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Growing Up Urkel
An incisive and insightful memoir by one of the most beloved icons of nineties television Jaleel White, the actor who portrayed Steve Urkel on the hit sitcom Family Matters.
At the tender age of twelve, Jaleel White auditioned for the role of Steve Urkel, the socially inept genius, who was in love with his next-door neighbor, Laura.
Though Steve Urkel was intended to be in only one episode, Jaleel’s indelible performance catapulted Urkel into the pantheon of American pop culture. But success can cost as much as it pays. After nine years on the popular sitcom Family Matters, Jaleel is twenty-one, a UCLA undergrad, and adjusting to a world and industry that sees him as the nasally nerd in high water pants, suspenders, and coke bottle glasses.
In this wise and witty memoir, Growing Up Urkel takes you on a memorable journey through the peaks, valleys, and plateaus of fame and fortune.
At the tender age of twelve, Jaleel White auditioned for the role of Steve Urkel, the socially inept genius, who was in love with his next-door neighbor, Laura.
Though Steve Urkel was intended to be in only one episode, Jaleel’s indelible performance catapulted Urkel into the pantheon of American pop culture. But success can cost as much as it pays. After nine years on the popular sitcom Family Matters, Jaleel is twenty-one, a UCLA undergrad, and adjusting to a world and industry that sees him as the nasally nerd in high water pants, suspenders, and coke bottle glasses.
In this wise and witty memoir, Growing Up Urkel takes you on a memorable journey through the peaks, valleys, and plateaus of fame and fortune.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 19, 2024
107 people are currently reading
1539 people want to read
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January 5, 2025
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Jaleel White for an ARC of this book!**
You know that feeling you get when you finish a truly impressive memoir and you feel like you actually KNOW the person?
Well...I DID get the feeling I knew Jaleel White after finishing his memoir...but unfortunately, knowing him and LIKING him are two very, VERY different things.
Jaleel skyrocketed to fame at an early age and perhaps the problems started there. What started as a bit role on the iconic 90's TGIF sitcom Family Matters turned into a role that would help shape and define his perceived persona for the rest of his career. White starred as Steve Urkel, a nerd who was equal parts laughable, lovable, and at times just plain irritating...but nevertheless, audiences loved him and much like Henry Winkler's Arthur "Fonz" Fonzerelli, Urkel quickly became both the face and the draw of the show itself. And for Family Matters fans, there is SOME content here regarding Jaleel's time on the show, his friendship with co-star Kellie Williams (love interest Laura Winslow on the show), and talk of the bonds the family shared etc., but there is hardly ANY time spent on any of the other cast members or fun behind the scenes stories. No, Jaleel would rather talk about how his pants eventually became, uh, tight and therefore inappropriate for the character, or tell snide stories about some of the adult cast members of Family Matters...which seems to me a lot less like any form of gratitude and more of a forum for him to 'air his grievances' about every form of injustice he feels he has perceived.
And trust me...THIS bitter, entitled, and somewhat arrogant attitude is the ONLY through line you're going to find here.
After a brief lead in where Jaleel denotes his religious upbringing and the thoughtful care provided by his parents, he jumps right into 'Urkel,' and does spend SOME time there. But aside from the reverence he shows to Leslie Moonves (pretty much the only person he gives flowers to in the entirety of his book), much of the narrative reads like a jumbled recollection of various anecdotes about all of the times Jaleel was let down or looked over...by everyone. But rather than feeling sympathetic towards him, I couldn't get past feelings of annoyance and frustration, which only deepened over time. At the end of the day, it seems as though Jaleel honestly believed that his portrayal of Urkel and success on Family Matters was going to set him up with multi million dollar movie deals for life...and when that didn't happen, he had every excuse under the sun as to why it didn't come to pass...except perhaps the most logical of all. Just like in music, ANYONE can be a 'one hit wonder', no matter how talented they are...and years later, it seems Jaleel just can't reconcile that fact.
The stories vary in length, depth, and breadth, but each time he started name dropping, I sort of sat back sighing and waiting for the inevitable bitterness to emerge...and this is pretty much all I encountered for the remaining pages of the book. Jaleel is also VERY interested in basketball, so if you're not a fan, there are definitely passages along the way you'll probably want to skim, if not skip entirely. Despite opportunities to meet his heroes, travel on luxury planes, and command the 'star treatment,' Jaleel doesn't seem grateful or happy about any of this...just annoyed that he didn't get everything his heart ever desired. He even took the time to bash fellow 90's TV star Alfonso Ribiero (one of the breakout stars from the show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) for his willingness to 'go along' with the angle producers wanted when Alfonso starred on Dancing With the Stars. You see, Jaleel was on a different season of 'Dancing', but HE refused to go along with the producers 'angle' for him on the show ( oh, and he takes some time to bash how he was trained by professional dancer Kym Johnson as well...wouldn't want to leave that out! 🙄) and therefore he didn't get 'rewarded' with a hosting job down the line. (Ribiero now co-hosts Dancing with the Stars.) Of course, Jaleel leaves out the fact that Alfonso Ribiero was a host FOR YEARS before even starring on Dancing with the Stars...because facts like that make his bitterness seem more like the envy they actually are.
And then there's the fact that actually getting THROUGH this memoir is going to take even more of your patience...and will probably give you a heavy sense of déjà vu. The book not only lacks chronological order at times, but manages to repeat itself...over and over. Jaleel would sort of 'cap off' a story with his impression of the situation, and not two pages later would reiterate the same conclusion. Not only is this confusing, but it makes it seem like he took 10 years to write this book and each time he came back to it he couldn't remember where he had left off last time. As this was an early copy, it's possible that an editor cleaned up some of the mish-mosh; one can only hope. I'm not sure if it was page count he was targeting or simply forgetfulness, but it made what should have been a short, snappy memoir feel endlessly long...and more like 500 pages than 300. If that wasn't offensive enough, Jaleel sort of randomly mentions he has a daughter (!) without ANY description of how he became a father, or when...and even if his goal was simply to maintain her privacy, mentioning your child as an afterthought of sorts is just not a great look.
Although at his core, Jaleel White acknowledges that without Urkel, he wouldn't have the career or the life he has had, rather than gratitude, he simply gives his reader (and the world at large) attitude. He left ME saying (in my best Urkel voice, of course) "Did he write that?"
...And I really wish he hadn't.
2.5 stars
You know that feeling you get when you finish a truly impressive memoir and you feel like you actually KNOW the person?
Well...I DID get the feeling I knew Jaleel White after finishing his memoir...but unfortunately, knowing him and LIKING him are two very, VERY different things.
Jaleel skyrocketed to fame at an early age and perhaps the problems started there. What started as a bit role on the iconic 90's TGIF sitcom Family Matters turned into a role that would help shape and define his perceived persona for the rest of his career. White starred as Steve Urkel, a nerd who was equal parts laughable, lovable, and at times just plain irritating...but nevertheless, audiences loved him and much like Henry Winkler's Arthur "Fonz" Fonzerelli, Urkel quickly became both the face and the draw of the show itself. And for Family Matters fans, there is SOME content here regarding Jaleel's time on the show, his friendship with co-star Kellie Williams (love interest Laura Winslow on the show), and talk of the bonds the family shared etc., but there is hardly ANY time spent on any of the other cast members or fun behind the scenes stories. No, Jaleel would rather talk about how his pants eventually became, uh, tight and therefore inappropriate for the character, or tell snide stories about some of the adult cast members of Family Matters...which seems to me a lot less like any form of gratitude and more of a forum for him to 'air his grievances' about every form of injustice he feels he has perceived.
And trust me...THIS bitter, entitled, and somewhat arrogant attitude is the ONLY through line you're going to find here.
After a brief lead in where Jaleel denotes his religious upbringing and the thoughtful care provided by his parents, he jumps right into 'Urkel,' and does spend SOME time there. But aside from the reverence he shows to Leslie Moonves (pretty much the only person he gives flowers to in the entirety of his book), much of the narrative reads like a jumbled recollection of various anecdotes about all of the times Jaleel was let down or looked over...by everyone. But rather than feeling sympathetic towards him, I couldn't get past feelings of annoyance and frustration, which only deepened over time. At the end of the day, it seems as though Jaleel honestly believed that his portrayal of Urkel and success on Family Matters was going to set him up with multi million dollar movie deals for life...and when that didn't happen, he had every excuse under the sun as to why it didn't come to pass...except perhaps the most logical of all. Just like in music, ANYONE can be a 'one hit wonder', no matter how talented they are...and years later, it seems Jaleel just can't reconcile that fact.
The stories vary in length, depth, and breadth, but each time he started name dropping, I sort of sat back sighing and waiting for the inevitable bitterness to emerge...and this is pretty much all I encountered for the remaining pages of the book. Jaleel is also VERY interested in basketball, so if you're not a fan, there are definitely passages along the way you'll probably want to skim, if not skip entirely. Despite opportunities to meet his heroes, travel on luxury planes, and command the 'star treatment,' Jaleel doesn't seem grateful or happy about any of this...just annoyed that he didn't get everything his heart ever desired. He even took the time to bash fellow 90's TV star Alfonso Ribiero (one of the breakout stars from the show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) for his willingness to 'go along' with the angle producers wanted when Alfonso starred on Dancing With the Stars. You see, Jaleel was on a different season of 'Dancing', but HE refused to go along with the producers 'angle' for him on the show ( oh, and he takes some time to bash how he was trained by professional dancer Kym Johnson as well...wouldn't want to leave that out! 🙄) and therefore he didn't get 'rewarded' with a hosting job down the line. (Ribiero now co-hosts Dancing with the Stars.) Of course, Jaleel leaves out the fact that Alfonso Ribiero was a host FOR YEARS before even starring on Dancing with the Stars...because facts like that make his bitterness seem more like the envy they actually are.
And then there's the fact that actually getting THROUGH this memoir is going to take even more of your patience...and will probably give you a heavy sense of déjà vu. The book not only lacks chronological order at times, but manages to repeat itself...over and over. Jaleel would sort of 'cap off' a story with his impression of the situation, and not two pages later would reiterate the same conclusion. Not only is this confusing, but it makes it seem like he took 10 years to write this book and each time he came back to it he couldn't remember where he had left off last time. As this was an early copy, it's possible that an editor cleaned up some of the mish-mosh; one can only hope. I'm not sure if it was page count he was targeting or simply forgetfulness, but it made what should have been a short, snappy memoir feel endlessly long...and more like 500 pages than 300. If that wasn't offensive enough, Jaleel sort of randomly mentions he has a daughter (!) without ANY description of how he became a father, or when...and even if his goal was simply to maintain her privacy, mentioning your child as an afterthought of sorts is just not a great look.
Although at his core, Jaleel White acknowledges that without Urkel, he wouldn't have the career or the life he has had, rather than gratitude, he simply gives his reader (and the world at large) attitude. He left ME saying (in my best Urkel voice, of course) "Did he write that?"
...And I really wish he hadn't.
2.5 stars
January 20, 2025
Some good points with too much whining of lost opportunities. Yes. You did that.
December 13, 2024
As a 1990s Chicago teenager only one pop culture item defined growing up as much as Chicago Bulls championships. All week the talk of middle school and junior high was TGIF. Now the phrase is commonplace to define the relief felt at the end of a work or school week. In the 1990s, that phrase meant all the family sitcoms that defined an era, and two of them took place right in Chicago, so, of course, I watched both of them whenever I could. Initially most of my girl classmates preferred Full House because the main children actors were all girls. It is understandable to gravitate toward people more like oneself so for that reason I liked Full House, but it was not my favorite. At first, it was Perfect Strangers due to the absurdity of it. Later on my favorite show in the lineup was most definitely Family Matters. No, I was not drawn toward the cool kids on the show but rather the nerd. People tell me that I must have been nerdy, and to an extent I was, but I defined that as being a rule follower and hard worker. Maybe my clothes did look a tad off because my parents did not care about labels, but my grandmother who loved clothes fixed that issue. No, I was drawn to Steve Urkel because he was an outsider, who happened to be a math and science genius. He loved pens like the actual nerdy guy in my class, so, yeah, I was hooked. I usually read a fair amount of celebrity memoirs in the gloomy winter months because they are easy reading, so, when I found out that Jaleel White aka Urkel had penned his memoir, I knew it was a must read. How could I say no to Urkel.
Jaleel White notes from the beginning that he is Jaleel or J, not Urkel; yet, many people in my age bracket, that is exactly who he is, the nerdy boy next door. I get that. There are other actors who I only think of in their career defining role, that they do not want to be defined by. For example, Daniel Craig is James Bond yet he’s gone on to act in more dramatic roles throughout his career. Daniel Radcliffe is Harry Potter, but recently he starred as Weird Al Yankovic in a biopic movie. And so on and so forth. Jaleel White started acting as a preschooler because his teacher identified him as a bubbly kid who showed the aptitude for a future in acting. He also read by the age of four so he could read most scripts thrown his way, and at age three acted in a Jell-o pudding commercial with Bill Cosby. His parents, especially his mother Gail, viewed acting and its spoils as a ticket to obtaining a college education.Starting from these preschool years, she dragged Jaleel to one audition after another. If he did well, he got a prize- a toy from Toys R Us or new shoes. By age twelve he had auditioned everywhere and got the break of his young career when a new pilot sitcom called for a nerdy boy next door character. This Steve character was made for Jaleel, and he arrived at his audition in his now famous attire including the suspenders. The rest, as they say, is history, and, yes, Jaleel got new shoes as a prize.
The role of Steve Urkel defined Jaleel White’s teenage years and beyond, and he acted this role in the 90s before the advent of social media, before there was even much of an internet. Shows aired once a week, as reruns in the summer, and, for the successful programs, in syndication. All Jaleel wanted was to be a regular dude going to school, trying his best, playing basketball. Urkel changed all that because by the second season in 1993, he was the unofficial star of the show. A nerd who’s a genius who has a crush on his next door neighbor who he’ll “never get.” Everyone rooted for Urkel except maybe the popular kids, who had a foil in Eddie Winslow. Jaleel went from balling with his friends to meeting Magic and Michael outside of their locker rooms. As the show gained in popularity, he had access to celebrities and NBA All Star Weekend. This was hardly a regular childhood; however, Gail White was determined that her only child finish high school and go to college. J even played, albeit sparingly, on his high school basketball team. Unfortunately, that situation lead to way too many fans and hangers on at these games, what today would be called an entourage or posse. Jaleel endured all this, finished school, and enrolled in UCLA, all while working on Family Matters full time. The average person views student athletes as having strong work ethics, but child actors entering their adult years put in as much if not more work, just in the name of having a semi normal life.
Until now, Jaleel has struggled to shed the Urkel moniker. Everyone greets him as Urkel. He has struggled to land lead acting roles because he has not wanted to let Urkel define his entire life. Unfortunately, Urkel did just that. Not many fifteen year olds get to stay in the ritziest suite in the Plaza Hotel for free or list NBA and NFL stars as personal friends. At fifteen I was lucky if I had less than three hours of homework a night and time to watch Family Matters. As an adult, Jaleel had to live alone in college. He has received few calls for lead roles in movies and tv shows and believes it to be more of a character than racial phenomena. Hollywood writers script characters for Jaleel that are more mature versions of Urkel. Even on his foray to Dancing with the Stars, the producers encouraged him to dance the Urkel, allowing it to live infinitely in YouTube highlights. Jaleel might be the one person who has not bought into himself as Urkel. He is Jaleel or J and claims that there is more to him than this quirky character, or is there. The few successful acting roles he has landed post Family Matters have been more mature versions of Urkel- the quirky doorman, the cop on Big Fat Liar, other comedy acts on doomed projects. All he desired is to write or act in more dramatic roles so people can see him as Jaleel, not as Urkel, for the rest of his life.
I do not read celebrity memoirs for their literary prowess. I make that clear from the beginning because I have yet to find many books in this genre that wow me from a narrative standpoint. I select celebrity memoirs so I can get to know about the person away from the camera, the person behind the persona. Jaleel White seems genuine here. Many readers thus far view him as whiny, jealous, and entitled. I view him as a man trying to shed the nerdy boy next door image so that it does not define him for life. He actually has a daughter close in age to my kids, and he wrote this memoir so that she would learn about his life and how he has worked hard to create a better life for her than the one he had. Yes, Jaleel White had many more opportunities and perks growing up than the average American, but he also experienced road blocks throughout his career as we all do, even though his have been magnified by Hollywood tabloids. I think Jaleel would have been a fun high school companion. He likes basketball and junk food and has parents who kept him grounded. It makes me wonder if I landed a dream job at age thirteen what I would have done with the new found fame. Reading this memoir took me back to when TGIF was an event that most of America turned into. We had to see what antics they were up to on Perfect Strangers and then witness Urkel’s stunts to see if he ever had success with Laura. I am glad that Jaleel worked hard to shed the Urkel image although it would have been fun to work with him on math homework, suspenders and all. Yes, he did all that.
4 stars
Jaleel White notes from the beginning that he is Jaleel or J, not Urkel; yet, many people in my age bracket, that is exactly who he is, the nerdy boy next door. I get that. There are other actors who I only think of in their career defining role, that they do not want to be defined by. For example, Daniel Craig is James Bond yet he’s gone on to act in more dramatic roles throughout his career. Daniel Radcliffe is Harry Potter, but recently he starred as Weird Al Yankovic in a biopic movie. And so on and so forth. Jaleel White started acting as a preschooler because his teacher identified him as a bubbly kid who showed the aptitude for a future in acting. He also read by the age of four so he could read most scripts thrown his way, and at age three acted in a Jell-o pudding commercial with Bill Cosby. His parents, especially his mother Gail, viewed acting and its spoils as a ticket to obtaining a college education.Starting from these preschool years, she dragged Jaleel to one audition after another. If he did well, he got a prize- a toy from Toys R Us or new shoes. By age twelve he had auditioned everywhere and got the break of his young career when a new pilot sitcom called for a nerdy boy next door character. This Steve character was made for Jaleel, and he arrived at his audition in his now famous attire including the suspenders. The rest, as they say, is history, and, yes, Jaleel got new shoes as a prize.
The role of Steve Urkel defined Jaleel White’s teenage years and beyond, and he acted this role in the 90s before the advent of social media, before there was even much of an internet. Shows aired once a week, as reruns in the summer, and, for the successful programs, in syndication. All Jaleel wanted was to be a regular dude going to school, trying his best, playing basketball. Urkel changed all that because by the second season in 1993, he was the unofficial star of the show. A nerd who’s a genius who has a crush on his next door neighbor who he’ll “never get.” Everyone rooted for Urkel except maybe the popular kids, who had a foil in Eddie Winslow. Jaleel went from balling with his friends to meeting Magic and Michael outside of their locker rooms. As the show gained in popularity, he had access to celebrities and NBA All Star Weekend. This was hardly a regular childhood; however, Gail White was determined that her only child finish high school and go to college. J even played, albeit sparingly, on his high school basketball team. Unfortunately, that situation lead to way too many fans and hangers on at these games, what today would be called an entourage or posse. Jaleel endured all this, finished school, and enrolled in UCLA, all while working on Family Matters full time. The average person views student athletes as having strong work ethics, but child actors entering their adult years put in as much if not more work, just in the name of having a semi normal life.
Until now, Jaleel has struggled to shed the Urkel moniker. Everyone greets him as Urkel. He has struggled to land lead acting roles because he has not wanted to let Urkel define his entire life. Unfortunately, Urkel did just that. Not many fifteen year olds get to stay in the ritziest suite in the Plaza Hotel for free or list NBA and NFL stars as personal friends. At fifteen I was lucky if I had less than three hours of homework a night and time to watch Family Matters. As an adult, Jaleel had to live alone in college. He has received few calls for lead roles in movies and tv shows and believes it to be more of a character than racial phenomena. Hollywood writers script characters for Jaleel that are more mature versions of Urkel. Even on his foray to Dancing with the Stars, the producers encouraged him to dance the Urkel, allowing it to live infinitely in YouTube highlights. Jaleel might be the one person who has not bought into himself as Urkel. He is Jaleel or J and claims that there is more to him than this quirky character, or is there. The few successful acting roles he has landed post Family Matters have been more mature versions of Urkel- the quirky doorman, the cop on Big Fat Liar, other comedy acts on doomed projects. All he desired is to write or act in more dramatic roles so people can see him as Jaleel, not as Urkel, for the rest of his life.
I do not read celebrity memoirs for their literary prowess. I make that clear from the beginning because I have yet to find many books in this genre that wow me from a narrative standpoint. I select celebrity memoirs so I can get to know about the person away from the camera, the person behind the persona. Jaleel White seems genuine here. Many readers thus far view him as whiny, jealous, and entitled. I view him as a man trying to shed the nerdy boy next door image so that it does not define him for life. He actually has a daughter close in age to my kids, and he wrote this memoir so that she would learn about his life and how he has worked hard to create a better life for her than the one he had. Yes, Jaleel White had many more opportunities and perks growing up than the average American, but he also experienced road blocks throughout his career as we all do, even though his have been magnified by Hollywood tabloids. I think Jaleel would have been a fun high school companion. He likes basketball and junk food and has parents who kept him grounded. It makes me wonder if I landed a dream job at age thirteen what I would have done with the new found fame. Reading this memoir took me back to when TGIF was an event that most of America turned into. We had to see what antics they were up to on Perfect Strangers and then witness Urkel’s stunts to see if he ever had success with Laura. I am glad that Jaleel worked hard to shed the Urkel image although it would have been fun to work with him on math homework, suspenders and all. Yes, he did all that.
4 stars
September 27, 2025
If you were old enough to watch television during the years spanning 1989 to 1997, chances are you watched a show (or at least heard of it) called Family Matters. It was a sitcom about the Winslow family, and their next door neighbor, Steve Urkel, who would occasionally pop in. What the producers of the show didn’t expect, is that Steve, played by a young Jaleel White, ends up being the star of the show.
White was an only child raised by two loving parents. Religion and attending church was a large part of their lives, and they raised Jaleel with rules and boundaries. You get a clear sense that he respects them and their wishes through his teen and college years.
Once he graduates college, finding his next big thing was difficult. Like many black actors in Hollywood, he endures racism, not being chosen because he wasn’t famous enough, or his ideas weren’t listened to. Many times he wasn’t given credit for his ideas or paid what he should have received for a job.
Also, as an adult actor, White has a hard time shaking the Urkel image. Fans know him as Urkel, calling him that on the street. Even when White travels out of the country, he is recognized and known as Urkel, oftentimes being asked to do “the voice” (“did I do that??”).
I was interested in Jaleel’s story because my kids grew up with him and enjoyed watching Family Matters. His stories left me surprised (not always in a good way), happy for his successes, and saddened by his struggles. I was also disappointed in how he has been treated or overlooked. However, I am glad that his obstacles or setbacks didn’t cause him to give up or quit, rather they made him stronger and wiser.
Overall, there was way more to his memoir than I expected going into the story. What I appreciate most was his transparency. He told the good, the bad and the ugly of the life of an actor; he was truthful about his mistakes, his lessons learned (humility), plus he is funny and real.
One final note: I prefer to listen to memoirs on audio when the author narrates it, such was the case in Growing Up Urkel. Jaleel does a wonderful job narrating, even changing the voices while reading conversations with others. I highly recommend this book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
Release date November 19, 2024.
White was an only child raised by two loving parents. Religion and attending church was a large part of their lives, and they raised Jaleel with rules and boundaries. You get a clear sense that he respects them and their wishes through his teen and college years.
Once he graduates college, finding his next big thing was difficult. Like many black actors in Hollywood, he endures racism, not being chosen because he wasn’t famous enough, or his ideas weren’t listened to. Many times he wasn’t given credit for his ideas or paid what he should have received for a job.
Also, as an adult actor, White has a hard time shaking the Urkel image. Fans know him as Urkel, calling him that on the street. Even when White travels out of the country, he is recognized and known as Urkel, oftentimes being asked to do “the voice” (“did I do that??”).
I was interested in Jaleel’s story because my kids grew up with him and enjoyed watching Family Matters. His stories left me surprised (not always in a good way), happy for his successes, and saddened by his struggles. I was also disappointed in how he has been treated or overlooked. However, I am glad that his obstacles or setbacks didn’t cause him to give up or quit, rather they made him stronger and wiser.
Overall, there was way more to his memoir than I expected going into the story. What I appreciate most was his transparency. He told the good, the bad and the ugly of the life of an actor; he was truthful about his mistakes, his lessons learned (humility), plus he is funny and real.
One final note: I prefer to listen to memoirs on audio when the author narrates it, such was the case in Growing Up Urkel. Jaleel does a wonderful job narrating, even changing the voices while reading conversations with others. I highly recommend this book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
Release date November 19, 2024.
December 8, 2024
While I absolutely love the Character Steve Urkel, I don’t know how to feel about Jaleel White. Usually, celebrity memoirs have juicy stories and share major struggles. This one does not. He seemingly had it easy since he was pre pubescent, and became super duper famous really fast. It was delightful to listen to his journey throughout playing Urkel. But he acts like he’s squeaky clean. He never addresses the domestic violence rumors with his baby mama, nor does he talk about any of his personal struggles besides bits and pieces of his woe is me child support story. So all in all, he highlights his wins, and regrets the opportunities he missed, as if he isn’t a big name star with lots of huge opportunities ahead of him. This book was good enough to finish, but felt incomplete and inauthentic,
December 4, 2024
What I took away from this book is that Jaleel White is Jaleel White’s biggest fan. 😝 I was excited to read this, but was so disappointed.
November 30, 2024
I'm an old person. I grew up watching Family Matters both on ABC and through reruns. I love me some Urkel. I think he should have ended up with Myra, Laura is boring and she doesn't get Urkel the way he deserves.
Anyway..Jaleel White is Steve Urkel. He might be a completely different person but if I ever run into him I'm screaming Steve Urkel. Jaleel is kinda boring and that's a good thing. He was raised right. His parents didn't put up with any nonsense so you are not going to get any super juicy gossip but that's not to say you won't learn anything. Jaleel White could have had a bigger career if he had played dirty or abandoned the morals he was raised with. He does have some regrets but at the end of the day he is completely comfortable with his legacy. Steve Urkel and the man who played him are icons. His work is important. He may not have won any awards but I'm telling you this man will die a legend.
I enjoyed this book and I like Jaleel White. He doesn't always come off in the best way but you never one second think he's not being authentic.
I highly recommend this to all my fellow 80s and 90s kids.
Anyway..Jaleel White is Steve Urkel. He might be a completely different person but if I ever run into him I'm screaming Steve Urkel. Jaleel is kinda boring and that's a good thing. He was raised right. His parents didn't put up with any nonsense so you are not going to get any super juicy gossip but that's not to say you won't learn anything. Jaleel White could have had a bigger career if he had played dirty or abandoned the morals he was raised with. He does have some regrets but at the end of the day he is completely comfortable with his legacy. Steve Urkel and the man who played him are icons. His work is important. He may not have won any awards but I'm telling you this man will die a legend.
I enjoyed this book and I like Jaleel White. He doesn't always come off in the best way but you never one second think he's not being authentic.
I highly recommend this to all my fellow 80s and 90s kids.
December 9, 2024
Somehow I never knew that family matters was a spin off of perfect strangers! Unfortunately that fact was the only positive takeaway I had from this book.
I usually do not rate memoirs with a star rating, but this one was worthy of the 1 star. Jaleel came across as arrogant and pompous and this was by far one of the worst books I’ve read (listened to) this year. Even on 2x speed I couldn’t finish fast enough.
I love a celebrity narrated memoir, but I read this so you don’t have to. Skip it!!!!!
I usually do not rate memoirs with a star rating, but this one was worthy of the 1 star. Jaleel came across as arrogant and pompous and this was by far one of the worst books I’ve read (listened to) this year. Even on 2x speed I couldn’t finish fast enough.
I love a celebrity narrated memoir, but I read this so you don’t have to. Skip it!!!!!
January 6, 2025
2.5 stars
I was looking forward to reading this memoir as my last book of 2024, but unfortunately I'm walking away from it disliking Jaleel White. The actual parts of the book describing his time on Family Matters playing Urkel are interesting. But once he gets past the show going off the air, it felt like Jaleel used this memoir to call out every single person who mistreated him or ultimately didn't give him what he wanted. He does reflect back on some of his past actions as his own mistakes, such as turning down pivotal roles and not negotiating good paying deals with companies. But majority of this memoir just felt like he was blaming everyone else for his acting career not taking off like Will Smith's. Just like in music, some actors are a one hit wonder, and some people peak in childhood. And I think that may have been the case for Jaleel.
I also don't think the last couple chapters were edited, because some parts kept repeating and the chapters would jump from one disconnected thought to the next with no through line. The book as a whole also does not follow any timeline, as Jaleel would keep referring back to his time on Family Matters in different chapters to cover different points he wanted to make.
I was looking forward to reading this memoir as my last book of 2024, but unfortunately I'm walking away from it disliking Jaleel White. The actual parts of the book describing his time on Family Matters playing Urkel are interesting. But once he gets past the show going off the air, it felt like Jaleel used this memoir to call out every single person who mistreated him or ultimately didn't give him what he wanted. He does reflect back on some of his past actions as his own mistakes, such as turning down pivotal roles and not negotiating good paying deals with companies. But majority of this memoir just felt like he was blaming everyone else for his acting career not taking off like Will Smith's. Just like in music, some actors are a one hit wonder, and some people peak in childhood. And I think that may have been the case for Jaleel.
I also don't think the last couple chapters were edited, because some parts kept repeating and the chapters would jump from one disconnected thought to the next with no through line. The book as a whole also does not follow any timeline, as Jaleel would keep referring back to his time on Family Matters in different chapters to cover different points he wanted to make.
December 14, 2024
Bitter, boring, buffoonish memoir that comes across as a combination ego boost and racist rant. It's really poorly written: ill-conceived, repetitive, and depressing. White reveals himself to be nothing like the upbeat onscreen persona we know him as--instead he's a total jerk who complains about everyone and everything. And while it's fun to hear him slam David Letterman and CBS chief Leslie Moonves, it's not so nice of him to go after his co-stars, including a ridiculously demeaning section putting down the littlest girl on "Family Matters" (her family could sue him for libel).
The main problem with the author is that he's an only child who thinks he's really hot stuff. He calls himself all sorts of superlatives in the book. Then he whines about being underpaid (despite his mom being the person who negotiated his contracts) and misused (even though he never spoke up to executives). What a cry-baby.
But that's not the worst--everything is viewed through his racist lenses. He provides no real evidence of himself being mistreated because of his skin color, yet almost everything is couched in his perception as being treated as a racial stereotype, that he feels he's a positive representative for the "black community," and his politically correct views come across as anti-white. This guy was raised in a middle-class home (eventually upgrading when his dad becomes a dentist), went mostly to nice suburban schools, and only was really picked on because he played a nerdy TV character. He tries to claim he had some type of plight struggling as a black boy but there's no proof. We should all have had his childhood and life. I've seen plenty of non-blacks get treated a whole lot worse.
BTW, he is in the long line of woke writers who now capitalize black but not white. That's racist and grammatically incorrect. And I'll continue to point it out in my reviews of anyone who does it.
And the people he gives some of his rare praise to? Bill Cosby, R Kelly, and Jay-Z. Yes, you read that correctly. With over 90% of the book being negative, he manages to select these infamously horrible men as his heroes, along with a few black athletes (who also don't have great reputations). Cosby in particular gets way too much praise from White despite the sexual assault conviction. A 2024 book should not devote pages to telling us how great Bill Cosby was to a teen the comedian wanted to mentor.
White's lack of self-awareness is astonishing. At one point he mentions that it's "natural" for a child actor like him to "get a bit of an ego," which grossly understates his supremist attitude. Then near the end he writes, "Why would I allow a handful of sour moments in my life taint what my experience has been?" I have no idea, Jaleel, because you just spent a whole book spouting bitterness that is not inspiring.
This needed a cowriter and editor that would cut out all the crap, stop the repetitive whimpering, and provide us with specifics that White doesn't want to tell us (his adult costars pretty much go unmentioned, with no comments on the long-held rumors that they threw fits over White taking over "Family Matters").
He admits that he had a reputation as being difficult to work with and standoffish but says it was the fault of all the others. Right. Almost every cast member wanted nothing to do with him and yet they are the problem? Might want to turn those nerd glasses on yourself, Jaleel, to see that you were really the issue. This book proves that you've never really grown up.
The main problem with the author is that he's an only child who thinks he's really hot stuff. He calls himself all sorts of superlatives in the book. Then he whines about being underpaid (despite his mom being the person who negotiated his contracts) and misused (even though he never spoke up to executives). What a cry-baby.
But that's not the worst--everything is viewed through his racist lenses. He provides no real evidence of himself being mistreated because of his skin color, yet almost everything is couched in his perception as being treated as a racial stereotype, that he feels he's a positive representative for the "black community," and his politically correct views come across as anti-white. This guy was raised in a middle-class home (eventually upgrading when his dad becomes a dentist), went mostly to nice suburban schools, and only was really picked on because he played a nerdy TV character. He tries to claim he had some type of plight struggling as a black boy but there's no proof. We should all have had his childhood and life. I've seen plenty of non-blacks get treated a whole lot worse.
BTW, he is in the long line of woke writers who now capitalize black but not white. That's racist and grammatically incorrect. And I'll continue to point it out in my reviews of anyone who does it.
And the people he gives some of his rare praise to? Bill Cosby, R Kelly, and Jay-Z. Yes, you read that correctly. With over 90% of the book being negative, he manages to select these infamously horrible men as his heroes, along with a few black athletes (who also don't have great reputations). Cosby in particular gets way too much praise from White despite the sexual assault conviction. A 2024 book should not devote pages to telling us how great Bill Cosby was to a teen the comedian wanted to mentor.
White's lack of self-awareness is astonishing. At one point he mentions that it's "natural" for a child actor like him to "get a bit of an ego," which grossly understates his supremist attitude. Then near the end he writes, "Why would I allow a handful of sour moments in my life taint what my experience has been?" I have no idea, Jaleel, because you just spent a whole book spouting bitterness that is not inspiring.
This needed a cowriter and editor that would cut out all the crap, stop the repetitive whimpering, and provide us with specifics that White doesn't want to tell us (his adult costars pretty much go unmentioned, with no comments on the long-held rumors that they threw fits over White taking over "Family Matters").
He admits that he had a reputation as being difficult to work with and standoffish but says it was the fault of all the others. Right. Almost every cast member wanted nothing to do with him and yet they are the problem? Might want to turn those nerd glasses on yourself, Jaleel, to see that you were really the issue. This book proves that you've never really grown up.
September 4, 2024
If you're expecting "Growing Up Urkel" to evoke that unmistakable 90's feeling of its namesake "Family Matters" character Steve Urkel, you might want to change your expectations.
I can't help but think that at least part of the inspiration of Jaleel White's memoir "Growing Up Urkel" is to shake off the dust off the character he played for nine years and that came to define him for the rest of his adult life even as he tried to maintain an acting career once the hit series finally came to its close.
While there's definitely humor to be found in "Growing Up Urkel," there's little denying it contains an emotional edge from someone whose career never came close to equaling his childhood years playing a character initially intended for a one-off episode but who quickly became a fan favorite with his nasally voice, ever-present suspenders, coke bottle glasses, and social awkwardness.
The truth, if we're being honest, is that all you have to say is "Urkel" and anyone who was alive in the 90's will instantly smile.
Much to Jaleel White's dismay, saying "Jaleel White" may very well elicit a "Who?"
White was 12-years-old when he acquired the role of Steve Urkel. In "Growing Up Urkel," we get a sense of what it's like to be catapulted into the stratosphere of American pop culture and what it's like to be brought back down to earth nine-years-later as a young adult entering UCLA as an undergrad and facing a world that still sees him as that adorably nasally nerd.
There are times that "Growing Up Urkel" is insightful and emotionally engaging, White's obvious mixed emotions around his time as Urkel evident throughout the memoir. Where I struggled with "Growing Up Urkel," at times mightily, is in its tonal shifts and in the basic fact that for the most part I felt like I didn't know much more about Jaleel White by the end of "Growing Up Urkel" than when started it.
In some ways, "Growing Up Urkel" reminded me of Chris Kattan's memoir "Baby, Don't Hurt Me," a memoir that reflected on the comic's emotionally and physically chaotic years on "Saturday Night Live" and beyond. In my review of Kattan's book, I remarked similarly on the author's tonal shifts in the book and the surprisingly dark turn the book takes.
"Growing Up Urkel" never really turns dark, however, there's an underlying emotional edge to it that the narrative never fully leans into. At its best, "Growing Up Urkel" is an emotionally incisive exploration of what it's like when a former child star is no longer a child nor a true star. White would have, some might say, one more claim to fame when he would join "Dancing with the Stars," however, it's practically undeniable that his acting career peaked well before he was 21-years-old.
That has to it. In "Growing Up Urkel," it's obvious that it does.
To be fair, the now 47-year-old actor has consistently acted since those years and is, in fact, talented well beyond what was a gimmicky character that required more acting than one might think (Urkel and White were not synonymous).
The truth is that I wanted to experience more of Jaleel White in "Growing Up Urkel." I hesitate to even call it a memoir as the vast majority of the book deals with White's "Family Matter" years and then dealing with the emotional and practical baggage of having played a career-restricting character like Urkel. And while there's no denying Urkel has, in fact, restricted his career, it's equally true that he's continued to consistently act and is, at least according to public records, also successful financially and recently married. While we get a sense of White's parents, whom he largely credits for his ability to avoid many of the "child star" issues, we learn very little about them as is true most of White's life with the exception of those encounters he chooses to complain about here a lot. We briefly detour into the fact that during his "Dancing with the Stars" time he was struggling with the mother of his two-year-old daughter (who seems to be not much more than a narrative device here), however, at times it feels like "Growing Up Urkel" is more a child star tossing off his baggage than an actual memoir.
"Growing Up Urkel" is a decent enough exploration of the emotional life of a child star after childhood is over, though it never really lives into its full potential. For fans of "Family Matters," it's likely a must-read, however, I found myself reaching the end of "Growing Up Urkel" and asking myself "Who is Jaleel White?"
I can't help but think that at least part of the inspiration of Jaleel White's memoir "Growing Up Urkel" is to shake off the dust off the character he played for nine years and that came to define him for the rest of his adult life even as he tried to maintain an acting career once the hit series finally came to its close.
While there's definitely humor to be found in "Growing Up Urkel," there's little denying it contains an emotional edge from someone whose career never came close to equaling his childhood years playing a character initially intended for a one-off episode but who quickly became a fan favorite with his nasally voice, ever-present suspenders, coke bottle glasses, and social awkwardness.
The truth, if we're being honest, is that all you have to say is "Urkel" and anyone who was alive in the 90's will instantly smile.
Much to Jaleel White's dismay, saying "Jaleel White" may very well elicit a "Who?"
White was 12-years-old when he acquired the role of Steve Urkel. In "Growing Up Urkel," we get a sense of what it's like to be catapulted into the stratosphere of American pop culture and what it's like to be brought back down to earth nine-years-later as a young adult entering UCLA as an undergrad and facing a world that still sees him as that adorably nasally nerd.
There are times that "Growing Up Urkel" is insightful and emotionally engaging, White's obvious mixed emotions around his time as Urkel evident throughout the memoir. Where I struggled with "Growing Up Urkel," at times mightily, is in its tonal shifts and in the basic fact that for the most part I felt like I didn't know much more about Jaleel White by the end of "Growing Up Urkel" than when started it.
In some ways, "Growing Up Urkel" reminded me of Chris Kattan's memoir "Baby, Don't Hurt Me," a memoir that reflected on the comic's emotionally and physically chaotic years on "Saturday Night Live" and beyond. In my review of Kattan's book, I remarked similarly on the author's tonal shifts in the book and the surprisingly dark turn the book takes.
"Growing Up Urkel" never really turns dark, however, there's an underlying emotional edge to it that the narrative never fully leans into. At its best, "Growing Up Urkel" is an emotionally incisive exploration of what it's like when a former child star is no longer a child nor a true star. White would have, some might say, one more claim to fame when he would join "Dancing with the Stars," however, it's practically undeniable that his acting career peaked well before he was 21-years-old.
That has to it. In "Growing Up Urkel," it's obvious that it does.
To be fair, the now 47-year-old actor has consistently acted since those years and is, in fact, talented well beyond what was a gimmicky character that required more acting than one might think (Urkel and White were not synonymous).
The truth is that I wanted to experience more of Jaleel White in "Growing Up Urkel." I hesitate to even call it a memoir as the vast majority of the book deals with White's "Family Matter" years and then dealing with the emotional and practical baggage of having played a career-restricting character like Urkel. And while there's no denying Urkel has, in fact, restricted his career, it's equally true that he's continued to consistently act and is, at least according to public records, also successful financially and recently married. While we get a sense of White's parents, whom he largely credits for his ability to avoid many of the "child star" issues, we learn very little about them as is true most of White's life with the exception of those encounters he chooses to complain about here a lot. We briefly detour into the fact that during his "Dancing with the Stars" time he was struggling with the mother of his two-year-old daughter (who seems to be not much more than a narrative device here), however, at times it feels like "Growing Up Urkel" is more a child star tossing off his baggage than an actual memoir.
"Growing Up Urkel" is a decent enough exploration of the emotional life of a child star after childhood is over, though it never really lives into its full potential. For fans of "Family Matters," it's likely a must-read, however, I found myself reaching the end of "Growing Up Urkel" and asking myself "Who is Jaleel White?"
December 13, 2024
After watching Jaleel White’s interview on The Breakfast Club, I decided to read his memoir. Although I wouldn’t consider myself a huge Family Matters fan, I did watch episodes occasionally. And I always appreciate a good origin story, along with insider information or experience with Hollywood. His telling of show business was insightful and on par with other celebrity memoirs I’ve read! This was a fairly enjoyable read!
November 19, 2024
A very surface-level, name-dropping kind of memoir that's not particularly exciting.
**Thank you Net Galley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.**
**Thank you Net Galley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.**
October 6, 2024
Simon and Schuster provided an early galley for review.
The cover of his autobiography is done in the style of so many popular R&B album covers of the 1970's and 1980's, with the white suit itself evoking a direct comparison to Michael Jackson's Thriller. Not surprising that both young men found fame at a very young age.
By the time Family Matters became a huge part of ABC's TGIF line-up, I was married and settled into our first home - plans of starting a family of our own still a few years down the road. Still, the show and White often provided a good laugh after a long week of work.
Right from the introduction, I found this memoir to be very smartly written. Having grown up in the industry, White is very savvy to all its twists and turns, and he walks the reader through it in a very understandable way.
He does bounce around a bit narratively, focusing chapters more thematically rather than strictly chronologically. It is more conversational and personal, and that does work here. He is also more than willing to spill a little tea and name names.
In the end, the book definitely comes across as someone who is working out issues from the past to reposition himself for his future. His outlook and approach lead me to believe he is definitely on that road to a better place.
The cover of his autobiography is done in the style of so many popular R&B album covers of the 1970's and 1980's, with the white suit itself evoking a direct comparison to Michael Jackson's Thriller. Not surprising that both young men found fame at a very young age.
By the time Family Matters became a huge part of ABC's TGIF line-up, I was married and settled into our first home - plans of starting a family of our own still a few years down the road. Still, the show and White often provided a good laugh after a long week of work.
Right from the introduction, I found this memoir to be very smartly written. Having grown up in the industry, White is very savvy to all its twists and turns, and he walks the reader through it in a very understandable way.
He does bounce around a bit narratively, focusing chapters more thematically rather than strictly chronologically. It is more conversational and personal, and that does work here. He is also more than willing to spill a little tea and name names.
In the end, the book definitely comes across as someone who is working out issues from the past to reposition himself for his future. His outlook and approach lead me to believe he is definitely on that road to a better place.
September 17, 2024
“Oh, Jaleel, please…No one is interested in your memoir.”
Did I read thattttt? Yes, I did. Jaleel White’s memoir “Growing Up Urkel” was a fun read that brought back nostalgic memories of a time watching TGIF shows like Family Matters on Friday nights with my family. Steve Urkel was always a guarantee for a laugh and definitely the star of the show. Like many actors playing such recognizable characters, it is easy to be so typecast that it makes for a difficult career. Jaleel White’s memoir shows that it can be extremely difficult but also how to overcome those challenges in a dog-eat-dog world of show business.
If you are looking for a memoir full of drugs, sex, and rock n roll, then this memoir is definitely not for you. Despite the fame of his Urkel character as a young man, Jaleel’s childhood and adulthood are mostly drama free in large parts to how his family raised him. This was refreshing to see but also felt like he was forcing some stories to make it seem more interesting than they were. But what I did like was how he gave a glimpse into his (and his parents’) naïveté in dealing with show business and the lack of understanding to make even more money and fame than he should have. This is a main theme in the book and one that Jaleel makes sure to explain that he has no regrets and remains proud of staying true to himself.
I liked reading about some of the behind the scenes parts of Family Matters, though it did jump around a lot. I also liked learning about how creativity in coming up with his character as well as some of the storylines of the show as well as post-Family Matters. One thing that got old, though, was how it felt like he had to remind his reading audience like 173 times that he was black. Yes, Jaleel, we know.
All in all, it was a fun read and a nice trip down memory lane of a great time of family friendly shows.
* I received this book free from Netgalley and publisher Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review
Did I read thattttt? Yes, I did. Jaleel White’s memoir “Growing Up Urkel” was a fun read that brought back nostalgic memories of a time watching TGIF shows like Family Matters on Friday nights with my family. Steve Urkel was always a guarantee for a laugh and definitely the star of the show. Like many actors playing such recognizable characters, it is easy to be so typecast that it makes for a difficult career. Jaleel White’s memoir shows that it can be extremely difficult but also how to overcome those challenges in a dog-eat-dog world of show business.
If you are looking for a memoir full of drugs, sex, and rock n roll, then this memoir is definitely not for you. Despite the fame of his Urkel character as a young man, Jaleel’s childhood and adulthood are mostly drama free in large parts to how his family raised him. This was refreshing to see but also felt like he was forcing some stories to make it seem more interesting than they were. But what I did like was how he gave a glimpse into his (and his parents’) naïveté in dealing with show business and the lack of understanding to make even more money and fame than he should have. This is a main theme in the book and one that Jaleel makes sure to explain that he has no regrets and remains proud of staying true to himself.
I liked reading about some of the behind the scenes parts of Family Matters, though it did jump around a lot. I also liked learning about how creativity in coming up with his character as well as some of the storylines of the show as well as post-Family Matters. One thing that got old, though, was how it felt like he had to remind his reading audience like 173 times that he was black. Yes, Jaleel, we know.
All in all, it was a fun read and a nice trip down memory lane of a great time of family friendly shows.
* I received this book free from Netgalley and publisher Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review
November 28, 2024
Man. I really, really wanted to love this book, but I did not. Summed up in a nutshell, it was "I played Urkel, went to college for free, failed hard at getting another lasting job, and now I sell weed." I really did not realize how little he acted after being Urkel. The writing style was good, but the actual substance of the book was definitely not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2025
Not my favorite celebrity memoir. Although this is filled with stories throughout Jaleel’s time on Family Matters, I still don’t feel as though I really got to know him as a person. There was a lot of finger pointing towards opportunities that should have happened but didn’t throughout his career. I thought he would come across funnier and lighthearted in his memoir, but he didn’t.
November 4, 2024
I had an Urkel poster on my wall. I was one of those kinds of fans.
So this book immediately caught my attention. I really did enjoy the content about his life. There was lots of biographical details about the man behind Urkel. That part was good, but there was also plenty of bad. I don’t know who edited this book… but they either did a terrible job or started with a terrible manuscript and just did the best they could. Here are the big issues:
1. It’s not chronological; well, it pretends to be starting out but then jumps back and forth
2. You don’t hear about all the other cast members, and you end up thinking less favorably about almost everyone he does include. Reginald, Jo Marie, Darius, and Jaimee aren’t shed in a positive light. Nothing said about Rosetta or Shawn… those were two I was hopeful to hear about.
3. He abruptly mentions that he had a daughter… little about the mother (which might be due to legal reasons). But his daughter becomes a total afterthought after he tells us that her mother took her 70 miles away from him. Did he stay active in her life?
4. You end the book wondering, “what’s the point?” His theme can be summed up as “here’s lots of things that happened to me; be nice to people and stuff will turn out OK.” Lots of info but little depth.
5. He had a number of references to church and spirituality but also half a dozen mentions of karma. He’s all over the place religiously and you don’t get the sense he has a firm grasp on anything. Why mention any of that at all?
6. It’s super repetitive… almost like he wrote each chapter weeks apart and forgot what he had already said previously.
7. The cover art is awkward. The title of the book doesn’t make sense because he spends just as much time AFTER Urkel as he does during Urkel.
In his defense, he did a great job of NOT blaming his child stardom for all the problems of his life (like so many other celebrities do). The tone was good… very easy to read. Attitude was good. Worth picking up if you loved Family Matters (or, as some say, “Urkel”).
So this book immediately caught my attention. I really did enjoy the content about his life. There was lots of biographical details about the man behind Urkel. That part was good, but there was also plenty of bad. I don’t know who edited this book… but they either did a terrible job or started with a terrible manuscript and just did the best they could. Here are the big issues:
1. It’s not chronological; well, it pretends to be starting out but then jumps back and forth
2. You don’t hear about all the other cast members, and you end up thinking less favorably about almost everyone he does include. Reginald, Jo Marie, Darius, and Jaimee aren’t shed in a positive light. Nothing said about Rosetta or Shawn… those were two I was hopeful to hear about.
3. He abruptly mentions that he had a daughter… little about the mother (which might be due to legal reasons). But his daughter becomes a total afterthought after he tells us that her mother took her 70 miles away from him. Did he stay active in her life?
4. You end the book wondering, “what’s the point?” His theme can be summed up as “here’s lots of things that happened to me; be nice to people and stuff will turn out OK.” Lots of info but little depth.
5. He had a number of references to church and spirituality but also half a dozen mentions of karma. He’s all over the place religiously and you don’t get the sense he has a firm grasp on anything. Why mention any of that at all?
6. It’s super repetitive… almost like he wrote each chapter weeks apart and forgot what he had already said previously.
7. The cover art is awkward. The title of the book doesn’t make sense because he spends just as much time AFTER Urkel as he does during Urkel.
In his defense, he did a great job of NOT blaming his child stardom for all the problems of his life (like so many other celebrities do). The tone was good… very easy to read. Attitude was good. Worth picking up if you loved Family Matters (or, as some say, “Urkel”).
January 25, 2025
Some of his stories were interesting but overall it just felt like he was airing all his past grievances. You can definitely tell he was an only child. There was also a lot of repetition, name dropping, and jumping around in time in this book. I know memoirs are not completely linear but sometimes I didn't know whether we were talking about when he was still a teenager, when he was in college, or if it was after college.
November 20, 2024
ARC Review ~ I now know why Jaleel White did such an amazing job in his role as Steve Urkel. After reading this book, I’ve come to realize, Jaleel White is Steve Urkle🤣. Like Urkel, Jaleel was totally oblivious to so many situations he found himself in. From Penny Hardaway taking him shopping for more fashionable clothing, to being ignored by women he wanted to date, Jaleel and Urkel have more in common than even Jaleel realize😂🤷🏽♀️.
𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩 𝐔𝐫𝐤𝐥𝐞 is a highly entertaining collection of experiences that reveals the challenges, triumphs, and lessons Jaleel learned while growing up in the spotlight. It superbly captures the complexities Jaleel encountered being tied to the iconic character Steve Urkel.
Jaleel dishes the dirt and spills the tea on every person in Hollywood that did him dirty🤭. There’s stories about Bill Cosby, Jay Z, R. Kelly, Penny Hardaway, Darius McCray, Gabrielle Union, Russell Simmons and the list goes on and on. He even mentions New Edition (shoutout to my all time favorite group😆). Thankfully he didn't say anything bad about them😉.
There was never a dull moment. Jaleel opens the book sharing how he refused to take part in a reboot of 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴. And closed the book with a story about himself along with Dave Chappell and Talib Kwali getting Cheech and Chong h🚬gh off Jaleel’s supply. It was hilarious🤣.
Although I was gifted a digital galley, I’m going to listen to the audiobook once it’s released. I need to hear the inflection of Jaleel’s voice as he tells these stories. I want to know if there is a comedic undertone throughout the book. A lightheartedness I didn’t get from reading the digital copy.
Jaleel’s tone and mood is unclear to me. Although I found his voice authentic, I couldn’t tell if some stories were meant to be funny, or if Jaleel actually blames everyone else for his mishaps and failed opportunities.
Overall Jaleel’s memoir is a delightful treat for all fans of the hit sitcom Family Matters.
Pub Date is November 19th
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for the digital galley! I enjoyed the journey.
𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩 𝐔𝐫𝐤𝐥𝐞 is a highly entertaining collection of experiences that reveals the challenges, triumphs, and lessons Jaleel learned while growing up in the spotlight. It superbly captures the complexities Jaleel encountered being tied to the iconic character Steve Urkel.
Jaleel dishes the dirt and spills the tea on every person in Hollywood that did him dirty🤭. There’s stories about Bill Cosby, Jay Z, R. Kelly, Penny Hardaway, Darius McCray, Gabrielle Union, Russell Simmons and the list goes on and on. He even mentions New Edition (shoutout to my all time favorite group😆). Thankfully he didn't say anything bad about them😉.
There was never a dull moment. Jaleel opens the book sharing how he refused to take part in a reboot of 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴. And closed the book with a story about himself along with Dave Chappell and Talib Kwali getting Cheech and Chong h🚬gh off Jaleel’s supply. It was hilarious🤣.
Although I was gifted a digital galley, I’m going to listen to the audiobook once it’s released. I need to hear the inflection of Jaleel’s voice as he tells these stories. I want to know if there is a comedic undertone throughout the book. A lightheartedness I didn’t get from reading the digital copy.
Jaleel’s tone and mood is unclear to me. Although I found his voice authentic, I couldn’t tell if some stories were meant to be funny, or if Jaleel actually blames everyone else for his mishaps and failed opportunities.
Overall Jaleel’s memoir is a delightful treat for all fans of the hit sitcom Family Matters.
Pub Date is November 19th
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for the digital galley! I enjoyed the journey.
September 16, 2024
It’s something I’ve said before but it bears repeating.
It is very difficult to review a memoir. It feels like you’re judging a person’s life, and determining how worthy or unworthy one’s life is. Sooooo, what I attempt to do in discussing the merits of a memoir is rate it, on the revelation of facts and inside information that may have escaped the media stories that surround celebrities. And there are some of those moments, but not enough to lift this memoir into the rarified area of “unforgettable”
The strength of Jaleel White’s story is conveying his passion and pain in the portrayal of Steve Urkel, which is how much of the world knows him. He offers some wisdom along the way, based on his experience learning the business of movie and TV production. Some of those lessons can be easily applied to life in general. The greatest takeaway is Mr. Jaleel White has hall of fame parents and is genuinely a nice guy, and was never overly concerned with the axiom that nice guys finish last. He has always maintained an integrity about him, that is hard to find in today’s world of clicks, follows and likes.
“Truth is, my entire career has been an absolute miracle, from the moment I signed on to Iris Burton’s agency as a three-year-old child and landed on Family Matters nine years later.” That sentence kind of summarizes how he has moved throughout his celebrity turn. He seems genuinely grateful for all he has experienced, both good and bad. Overall, a quick and enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced DRC. Book arrives in stores November 19, 2024
It is very difficult to review a memoir. It feels like you’re judging a person’s life, and determining how worthy or unworthy one’s life is. Sooooo, what I attempt to do in discussing the merits of a memoir is rate it, on the revelation of facts and inside information that may have escaped the media stories that surround celebrities. And there are some of those moments, but not enough to lift this memoir into the rarified area of “unforgettable”
The strength of Jaleel White’s story is conveying his passion and pain in the portrayal of Steve Urkel, which is how much of the world knows him. He offers some wisdom along the way, based on his experience learning the business of movie and TV production. Some of those lessons can be easily applied to life in general. The greatest takeaway is Mr. Jaleel White has hall of fame parents and is genuinely a nice guy, and was never overly concerned with the axiom that nice guys finish last. He has always maintained an integrity about him, that is hard to find in today’s world of clicks, follows and likes.
“Truth is, my entire career has been an absolute miracle, from the moment I signed on to Iris Burton’s agency as a three-year-old child and landed on Family Matters nine years later.” That sentence kind of summarizes how he has moved throughout his celebrity turn. He seems genuinely grateful for all he has experienced, both good and bad. Overall, a quick and enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced DRC. Book arrives in stores November 19, 2024
January 17, 2025
Wow, this book is bad! Jaleel White comes off as both arrogant and a lifelong victim of Hollywood. He name drops all the celebrities he is supposedly friends with, then goes on about how many of them eventually betray him. He blames many of his casting woes on his naïveté but also repeatedly says he is treated differently than white actors.
The book is filled with typos and is poorly written. It jumps all over the place and he repeats himself many times. Despite the many times he applauds himself on being an amazing screenwriter, there is no evidence of quality writing in this memoir.
I attended UCLA at the same time as White and often heard back then that he was arrogant and expected others to treat him like the huge star he believed he was. The one chance I had to interact with him, when he was a client where I worked as a student employee, everything I had heard about him proved true. He was entitled, rude, and demanding in his interaction with me.
I definitely do not recommend this book unless you want to hear all the ways that Hollywood wronged Jaleel White.
The book is filled with typos and is poorly written. It jumps all over the place and he repeats himself many times. Despite the many times he applauds himself on being an amazing screenwriter, there is no evidence of quality writing in this memoir.
I attended UCLA at the same time as White and often heard back then that he was arrogant and expected others to treat him like the huge star he believed he was. The one chance I had to interact with him, when he was a client where I worked as a student employee, everything I had heard about him proved true. He was entitled, rude, and demanding in his interaction with me.
I definitely do not recommend this book unless you want to hear all the ways that Hollywood wronged Jaleel White.
July 9, 2025
I loved Family Matters growing up. It was one of my favourite shows next to Full House. Urkel was one of my favourite characters. So to hear Jaleel White wrote a book, I was excited to read it. I loved reading about his time on Family Matters. It was super interesting hearing about the interactions with the cast. I never actually heard the real reason Judy left the show, so it was pretty interesting reading about that. It was very eye opening hearing about the ins and outs of Hollywood from his perspective. It was sad to hear how his career just didn’t take off after Family Matters. A lot of coulda, woulda shouldas. Hind sight is always 20/20. But a lot of those career disappointments were Gods protection from going some paths that could have potentially hurt his moral character. This was a great read for anyone who was a fan of Family Matters.
December 15, 2024
Kind of bummed that I read this. So much of the book gave off petty and arrogant vibes.
September 8, 2024
I absolutely loved Family Matters growing up so I was really excited when I got an advanced copy of the book from Netgalley. I was a little disappointed because the book is written non linear. It kind of switches back and forth from him at 26, then 12, then 31. It does that most of the book. He also talks a lot about missed opportunities he had after Family Matters and how hard it’s been getting roles because he was typecast so hard. He has done well just rolling with the hand he has been dealt but he does seem like he thought he should have been a bigger star after the show ended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2025
Was offered this by the library and felt “sure, why not?” Zero expectations and yet this was still pretty bad. Dude comes off a bit smug and not very insightful. Seems like a major whiff not naming this Yes, I Did Do That, but on the other hand he’s done very little.
February 25, 2025
A deep dive into the Urkel-years and journeys after. Though a memoir, this still kinda felt a little surface level with bits of jaded humor and some (dare I say) jealousy? Hmm…
January 11, 2025
I had such high hopes for this memoir but was ultimately disappointed. The beginning was very enjoyable, hearing about Jaleel getting the part of Steve Urkel on Family Matters (which was initially supposed to be a very minor character and became a main character due to his popularity with the audience). It was fun hearing about his experiences on the show, which I loved watching as a kid. I would have appreciated more behind the scenes insight to his relationship with other actors/characters on the show and quirky happenings on set. However, most of the book after that just felt like Jaleel complaining about his career misfortunes after Family Matters ended and blaming everyone but himself for unfortunate events in his life. He would occasionally try to take ownership of his actions or apologize for things he has done, typically in a single sentence, but then still continue to call others out as well. I do agree some of the events described were unfair to him but it almost seems like he wrote this memoir purely to shed light on these situations and seek revenge, which comes across as petty and bitter. The chapters also bounce around a lot, which was confusing (for example, there is zero mention of him having children, then out of nowhere mentions he has a daughter with no detail as to how or when it happened, mostly bringing it up to reference a dispute with her mother during his time on Dancing With The Stars). Although the memoir was not long, it felt like a slog to get through because of the reasons stated above. This read was not for me but could potentially be enjoyable for someone who absolutely loves Jaleel White and wants to hear more about his life. I personally was not a fan. Thank you to NetGalley, Jaleel White, and Simon & Schuster for the gifted ARC in an exchange for an honest review.
March 10, 2025
Got half way through and decided to return. There were no intriguing stories and I was very bored. Just him describing his day to day on family matters and how into basketball he was. It either shouldn’t have been written or have been approached differently. Not vulnerable enough for a autobiography.
October 23, 2024
First I want to say thank you to Simon and Schuster (by way of the ARC club) for this advanced copy.
I was super excited to read this because I’m not going to lie, I’ve always been a big Jaleel White fan. When you talk about the target TGIF audience, it was me. I’m a 90s girl and I was raised on Family Matters okay?
I had the Urkel doll.
I also recently re-watched Family Matters early this year (before even knowing about the book) and saw it under an entire new lens.
This book will give you nostalgia. You’ll get funny stories from some recognizable names in the industry (I chuckled out loud many times) and you’ll also get some insight into the real nature of the beast (dog eat dog world) even when you’re at the top of your game.
Jaleel is truly a great example of “They only love you until they don’t.” This is probably one reason why I’ve held on to my fandom for so long (and support whatever I see him in) because it was always odd to me how so many people switched up on him.
For me the biggest takeaway from this book was: Jaleel decided he finally wanted to tell HIS side.
We’ve all heard the rumors about his less-than-warm reception/welcome initially onto the Family Matters set, and the conflicts thereafter — but always more-so from one side of the narrative and about someone (Jaleel) who was a minor for most of the duration of this experience. A lot of this felt like him just wanting to finally tell his side in FULL CONTEXT — and I can’t be mad at that at all.
I said “BOOP!” more than once as he told the story of Jo-Marie’s other Mercedes, or how entitlement killed Jamie Foxworthy’s career— then put the petty cherry on the cake when he said “If she were as funny on set was she was in the classroom, she wouldn’t have been fired” 😅 Petty Labelle lol
So I say all that to say, there are definitely moments in this book where it gives drama and insight — but for more than half of the book it honestly felt more like an extended IMDB page with a little “6 degrees of separation” in there. Him laying out his resume.
Since it was framed as a memoir, I guess I was hoping for more of actually HIM and who is he is. His personal struggles, co-parenting (we got I think one paragraph framed in the context of his time on DWTS), things we don’t know about HIM. Of course he doesn’t OWE anyone that… but if we’re writing memoirs? Hey…That’s usually what readers are looking for in the year of Katt Williams, Club Shay Shay and 2024.
He talked a lot about exploring the depths of who he is beyond Urkel… but we didn’t honestly get let in on any of that other than work he did after the show ended.
I was super excited to read this because I’m not going to lie, I’ve always been a big Jaleel White fan. When you talk about the target TGIF audience, it was me. I’m a 90s girl and I was raised on Family Matters okay?
I had the Urkel doll.
I also recently re-watched Family Matters early this year (before even knowing about the book) and saw it under an entire new lens.
This book will give you nostalgia. You’ll get funny stories from some recognizable names in the industry (I chuckled out loud many times) and you’ll also get some insight into the real nature of the beast (dog eat dog world) even when you’re at the top of your game.
Jaleel is truly a great example of “They only love you until they don’t.” This is probably one reason why I’ve held on to my fandom for so long (and support whatever I see him in) because it was always odd to me how so many people switched up on him.
For me the biggest takeaway from this book was: Jaleel decided he finally wanted to tell HIS side.
We’ve all heard the rumors about his less-than-warm reception/welcome initially onto the Family Matters set, and the conflicts thereafter — but always more-so from one side of the narrative and about someone (Jaleel) who was a minor for most of the duration of this experience. A lot of this felt like him just wanting to finally tell his side in FULL CONTEXT — and I can’t be mad at that at all.
I said “BOOP!” more than once as he told the story of Jo-Marie’s other Mercedes, or how entitlement killed Jamie Foxworthy’s career— then put the petty cherry on the cake when he said “If she were as funny on set was she was in the classroom, she wouldn’t have been fired” 😅 Petty Labelle lol
So I say all that to say, there are definitely moments in this book where it gives drama and insight — but for more than half of the book it honestly felt more like an extended IMDB page with a little “6 degrees of separation” in there. Him laying out his resume.
Since it was framed as a memoir, I guess I was hoping for more of actually HIM and who is he is. His personal struggles, co-parenting (we got I think one paragraph framed in the context of his time on DWTS), things we don’t know about HIM. Of course he doesn’t OWE anyone that… but if we’re writing memoirs? Hey…That’s usually what readers are looking for in the year of Katt Williams, Club Shay Shay and 2024.
He talked a lot about exploring the depths of who he is beyond Urkel… but we didn’t honestly get let in on any of that other than work he did after the show ended.
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