Olivia Munn, (co-host of Attack of the Show on G4TV, new correspondent on The Daily Show and star of upcoming sitcom Perfect Couples on NBC), has written a book with a little help from Mac Montandon. Listeners of my podcast, Comic News Insider, will remember that I interviewed her last year at San Diego Comic-Con. It's Episode 210. Check it out cuz she be funny! (Felicia Day and Joss Whedon are on there as well). As for her book debut. Here's the official blurb:
"In this hilarious collection you'll find essays like “thought’s About My First Agent’s Girlfriend’s Vagina,” wherein Olivia skewers what it’s like to live in Hollywood. In “Sex: What You Can Do to Help Yourself Have More of It,” she frankly gets down to the business of getting it on, including advice on how to appropriately wrap it and bag it. In “What to Do When the Robots Invade (Yes, When!),” Olivia offers valuable information on . . . what to do when the robots invade! And just when you thought she couldn’t get any more geeky, she can. This book also includes such handy treasures as a timeline of great moments in Geek history, a flip book, an unofficial FAQ section, and a nifty (read: smokin') foldout poster.
Suck It, Wonder Woman! brings Olivia Munn’s unique humor, incredible wit, and lightning-fast costume changes to a world that needs more scrapbooking, sea monkeys, and for the love of God, a freakin' hoverboard!"
What did I think? I first downloaded the audio book because you know me...I can't read unless there are pictures. It's really funny stuff as she goes through her awkward childhood and teenage years, growing up in both Japan and Oklahoma (she's a half Asian like me!), first time dealing with Hollywood douche-bags and big name directors (in gruesome detail), a zombie chapter, talks of her Playboy cover shoot, robot invasions, a Q&A hypothetical chapter with questions about comics, sci-fi,etc. And a surprisingly poignant and touching chapter about witnessing her grandmother's death. Quite moving to hear her talk about this serious subject. Great stuff. I really connected with her on that because when I lost my grandmother, whom was my best friend, I felt like I didn't get a chance to say "good-bye" either. Thank you for sharing that with us, Olivia. It really resonated with me as I'm sure it will with many of the readers/listeners of the book. Hearing her actual inflection on everything, especially the humorous parts, was so entertaining. I watch her on AOTS and am familiar with her humor and it comes across great in the audio book. I got the actual book as well and it has pictures included of Olivia through the years and in various states of cosplay. There's also a section where she breaks down some tweets from Princess Leia..which in the audio book she says, "It's a whole thing and I worked really hard on it. So, just go buy the book. Kthxbye!" Ha!
Quick funny about buying the book. I was running late and asked a friend to pick up the book from my local comic book store. Now, she's not a nerd at all. She's from the deep south in the hills of North Carolina and her accent is country thick. She tells me of her experience purchasing. Imagine your thickest southern accent, multiply it by 10 and hear it as you read what she told me:
"I walked into the nerd store and went straight to the guy at the desk and said loudly, 'I need SUCK IT, WONDER WOMAN!' He kinda just looked at me all squirrelly until he got it."
Needless to say, I wet my pants hearing her tell me this. I can just see the guys look on his face when this beautiful country girl came in saying "suck it" and "Wonder Woman" in the same sentence.
I can't recommend this book enough. Though I just did on this week's Episode 273 and now here on the ol' blog. People have had issues with her calling herself a "geek". Rest assured, she is one. She says in the book what I've been saying for years. There are all sorts of geeks. I belong to many groups of geekdom. Comic book, sci-fi, sports, crossword, TV, film, Christmas, strippers, wine, etc. See? All kinds! Seriously though, her geek cred is legit in my world.
I look forward to more books from her over the years after she has hit the big time. Which she is well on her way. Trust me. If you don't know who she is now, you will in a year or 2.
I'm hoping to do a follow up interview with her at Comic-Con next week. Stay tuned for that, kids! And mad props to Olivia for all of her success! Well deserved, my Asian sister!
