My summer reading choices had me falling down the Viacom-adjacent rabbit hole.
I love reading oral histories (launch of MTV, Clueless, Bring it On) and Slimed! was no exception. For what VJ: The Unplugged Adventure’s of MTV’s First Wave is for MTV, Slimed! is for Nickelodeon. In the shadow of the revelations exposed via Jeanette McCurdy’s memoir and Quiet on Set, it was a feel-better read about the Orlando-era of the groundbreaking children’s network. Though there were so many contributing voices to the book that I found it tough to keep track without constantly referencing the index, the breadth of cast and crew present the network from many angles.
I re-read Kennedy’s memoir. Did you know she has since reclassified herself as Independent rather than Republican? As a lapsed Republican myself (you can thank the Tea Party / MAGA movement for that), I wanted to reexamine the memoir from the lady for whom I tried to stomach a few viewings of Gutfeld! (I make honest attempts to understand the opposition.)
Kennedy does not punch down and for any joke directed at a rock star, 90s pop culture icon, or high brow figure, she pokes fun of herself. But she pokes fun of herself a lot. Which is to say that she makes copious jokes about others, namely Courtney Love. Yes, she punches up at the 90s icon.
I needed a palette cleanser. In his memoir, Dave Holmes presents a different perspective of trying to get into the MTV mothership as opposed to Miss Elephant Tattoo herself who sans college degree and high school diploma, B.S.’d her way behind a VJ stick mic. (Who is punching up now?!?)
The fourth generation VJ who almost was not makes a most excellent case for never hitting the snooze button. I read this memoir a solid one time a year and it always serves a shot of career and self help inspo.