This book is written as an advice letter from comedian and Hollywood star Ali Wong to her daughters to read one day, presumably after they are grown, because holy smokes, it is explicit. This is described as "unfiltered" in the book blurb. Like I wrote in the title to this review, I grew up listening to George Carlin, Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy (one of Ali Wong's favorite comics and someone she also listened to as a kid). If you don't know who these comedians are and/or think they are old fuddy-duddies, then you are the perfect demographic for Ali Wong. And if you're already familiar with Ali's comedy routines, none of what's shared in the book will surprise you. In her younger years, she was known for showing her bare butt on stage. And audiences loved it.
Dear Girls is funny and refreshing. I appreciate Ali's wild and untamed spirit and her blunt and forthright approach to communication. I love the way she describes her childhood and family, her travels, the struggles she's had getting her comedy career together, finding true love and becoming a mother. I have a special place in my heart for her because she wears glasses and I do, too.
Ali's husband wrote the afterword to the book and shared his story of supporting Ali's career and what it's like taking care of two young girls and that was a little more of what I expected the whole book to be like. The way they make Ali's successful comedy career with regular stand-up gigs work while raising two little kids is important and eye-opening. A comedy life is not an easy one. But their family is making it happen. That for me, is the real story.
I also want to point out that Ali's father-in-law is Dr. Fad, the creator of the Wacky Wall Walker, a small sticky octopus stretchy toy that when thrown against a wall "walked" its way down. This was hugely popular in the early 1980s when Ali Wong was not yet born. That is exactly my demographic.