The book is called, I Don’t Know Where You Know Me From: My Life as a Co-Star. But I know exactly where I know Judy Greer from. The Wedding Planner. 27 Dresses. 13 Going on 30. What Women Want. 

Obviously you know I’m not an actress and I have no immediate connection to the world of movies. So why did I pick up this memoir?

Many reasons:

1 – Because I browsed in a local independent bookshop and since the #22in22 challenge, I don’t visit an indie bookshop without buying something. 

2- It’s signed by the author.

3 – I did like Judy Greer’s characters in the movies I listed above.

4-  I’m a memoir-writer and am curious about other memoirs. How do authors structure their books? (In this case, the book is organized into three sections: Part 1 – Early Life; Part 2 – Hollywood Life, Part 3 – Real Life.)

5 –  As someone who has had difficulty in deciding where my memoir ends, I’m always interested in reading how someone made the “where-to-end-the-book decision. (Lliving with an invisible disability doesn’t have a clear-cut ending point. It’s not like I start and then finish treatment as is often the case with other illness stories.)

6 –  I’m curious about other people. I truly believe everyone has a story.

The memoir is a fast and fun read. And surprisingly, quite relatable. Which is actually reason number 7 why I purchased this memoir — Human beings are so much more alike than we often think we are. I have never peed in a stall next to a star. (At least, I don’t think I have. In Part 2, there is actually a chapter called, “Celebrities I’ve Peed Next To.”) Yet, I did find myself nodding, smiling, laughing because a lot of what Ms. Greer writes about is quite relatable. 

“And I am the John Hughes generation. I was waiting for my Blane, my Jake Ryan, and I am not a saint, I’m sorry, but I was a little jealous when Nicole got to go to a dance while I stayed home, wrote in my diary, and watched my VHS tape of Pretty in Pink again.” 

Pretty much all of Ms. Greer’s second chapter, “I Used to Be More Ugly,” resonated with me. In fact, there is one photo that reminds me of a Halloween costume I wore many years ago, when I was trying to dress like Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. 

“My mom told me when I was little that I needed to toughen up, but I didn’t think I would have to rely on that advice as an adult. Shouldn’t I be tough by now? I want to be beef jerky, not whipped cream.”

“… it made me nostalgic for those times, when we were all on a more even playing field. I want to go back to simpler times, when people were famous for their specific talent, when actresses looked more natural, when their faces moved, when I knew the names of the people in the magazines.”
Ms. Greer goes on: “I guess I just miss the times when people could just look how they looked and it was personality, talent, and charisma that mattered most, not who wore it best, …” 

Also highly recommend the chapter, “Ashton Kutcher Gave My Dad a Harley.” It will renew your faith that there are good people out in the world and that wonderful surprises can, and do, happen. As Ms. Greer writes, “Sometimes for no reason at all, someone does something unbelievable, unselfish, and generous.”

I enjoyed reading about Ms. Greer’s idea for a perfume named, “‘Intolerance, for the woman who just can’t take it anymore.’ It’s inspired by bad drivers, people who don’t use their left-hand turn signal, people who don’t use their right-hand turn signal, tardy friends, line cutters, slow (or worse, chatty) checkout clerks, music playing while on hold, faulty DVRs, airplane seat kickers, airplane seat headrest grabbers, loud cell-phone talkers, text-and-walkers, people who don’t silence their phone in the theater, and L.A. traffic.” 

Also highly recommend the “Drugstore Therapy” chapter. “I’ve yet to have a problem so huge that a midnight trip to a twenty-four-hour drugstore couldn’t give me at least a few moments of calm and clarity.” She goes on, “… but there is something about a late-night drugstore run that promises change, and in these moments, all I really want is change. I want to not have the problem I am having.” 

“Sometimes I do wish I could just have the same job every day; it seems comforting to me — to work with the same people all the time, know your salary every year, know when you can take a vacation and plan it. I think I could get used to that. A little stability would be so different, and I find myself daydreaming about it, especially now that I’m married and have stepkids.”

I also recommend Ms. Greer’s Manifesto. “There’s a lot of peaks and valleys in the life I’ve chosen, but my mission statement reminds me to focus on what matters most. When life is awesome, it keeps my head from getting too big, and when things are shitty, it reminds me that my life is still pretty awesome.”

Friends, have you read Ms. Greer’s memoir? What movie have you seen that included Judy Greer in its cast? Let me know in the comments.  

Also, I announced this on Instagram but allow me to share it here: my friend, author Nicole Annbury, recently published her second novel, The Signature Line. If you subscribe to my Substack, you will be entered into a drawing to win a signed copy of The Signature Line. The drawing will take place on Friday, February 20th. So be sure to subscribe!

Please note: I am including a link to buy the book that I’m highlighting this week. If you use my link, I do make a small commission on your purchase at no additional cost to you. I am working with Bookshop.org which also sends a portion of the profit to support local, independent bookstores.