From Library Journal
This star bio by entertainment journalist Tracy qualifies as the "real" story of Ellen DeGeneres. The book traces her life from her mother's first and subsequent marriages to the cancellation of Ellen in 1998. Avoiding juicy speculation, Tracy focuses on the mundane details of DeGeneres's crowning as the "funniest person in America" in 1982 and her rise to sitcom fame and failure in the 1990s. Allegations of ego struggles surface in the multiple firings and cast restructuring following Ellen's premiere, but Tracy remains neutral, offering both sides and allowing readers to choose. There is nothing remarkable in this story of a woman caught between studio bias and her own self-defeating actions, but we are left with an awareness of DeGeneres's enduring humor and a hope that she will return to television soon. Most public libraries will want to add this to their collection of celebrity biographies.AKelli N. Perkins, Herrick P.L., Holland, MI
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.
Booklist
"Ellen DeGeneres never set out to be anybody's advocate for social tolerance, nor the standard-bearer for gays on television," says Tracy. However, massive cast changes and a title change in the second season transformed DeGeneres' show. Finishing thirteenth in the ratings, "Ellen had reason to feel optimistic." But she wanted to bring in more female writers to "get into a woman's head exactly and write it from that perspective." She was also concerned with "finding a consistent voice for her character, which at times still exuded a vagueness that translated into a feeling that something was missing." A San Francisco critic identified the missing something in a piece headed "The Sitcom That Does Not Speak Its Name," which concluded that seeing Ellen's character as a lesbian would help a scattered sitcom make sense but could keep the show from being a bigger hit because the "pressure to be a role model, . . . coupled with the inevitable conservative protests, might squeeze the life out of an up-front Ellen." (But was it conservative protests that killed the show--or lack of laughs?) Tracy dishes up the details, including DeGeneres' father's reaction to her coming out, as well as tidbits from our Ellen's tawdry past in this comprehensive look at all things DeGeneres, which complements Betty DeGeneres' Love Ellen: A Mother/Daughter Journey (unavailable for review). Mike Tribby
--Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.
