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Leslie Jones is the latest comedian to bring her life story to the page.
In “Leslie F*cking Jones,” out Sept. 19, the Emmy-nominated comedian and “Saturday Night Live” alum writes about her journey to Hollywood — from her childhood in the South and her early stand-up days to the craziest behind-the-scenes antics on “Ghostbusters,” “Supermaket Sweep” and “The Daily Show.” The cover of the book features a black-and-white childhood photo of Jones flashing a wide grin at the camera and holding a wired microphone, foreshadowing her future career.
“Now, I’m gonna be honest: Some of the details might be vague because a bitch is fifty-five and she’s smoked a ton of weed. But while bits might be a touch hazy, I can promise you the underlying truth is REAL,” Jones writes in the introduction.
Much of the early part of the book is centered around the abuse and trauma that Jones endured as a child. She recounts being assaulted at the age of two by one of her babysitters, an incident she’s unsure was ever made apparent to her parents.
“Man I wish I could go back and fight that guy — that little girl couldn’t protect herself,” Jones writes.
While she believes part of her “light was dimmed” after the assault, she’s also convinced that she only made it out okay because of the constant encouragement she received from her parents, both of whom died in the early 2000s from heart-related issues. As detailed in the book, Jones’ mom would sign her up for extracurricular activities to help boost her confidence, while her dad was her biggest cheerleader.
“That’s why I never quit,” Jones told People in an interview about her forthcoming memoir. “There were days where I was just crying and worrying, but the thought always came to my head, ‘Okay, what can I do.’ Dad said, ‘Become undeniable.’”
Pre-order “Leslie F*cking Jones” on Amazon, where it’s a No. 1 bestseller:
