What do you think?
Rate this book
Never Say Never: Finding A Life That Fits
The world first met Ricki Lake in 1988 as Tracy Turnblad in the film Hairspray. Weighing in at just over 200 pounds, the 5'3" teenager challenged what it meant to be an overweight woman in America: this fat girl got the guy, was part of the in crowd, and could sing and dance like nobody was watching. When she got her own talk show at twenty-four, Ricki had been transformed. She was a slender, mature woman whose long-running show changed daytime television forever. And when Ricki left it all behind to follow her heart and produce The Business of Being Born, we once again saw her in a new light, as a passionate advocate who wasn’t afraid to stand up for her beliefs and work for change. Ricki Lake’s life has been a series of rebirths—from fat to skinny, married to divorced, rich to poor, and more. In her intimate, bold, and relatable book, Ricki shows us how her unique life in the spotlight offers wisdom to anyone who has ever struggled in her own skin. She takes us behind the scenes of her troubled childhood—filled with food issues, abuse, and an unabashed yearning for a better life outside of her suburban home. She pulls back the curtain on her talk show and her early days as a “fat actress,” and she shows how she reinvented herself as an author, filmmaker, and much beloved finalist on Dancing with the Stars. Ricki weathered near-bankruptcy and an extremely difficult divorce, but, as she writes, life always hands you the unexpected—so you should never say never. Much to her surprise, Ricki has dated some of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors, appeared on the cover of Us Weekly magazine in a swimsuit, and fell in love when she least expected it. And now she’s ready to talk about it all. Never Say Never is an inspiring, entertaining, and down-to-earth account of one woman who defied the odds and refused to give up. By trusting her gut and following her heart, Ricki Lake turned an unconventional life into an unparalleled triumph, and this memoir stands as a hopeful, hilarious, and honest exploration of how any woman can do the same.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published April 17, 2012
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 9, 2012
I have a mixed bag of thoughts regarding Ricki's book.
I actually wish I didn't read it because I don't have her in as shiny of a spotlight as I use to.
She feels like a very toned down version of Howard Stern to me.
While Ricki talks about her two boys being her everything, all I have etched in my memory is her raging hormones and her need to roll in the hay with somebody. She only goes into a few specifics about their births and time spent at the beach house. Not examples of cuddling up every night and reading to them. Cooking them their favorite meals. Spending time working on school projects. Traveling to the Grand Canyon to camp and hike.
For me the writing felt honest and sincere, but Ricki is correct when she calls herself contradictory.
I think Ricki is in a position that she could make a difference on a lot of social issues. I know the natural birthing was one of her passions, but I see her making a dent in stopping the body image from destroying our young women. Stopping all of the plastic surgery that is so unnessessary. Like she explained, we should feel good in the skin we are in. Even approaching the childhood sexual abuse issue that she shared with the reader. How her parents could have stepped up to the plate and did more about it for Ricki.
At times Ricki played it entirely safe. By this I mean nothing negative about several people (her ex), but very strong thoughts on other individuals like her mother. She made it clear where that relationship ended, but would not give the reader names of other individuals like Sensitive Teen Heartthrob.
I would have liked less sexual sharing and more parental relationship sharing. For example, how did Ricki's father cope with life when his wife left him when he needed her the most? Did Ricki ever really let her mother know how the words she used in her childhood damaged Ricki for life? Did she even have any type of relationship with her sister Jennifer? Does Ricki currently affiliate herself with any religion? I am curious because of what Ricki's parents converted to later in life.
One area that I expected to read more about was in her weight. I was thinking that when Ricki lost weight and felt super positive about herself, she would have made it a priority to take better care of herself. She was so extremely repectful of her pregnant body, that I would have thought a primary goal would have been to eat healthy for life, make sure exercise was part of her life, etc. She had the money to hire a private chef if need be. That really didn't seem the reality for Ricki. It was pay thousands of dollars to eat meals prepared and delivered to the front door. She did share what her body weight was at all different times of her life and why she thought it was what it was, but she never seemed to acknowledge what she was doing to it. I just found that odd because of her extreme passion for the pregnant Ricki.
