There’s no doubt that Molly Shannon is a bonafide Superstar!  Her quirky and unique characters have brought countless laughs. 

 

But it’s apparent through her memoir that there’s truth to the adage, “comedy is tragedy plus time.” 

 

The book opens with Shannon detailing the devastating car accident that killed her mother, baby sister, and cousin while leaving her father fully incapacitated for months.   From that moment in time, Shannon was destined a survivor.  And she never stopped fighting.  

 

While candid about the grief and trauma she experienced even into adulthood, what stood out most to me was Shannon’s hustle and positive attitude. She saw purpose in obstacles.  Her determination was emboldened in the struggle.  And eventually, that resolve opened doors for her, allowing her talent to shine.  

 

Channeling her emotion into performance, Shannon created hysterical characters that are fully human and vulnerable. Hearing how the success of her creations was born from deep personal experience gave me a greater appreciation of her comedy.

 

I especially enjoyed hearing behind the scenes stories of her (potentially bone breaking) stunts and experiences with fellow actors…licking Steven Tyler on stage and upstaging Whitney Houston were particular favorites!  

 

As I read, I found myself googling old skits and characters.  It was a treat to relive those scenes while understanding Shannon as a full person.  

 

Shannon narrates the audiobook, and her story became even more vivid listening to the emotion in her voice as she talked about everything from the loss of her mom to smelling her armpits.   

 

Thank you to Harper Audio for this advanced #gifted audiobook.