Reality TV Junkie

Am I a reality television junkie? My husband would probably say yes, as I have been known to enjoy fine entertainment such as Celebrity Rehab and Kathy Griffin’s My Life on the D List. (And by “enjoy” I mean DVR religiously.) However I don’t think I could be as bad as it’s possible to be considering how much nonsense is out there for our daily viewing. In my defense I do love Top Chef and Project Runway, some would say “more respectable” reality shows. As I have written before, I do watch the (almost) riveting Tori & Dean on Oxygen. And because I have this not so guilty pleasure, I do read Tori Spelling’s books. Why? Well, because I find a peek into Hollywood life very entertaining. Additionally, Tori Spelling is so brutally honest and real that you feel like you are getting an authentic view of her world and the weird, strange atmosphere of Los Angeles celebrity.

Uncharted Territori (no, we aren’t sick of the puns yet!) is another memoir that speaks to the life and fame of this actress/designer. What I enjoyed about this book was how Tori explains the abnormal life she has while at the same time trying desperately to make it normal. I respect her struggle between being a workaholic, perfectionist and hands-on mother. I also admire her sense of self-awareness when it comes to speaking to the complicated relationships in her life. Her honesty is so forthcoming the reader feels like he/she is speaking to a friend. This book recounts another year in this life of Tori Spelling, including reconciliation with her mother.

If you watch Tori & Dean this book chronicles a lot of the events we saw in last season’s show, but also adds to the experiences with more detail. If you’re a fan, pick it up. It’s better than her second book and is on par with her first. If you’re not a fan you still might like it while you are sitting on the beach this summer with a frozen cocktail in your hand pondering what life might be like if Aaron Spelling was your dad!

-Kelly

Celeb Moms

Yes, I’ll admit it, I watch Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood. At first I watched a marathon on Oxygen one summer day when I was bored, and became pretty interested. Then as the seasons continued, I became more invested in the show and this year I pretty much watched out of obligation. I actually find Tori Spelling annoying a lot of the time, but then once in a while, I think she is pretty cool. You know how reality television can become addicting, and it’s almost like a train wreck… you can’t stop watching! So I read her first book and enjoyed it. I decided to read her second because her third is coming out next week and that one actually peaks my interest. Why not read the one that comes in between? It might have some interesting information!

I am not a mommy, but I figured why not read Mommywood anyway? I was sure that there would be some entertainment value, and there was. The point of this memoir is to discuss what is it like to be a celebrity mother, and how it is similar and different to the rest of the world. At times Tori tries to be funny and isn’t, but her sincerity does shine through. She’s stuck between wanting to give her children a “normal” life but at the same time does not really know how to live out of the spotlight. After all, it is her name that brings in the money to support her family. While reading I found myself going back and forth from being irritated with her, feeling sympathetic to her lifestyle and mildly fascinated with the idea of being a celebrity mom.

The book was okay, not as good as sTori Telling, but if you’re a fan of the show or Tori Spelling herself, then I would suggest picking it up.  It gives some interesting insight into celebrity life and day to day life as a celeb mom. I will still read her third book and I am sure I’ll be watching the next season of the reality show, because I can’t drive by the train wreck without stopping to take a look!

-Kelly