had to admit that a serious theatrical actress may not be her route, perhaps comedy suited her better.
Ultimately, with the help of some "happy accidents", she found herself being offered great parts and making her living. Then, her happiest accident occurred while at a convention. She met the woman she was to fall in love with and marry.
Lynch talks about how focused she can get, sometimes to the detriment of all else. This was, unfortunately, apparent. Several chapters in, Lynch gets so focused on telling us her story she forgets to be funny. Yes, there are a few ha-ha moments here and there. But, overall the book wasn't nearly as funny as the first 2-3 chapters.
This was a really great story and I, personally, really enjoyed reading about Lynch's experiences. If you are really interested in hearing her story, and not just her jokes, this book is a great read. But, if you are really looking for a funny, light read this just isn't the one.
3/5- Good. Read it, have a good time and move on. Or not.
1 comments:
I am about half way through the audio and I would agree with what you are saying here. At times it is funny but it is also a lot about finding herself.
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