Chelsea Handler’s latest book, a collection of essays titled “I’ll Have What She’s Having,” is a hilarious and heartfelt reflection on her ever-eventful life. From selling spiked drinks at her childhood lemonade stand to unintentionally flashing the late Ethel Kennedy, the comedian and actor traces her life’s trajectory through the often outrageous stories that led her to this point in her storied career. At this point in her life, after reevaluating her personality and trying to ground herself in her values, Handler says she’s ready for a “refresh.”
She’s holding a book signing on Feb. 26 at Brookline Booksmith. — the day after its release, which happens to be her 50th birthday. Handler called it “a pretty big number.”
“‘Mid-century joyfulness’ is how I’m framing it,” she said on GBH’s The Culture Show Monday. “It’s a perfect time for me to kind of... look back at the path that I’ve laid out for myself, to look back at my younger self and see what parts I’ve taken with me, what parts weren’t useful to me, and kind of paving my way and creating my own life.”
Even though the book addresses a number of heavier topics, it holds onto Handler’s signature confessional style of comedy — like her “big crush” on and failed tryst with then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. After she declared her love for him on The View, he says the two of them were texting and talking during the pandemic.
“I really thought I was going to be the First Lady of New York,” said Handler, laughing. “It was quite a little tango romance — in my head, anyway, for what it was. I don’t know who put the kibosh on that. Probably someone in his office, once they realized he was texting with Chelsea Handler, they were like, ‘I don’t think so, buddy, I don’t think you should be hooking up with a very outspoken celebrity when you’re in the middle of telling everyone to stand six feet apart.’”
The introspection that Handler puts forth in her memoir pairs strongly with her comedic sensibilities. She doesn’t see a divide between her public persona and who she is in real life.
“It all blends together, I think that’s why I’ve had a career for this long,” she said. “People know they can depend on me for truth. So whatever I’m going through — whether it’s ugly, funny, hurtful or charming — I’m always sharing my truth with everybody.”
There are moments that people can lose sight of their values and who they are — but Handler says there’s always an opportunity for people to get back on the right track.
“I’m always about trying to improve myself, trying to make sure that my actions are not just for me, but for other people,” she added. “I think we can really get caught up in ourselves in this world... instead of thinking about the bigger picture.”
Through the book, Handler emphasizes the importance of self-care, from meditation to therapy to journaling, as a centering force in her life.
“I feel vibrant, I feel alive. I’m excited to be 50, I’m not bemoaning the idea of getting older,” she said. “I want to be part of the conversation on redefining how powerful it is to be in this position at this age — and to not think that it’s a bad thing. It’s a honor, and it’s a privilege.
“My job, I feel like, is to lift people up,” Handler continued. “That’s what I wanted to do with this book.”
To hear more from Chelsea Handler, listen to the full interview above. You can tune in to The Culture Show daily at 2 p.m. on 89.7, or stream online at gbhnews.org.
