Happy Accidents
Jane Lynch
Autobiography
This was an interesting autobio, though not as I expected it to be. First of all, I didn’t really know that Jane was a lesbian, though I think someone mentioned it to me once. That being said, I don’t think Jane knew Jane was a lesbian for a while, and she’s sort of a prude (for a Hollywood biography) so it wasn’t a typical gay-trials story. Her sexuality seems to be secondary to her need to find her own niche, which it seems she has carved in improv and comedy. It appears she didn’t mean to deliberately have the career that she has, but she still remains hard working and driven.
I found it challenging to identify with Jane because she seems content with herself as a person, yet afraid of what others think. I am not like that, I’m far more like the characters she’s been typecast-ed to play over the years, which she explains is not her own persona.
The most interesting part of the book, which earned all the points here, is that she describes the process of the improv-comedy methodology which I have often enjoyed. I’m talking about the Christopher Guest style of movie-making where the characters and events are scripted, but the lines are improvised. This seems like a fantastic way to make a movie, where you’re letting your actors actually be actors. The explanation of that process, how it works, and the banter backstage really made this book fantastic.
In addition, I find a great moral behind the message she tells of family. She’s a happily married gay woman, which is more than most celebrities who are straight. She has a healthy relationship with her step-daughter. She loves her family, and her other (parents, etc.) family, and has a prosperous career. She didn’t need to sexualize, compromise, or devalue herself to do it. I appreciate the message, though I didn’t find it to be a page turner.
Entertaining? Somewhat.
Deeply Moving? Probably Not.
Worth reading? Yes, especially if you like improv, or if you are interested in that style of entertainment production.
Overall score: 6 / 10
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