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No One's Pet
For the first time in the history of the iconic adult magazine Penthouse, the curtain is lifted on life in Bob Guccione’s mansion. No One’s The Autobiography of Sheila Kennedy reveals the inner workings of the media magnate’s private sanctum. The tell-all Penthouse Pet book exposes a unique perspective on the free-for-all fun of a historically important period in pop culture. Beneath the glamorous surface of a Penthouse Pet’s life in the mansion, lies a dark and often scandalous story.
With cameos by teen heartthrob Scott Baio and rocker Axel Rose, the two writers weave a true tale of celebrity shenanigans and sexual mischief. Featuring settings from Prince Jefri of Brunei’s palace to NY Met’s Ron Darling’s bachelor pad. From a brief encounter in the NYC club scene with actor Michael J. Fox as he prepared for Bright Like Big City, to outrageous shopping sprees on Madison Ave, Sheila’s journey is the most authentic recounting of the notorious 1980s decade of debauchery and gluttony.
With cameos by teen heartthrob Scott Baio and rocker Axel Rose, the two writers weave a true tale of celebrity shenanigans and sexual mischief. Featuring settings from Prince Jefri of Brunei’s palace to NY Met’s Ron Darling’s bachelor pad. From a brief encounter in the NYC club scene with actor Michael J. Fox as he prepared for Bright Like Big City, to outrageous shopping sprees on Madison Ave, Sheila’s journey is the most authentic recounting of the notorious 1980s decade of debauchery and gluttony.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2016
About the author
Sheila Kennedy
34 books2 followersGlenn Kenny's writings on the arts have appeared in a wide variety of publications, which include the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, the Village Voice, Entertainment Weekly, Humanities, and others. From the mid-1990s to the magazine’s 2007 folding, he was a senior editor and the chief film critic for Premiere. There he commissioned and edited pieces by David Foster Wallace, Tony Kushner, Martin Amis and William Prochnau. He also wrote features on such soon-to-be-prominent motion picture figures as Paul Thomas Anderson and Billy Bob Thornton. He currently contributes film reviews and essays to RogerEbert.com and to Vanity Fair Online, Decider, the Criterion Collection and more. He has made numerous tv and radio appearances and appears as an actor in Steven Soderbergh’s 2009 film The Girlfriend Experience, and Preston Miller’s 2010 God’s Land. He was born in Fort Lee, NJ and has been a resident of Brooklyn since 1990; he lives in that borough with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 17, 2017
I was able to read this book thanks to NetGalley
No One's Pet is a story told by former Penthouse girl, or as they are called Penthouse Pet (I didn't know that when I started the book, title makes much more sense now). When reading I had a feeling as I'm meeting with Sheila Kennedy over a cup of coffee, she's a good friend of the past, and now she tells me her life story with all the juicy details. As this story would make for a very entertaining coffee, and drinks later, that does not make a very good book.
First part of the book really says a story with a timeline, I get a feeling what is happening when. It is not very well written, is does feel more like a transcript of a conversation with listeners parts erased. But do not think that this story is dull, it is definitely not. Sheila Keneddy had a very eventful life and she is not ashamed of telling about it. At any given point I felt like I'm being lied to, that this is not the true story of a lost girl, and very adventurous woman.
Last part of book, after a chapter with photos only, is just a compilation of different stories from different times of Sheila's life. That doesn't make any complete storyline. I would prefer to see a story that follows first chapters of the book, not an additional appendix with various juicy stories.
Although not well written, story of Sheila's life makes up for it. She really did a lot, and I was happy to read that it all did not ended up completely bad for her. She is a very strong woman.
No One's Pet is a story told by former Penthouse girl, or as they are called Penthouse Pet (I didn't know that when I started the book, title makes much more sense now). When reading I had a feeling as I'm meeting with Sheila Kennedy over a cup of coffee, she's a good friend of the past, and now she tells me her life story with all the juicy details. As this story would make for a very entertaining coffee, and drinks later, that does not make a very good book.
