Danielle Solzman
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend co-creator and star Rachel Bloom opens up about her life in her new memoir, I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are.
This book is everything I expected and more from Rachel Bloom. Bloom got into sketch comedy in college but up until that point, she was planning for a career in musical theater. Life changes, I get it. I’ve been there so I know how it can be. That being said, I thought I knew Rachel Bloom before reading this book. It turns out that there are aspects about her life that I didn’t know before. That’s one of the things that I enjoy about the book.
Every comedy memoir is different. Rachel Bloom is still early in her career so to speak. As such, there’s a healthy mix of childhood stories and experience in Hollywood. Specifically, there are essays, poems, and of all things, an amusement park map. I can let you know briefly that you can read about her thoughts on insecurity, fame, anxiety, that time she was cursed with forbidden love, etc. There is even a musical! Where do we go to invest in this amusement park proposal? No, seriously, I want to sign up right now with my non-existent income!
She shares her memories of working on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Whether its the first time she went to the Upfronts or the time she battled against S&P, there are stories to share. Bloom also gives us a simple breakdown of her day. There are many, many bathroom breaks and they were written into the filming schedule! I expect more about the series in her next book. There will be a next book, right?!?
There is one chapter in this book that I felt the need to skip for my own emotional health. This is because there is a chapter where Rachel writes her own Harry Potter fan fiction. While I have never had any interest in the books or films, J.K. Rowling’s transphobic comments do not help matters. I am glad that Rachel adds a footnote where she sides with the trans community and calls out Rowling.
Another area where I feel the need to comment in depth is when Rachel talks about experiences at the many awards shows be it food, parking, etc. Full disclaimer: I am a voting member of the Critics Choice Association. What Rachel describes about the food served during the Critics Choice Awards isn’t wrong. Nobody really warned me ahead of the ceremony about the food but I ended up having a late lunch before arriving. That being said, my Shalom Grill meal could only hold me over for so long and I wish I brought snacks.
Rachel Bloom’s I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are will take its rightful place on my bookcase. Right next to the books written by Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Anna Kendrick to name a few–once I move into an apartment large enough for a bookcase, that is.