Ricki is a very driven individual and appears very strong-willed. I think her book would have come off better to me if it had been cleaned up here and there. She did repeat herself several times. While she mentioned her EXTREMELY difficult divorce, it didn't seem extremely difficult to me. There should have been more divorce content, or else use different words to describe the life event.
The chapter titles were clever and tied in nicely with the title of the book.
I feel very happy that Ricki is in a good place, but I'm not sure she has really dealt with personal issues. I'd like to visit with her again in 10-15 years to see where she is at then.
I actually wish I didn't read it because I don't have her in as shiny of a spotlight as I use to.
She feels like a very toned down version of Howard Stern to me.
While Ricki talks about her two boys being her everything, all I have etched in my memory is her raging hormones and her need to roll in the hay with somebody. She only goes into a few specifics about their births and time spent at the beach house. Not examples of cuddling up every night and reading to them. Cooking them their favorite meals. Spending time working on school projects. Traveling to the Grand Canyon to camp and hike.
For me the writing felt honest and sincere, but Ricki is correct when she calls herself contradictory.
I think Ricki is in a position that she could make a difference on a lot of social issues. I know the natural birthing was one of her passions, but I see her making a dent in stopping the body image from destroying our young women. Stopping all of the plastic surgery that is so unnessessary. Like she explained, we should feel good in the skin we are in. Even approaching the childhood sexual abuse issue that she shared with the reader. How her parents could have stepped up to the plate and did more about it for Ricki.
At times Ricki played it entirely safe. By this I mean nothing negative about several people (her ex), but very strong thoughts on other individuals like her mother. She made it clear where that relationship ended, but would not give the reader names of other individuals like Sensitive Teen Heartthrob.
I would have liked less sexual sharing and more parental relationship sharing. For example, how did Ricki's father cope with life when his wife left him when he needed her the most? Did Ricki ever really let her mother know how the words she used in her childhood damaged Ricki for life? Did she even have any type of relationship with her sister Jennifer? Does Ricki currently affiliate herself with any religion? I am curious because of what Ricki's parents converted to later in life.
One area that I expected to read more about was in her weight. I was thinking that when Ricki lost weight and felt super positive about herself, she would have made it a priority to take better care of herself. She was so extremely repectful of her pregnant body, that I would have thought a primary goal would have been to eat healthy for life, make sure exercise was part of her life, etc. She had the money to hire a private chef if need be. That really didn't seem the reality for Ricki. It was pay thousands of dollars to eat meals prepared and delivered to the front door. She did share what her body weight was at all different times of her life and why she thought it was what it was, but she never seemed to acknowledge what she was doing to it. I just found that odd because of her extreme passion for the pregnant Ricki.
Ricki is a very driven individual and appears very strong-willed. I think her book would have come off better to me if it had been cleaned up here and there. She did repeat herself several times. While she mentioned her EXTREMELY difficult divorce, it didn't seem extremely difficult to me. There should have been more divorce content, or else use different words to describe the life event.
The chapter titles were clever and tied in nicely with the title of the book.
I feel very happy that Ricki is in a good place, but I'm not sure she has really dealt with personal issues. I'd like to visit with her again in 10-15 years to see where she is at then.
September 3, 2012
Ricki Lake's book is sad and pathetic, where she blames her mother for all of her problems and claims to view life like a "Disney princess" while she demeans those close to her and refuses to accept responsibility for her own issues.
The book starts out talking about her weight insecurities and focuses way, way too much on her size. This woman has some serious psychological issues that have obviously not been resolved, no matter how much she wants to convince you otherwise. She claims the villains (and there are many of them) are her mother, her half-hearted father, her childhood instructor and a couple of characters that she claims abused her as a child. It is sad if her molestation stories are true...however, the way she writes them they sound as if they could be exaggerated and the fact that she blames her mother for allowing them to happen is disgusting when she knows her mom didn't have anything to do with it.
It's also ironic that this "role model" for tolerance and acceptance of diversity uses the book to be so condemning and judgmental of those who actually helped her in life. She comes across as incredibly intolerant of anyone traditional. For example, this college drop-out says of her instructors, "Teachers can blow a toxic cloud of envy at their students when they feel their own career has been a disappointment." She claims she was "undervalued and discouraged by authority figures," when they may have just been telling her truth she didn't want to hear.
In one of the most terrible things I've ever read in a celebrity autobiography, she condemns her formerly Jewish parents for becoming Christians. She writes, "Maybe one of the reasons my parents were so attracted to Christianity was that it absolved them of the guilt of what had happened to me and how they refused to handle it." Really? That's another pathetic comment that reveals that she has no ability to see her parents objectively. She gives no evidence that her parents needing to feel guilty about anything other than a few poorly-worded comments about her weight from 40 years ago (who knows if she is quoting them correctly?). And yet she never told them of her concerns back then or initiated any conversation with them about her issues, so it comes across as really she caused some of her own problems.
The book is poorly written, with some chapters less than two pages, and there are gaps where it appears an editor or lawyer cut out sections where paragraphs don't make sense together. Lake comes off as a whiny diva who accepts all praise but rejects any suggestion that she was less than the best. Her grandmother told her she was the most talented girl in the world and Ricki still believes it, refusing to accept criticism from others and using this book to get back at those who said anything negative to her.
She talks a lot about her love for her new man but doesn't explain why he is any different from the other men she claimed to feel fulfilled by before she dumped them. There's also way too much about dancing--as if all we know her for is Dancing with the Stars. But there's not enough about the talk show that really made her famous. The book just doesn't have the right balance.
Namely, there's little to recommend in this book. It seems to have been written as a PR piece to improve her image or take advantage of her resurgence, but it ends up being a type of therapy for her to spew venom on those who crossed her while trying to paint herself as a wide-eyed happy innocent. None of it works--instead it's the portrait of a very sad girl and should have never been written this way.
The book starts out talking about her weight insecurities and focuses way, way too much on her size. This woman has some serious psychological issues that have obviously not been resolved, no matter how much she wants to convince you otherwise. She claims the villains (and there are many of them) are her mother, her half-hearted father, her childhood instructor and a couple of characters that she claims abused her as a child. It is sad if her molestation stories are true...however, the way she writes them they sound as if they could be exaggerated and the fact that she blames her mother for allowing them to happen is disgusting when she knows her mom didn't have anything to do with it.
It's also ironic that this "role model" for tolerance and acceptance of diversity uses the book to be so condemning and judgmental of those who actually helped her in life. She comes across as incredibly intolerant of anyone traditional. For example, this college drop-out says of her instructors, "Teachers can blow a toxic cloud of envy at their students when they feel their own career has been a disappointment." She claims she was "undervalued and discouraged by authority figures," when they may have just been telling her truth she didn't want to hear.
In one of the most terrible things I've ever read in a celebrity autobiography, she condemns her formerly Jewish parents for becoming Christians. She writes, "Maybe one of the reasons my parents were so attracted to Christianity was that it absolved them of the guilt of what had happened to me and how they refused to handle it." Really? That's another pathetic comment that reveals that she has no ability to see her parents objectively. She gives no evidence that her parents needing to feel guilty about anything other than a few poorly-worded comments about her weight from 40 years ago (who knows if she is quoting them correctly?). And yet she never told them of her concerns back then or initiated any conversation with them about her issues, so it comes across as really she caused some of her own problems.
The book is poorly written, with some chapters less than two pages, and there are gaps where it appears an editor or lawyer cut out sections where paragraphs don't make sense together. Lake comes off as a whiny diva who accepts all praise but rejects any suggestion that she was less than the best. Her grandmother told her she was the most talented girl in the world and Ricki still believes it, refusing to accept criticism from others and using this book to get back at those who said anything negative to her.
She talks a lot about her love for her new man but doesn't explain why he is any different from the other men she claimed to feel fulfilled by before she dumped them. There's also way too much about dancing--as if all we know her for is Dancing with the Stars. But there's not enough about the talk show that really made her famous. The book just doesn't have the right balance.
Namely, there's little to recommend in this book. It seems to have been written as a PR piece to improve her image or take advantage of her resurgence, but it ends up being a type of therapy for her to spew venom on those who crossed her while trying to paint herself as a wide-eyed happy innocent. None of it works--instead it's the portrait of a very sad girl and should have never been written this way.
October 10, 2012
Well... I really like Ricki Lake, or at least I thought I did, so I feel bad not really liking her so much after reading her book. Instead of being inspirational as the description claims, I found it rather sad and depressing. Also, it was just too much sex talk for me. I'm not going to pretend like I'm an angel who doesn't enjoy a gabfest with the girls over relationship topics, but to write for the whole world to read is different to me. She slept with SO many men and she seems really okay with it. I understand and appreciate women being empowered sexually, but it gets to a point where it just seems pathetic of the woman. Like they have no morals or self-respect. Ricki did admit that she was looking for love and validation that she was desirable, so I guess it can be a little less frowned upon in retrospect. All-in-all I found the book a little bit crass for my liking. She also comes off as almost unappreciative and acts like her career and talk show were a bit inconvenient for her. I also felt like she was a bit harsh on her parents who converted from Judaism to Christianity. She comes off as very self-absorbed, judgmental, and not very nice.
May 19, 2012
This was a good autobiography. I liked the theme of "Never Say Never" and at the head of each chapter, there is a quote. For example, in Chapter One, Lake states that "I'll never be anything special." Then in the chapter, she refutes it with her life story. I like her candid statements and her expansive vocabulary.
September 23, 2024
This was another find from my most recent used book shopping trip with my friend Amy. When I held this up with a triumphant smile, she exclaimed, "Now, that's a book!" She's reading it next.
While this book felt breezy, it was full of tough life experiences and may have made me a better person in terms of developing empathy for situations I've never been in myself (not unlike Elliot Page's excellent Pageboy). It felt like bonding with a new friend, when you're learning all their lore for the very first time. Through it all, Ricki has remained bubbly and optimistic, and I say good for her.
Since the American ideal of feminine beauty is so baked in by the capitalist patriarchy, I've certainly had my own body issues, but nothing this extreme and certainly never under the scrutiny of the public eye. I truly enjoyed Ricki's voice and journey, and thought it was clever how the chapters were each titled with something she thought she'd never do. They're all crossed out because she's now achieved all of them. Way to turn your book into a sneaky checklist, fellow Virgo! (Maybe this is also a factor in why I liked her story so much?)
John Waters's foreword is what I wanted his book Crackpot to be, which is one I bailed on this past summer. I wanted juicy, behind the scenes details from Hairspray and Cry Baby from Ricki's "movie dad!" Ricki's stories of John and working with Divine did not disappoint, and I was also fascinated to learn that the choreographer for Hairspray was Ed Love of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
"Divine was the opposite of a diva, never complaining about any element of doing his job or anyone else's. He was always in it to help everyone do their best. He knew that the success of a film depended on the relationships between the members of its ensemble, and he never considered himself too important to walk among the 'little people.' He was both the strongest man I ever knew and the mother I never had." p. 50
"...in the magical realm of denial, nothing needs to make sense." p. 56
"Throughout my young life, I had seen my physical self as an obstacle standing in the way of my happiness rather than as a tool that could help me reach it. Because of my struggle with weight, my body had always been something to work around, not something that could work for me." p. 117
"Too many of us, myself included, stay stagnant for too long because we're afraid to push through the pain. The secret is learning to trust yourself, body and mind, and figuring out how to harness the power of your instinct and your intuition." p. 120
"That I had value just the way I was, even though there were still plenty of things I wanted to change about myself, was a life-altering lesson. Had I not had the confirmation that I mattered when I was still fat, I don't know that I ever would have been able to find the willpower I needed to become thin." p. 236
On Dancing with the Stars: "It was very odd to become so conditioned to being judged by strangers on such a superficial level." p. 242
On her (now-ex) husband, Christian: "Every moment we were together, I fell more in love with his gentle soul, and it warmed my heart that the people I loved noticed how wonderful a man I had found." p. 267
While this book felt breezy, it was full of tough life experiences and may have made me a better person in terms of developing empathy for situations I've never been in myself (not unlike Elliot Page's excellent Pageboy). It felt like bonding with a new friend, when you're learning all their lore for the very first time. Through it all, Ricki has remained bubbly and optimistic, and I say good for her.