First part of the book really says a story with a timeline, I get a feeling what is happening when. It is not very well written, is does feel more like a transcript of a conversation with listeners parts erased. But do not think that this story is dull, it is definitely not. Sheila Keneddy had a very eventful life and she is not ashamed of telling about it. At any given point I felt like I'm being lied to, that this is not the true story of a lost girl, and very adventurous woman.
Last part of book, after a chapter with photos only, is just a compilation of different stories from different times of Sheila's life. That doesn't make any complete storyline. I would prefer to see a story that follows first chapters of the book, not an additional appendix with various juicy stories.
Although not well written, story of Sheila's life makes up for it. She really did a lot, and I was happy to read that it all did not ended up completely bad for her. She is a very strong woman.
April 12, 2016
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 3.5 of 5
First, let's point out that this isn't a biography (or autobiography) so much as it is a memoir. What's the difference? A memoir (typically) doesn't follow the timeline of one's life but selects moments that were meaningful and expounds on them, often jumping around. No One's Pet by Sheila Kennedy definitely fits the memoir mold.
Kennedy was a wild child, not afraid to speak her mind or challenge (or at least question) authority. Coming from a home with an abusive father, a negligent mother, and living with a prostitute aunt, it's not surprising that Sheila found her way into nude modelling. In fact she seemed tailor-made for it. But to Kennedy's credit, she doesn't seem to look back on this (or much of anything) with anger or hatred. It was what it was, and she's moving forward.
Despite this rough up-bringing and a roller-coaster ride of being at the top of the game and then struggling to make enough money to put food on the table, Sheila Kennedy seems to have lived a charmed life. Whether it's because of her doe-eyed cuteness, or her wanderlust, or her devil-may-care attitude, she's gone in and out of settings with people (often influential people) willing to help her along the way. When she was determined to leave 'home' she was connected with one of the top photographers in the country. When she meets him, she hands him a couple of Polaroids of herself. He tells her that she'll never get work and describes what is wrong with her. But, as a favor, he sends two Polaroids to Playboy and two to Penthouse. Penthouse responds and she begins a strange journey that most of us could never imagine.
Kennedy becomes one of the first Penthouse models to take up residence at Bob Guccione's Penthouse mansion, is lavished with gifts from Guccione and given a strange amount of freedom to wander, explore, and date as she chooses, while remaining one of Guccione's harem girls (though willingly - Kennedy repeatedly writes how much she cared for and was attracted to Guccione). Staying at the mansion propels her to being a Penthouse Pet of the Month (multiple times) and Pet of the Year (1983).
Not surprising to most of us on the 'outside' of this industry, this sort of stardom doesn't last. It does have its perks, though, as being a Pet of the Year, she is introduced and has sexual encounters with many leading names in the entertainment industry (and she's not shy in this book to tell us who is large and who is small when it comes to penis size [because, apparently, it DOES matter]). But rarely does she describe these encounters as forced (one is definitely worthy of being called rape) but rather her willingness to enjoy these really good-looking men (as she describes them).
What I liked about the book was her style. She writes very conversationally. One gets the feeling that we are sitting in a room and listening to her tell about her life. It jumps around, just as such a conversation might as well. This was very easy to read and the style gives us an understanding of the person, just as much as the information she shares.
What I didn't like about the book was what she doesn't tell us. Twice she hints at turning to religion during times when she was "at pretty loose ends". During one of those times she met Billy Zabka (the mean kid from Karate Kid), a Christian who is Kennedy's son's godfather. But what about these times? How did they influence her or change her or help her through the tough times? We get nothing on this other than the quick mention - though I suppose we can deduce that the influence these times had was minimal since it was during one of these times that she began a sexual dalliance with Scott Baio.
One of the things we discover about Sheila Kennedy from this memoir is her innocence ... or perhaps a better term for it would be her gullibility, or even vulnerability. She was vulnerable because of her innocence or her inability to make choices based on more than appearances. Nearly every man she meets and sleeps with is described as good-looking, or hot, or sexy, or "actually quite charming." She is clearly unable to see beyond the exterior or the presentation of a person. And it is when she wraps up this book that realize that she really has no clue as to how she was presented to the world how the world views her.
