Stephanie Wilder Taylor writes about her Hollywood days a bit in her latest memoir. Each chapter is a new opens to something that would be perfect for a television skit on a comedy variety show. This makes perfect sense since she used to write for television. She recounts her first big break when she appears in a Bob Dylan video where she has visions of being the featured dancer like Courtney Cox was in a Bruce Springsteen video. Her plan doesn't even come close since she ends up hanging around dancing for 12 hours and when she leaves, she finds her car is gone! She does meet Bob Dylan though and he is at least nice enough to explain that she parked in a tow zone.

Most of the book revolves around her drinking issues, the how and why, combined with anecdotes that are funny and a bit sad at the same time. She really does have a way with words and you will find yourself pulled in by her writing style immediately. Each episode brings you immediately into her world and it doesn't matter that you have never heard of her before. It is like a friend of a friend who has that bigger than life personality and you want to hear everything they have to say. The parts I really enjoyed were her confessions about trying to be something she is not and realizing that it is ok to just be her. ( )

Stefanie Wilder-Taylor's name is not familiar to me but I needed a laugh and I hoped this collection of essays would provide one or two given her experience as a stand up comedienne. Wilder-Taylor uses humour and witty asides to document her struggle to become famous, first in stand up, then as an actress until finally discovering her niche as a segment writer.

Predictably Stefanie enjoyed a rather wild adolescence in an unhappy home, and escaped to the bright lights of LA as soon as practicable. Stefanie describes supporting herself with a variety of low paying jobs from office temping to chauffeuring while auditioning for dubious television. Her experiences are fodder for some amusing anecdotes and Stefanie concisely illustrates the weird and wild of working and living in LA. With a padded resume she finally lands on her feet writing for television and I am dying to know if (as was implied without crossing legal boundaries)that really was Angie??
Wilder-Taylor also reconnects with her father, one time celebrity comedian Stan Handleman whose addiction to pain pills and faltering talent is painful for her to observe. Finally settled, married and a mother to three Stefanie has to confront her own alcoholism while berating Angie Jolie-Pitt for setting the bar too high and sympathising with Nick Cage.

I'm Kind of a Big Deal is an easily read wry memoir sure to elicit a chuckle or two at Stefanie's efforts to make it in LA. ( )