Since the American ideal of feminine beauty is so baked in by the capitalist patriarchy, I've certainly had my own body issues, but nothing this extreme and certainly never under the scrutiny of the public eye. I truly enjoyed Ricki's voice and journey, and thought it was clever how the chapters were each titled with something she thought she'd never do. They're all crossed out because she's now achieved all of them. Way to turn your book into a sneaky checklist, fellow Virgo! (Maybe this is also a factor in why I liked her story so much?)
John Waters's foreword is what I wanted his book Crackpot to be, which is one I bailed on this past summer. I wanted juicy, behind the scenes details from Hairspray and Cry Baby from Ricki's "movie dad!" Ricki's stories of John and working with Divine did not disappoint, and I was also fascinated to learn that the choreographer for Hairspray was Ed Love of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
"Divine was the opposite of a diva, never complaining about any element of doing his job or anyone else's. He was always in it to help everyone do their best. He knew that the success of a film depended on the relationships between the members of its ensemble, and he never considered himself too important to walk among the 'little people.' He was both the strongest man I ever knew and the mother I never had." p. 50
"...in the magical realm of denial, nothing needs to make sense." p. 56
"Throughout my young life, I had seen my physical self as an obstacle standing in the way of my happiness rather than as a tool that could help me reach it. Because of my struggle with weight, my body had always been something to work around, not something that could work for me." p. 117
"Too many of us, myself included, stay stagnant for too long because we're afraid to push through the pain. The secret is learning to trust yourself, body and mind, and figuring out how to harness the power of your instinct and your intuition." p. 120
"That I had value just the way I was, even though there were still plenty of things I wanted to change about myself, was a life-altering lesson. Had I not had the confirmation that I mattered when I was still fat, I don't know that I ever would have been able to find the willpower I needed to become thin." p. 236
On Dancing with the Stars: "It was very odd to become so conditioned to being judged by strangers on such a superficial level." p. 242
On her (now-ex) husband, Christian: "Every moment we were together, I fell more in love with his gentle soul, and it warmed my heart that the people I loved noticed how wonderful a man I had found." p. 267
August 13, 2025
It was only ok. Some parts were candid and other parts she seemed to be holding back. I listened to the audio book and her narration seemed rushed and had a vibe of annoyance. I enjoyed hearing about The Business of Being Born and her show. The book was a bit sparse and I didn't really understand the chapter titles.
Her body image struggles were relatable and I had empathy for her regarding her childhood experiences and her mother, but overall the book seemed to be missing something for me.
Her body image struggles were relatable and I had empathy for her regarding her childhood experiences and her mother, but overall the book seemed to be missing something for me.
July 1, 2019
This book was mostly a straight autobiography, with a lot about Ricki Lake's career and relationships, but also some extra commentary on weight and body issues, which it felt like maybe was emphasized as a way to market the book. Ricki Lake has had a weird career, and this book made my appreciate her work and life story in new ways. The writing itself was fine, enjoyable for an autobiography.
September 24, 2012
See full review here!
I received this audio book for review from the publisher. Here is my honest review:
Wow. I had no idea about Ricki Lake's life at ALL. I can't say I was dying to know, but I'm really glad that I listened to her story. Reviewing this audio book is like reviewing her life, but I'll make this work as best I can. I wish I would have taken some notes because I had a lot to say, but it's not all coming back to me right now. Here's what I do remember.
Ricki Lake has been through a lot. Child sexual abuse, long term weight issues, divorce, etc. She's a trooper, though. She's strong and independent. She's in your face and sometimes lucky. Lake has always wanted to be famous, and famous she is. But it's only what co-defines her. She's ALL about her weight. I understand this, but she also LOVES being rich and famous. I definitely got those two things from her life.
Even though she tries to come off as NOT a snob, she surely sounds like that sometimes. Most of the time she's pretty down to earth when she's talking about giving birth and her weight. But the story about the Holiday Inn-type hotel room was just downright bratty. I was almost offended, since I cannot afford much more than a Holiday Inn. I'm not used to luxury though, so I suppose it would be a bit disappointing. Oh well.
