Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

How Do I Un-Remember This?

Unfortunately True Stories

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

Instant New York Times Bestseller

From the host of Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino comes a collection of stories you'll be glad didn't happen to you.

Think of the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you. Was it the time your high school cheer squad taunted you in front of the entire town? Was it the time your best friend's mom caught you streaking in all your naked, self-conscious glory? What about the time you accidentally threw a tooth at your dry cleaner or took an urn into Kohl's for some holiday shopping?

For Danny Pellegrino, the answer is all of the above.

Growing up as a closeted gay kid in small-town Ohio wasn't easy, and Danny has the stories to prove it. But coming of age in the 90s still meant something magical to Danny. The music, film, and celebrity moments of his youth were truly iconic, and his love for all things pop culture connected him to a world larger than the one he knew in the suburban Midwest. And through all the pains of growing up, Danny could always look to that world for hope—whether that meant bingeing The Nanny until he had the confidence of Fran Fine, belting out Brandy songs until his heartaches were healed, or watching semi-clothed Ryan Phillippe scenes until his cheeks burned from blushing.

With refreshing honesty and jaw-dropping absurdity, Danny invites readers to experience his most formative moments in life—from his hometown in Ohio to his hit podcast and career in entertainment today. How Do I Un-Remember This? is an unfiltered and all-too-relatable glimpse into Danny's life and the heartfelt and hilarious moments that shaped it. Although he wouldn't change them for the world, these stories are—unfortunately—true.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      December 20, 2021
      Podcaster and comedian Pellegrino (Fancy AF Cocktails) takes a humorous and heartfelt trip down memory lane in this candid account of the moments that shaped him. Growing up during the ’90s as a “closeted kid” in a small Ohio town, Pellegrino had his fair share of misadventures—from streaking through the night on a dare to the unexpected trials of trying to get a family vacation off the ground, with very shaky results. For all the laughs his recollections induce, there’s an equal amount of introspection and vulnerability on offer in his shrewd articulations of universal human anxieties: “Every year on my birthday, a sense of melancholy washes over me.... I feel judged by my peers, and all the while I’m scrolling IG and judging the celebrities... with a leftover Roadside Slider from the Cheesecake Factory in my free hand.” He also elegantly writes of the challenges he faced and the gradual steps he took to openly admit to being gay (“Those years when you’re figuring it all out can be mental torture, but... life doesn’t stop when you come out. In fact, life begins because you’re finally living it authentically”). Readers will adore this witty account of navigating life—and finding the joy in marching to the beat of one’s own drum.

    • Booklist

      February 1, 2022
      The host of the podcast, Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino, shares stories of humiliations major and minor, from streaking at a childhood sleepover (and getting locked out of the house) to going on a grief date after his grandmother died. He reminisces about growing up in 1990s suburban Ohio with two brothers and Griswold-esque parents (see the family loading up a minivan for an all-night drive to Florida). He also muses on his coming out journey, his obsession with Renee Zellweger's performance in Judy, and gay marriage and getting engaged. Like his podcast, the stories here are never fully straightforward, and he takes plenty of detours into pop culture, including The Nanny and Kelly Clarkson's discography. Though he occasionally delves into more serious topics, like his debilitating anxiety and depression, Pellegrino's tone is light and relatable throughout. Even if readers have never botched a college-level American Sign Language final with the lyrics to a Michael Bolton song, they will find themselves nodding along to Pellegrino's charming storytelling style and cringing on his behalf.

      COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Kirkus

      A podcaster and comedian shares a life steeped in humor and revelations. In this charming, heavily anecdotal memoir, Pellegrino leads with the funny bone but doesn't skimp on the vulnerable moments as well. As a kid in small-town Ohio, he was shy, awkward, and overweight. The author shares memories of family vacations, joyously receiving his first pair of boxer shorts, misguided stunts like streaking through the neighborhood on a cruel dare, spending sleepovers counseling his friends' dispirited mothers, and experiencing hormonal overdrive "anytime I saw Brendan Fraser on a George of the Jungle movie poster." In addition to riffing on his love for Jessica Simpson and Judy Garland, Pellegrino scrutinizes his interpersonal love affairs with wry wit. "Being in a relationship with me is exhausting," he writes. Told in intimately personal episodes and awash in pop-culture references, the narrative is cleverly built for laughs, yet embedded within his keen observations are moments, however fleeting, of vulnerability and frank honesty. These tonal shifts are welcome. Without them, the book, packed with humorous stories and clever quips, would become overly superficial. The author is candid about his struggles with his sexuality, enumerating the challenges of being closeted and the liberation of coming out. In other, more introspective moments Pellegrino examines his "unprocessed grief" about his beloved grandmother's death and how life can only truly begin when one starts living authentically, with clear joy, rather than according to what is socially acceptable. He is also open about his struggles with mental health, especially regarding a particularly difficult period "when I hit my low point....I've experienced sadness before, but this was something new, and it was unfathomable to me." Pellegrino's self-acceptance as a gay man grounds the narrative, while his rib-tickling missteps and misadventures will keep readers amused. An entertaining story about navigating life with authenticity and laughter.

      COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. (Online Review)

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Loading
OverDrive service is made possible by NOBLE member libraries and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.