By: Angie Haddock
As some of you know by now, I read a lot of advanced reader’s copies for this blog! But, I still find time here and there to read a few books off my TBR, too. A few weeks ago, I was looking for something “light-hearted,” and pulled Colin Jost’s memoir off my shelf.
About a week into reading that, an audiobook I had on hold through my library came in… of Kenan Thompson’s memoir.
So, yes, I was taking in both of these concurrently! If you know who these men are, you’ll understand that there is a lot of overlap here. While they obviously grew up in different circumstances, they have spent roughly the last 20 years on the same show, Saturday Night Live. (Thompson joined the cast in 2003, when he was 25, and Jost was hired as a writer in 2005, when he was 23.)
There are a few similarities in these books, as expected. Both have a chapter where the author lists some of his favorite sketches he was involved with over the years – either as a performer or writer. And both have a line in there mentioning that people always ask who the worst host was, but they would never answer that kind of question. (Jost then puts his answer in parentheses, anyway. Even funnier: Jost’s worst is one Thompson lists as a favorite!)
Now, a small recap of the parts of the stories that do not overlap!
“A Very Punchable Face” by Colin Jost
Jost grew up on Staten Island, with a family full of firefighters who mostly lived in the same neighborhood. He was a little chunky as a kid, but did play sports. By the time he was in high school, however, he was more into the debate team (where he competed against Josh Gad!).
Later, he went to Harvard and eventually started writing for the famed “Lampoon” magazine. He was basically always a writer. In fact, straight out of college, he spent a while working for his local newspaper before landing a job at SNL.
There is a chapter in his book titled “Why I Love My Mom.” My initial reaction: “Aw, that’s sweet.” THINK AGAIN. This chapter is a rundown of all the things his mom – a doctor with the FDNY – went through on 9/11. It was a total gut-punch, but definitely worth reading. Have tissues handy.
“When I Was Your Age” by Kenan Thompson
Thompson grew up in Atlanta, and spent a lot of his childhood in church. He and his older brothers were “latchkey kids,” and loved TV from early on. When he realized that Turner Broadcasting was in Atlanta, and there was TV being produced right where he lived, he was determined to become a working actor.
By his mid-teens, he was a staple on Nickelodeon, and was spending some of his time in L.A.
His biggest struggles hit immediately after his Nick years, as he had trouble transitioning from being a kid actor to being cast in adult roles. He says his baby face is a “blessing and a curse.” He had all his early earnings swindled from him by an accountant, so he was also starting over financially at this time. Landing at SNL was a dream come true for him, even though he loved L.A. and had initially seen himself working on that coast.
I enjoyed both of these books. Of course, I’ve been a loyal Saturday Night Live fan since the Wayne’s World days, so I may be biased. But, if you’re a fan of the show, please enjoy!
I have a lot more memoirs and biographies still on my TBR – mostly actors and comedians. Should we tackle some more this year? Have you read any good ones lately?
Reading Our Shelves 