(And by the way, what she describes of her appearance on Letterman was his making fun of the prizes she won as Pet of the Year.)
It is fortunate that this was a great time through her own eyes because the alternative would be seriously depressing and because she remains upbeat about it, it makes for a delightful read. It is true that she was/is strong, which has gotten her into and through many an escapade, but it is also likely true that she remains a bit innocent about much of it.
Looking for a good book? Sheila Kennedy's memoir/autobiography No One's Pet, is an easy to read sexual romp through the entertainment world of the 1980's.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
First, let's point out that this isn't a biography (or autobiography) so much as it is a memoir. What's the difference? A memoir (typically) doesn't follow the timeline of one's life but selects moments that were meaningful and expounds on them, often jumping around. No One's Pet by Sheila Kennedy definitely fits the memoir mold.
Kennedy was a wild child, not afraid to speak her mind or challenge (or at least question) authority. Coming from a home with an abusive father, a negligent mother, and living with a prostitute aunt, it's not surprising that Sheila found her way into nude modelling. In fact she seemed tailor-made for it. But to Kennedy's credit, she doesn't seem to look back on this (or much of anything) with anger or hatred. It was what it was, and she's moving forward.
Despite this rough up-bringing and a roller-coaster ride of being at the top of the game and then struggling to make enough money to put food on the table, Sheila Kennedy seems to have lived a charmed life. Whether it's because of her doe-eyed cuteness, or her wanderlust, or her devil-may-care attitude, she's gone in and out of settings with people (often influential people) willing to help her along the way. When she was determined to leave 'home' she was connected with one of the top photographers in the country. When she meets him, she hands him a couple of Polaroids of herself. He tells her that she'll never get work and describes what is wrong with her. But, as a favor, he sends two Polaroids to Playboy and two to Penthouse. Penthouse responds and she begins a strange journey that most of us could never imagine.
Kennedy becomes one of the first Penthouse models to take up residence at Bob Guccione's Penthouse mansion, is lavished with gifts from Guccione and given a strange amount of freedom to wander, explore, and date as she chooses, while remaining one of Guccione's harem girls (though willingly - Kennedy repeatedly writes how much she cared for and was attracted to Guccione). Staying at the mansion propels her to being a Penthouse Pet of the Month (multiple times) and Pet of the Year (1983).
Not surprising to most of us on the 'outside' of this industry, this sort of stardom doesn't last. It does have its perks, though, as being a Pet of the Year, she is introduced and has sexual encounters with many leading names in the entertainment industry (and she's not shy in this book to tell us who is large and who is small when it comes to penis size [because, apparently, it DOES matter]). But rarely does she describe these encounters as forced (one is definitely worthy of being called rape) but rather her willingness to enjoy these really good-looking men (as she describes them).
What I liked about the book was her style. She writes very conversationally. One gets the feeling that we are sitting in a room and listening to her tell about her life. It jumps around, just as such a conversation might as well. This was very easy to read and the style gives us an understanding of the person, just as much as the information she shares.
What I didn't like about the book was what she doesn't tell us. Twice she hints at turning to religion during times when she was "at pretty loose ends". During one of those times she met Billy Zabka (the mean kid from Karate Kid), a Christian who is Kennedy's son's godfather. But what about these times? How did they influence her or change her or help her through the tough times? We get nothing on this other than the quick mention - though I suppose we can deduce that the influence these times had was minimal since it was during one of these times that she began a sexual dalliance with Scott Baio.
One of the things we discover about Sheila Kennedy from this memoir is her innocence ... or perhaps a better term for it would be her gullibility, or even vulnerability. She was vulnerable because of her innocence or her inability to make choices based on more than appearances. Nearly every man she meets and sleeps with is described as good-looking, or hot, or sexy, or "actually quite charming." She is clearly unable to see beyond the exterior or the presentation of a person. And it is when she wraps up this book that realize that she really has no clue as to how she was presented to the world how the world views her.
