A Review of 'My Trip Down the Pink Carpet'

Over the weekend, I rushed into my favorite local bookstore in desperation looking for something good to read. I came out with a bag full of books but for now I'll tell you about the one that really caught my eye on those book shelves, 'My Trip Down the Pink Carpet' by Leslie Jordan.

A rush of thoughts flooded my mind when my peepers were seized by the cover of 'My Trip Down the Pink Carpet': 'Oh my, how Pink'; 'What a Cute man;' 'This looks very Gay;' and 'Say, this guy looks familiar'…

This fascinating memoir can be summed up as how a very gay Chattanooga, Tennessee boy from a conservative family ended up with an Emmy for Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. It can also be summed up as how a small gay man overcame his addictions and self-loathing and became a giant. The book is a lot of things really as Leslie's life thus far has managed to cover a lot of ground and touch a lot of other people's lives.

I was hooked from page one and didn't go to bed until I got to the very end. Leslie's take on Hollywood, various celebrities, fame, addiction, gay culture, religion and learning to love oneself kept my captivated and in stitches. The only thing that could have been better in my opinion was if Leslie himself were there recounting these stories to me personally in the flesh.

And speaking of Leslie Jordan in the flesh… He's currently (Fall 2008) on book tour. See his website for places and details.