Let's face it, Marlo Thomas is TV royalty. Her work on the sixties sitcom, That Girl would have secured her place in television history, but then she went on to author five best-selling books, write, produce and direct TV specials (Free to Be...You and Me and others,) marry talk-show legend Phil Donahue, lead a children's charity (St. Jude's Hospital) and then there's her famous father, Danny Thomas.
It's her role as Danny's daughter that's the jump-off point for this book. She gives a nice behind-the-scenes tour of what it was like to grow up privileged in Beverly Hills during Hollywood's heyday. Marlo takes you back to touring with her famous dad as he played gigs from Miami Beach to Manhattan. She's no "poor little rich girl" in this story - you get the impression that she loved pretty much every minute of her young life.
Marlo provides story after Hollywood story peppered with comedic royalty - from Sid Caesar and Carl Reiner, to Bing Crosby, Lucille Ball, George Burns and Bob Hope. You'll know what it was like to be around these geniuses when they were off stage and get more than a glimpse of the men who made us laugh.
This is no, Make Room for Daddy Dearest. She does tell (almost) all and the spotlight always shines brightest when it's on her. This is, after all, HER story. You'll see her go from childhood - through rebellious adolescence - into adulthood. Her outbursts are few (she did famously tell her father that she'd make it on her own someday and he wouldn't be able to afford her as an actress) - a promise she made good on.
It's a trivia trove with nuggets like where the title "Make Room for Daddy" originated (it's what her mother would tell Marlo and her siblings when Thomas came home from the road). You'll also hear about dates with Bing Crosby's sons...what That Girl's "Donald" was really like and of course, the love of her life, Phil.
Growing Up Laughing is an engaging novel for any Boomer who grew up laughing with Marlo Thomas and her famous family. This is a marvelous memoir you definitely need to "make room" for on your bookshelf.
Author: Marlo Thomas
Publisher: Hyperion
Penned: May 2011 (reprint)
Time Out: You may think 400 pages is a long read, but the snappy prose and Hollywood anecdotes will have you turning pages as fast you can.
Beach Worthy: Sure, but you may be seeing Las Vegas nightclubs and TV soundstages instead of crashing waves.
Prepare your own Mexican quick fix with this Chipotle-inspired bowl. Carbs are moderated by filling the bowl with beans, extra veggies and chicken. No need for rice, since the beans count as carbs.
Tips:
If you love tomatoes, increase the quantity to 1/2 cup, but note that the carbohydrates will also increase.
If preparing this recipe for one person, cut all of the ingredients in half. Or simply prepare the full recipe up to the end of step 2 and store leftover chicken and vegetable-bean mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on High for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, and continue with step 3.
Health Bite: The iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc in black beans help to keep bones strong and healthy.
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