I sought out “Seriously … I’m Kidding,” Ellen DeGeneres’ third book, because I was looking for something that would make me smile. Bingo. No surprises here, but DeGeneres is just the ticket.
Books written by comedians often come across as a little scatterbrained, not unlike a stand-up comedy routine. “Seriously” is not much different. DeGeneres covers topics ranging from opinion polls to haiku to a few coloring pages for the younger set (albeit of a coffee pot and filing cabinet, among other similar items).
But she also covers a bit of pop culture’s perception of her — judging American Idol, being a spokeswoman for CoverGirl, coming out of the closet and dealing with stereotypes, and so on. It gives a bit of insight into how DeGeneres has handled her fame.
Her writing is by no means heavy, though.
It seems like an extension of the personality you see on her talk show every afternoon, peppered with observations like “When you really think about it, it doesn’t matter if you choose to live each day as your first or your last. You could live each day as your second or third so all the gunk you’re born with is out of your eyes.” Or the advice that “leaning forward in your chair when someone is trying to squeeze behind you isn’t enough. You also have to move the chair.”
A little quirk and a lot of humor make this one a keeper.
