If you do not know who Rachel Bloom is, she is the creator/star of the CW TV Show “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” If you don’t know what that TV show is, buckle up. It is a 45 minute musical comedy show wherein the titled “crazy ex-girlfriend” uproots her life and moves from New York to West Covina California NOT because she runs into her camp ex-boyfriend but because she wants a change of pace. (Except it’s totally because of Josh but also because she is on the cusp of a total nervous breakdown). It is witty, raw, vulnerable, hilarious genre-bending piece of entertainment. So it comes as no surprise that Bloom has written a witty, raw, vulnerable, hilarious genre-bending book.
I was a big fan of Bloom before the book, have seen all four seasons of the show and paying to see her traveling medley AND her solo post-show tour TO INCLUDE MEETING HER AND SHE IS LOVELY. But. Back to plugging this book. I read it in maybe two hours. It clocks in at a mere 282 pages and reads quick and dirty, as surely she intended. Each chapter identifies something that “normal” people do, and then Bloom spends the chapter explaining how she has never been, and could never be, normal.
To me I’d put this in the same book as other female funny lady celebrity memoirs, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, wherein they use their authentic voice to share about themselves and give enough neat behind-the-scenes bits to satisfy fans of their respective properties. This one is closer to Poehler than Fey wherein Bloom really dives deep into her psyche and struggles, but unlike Poehler, she isn’t coming from a mid-40s tone wherein she wants to help you get there. Bloom is a bit younger in her early 30s and she definitely is here just to say, “here is who I am and what I am and how I got to be here” and if you have a problem with it, then that’s definitely a you problem.
So, if you are looking to laugh and don’t mind a little erotic poetry written by a 12-year-old in her Hello Kitty journal, then pick up this fun funny book.