She's a bit of a judge, too. She has opinions on everything and everyone. She lives honestly, so she tells it how she feels and how she sees it. But sometimes she's just Judgy McJudgerton. I was never upset by anything she said, but I can see others being mad or offended. She seems to conveniently not remember some things, and then she makes it easy to find out what she really means when she tries to change names. Again, oh well.
This audio book is read by the author, so you hear everything as she meant it to come across. As an actress, she should have been better at speaking slower, but that's alright. I was never lost by her narrative, but she could have slowed down. She's hilarious, though. I laughed quite a bit, especially when she talked about the internet dating. Plus, she seems to like the f-word just as much as I do.
As for the book itself, I felt like the chapters were disorganized and a bit all over the place. The chapter would be called, "I will never be on Dancing with the Stars" and she's off talking about her relationship with her now-husband, Christian. And she talks a LOT about being naked and getting it on. Thanks for being so honest, Ricki. We love you :o)
I received this audio book for review from the publisher. Here is my honest review:
Wow. I had no idea about Ricki Lake's life at ALL. I can't say I was dying to know, but I'm really glad that I listened to her story. Reviewing this audio book is like reviewing her life, but I'll make this work as best I can. I wish I would have taken some notes because I had a lot to say, but it's not all coming back to me right now. Here's what I do remember.
Ricki Lake has been through a lot. Child sexual abuse, long term weight issues, divorce, etc. She's a trooper, though. She's strong and independent. She's in your face and sometimes lucky. Lake has always wanted to be famous, and famous she is. But it's only what co-defines her. She's ALL about her weight. I understand this, but she also LOVES being rich and famous. I definitely got those two things from her life.
Even though she tries to come off as NOT a snob, she surely sounds like that sometimes. Most of the time she's pretty down to earth when she's talking about giving birth and her weight. But the story about the Holiday Inn-type hotel room was just downright bratty. I was almost offended, since I cannot afford much more than a Holiday Inn. I'm not used to luxury though, so I suppose it would be a bit disappointing. Oh well.
She's a bit of a judge, too. She has opinions on everything and everyone. She lives honestly, so she tells it how she feels and how she sees it. But sometimes she's just Judgy McJudgerton. I was never upset by anything she said, but I can see others being mad or offended. She seems to conveniently not remember some things, and then she makes it easy to find out what she really means when she tries to change names. Again, oh well.
This audio book is read by the author, so you hear everything as she meant it to come across. As an actress, she should have been better at speaking slower, but that's alright. I was never lost by her narrative, but she could have slowed down. She's hilarious, though. I laughed quite a bit, especially when she talked about the internet dating. Plus, she seems to like the f-word just as much as I do.
As for the book itself, I felt like the chapters were disorganized and a bit all over the place. The chapter would be called, "I will never be on Dancing with the Stars" and she's off talking about her relationship with her now-husband, Christian. And she talks a LOT about being naked and getting it on. Thanks for being so honest, Ricki. We love you :o)
May 1, 2025
From the JetBlackDragonfly book blog at www.edenthompson.ca/blog
Never Say Never, with a foreword by John Waters, is a memoir highlighting the many versions of actress Ricki Lake.
She reached the spotlight as a 240-pound teen star of Hairspray. She talks about her relationship with Divine during and after the movie, and I was surprised to know he was only 350 pounds when he died. That is a lot; however, it seems a norm these days. It is sad to think he died on the edge of a show business breakthrough, after figuratively working his ass off to get there.
Ricki had several minor hit film roles, a dramatic weight loss, and then starred in her own talk show, The Ricki Lake Show, which ran for many seasons.
She has an admirable way of talking about her private romantic encounters (like calling them Mr. Charisma or The Sensitive Heartthrob). The second section talks about her natural child-birthing and working on The Business of Being Born, a documentary on natural versus hospital childbirth, in which she shows the video of her own son's birth. The last chapters are about her rise up the leaderboard on Dancing With The Stars. She didn't win, but I respect the technique and energy a schedule like that would require. It seems like everyone from Dancing With The Stars gets a book deal as part of the package, winner or not.
I learned about weight loss and natural childbirth, and Ricki was a fun person to be with for a while. If you are interested in natural childbirth, the documentary sounds well made, and the book is an interesting window into that process. Well-written, funny and entertaining.
Never Say Never, with a foreword by John Waters, is a memoir highlighting the many versions of actress Ricki Lake.
She reached the spotlight as a 240-pound teen star of Hairspray. She talks about her relationship with Divine during and after the movie, and I was surprised to know he was only 350 pounds when he died. That is a lot; however, it seems a norm these days. It is sad to think he died on the edge of a show business breakthrough, after figuratively working his ass off to get there.
Ricki had several minor hit film roles, a dramatic weight loss, and then starred in her own talk show, The Ricki Lake Show, which ran for many seasons.
She has an admirable way of talking about her private romantic encounters (like calling them Mr. Charisma or The Sensitive Heartthrob). The second section talks about her natural child-birthing and working on The Business of Being Born, a documentary on natural versus hospital childbirth, in which she shows the video of her own son's birth. The last chapters are about her rise up the leaderboard on Dancing With The Stars. She didn't win, but I respect the technique and energy a schedule like that would require. It seems like everyone from Dancing With The Stars gets a book deal as part of the package, winner or not.
I learned about weight loss and natural childbirth, and Ricki was a fun person to be with for a while. If you are interested in natural childbirth, the documentary sounds well made, and the book is an interesting window into that process. Well-written, funny and entertaining.
July 27, 2012
I grew up with Ricki Lake. No, not literally, but it felt that way. I was 12 when Hairspray was released and it began my obsession with John Waters. Lake followed that up with roles in the TV movie Babycakes, the TV show China Beach and another Waters classic Crybaby. Right before her talk show premiered she lost a ton of weight, and in recent years she's been on Dancing With the Stars and working as a homebirth advocate. This book follows her whole life journey.
One of the big things this book reveals is that Lake was a victin of sexual abuse by a handyman the family hired. This was traumatic obviously, as was the way her family handled it. Lake believes this is part of why she became obese.
I felt this book was well written and entertaining for fans. However Lake's personality started to grate on me as the book went on. She comes across as shallow ("I only date hot guys.); still too obsessed with her weight; and a bit unfair to her mother, whom she no longer speaks to. She jokes that she hopes her mom dies in a storn and I thought that was a bit harsh.
By the end, I liked the book for its inspiring tale of how a fat girl can make it in Hollywood, but I did not like Ricki Lake, Thin Person.
One of the big things this book reveals is that Lake was a victin of sexual abuse by a handyman the family hired. This was traumatic obviously, as was the way her family handled it. Lake believes this is part of why she became obese.
I felt this book was well written and entertaining for fans. However Lake's personality started to grate on me as the book went on. She comes across as shallow ("I only date hot guys.); still too obsessed with her weight; and a bit unfair to her mother, whom she no longer speaks to. She jokes that she hopes her mom dies in a storn and I thought that was a bit harsh.
By the end, I liked the book for its inspiring tale of how a fat girl can make it in Hollywood, but I did not like Ricki Lake, Thin Person.
September 8, 2015
This book was, overall, a giant disappointment for me. I've been a fan of Ricki's since I was a teenager, and really wanted to like her. However, this book definitely didn't paint her in a wonderful light. It focuses on two main themes- her weight and sex- and although she attempts to be insightful, it is contradictory at times and somewhat shallow in others. She definitely appears to be more shallow then I ever imagined- focused on her own fame, money and sexual conquests; she blames her parents for much of the bad in her life, and idealizes her relationship with her then-fiancé, who, as we now have the benefit of knowing, did not end up to be Mr. Perfect Forever that she talks about for the latter chapters of the book. Overall, I'm sure she is a wonderful person in many respects and has gone through a great deal in her life, but I almost wish I hadn't read her book, because I would rather remember the Ricki from her talk show and movies then the Ricki she portrays in her book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2012
I'm not sure how to review someone's life since she's writing about her own experiences and it's just retelling her truth of her life. It's a fast and easy read and she's interesting enough although I knew very little about her before reading this book (now I feel like I know most everything which I'm not sure I want to). Some parts are a bit narcissistic but such is celebrity I guess. I certainly would only wish the best for her with her new marriage but I guess we'll find out in 30 yrs when she writes her next memoir.
September 3, 2016
Having never seen her talk show, and being a die-hard John Waters fan, I picked up this book because I absolutely loved her on screen performances as Tracy Turnblad, and Pepper Walker. That being said, I wasn't sure if I would be all that into her story. I don't know anything about Ricki Lake. Would I lose interest after she talks about her life after Hairspray? Turns out, she discusses her leading role in the film fairly early on, and the book only gets better from there. I truly enjoyed this book. It's crazy relatable, and I feel like I learned quite a bit.
August 18, 2012
I don't think I have ever read a memoir that was so honest and open. Ricki really puts it all out there for her readers. Her struggle with her weight, her failed marriage, her open sexuality. It showed how very human she is and celebrities really are just like "us". I found myself relating to her experiences in many way. Well, except for all the fame. I have always been a fan of Ricki's but now after reading her story, I feel like I love her even more.
October 23, 2013
What a great memoir into the life of this lovely actress. I learned a lot about her life and how she grew up and changed from the life she was as a kid. It was a fun read. I decided to read it after seeing Hairspray recently all the way through. But I knew about her show even if I didn't really watch it back than. And I heard about when she was on dancing with the stars. Good for her and her changed life!
August 1, 2012
I liked it. Ricki Lake seemed to be honest in talking about her life. I would recommend if you want to do some light reading and/or relax. There were some experiences I was hoping she would talk about but did not mention. Either way it was a quick read for me and that's what happens when I like a book & have time to get through it.
July 21, 2012
I liked how Lake structured the book with a series of "I will never" statements that she was totally wrong about. I thought she did a good job covering the major events in her life in short vignettes. I did end the book wishing she had taken a more traditional approach and really delved into what it was like to host a talk show for 11 years.
December 21, 2012
Unlike other reviews of this book, I enjoyed it immensely. While she did seem to show negativity towards her mother, I can't say I blame her. Her mother did sound like she was not as caring and compassionate of a mother as she should have been. That's the point of a biography is to tell your story, which includes your personal opinions and reflections!
November 27, 2012
I worked with Ricki when I was the line producer on John Waters' "Hairspray."
Really.
Read all about it in my blog post.
http://robertmaier.us/2012/11/03/the-...
Really.
Read all about it in my blog post.
http://robertmaier.us/2012/11/03/the-...
October 4, 2012
I was intrigued by her attitude. She didn't have alot of support at home but she managed to reach her dreams dispite that, and society's and show businesses' atitudes regarding body image. She speaks her mind and doesn't apologize!!!
July 23, 2014
I absolutely love Ricki Lake although unfortunately this book is just not good which is such a shame to me because this woman is awesome, beautiful, very intelligent and an icon in pop culture history. I still love you Ricki.
May 15, 2015
There's so much more to Ricki Lake than her weight, but you wouldn't know it from reading this book. It's the same broken record, over and over again. By the 1/2 way point, I was ready for a new tune. By the end, I was ready for the curtain to be closed.
July 11, 2012
This book was so good and very relate-able. Ricki sounds like just another teen who dealt with a lot. I couldn't put this book down and ended up finishing it in a few days. I highly reccomend it.
June 28, 2012
I read a lot of celebrity bios and I enjoyed this one.
June 18, 2012
You can read my full review on this book at http://www.tidbitsofexperience.com/20... .
June 22, 2012
I didnt know that Ricki started out in/on Hairspray!
August 4, 2012
Quick read. She was very frank and honest about things in her past. I always loved Ricki Lake! Entertaining!
September 20, 2012
Interesting life. I always liked her as an actress, so it was interesting to see how she got there.
January 30, 2015
Not great. Sounded like a somewhat annoyed monotoned tenth-grader reading a history report.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews