Oh, SNAP!
I didn't have any major plans for April, so when I learned about a book signing featuring Emmy-award winning actress and former model Jaime Pressly (star from the My Name Is Earl television comedy and the I Love You, Man movie), the choice on whether or not to go was clear. And I was very glad that I made it (also, it didn't hurt to live just 5 minutes away from the bookstore's location.)
Jaime was in town to promote her "It's Not Necessarily Not the Truth" autobiography, a book she wrote on behalf of her child during her pregnancy (which she even worked through, as fans of her TV show already know). What really pleasantly surprised me about her background though was that she is actually quite familiar and very fond of my neighborhood (South Coast, Orange County, California), having spent a number of years living and attending school in the area. In fact, since most of her closest friends and family still live here (her mother and best friends were all on hand at the bookstore), she tries to make it down to Orange County every possible weekend she can.
Now, back to the signing and all the juicy events that took place there...
Before the autograph session, Jaime Pressly (who arrived about an hour late due to a traffic accident on the freeway) sneaked up right behind me on her way to appear before the crowd and apologize profusely for her tardiness. Then, she treated everyone to a very in-depth introduction to the book, including why she wrote it and the message she wanted to share, particularly with young people. Following that was the Q&A segment, during which she openly and very frankly discussed very personal topics, including how her intolerant grandmother served as the inspiration for her character of crotchety Joy Turner on My Name Is Earl and how her first stage role as a kid sparked her love for acting and performing.
(But don't just take my word for it; you definitely should see and enjoy her anecdotes yourself by watching my video footage of the event.)
And just when I thought that Jaime Pressly couldn't be any more frank about herself in public, I was amazed at how many more personal details about herself were revealed when a local newspaper stuck around to interview her afterward. To protect many of her loved ones, the actress purposely changed their names in the book. But when the reporters asked for their real names, she did not hesitate to provide them. Also, she revealed how the title of the book was inspired by her grandfather (whose name, oddly enough, was Earl) who bore a striking resemblance to Elvis Presley's father Vernon. Lots of other very private memories were offered, but out of respect, I won't post that information (nor my video recordings) here.
In my case, I only had enough time to sneak in a quick question regarding her smart and funny role in the I Love You, Man film (my favorite movie so far this year), particularly with relation to her great chemistry with actor/director Jon Favreau. She promised that there were a ton of scenes with them that didn't make it to the theatrical cut but will find their way to the DVD release. (A lot of folks will be looking forward to that!)
Truly, Jaime Pressly is one of the warmest and most open celebrities I ever had the pleasure of meeting!
As always, you can find photos of this and other events on Shutterfly, but this time the real good stuff can be found on my YouTube account!
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO:
T-Pain featuring Trey Songz - Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin') {DJ Mai·Ty RNB Mix}
But wait! If you haven't already done so, you MUST check out American Idol contestant Anoop Desai leading his college harmony group (the Clef Hangers) in this hilarious (but strangely cool) rendition of the same song! Plus, a couple of other guys busts out T.I.'s "Do It" rap at the end as well!
Jaime was in town to promote her "It's Not Necessarily Not the Truth" autobiography, a book she wrote on behalf of her child during her pregnancy (which she even worked through, as fans of her TV show already know). What really pleasantly surprised me about her background though was that she is actually quite familiar and very fond of my neighborhood (South Coast, Orange County, California), having spent a number of years living and attending school in the area. In fact, since most of her closest friends and family still live here (her mother and best friends were all on hand at the bookstore), she tries to make it down to Orange County every possible weekend she can.
Now, back to the signing and all the juicy events that took place there...
Before the autograph session, Jaime Pressly (who arrived about an hour late due to a traffic accident on the freeway) sneaked up right behind me on her way to appear before the crowd and apologize profusely for her tardiness. Then, she treated everyone to a very in-depth introduction to the book, including why she wrote it and the message she wanted to share, particularly with young people. Following that was the Q&A segment, during which she openly and very frankly discussed very personal topics, including how her intolerant grandmother served as the inspiration for her character of crotchety Joy Turner on My Name Is Earl and how her first stage role as a kid sparked her love for acting and performing.
(But don't just take my word for it; you definitely should see and enjoy her anecdotes yourself by watching my video footage of the event.)
And just when I thought that Jaime Pressly couldn't be any more frank about herself in public, I was amazed at how many more personal details about herself were revealed when a local newspaper stuck around to interview her afterward. To protect many of her loved ones, the actress purposely changed their names in the book. But when the reporters asked for their real names, she did not hesitate to provide them. Also, she revealed how the title of the book was inspired by her grandfather (whose name, oddly enough, was Earl) who bore a striking resemblance to Elvis Presley's father Vernon. Lots of other very private memories were offered, but out of respect, I won't post that information (nor my video recordings) here.
In my case, I only had enough time to sneak in a quick question regarding her smart and funny role in the I Love You, Man film (my favorite movie so far this year), particularly with relation to her great chemistry with actor/director Jon Favreau. She promised that there were a ton of scenes with them that didn't make it to the theatrical cut but will find their way to the DVD release. (A lot of folks will be looking forward to that!)
Truly, Jaime Pressly is one of the warmest and most open celebrities I ever had the pleasure of meeting!
As always, you can find photos of this and other events on Shutterfly, but this time the real good stuff can be found on my YouTube account!
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO:
T-Pain featuring Trey Songz - Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin') {DJ Mai·Ty RNB Mix}
But wait! If you haven't already done so, you MUST check out American Idol contestant Anoop Desai leading his college harmony group (the Clef Hangers) in this hilarious (but strangely cool) rendition of the same song! Plus, a couple of other guys busts out T.I.'s "Do It" rap at the end as well!
Click to view