Hello, Friends!: Stories of Dating, Destiny, and Day Jobs

by Dulce Sloan

WELCOME TO A COMEDIC TRIP THROUGH THE LIFE OF ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S MOST EXCITING COMEDIANS. MEET DULCÉ SLOAN, WHOSE LIFE HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY FILLED WITH LESSONS AND LAUGHTER. IN ADDITION TO DOING STAND-UP AROUND THE WORLD, DULCÉ IS A TRAINED ACTOR, SINGER, AND HAS BEEN A CORRESPONDENT ON THE DAILY SHOW ON COMEDY CENTRAL.

Dulcé Sloan’s first memoir is organized into essays from her life. From a childhood moving between cities, starting her own business selling toys at a Miami flea market, to being a Black kid in a predominately white school, she’s always used her masterful wit to challenge the status quo. Her purpose in comedy unfolded while navigating clubs and the set of The Daily Show . Have you ever dated an adult who roller skated, or went out with a mechanic just to get free auto service? Yup, she’s got that story for you. Her stories are both wildly entertaining and culturally resonant.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Humor, Biography, Audiobook, Adult, Essays

256 pages, Hardcover

First published February 6, 2024

Reviews

[Shauntelle (shauntellereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book based solely on the cover, and I was NOT disappointed! Dulce is now my best friend in my head. The title is sooo fitting! I was unfamiliar with this comedian when I started this book, but I’m a huge fan now. This book was funny, raw, and full of joy. I found myself smiling and laughing throughout the majority of this book.

This story was very well written and just an overall fun ride. I enjoyed getting to know Dulce through the stories of her life. I felt that she was very vulnerable and dove deeper than most surface level memoirs. The tone was just like having a conversation with a close girlfriend. She did a phenomenal job narrating the audiobook!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Jean · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited to get an early copy of Dulce Sloan’s book, because she is hilarious and I always want more of her comedy. That being said, while she is a brilliant comic, she is not a great writer. The book itself often felt disjointed and draggy, and often without a through line of one section to another. I will say, I’m betting that it will be better in audio (assuming Sloan narrates herself) as her voice will I think come through more in an audio format.

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for the review copy.

Pub date: February 6, 2024

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hello, Friends!: Stories of Dating, Destiny and Day Jobs

I Picked Up This Book Because: Bookspin Bingo Spinner

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Audible
Dates Read: 1/28/25 - 1/29/25
Rating: 4 Stars
Narrator(s): Dulcè Sloan

The Story:

Can I adopt Dulcè? Girl, do you need a cousin? She is so much fun and so talented. Definitely someone I would hang out with.

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a highly entertaining and quick read. The last several memoirs I've picked up have been rather surface level, so it was refreshing to go through a narrative that felt vulnerable and like you really got a sense of the writer's personality. I have only seen bits and pieces of her correspondent work from when she was on The Daily Show, so I didn't know much about her before picking this up. It felt a bit clunky in parts, but overall I appreciated the conversational tone.

[Leeann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet and funny and sad and honest - everything I’d expected from Dulce. I wish so much we had an audiobook because while I heard her voice throughout I think a lot of the jokes and stories would be even funnier with her tone and pacing. It’s written how she talks, jumping to different places with lots of internal dialogue, which would perform best audibly. Still a good time and worth a read!

[Brittany Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello, Friends! is a candid memoir of Dulce Sloan's journey on her winding and under-appreciated road to success, and the hustle and hard work she had to put in to get where she is today!

Her comedic talent for storytelling kept me captivated throughout, even when diving into strange and real topics including the banality of racism she faced, and continues to face, throughout her life. Interestingly, I felt that it read almost as though it's her side of the script to our conversation over drinks and tapas, getting to know each other and becoming besties as we share our life stories of dating, working, and general shenanigans that have brought us to where we are today. I suppose that makes it aptly titled in that sense!

Throughout her life, Dulce has had many experiences with people of all walks of life and always had a supportive mother who taught her from an early age to not take any shit. She shows us how she does just that in stories. Dulce keeps it real and sometimes even motivating, all while maintaining that comedic character she has come to be known for.

Thanks to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for the ARC.

Pub date: February 6, 2024

[JXR · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun and effective memoir by this awesome comedian (i first heard of her on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me). at points it drags a bit but it's very well written. thanks for the arc.

[Haerlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Description
WELCOME TO A COMEDIC TRIP THROUGH THE LIFE OF ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S MOST EXCITING COMEDIANS. MEET DULCÉ SLOAN, WHOSE LIFE HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY FILLED WITH LESSONS AND LAUGHTER. IN ADDITION TO DOING STAND-UP AROUND THE WORLD, DULCÉ IS A TRAINED ACTOR, SINGER, AND HAS BEEN A CORRESPONDENT ON THE DAILY SHOW ON COMEDY CENTRAL.

Dulcé Sloan’s first memoir is organized into essays from her life. From a childhood moving between cities, starting her own business selling toys at a Miami flea market, to being a Black kid in a predominately white school, she’s always used her masterful wit to challenge the status quo. Her purpose in comedy unfolded while navigating clubs and the set of The Daily Show. Have you ever dated an adult who roller skated, or went out with a mechanic just to get free auto service? Yup, she’s got that story for you. Her stories are both wildly entertaining and culturally resonant.

Publication Date: February 06, 2024

My Take:
I'll admit that I knew of Dulce' Sloan in passing, as I am not a frequent viewer of "The Daily Show." I was curious about her life, as I do find her viral moments humorous. I think this book is aptly titled, as it may be better consumed amongst people who are more familiar with her work-friends, if you will. That said, I did learn more about her, but not enough to call myself "friend."

[Gemini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilariously Relatable

It’s kinda weird to give a 5 star rating on a memoir for a person you’ve never heard of, but that’s how much I enjoyed this book. The reviews that I read were so good that I had to give it a shot. I started with the audiobook, but I also got the ebook. I needed to highlight (and share) so many of the gems that she dropped. I was completely drawn in from the opening chapter. Dulcé’s narration was amazing. Her animated delivery was perfect. There were so many laugh out loud moments. I also found myself saying, “Girl, yes” throughout the book. It was so relatable and on point. This was one of the most entertaining books that I’ve read this year. I went in not knowing who Dulcé is. I finished the book proclaiming, “OMG I love Dulcé”!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a moderate number of these stand up comedian-written books (LOL, since I'm writing this review for this particular one, I'm not gonna call them biographies) and I have to say this one - unlike so many of the others I've read - actually made me chuckle a time or two. So, if Dulce has some deep trauma, she's saving that for her biography because this was a mostly fun and informative romp through her early family relocations, time at college, career beginnings, and pithy summary of her comedy-adjacent work life prior to stardom. Basically, she provided charmingly-conveyed tidbits on her life so far.

After reading this, I definitely appreciate all her hard work and effort she's put into her career. Personally, I'm pulling for her to fulfill those non-career dreams, too!

[Shay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Dulce and her comedic style. Her book was just as funny and joyful as I would expect it to be. The book focused on her many jobs, love interests, and situations leading to her big break. Very enjoyable.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dulcé’s comedy is hilarious, a take no bullshit and stand in your truth sincerity that comes through extremely well in her “not a memoir”. Stories are often silly, but grounded in the ludicrous nature of the reality we find ourselves in. Not groundbreaking, but an enjoyable read/listen!

[Cristina Casas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first three chapters were funny but after that I stopped enjoying the book. It was incredibly disjointed & not very well written or edited.

[Cassandra Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny, well told. I laughed out loud several
Times. Great listen (I think the narration helps)

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun listen read by the author.

[Rachel Matsuoka · Rating 3 out of 5]

You all know I love a comedic memoir. And Dulce Sloan has been one of my favorite of the more recent Daily Show correspondents, if not my favorite.

But this wasn't one of my favorite comedic memoirs. I'm not an audiobook person by far, but this book is probably best experienced by audiobook, as I'm realizing Dulce's comedy is mostly in her delivery.

Hello, Friends! is a collection of irreverent dating escapades, odd jobs, and recount of her upbringing and career. As many others before me have said, it's pretty surface level, which was a little disappointing.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt right in the middle of Dulce Sloan's life with this book, every piece written with relatability and familiarity - like swapping stories with a (much funnier than me) friend. Giving the hard times weight they deserved, Sloan captures emotion of all levels on the journey to her “overnight success.”

Sloan can talk to people. Meet them where they are. Knows where she can show her value. Does not want to waste time with unnecessary bullshit that she sees in front of her. But is frank about parts of life that are not so easy to see for what they are when you are in the middle of them. (Ahem, relationships) Messy and possibly ill-advised (l.e. sigh, The Dummy), sometimes it’s not so easy to see when we’re in it. She owns up to that because WHY THE F NOT? I would be challenged to find someone who doesn’t struggle with measuring their worth within romantic relationships and we know the mistakes usually make for the best stories.

Knowing to stick with college despite the curriculum dedicated to the historically white “classics” and methods, Sloan’s recounting of school brought to mind similar struggles Viola Davis had in her theater program. Sloan knew that she’d be the one winning the game when she wouldn’t let that push her out of her free ride.

Then there was the crazy funny tour of her day jobs. There was never any question that Sloan had dedication to her work and her dreams (especially if her mother would have anything to say about it). She needed a paycheck but that wasn’t going to get in the way of paying her dues in the entertainment industry, pounding the pavement at auditions and shows.

I appreciated the acknowledgement given to those who helped lift her when needed or made the (seemingly) little things easier — getting extra time off work, a car ride, etc. There is no doubt Sloan works her ass off. The fact that she shares her story thus far with humor and gratitude is a testament to strong character.

Loved it and it left me wanting more.

[Matt Chisling (MattyandtheBooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mini-Review: Dulce Sloan is one funny, funny lady! Her first essay collection tells the story of her rise to fame on the Daily Show through a series of odd jobs, curious relationships, and moments of trial and error on her rise to fame. I enjoyed this more when I switched to audio, but I found a lot of the storytelling a little surface (despite being laid on a bit thick). There was a lot of talk about how hard Sloan had worked to get where she is, and while I love and respect that, it felt like some of the text was defensive on this topic instead of celebratory. Her epilogue chapter is hilarious but I wasn't quite sure how it wrapped the collection. Overall, a lot of fun to spend time with Sloan, but I was hoping for a little more depth and heart as well.

[LeAnna · Rating 3 out of 5]

While overall, I did enjoy this memoir - I do think it came off a little surface-level. I think it helps to be pretty familiar with Dulce’s comedy, but even still, the first half of the book doesn’t present much info in terms of fleshing out her story on the road to being a comedian. Many of the stories do not come off very funny, but I’m sure the best mode to enjoy this book would be in the audiobook format (as I’m assuming the author narrates). I really enjoyed the last few chapters, in particular the insight on auditioning & her time spent on ‘The Daily Show’. But overall the memoir felt fairly unfocused and surface-level. This is definitely meant for big fans of Sloan’s work.

My many thanks to Hyperion Avenue, Andscape Books, and NetGalley for an Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

[Julie Wakefield · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a fan of Dulce's humor so I was excited to get this to review. However, it fell really flat. It is very slow and there is very little humor. I am having a hard time getting through it.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

#20booksby20blackwomen (challenge 2024)

I would like to thank Netgalley and Andscape Books for an uncorrected copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Sloan's work is always absolutely hilarious. I was first exposed to her work on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and she immediately became my favorite correspondent. I was beyond excited because I knew that it would be a great read.

Sloan's writing was just as funny and heartwarming as you would expect and hope for. This book is truly a love letter to her mother and herself. A collection of essays details Sloan's rise to comedy fame including her many places of employment, her early acting jobs, and tales from her love life.

My favourite thing about this book was the instances when she discussed her mother. Sloan makes it very clear that while her mother had rules and expectations, but always supported Sloan's dreams of acting/comedy. It is also incredibly relatable that after every win in her career, even when Sloan wasn't supposed to tell anyone, she always called her mom.

