"You are Black; you are female," Leslie Jones' father once said. "But
if you work harder and you're better than everybody else, they can't
f*cking deny you."
Leslie Jones is a warrior. Raised by a tough dad and a loving but often
sick mom, her father's military career meant she bounced around as a
kid--fighting off bullies because she was tall and loud, sticking up for
her troubled kid brother, and generally causing mayhem wherever she
went. In the end the family settled in Lynwood, Los Angeles, where in
high school she was a star basketball player, heavily recruited for what
everyone thought would be a stellar college career.
Then, one day in college, she discovered comedy instead, and everything
changed. Eventually hitting the road as a working comedian, and holding
down regular jobs to fund her dreams, she found herself fighting
prejudice, tough crowds, stupid bosses, and people who thought a Black
woman could never be funny enough. But she proved herself time and again
to be undeniably funnier than most, and in Leslie F*cking Jones, we
finally get to meet the woman behind the laughs: tough but full of love,
uncompromising but wise, honest, revealing, challenging, and always
completely hilarious. From clubs across the country, through hit TV
specials, to six years at SNL; through the hell that was the
Ghostbusters remake, and on into Twitter and Olympic-commentary
stardom, guest hosting Ellen and The Daily Show, and beyond, Leslie
F*cking Jones reveals what it took to become one of America's most
beloved and plain-speaking superstars.
In this audacious memoir, Leslie Jones opens up for the first time about
how she faltered and triumphed on the road to success and, in doing so,
encourages others to let go of the fear and self-doubt that has holds
them back. Leslie F*cking Jones is a love letter to regular people
just trying to make it day to day and proof that if you fight for
yourself, you can live a bigger life than you ever imagined, and you too
can be undeniable.
