Crazy Chelsea

Chelsea Handler has always made me slightly uncomfortable for roughly the same reason that the second Sex and the City movie makes me really uncomfortable. Both of them have little regard for social manners and always go a step too far. Chelsea, at least, is funny in her offensiveness, even though I'm fairly optimistic that her blunt personality stems from many years of parental neglect that she is trying to compensate for with an abundance of damaging behaviors (i.e. eating disorders, alcoholism, and a lot of random sex). But, I'm not a psychologist and she's managed to turn it into a lucrative career, so who am I to judge?

Anyways, despite my discomfort and in an attempt to get to know Chelsea a little better, I picked up her book, Chelsea, Chelsea, Bang, Bang. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but I was pretty sure there would be moments that would make me cringe. Regardless, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that she really does have a pretty big ticking heart underneath all of that defensive body armor. It's a little unsettling that she refers to all people/animals she loves as "Chunk" and she has an unnatural affinity for obese people, miniature beings (people, horses, etc.), and Lean Pockets, but I guess we all have our "things".

My favorite part about her books is that she writes about things that shouldn't even be remembered, much less funny, but somehow she turns them into a hilarious, slightly self-deprecating story. She talks about her family, her sexual awakening at the ripe old age of 8, and all sorts of shenanigans she gets into with her posse. In each of these scenarios, she becomes a little more human and you start to understand why she is the way she is. I have to say that her most human moment comes to light as she talks about laying in bed all day, crying over the first Sex and the City movie, and eating Lean Pockets. We've all been there...

I have to say that I'm glad I gave Chelsea a chance. I mean, I still have to quickly turn the channel during awkward instances of Chelsea Lately, but I also have a hard time with fictional awkward moments like the entire Amanda Bynes' movie, She's the Man, so maybe it's my own personal issue and not Chelsea's that I have to deal with. Either way, if you're in the mood for a laugh punctuated with a plethora of borderline offensive moments, Chelsea, Chelsea, Bang, Bang will not disappoint.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars