Fame-ish

My Life at the Edge of Stardom

By: Mary Lynn Rajskub

Narrated by: Mary Lynn Rajskub

Length: 5 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

A riotously funny collection of essays by actress and comedian Mary Lynn Rajskub about her awkward, bumbling rise to fame.

It’s not easy being unabashedly famous. Fame. Fortune. Younger men. Being mistaken for different actresses who are slightly prettier and more famous than you. It’s all part of the gig, and Mary Lynn Rajskub is a pro. Hilarious and self-deprecating, Feme-ish is Rajskub’s debut collection of essays. Smart, satirical, and relatable, this book gives new meaning to the word icon, as Rajskub navigates the entertainment world against the backdrop of her own quirky idiosyncrasies. She describes what it's like to make out with Tom Cruise, be a waitress at Denny’s, and find your life’s purpose in 300 indecipherable, not-easy steps - all in a day’s work. Rajskub is honest about her experiences with bisexuality, her college years as a slug, and the bright lights of stardom, ultimately giving the people what they want: an endearing look at what it’s like to be unabashedly famous.

©2022 Mary Lynn Rajskub (P)2022 Audible, Inc.

Funny Human's Life Lessons Learned So Far

My favorite book genre is comedian autobiography and this book did not disappoint. It's my first one post 2020 and that made it even more interesting and relatable.
Being from Michigan and having a sister who attended CCS made some of Mary Lynn Rajskub's hometown stories very relatable.
The raw description of life after divorce from her child's father and her relationship with her child made me feel like we were girlfriends sitting and chatting over wine - so real. She is that friend telling you to raise your standards because you deserve it (and maybe supress that Midwestern guilt), one anecdote at a time.
This book was relatable sometimes, a peak at an unknown, foreign world at other times, and always funny.

An intelligent , most candid celebrity

I have seen Mary Lynn Rajskub do standup and on film and tv many times. Here you get a chance to hear almost everything in a good five hours. She does the narration herself so it’s a real treat.

The Midwest background and roots are strong in Mary Lynn and you can see this throughout the book.

I am jealous I didn’t get to experience the alt-comedy scene in Los Angeles in the late 90’s early 2000’s and this gives you a first hand taste of it.

A wonderful peek at a Fame-ish journey!

A bittersweet and immersive memoir that is very well done! I have the hardback as well, but the audiobook performance really does this story justice! As a fan of Mary Lynn Rajskubs' work, this memoir snaps you out of the world where her characters roam, and reminds you that the actor themselves have a story and life all their own. It has plenty of humor, but also gets deep a few times. Its cleverly written to give you a peek into what its like to be "Fame-ish" and the journey it took to get there. I highly recommend this title, (along with purchasing the hardback). Best purchase I have made in a while!

Best Comedian Book I've Heard in a long time!

This book left me wanting more of her story. I hope she does a follow-up with more motherhood stories. Her insight into hollywood life is from a unique perspective.

LOVED this!

Really great performance. Endearing and honest and hilarious. Tons of great stories. Thanks so much!

Don't miss this one!

The author shares both high points and low points in her journey with wit and insight. Hearing it in her own voice made it even better!

I didn’t even watch 24 and I loved this

She has such a funny delivery. I loved hearing her be honest about her fame and how she may be with a listers but she wasn’t treated that way . Best of luck to her!

Lame-ish

Mary Lynn Rajskub's memoir is a cautionary tale to not get involved with anyone who is or might become famous one day and then write about you.  She is one of those people who sees the worst of everyone--her bosses, coworkers, friends, lovers, and people she meets in public--and is happy to share her mocking criticisms of them with others--in this case, anyone who unwittingly buys this lightweight collection of bitter snark and bellyaching.


When not being critical about people, Mary Lynn complains about anything and everything, including a slew of everyday, ordinary frustrations.  Even if this was a book by an A-list superstar, these incidents would still be boring.  Where was her editor's guidance?


Although only less than six hours of narration, it seemed to go on about very little for far too long.  I stopped after every couple of hours to listen to another book to get a break from the dislike I felt for her perspective and choices in life.  I stuck it out, hoping for something redeemable by the end.  The one thing I learned from listening to this book is to avoid anything connected to her writing in the future.


My questions for Mary Lynn Rajskub would be:  what brings you joy in life?  Why did you not focus more on those things and tell us about people who make you happy and inspire you?  Would you be happy to spend time with someone for almost six hours of mostly complaints and backbiting?  No?  Me, neither.  Would you trust someone who talked down nearly everyone she knew to others, particularly in such a public way?  I don't and you shouldn't.


Maybe Mary Lynn needed the cash right now, but I think she should have waited until she had something substantial and cohesive to say before publishing.


There is very little to recommend here.  Target audience:  those who enjoy insult gossip and want to keep misery company.

First world problems victim book

Very disappointing. Could have been should and should have been a good book. Not even remotely entertaining, please, save your money.