A delightful collection of stories and memories of a life lived in Hollywood. You probably know some of his roles but may not know him by name, but this book is endlessly funny and entertaining.

I laughed so much in this book. Jim Piddock is not a name I am familiar with, but after reading various stories I was like, Okay, Yes, I've heard of that series or watched that movie or my kids made me watch "Tooth Fairy" a gazillion times.
An honest look at his life and fame. He has no airs as he writes, takes everything with a pinch of salt and complete honesty.
A worthwhile read that brings a smile to your face.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the chance to read this book.

DNF at 71%

This started out pretty good. The opening blurbs, from a truly impressive array of actors, writers, and comedians, set the bar high and the story proceeded interestingly enough through Piddock's early career, Broadway years, etc.

By the time we got to the line (from about 2010 in the book's timeline, when we DEFINITELY knew better) "Sadly, Woody Allen's reputation has now been tarnished by the sexual abuse accusations against him by certain members of his family." (This goes on with a mealy-mouthed assertion that he couldn't possibly know the truth or offer an opinion. Funnily enough, he was happy to eviscerate Sharon Stone a few chapters previous.) the vaguely uneasy feeling that had been developing as the book went on finally crystallized: this guy does not come across as a particularly good man.

I don't think he mugs old ladies or anything, but he doesn't seem to be particularly cursed with awareness over how much privilege or fortune he's had or how many times the path before him has been eased. Instead he comes across as detached, entitled, and self-absorbed. I didn't see much evidence of kindness or compassion, but I did notice at least half a dozen instances where he felt the need to disparagingly point out someone's weight. For someone who's had such vast and varied experiences, this seems like a bizarre and kind of pettily mean-spirited thing to focus on, but it's pretty typical of the book.

Maybe the last act includes some growth or a broadening of perspective, but by then I'd run out of the interest, patience, and goodwill necessary to find out.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

A delightful fast read from one of those actors we've seen and whose name we just have to look up
Jim seems to be a refreshingly nice and sane person in a business where you might not always be. Lovely to hear him reflect on what he has experienced and learned!

Don't pick this book up if you have something else you need to do because you won't be putting it down anytime soon. I was just going to read the first couple of chapters before I fell asleep and I was still reading at 3 am. If you like show business memoirs like I do, you're going to love this breezy, funny, and heartfelt account of the life of Jim Piddock.

honestly, i thought this one would be funny, but it made me uncomfy af. there were some moments were it felt kinda problematic, not going to lie.