For me... There hasn't been a time quite like it before or since; going on "Late Night With David Letterman", getting introduced to fantastic artists, prominent politicians, and colorful bottom-feeders...and being recognized as not a sex object but a strong woman making her way in the toughest and coolest city in the world. There was nothing like it.
(And by the way, what she describes of her appearance on Letterman was his making fun of the prizes she won as Pet of the Year.)
It is fortunate that this was a great time through her own eyes because the alternative would be seriously depressing and because she remains upbeat about it, it makes for a delightful read. It is true that she was/is strong, which has gotten her into and through many an escapade, but it is also likely true that she remains a bit innocent about much of it.
Looking for a good book? Sheila Kennedy's memoir/autobiography No One's Pet, is an easy to read sexual romp through the entertainment world of the 1980's.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2024
I enjoy a good groupie story, but Sheila Kennedy is not one. She just happened to date a couple of rock stars. Instead, her memoir focuses on her life working for Penthouse, which I found quite interesting.
She takes us back to her early days, sharing her story of her parents. I must say, this girl had a tough upbringing. She lived in orphanages, had an aunt in Vegas doing some unsavoury acts to earn money, and pretty much was on her own. One thing, though, she knew what she wanted. Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, there was a big world out there she yearned to taste. And taste it she did.
Read more here: https://wp.me/p12iNR-bZW
She takes us back to her early days, sharing her story of her parents. I must say, this girl had a tough upbringing. She lived in orphanages, had an aunt in Vegas doing some unsavoury acts to earn money, and pretty much was on her own. One thing, though, she knew what she wanted. Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, there was a big world out there she yearned to taste. And taste it she did.
Read more here: https://wp.me/p12iNR-bZW
May 21, 2020
It’s ok.
I was today years old when I read she has a child with someone who just had a pretty big divorce from a well known 70s-80s rock star. I felt as though she’s a little self centered and an egomaniac. She comes off like she’s better than everybody, when in all reality she’s not. She does certainly give all the juicy details. Although her choice is men is for the times to say the least. No one really to interesting unless you’re a Tom Jones fan.
I was today years old when I read she has a child with someone who just had a pretty big divorce from a well known 70s-80s rock star. I felt as though she’s a little self centered and an egomaniac. She comes off like she’s better than everybody, when in all reality she’s not. She does certainly give all the juicy details. Although her choice is men is for the times to say the least. No one really to interesting unless you’re a Tom Jones fan.
May 16, 2018
Very impressive!
Loved this sordid tale! She came across as very sincere, and was surprised at her lot in life. A very enjoyable quick read!
Loved this sordid tale! She came across as very sincere, and was surprised at her lot in life. A very enjoyable quick read!
February 22, 2016
I love a good tale of glamour and partying ... but there were a LOT of buts in this book
You get the feeling Sheila has left out of lot in this book. Granted it must be hard remembering some of this stuff that happened a long time ago!
You also get the feeling that maybe Sheila wasnt such a nice girl a lot of the time. Granted, when we are young and carefree we are self centred.
The people that she had affairs with were before my time - the names didnt mean anything to me.
It seems a shame that she hasnt really picked up her life and moved on to a career that gives her $$$$
You get the feeling Sheila has left out of lot in this book. Granted it must be hard remembering some of this stuff that happened a long time ago!
You also get the feeling that maybe Sheila wasnt such a nice girl a lot of the time. Granted, when we are young and carefree we are self centred.
The people that she had affairs with were before my time - the names didnt mean anything to me.
It seems a shame that she hasnt really picked up her life and moved on to a career that gives her $$$$
February 22, 2016
This is a tough book to review because even though autobiographies are something I absolutely love, this one just didn't work for me. I think it boiled down to the way it was written, I never felt engaged in the story. It felt like small portions of stories instead of the whole picture.
***copy provided by NetGalley
***copy provided by NetGalley
April 29, 2016
Well written
I loved this book and Sheila's honesty. As a fan of hers on Big Brother, this book allowed me to know who the real Sheila was and is. Thank you for sharing your story.
I loved this book and Sheila's honesty. As a fan of hers on Big Brother, this book allowed me to know who the real Sheila was and is. Thank you for sharing your story.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews