Review of "Man Up! Tales of My Delusional Self-confidence," by Ross Mathews

Review of

Man Up! Tales of My Delusional Self-confidence, by Ross Mathews ISBN 9781455501809


Four out of five stars

 Ross Mathews first burst onto the national consciousness when he was introduced as an intern on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” The best term to describe him is “memorable,” for he exuded enthusiasm and had one of the most distinctive voices for a non-singer. I remember when he was at an awards show and saying to a female star something like, “Looks like a time for a wardrobe malfunction.”

 This story of his life and his childhood goal of wanting to be a talk show host puts much of that enthusiasm in print. He talks incessantly about his love for food, fixation on fashion and what it was like to navigate the world in general and the entertainment industry in particular as a gay man. He is very explicit in explaining his one sexual encounter with a female and how it didn’t go very well. He mentions his male partner, but there is little detail other than during the acquisition of another dog.

 This is a book in that category where you read about ten to twenty pages per night as you are lying in bed putting your mind in a bedtime mood. Nothing spectacular to rile the brain before it goes to sleep but the text itself will not make you nod off.