Ali Wentworth

Let’s start with a confession. When I began this book, I had no idea who Ali Wentworth was. (Is? I mean, she’s still alive. Let’s keep moving past the grammatical nightmare I caused myself.) My wife suggested I read it because she found it entertaining.

So, for those of you who are like me…clueless, Ali Wentworth is the daughter of the important DC socialite (I guess I’m describing this correctly) Muffie Cabet who, among other things, was Nancy Reagan’s White House social show more secretary. Her father was Eric Wenworth, a reporter for the Washington Post. Her stepfather was Henry Brandon, a Washington correspondent for the Sunday Times of London. She took off from all that to pursue acting in Los Angeles (somehow supporting herself), got married to George Stephanopoulos (and I’m going to go out on a limb and assume you know who that one is), and wound up in the DC she swore she was running from.

She’s an actress, producer, and comedienne. But I still had no touchpoint until she mentioned that she was Schmoopie in the “Soup Nazi” episode of Seinfeld. There! I’ll bet I got your attention with that one.

Anyway, I give you all this background so you can understand that that background helps explain why this is a slightly twisted approach to “autobiography”. No, it’s not really an autobiography; rather, discussions on portions of her life.

And they are good. Yeah, it can be hard to relate to some of the DC stories and tales of...I’ll call it “entitlement”, though that isn’t the best word, but they still reek of real life that does resonate. There are many smiles and a few laughs herein. The essays are fun and funny. And while not every essay hits, there are enough to make it interesting and (as my wife said) entertaining.

Worth the price of admission. show less

Review from the Amazon Vine Program:

I enjoy humor - oral and written, so I thought that "Ali in Wonderland" would be a good read for me. The cover touts: "Everything that comes out of Ali's mouth is funny!" Unfortunately, Ali's humor escaped me.

Out of 243 pages, there was only one laugh out loud moment: the description of Ali, while vacationing with her four-year-old daughter in Greece, happening on a beach with gay, scantily clad men enjoying each other.

I laugh often and out loud when show more reading Dave Berry, Konrath, Evanovich, Sedaris, Dorsey, Scottoline and Hiaasen. A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana, by Haven Kimmel is my idea of a hilarious autobiography. "Ali in Wonderland" left me cold, wondering why it was supposed to be funny.

Other reviewers describe Ali's humor as "toilet humor.' Clearly, by enjoying Dave Berry, I am not immune to toilet humor, nor juvenile antics. Ali's humor was simply not funny. An example: In describing the WASP background of her mother who is named "Muffie," Ali concludes by stating "[s]he's never peed in the shower." That's funny?

Perhaps other reviewers who enjoyed "Ali in Wonderland" were influenced by Ali's live performances. Since I had never seen Ali perform, my response is only to this written work, which just didn't strike me as humorous.

The format of "Ali in Wonderland" is confusing. Ali's stories begin chronologically, but as she continues there are huge gaps and the chronology goes out the window.

I didn't understand the factual inconsistencies. Ali describes her mother, Muffie, as contradicting the common concept of a person named "Muffie." In doing so, Ali states, "Plus, there is no more money. . . The money has since been invested badly, embezzled by greedy spouses, or drunk away." Yet, Muffie's response to any crisis is, "Go to the Four Seasons," and she does. There is no more money but she goes to the Four Seasons???

Humor is somewhat personal. Different people enjoy various types of humor. Humor comes in many forms. Some are:
1. Laugh-at-life humor
2. Slapstick
3. Sarcasm
4. Self-deprecating humor
5. Dry/Deadpan humor
6. "Quirky"humor
7. Highbrow/Witty humor
8. Jokes at others' expense
9. "Bathroom" humor
10. Quirky cultural references

The many "fart" references in "Ali in Wonderland" might classify it as in the "bathroom humor" genre. Whatever its style, the humor escaped me. show less

I read Ali Wentworth's first memoir Ali in Wonderland that hilariously dealt with her years trying to make it as an actress in Hollywood. Her very funny voice shone through each page. In her new book, Happily Ali After, Wentworth shares her adventures as a wife (to ABC newsman George Stephanopoulis) and mom to two young daughters.

I loved this Happily Ever After even more than Ali in Wonderland, probably because I can relate more to Ali the wife and mom than Ali the struggling actress. She show more tells great stories about trying to stay young-looking, her husband's poor driving, and her daughter's sex-education questions.

One of the stories that I most loved involved a trip the family had planned to Spain. Ali was in charge of making all the preparations, and when they got to the airport to take a late-night flight, they were told that the girls' passports had expired and they were going nowhere that night.

George was furious at Ali, and the girls went back and forth from one parent to the other asking if they were going to get a divorce. The car ride home was uncomfortable, and when they got home, Ali told George how so very sorry she was. As they lay in bed, he kissed her and told her he knew she she was sorry and that it was OK. Every couple has had that potentially huge fight, and could relate to this big oopsy that Ali committed.

Ali's story of a girl's weekend at a friend's California home with a psychic as entertainment was hilarious too. We all have our girlfriends, and her description of that party had me guffawing.

Reading Happily Ali After is like sitting in your funniest girlfriend's kitchen and listening to her crazy stories about her husband, her family, her job, her life. If I ever see her on the streets of NYC, I will invite her over for a glass of wine just to hear her stories. show less

I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir. Ali has a great way of making even her painful experiences funny. The book was full of interesting characters--from lovable, like Ali's mom Muffie, to downright bizarre, like some of Ali's psychiatrists. Some chapters were absolutely hilarious, like "Mi Familia!" I laughed out loud through the whole story of 15-year-old Ali's summer living with a family in a Spanish village. I absolutely recommend this book--it would be a great book club read as well. I'm show more getting it for all of my girl friends for Christmas, along with dark chocolate and bath beads. show less