I also really appreciate Sloan's vulnerability in discussing her depression and the struggles she had with freezing her eggs. The kindness she shows her readers by sharing not only the highs of her success, but the lows as well not only reminds us that celebrities are just people and that success in your career doesn't solve every issue you've ever had. In a capitalistic society that can be hard to remember sometimes.

Sloan's discussion of her love life was so relatable. I appreciate how she reflected on her past loves and used her current understanding of those relationships with therapy to address the issues that were present in those relationships, without completely disparaging herself and her partner. Having perspective on previous relationships is hard, but having perspective AND grace is truly a skill. I will also be thinking about that sperm/egg comment one of her exes made for weeks to come.

If you are a fan of Sloan's or just a lover of celebrities memoirs I would highly recommend this book.

Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Infidelity, Racism, Grief, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Mental illness and Alcohol
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic

[Kaitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating : ⭐⭐⭐ (Really 2.5 but I’ll round up)

What I Loved:
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I enjoyed the story about her going to the museum and learning about African American history, and the stories all around that section. That part definitely sparked some emotion in me. There were also some lines sprinkled throughout this book that made me chuckle. I also enjoyed the behind the scenes peek into this world of comedy and acting, particularly when she worked at the Daily Show.

What I Didn’t Love:
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Out author is funny in a spoken way, not in an on page way, a fact that she admits to herself in a way in this book. (There’s a section where she talked about if you want to know if something is funny you have to read it out loud). I think I am at a disadvantage with this book, because I truly believe I would’ve enjoyed it in audiobook form, narrated specifically by the author, so the jokes would land with her cadence.

Writing: ⭐⭐
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ My biggest gripe with this (not a) memoir (again, she says this herself) is that there is no line connecting each story, or clear beginning, end, or point really. This is really just what the front cover says: “Stories of Dating, Destiny, and Day Jobs” and simply just that. This is simply a hodgepodge of stories, nothing really connecting them besides her being the main focal point of them all. They jump from childhood to young adulthood at random.

Overall, I think I may have enjoyed this book more if I went the audiobook route, but my copy was a goodreads giveaway win. I’m happy for Dulce that she got to add “author” to the long list of jobs she has held.

[Cari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know Dulce Sloan before I received this arc, but now I want to consume all the archive content of hers I can find! She has a fresh voice and rhythmic way of telling stories — even thought this wasn’t audio, I could practically hear her reading it to me.

She kept saying “I’m not writing a memoir,” which is a strange thing to say in a memoir? But really, I think she means that she shares her lived experiences alongside smart, strong, CLEAR calls to action we should all take to create a better society. Never preachy, but direct and honest. Highly recommend seeking out her recent interviews promoting the book if you want a sneak peek.

One example: her thought on “the greatest moment in white American history is when they started allowing dogs in office buildings.” I laughed so hard, then got irritated because I am DOG PERSON HEAR ME ROAR, she continues for a few pages on her rant then —BAM. I understand why she dislikes dogs.

I wish I’d received an audio version, but alas I did not. Some parts in written form felt like they dragged on a too long. I don’t wanna read about office jobs for three chapters. But I bet her live impersonation of coworkers and characters would’ve made it better.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the early copy!

[Shannon Geier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audio book and it DID NOT disappoint!!!! Dulce Sloan brought her energy and comedic timing to this hilarious and heartwarming story. Talking about her life up until now and being willing to be vulnerable, made this book so fun to listen to. Much like the book "Leslie F*cking Jones", having the author, a professional comic performer, narrate, makes it a million times better. If you have a chance, I highly recommend listening. You will begin to laugh every time this woman says "MOMMYYYYY!" Every time she pees on the side of the road. Every time she has to put someone in their place. And you will cheer every time she stands up for herself and is vulnerable about being someone so successful in her career and not as happy with her personal life. And then figuring out what self care means to her. I discovered Ducle on YouTube about 2 months ago and found out from this book how long she has been on the comedy circuit and that she was on The Daily Show for YEARS!!! Now I have to go look up all those videos! I hope she keeps writing and narrating. Thank you ma'am.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good memoir and Dulcé Sloan has written a wonderful and incredibly candid picture of her life.

She paints a vivid picture about being Black and the quotidian racism she has dealt with her entire life. One of my favorite stories she tells is how she absolutely dressed down the head of the theater department at her college - it was an excellent clapback moment. Dulcé also knows how to HUSTLE. This woman has worked so hard her entire life and shows how much time and work an overnight success truly takes.

I knew of Dulcé from her time on the Daily Show and as a panelist on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me and truly enjoyed learning so much more about her and reading her voice. Her stories about all her relationships are not to be missed and at one point I just wrote "the audacity of men" for some of the absolute insanity she has gone through.

I read this whole book in one sitting and would heartily recommend for anyone looking for a great memoir. It's very fast paced, easy to read, and a great time.

[Flynn Ryker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Like Her More Than I Like This Memoir

I bought this book because like many of us I saw Dulce on the Daily Show and thought she was funny. I won’t say reading this book made her any less funny, but overall only read if you’d like to know more about her life (it is a memoir after all).

I feel like I should say that my rating should not be taken as a comment on how hard she had to work to get her success, but that the book itself fell flat. Yes, interesting things have happened to her, and I learned fun facts like her being fully bilingual. However, her lived experiences feel typical for someone in her line of work (which is not meant as a moral comment).

Overall, I like her work and I'm happy to support her career further with a purchase, but I can't recommend this book unless you feel the same. Likewise, unless you're unfamiliar with the challenges of becoming a performer in an industry seemingly focused on white men or you want a firsthand account of how hookup culture works, I would look elsewhere, even from an entertainment perspective.

[Athena Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is like jumping on FaceTime with your friend you haven’t talked to since elementary school and having them catch you up on their whole life in the most hilarious way possible.

Dulce Sloan first caught my attention through her witty commentary on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. She held her own in the environment of political commentary and rapid-fire jokes on the show and I immediately became a fan. Additionally, I’m always happy to see a plus-size Black woman show up as her full self and be beloved because of it.

So I was happy to learn more about her life! Her struggle to make it in show business, her countless jobs (even one at a car dealership where her job was to steal leads from other car dealerships lol), and her fearless mother who is (sometimes literally) her partner in crime and unwavering support system.

Loved this memoir and can’t wait to see what else our friend Dulce Sloan has up her sleeve.

Thank you Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue for the ARC!

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle tells you what this is all about, though there's probably more about the "path to stardom" than you might've expected. The short version is that Dulcé Sloan was not an overnight success. She hustled at day jobs and on the college comedy circuit before "hitting it big".

Highlights:
- She was Diva in Starmites! (This is a musical I talk about that most people have never heard of so this excited me)
- She's done with weird situationships.
- She's learned about boundaries and self-care and encourages all of us to embrace them.
- Correspondents for The Daily Show are basically on-call and might have to come in on short notice.
- She didn't get The Daily Show the first time she auditioned.

This was a quick, light read. I didn't laugh as much as I might've thought but I was also reading this in Dulcé's voice in my head so that might've messed up the timing and flow.

[Court]

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: I have decided that I won’t be rating memoirs anymore (and this is my first memoir of 2024). Who am I to judge/rate someone’s life experience and how they tell it? It just feels wrong to me, so I’ve decided not to do it anymore.

On to my thoughts…..

This was such a fun audiobook! I just adore Dulcé and her joyful persona, and this shone through clearly here. I was excited to pick up the audiobook as she narrates it herself.

The content is a mix of fun stories, tales about her relationships, sharing her journey to stardom, and a hard look at the racism in America and in the industry. She holds no punches, and also is an excellent storyteller.

I truly enjoyed this book- a great memoir, perfect as an audiobook!

[Emma Cathryne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short & sweet memoir by a wildly talented comedian about her life & journey to fame that drives home the point that success is not an overnight phenomenon but rather the product of years of hard work. Dulcé's voice is as distinct in her writing as it is in her stand-up, detailing both exciting and challenging circumstances with the same wryness and levity. I especially liked hearing stories about her various day jobs as an aspiring actor, and what degree of success it took for her to finally be able to pursue her art full time. I have incredible respect for folks in the entertainment business, and this just drove home how much work it takes for folks to success absent nepotism or industry connections.