REVIEW: “You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)” by Felicia Day
From online entertainment pioneer, actress, and “queen of the geeks” Felicia Day, You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) is a “relentlessly funny and surprisingly inspirational” (Forbes.com), memoir about her unusual upbringing, her rise to internet stardom, and embracing her weirdness to find her place in the world.
Showcasing Felicia’s “engaging and often hilarious voice” (USA TODAY), You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) is proof that everyone should celebrate what makes them different and be brave enough to share it with the world, because anything is possible now—even for a digital misfit.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Capes
Heroes,
Let me just admit that I was not 100% sure who Felicia Day was when I picked up her memoir, “You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost).” I knew her vaguely as the redheaded girl on “Supernatural” (which I never got in to, despite the massive hotness of both Jared Padalecki and Jenson Ackles), or the redheaded girl from “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” (which I totally got in to, but I’ve got serious sparklehearts for Nathan Fillion and I can barely register anyone but him). She’s famous in that way that’s like, “people on the internet say she’s pretty cool,” so when I saw the book, I thought, eh, why not?
(Edited to add from Renee: AND she was a “potential” in S7 of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” I mean, come on, Cory! Okay, carry on with your review …)
I knew I would like this audiobook (read by the author) when Felicia Day acknowledged her weird little slice of fame with a great introductory story about being approached by a group of fans in the mall. I won’t spoil the delivery, but suffice it to say that Day’s baffled reaction to her own quirky appeal is charming and gently self-mocking. Day tells stories of her home-schooled childhood and her early years trying to make it as an actress with the aplomb of a veteran comic, and speaks movingly of her struggles with a gaming addiction and the price of speaking out on the internet. Day reaches out to her audience with candor and humor, and I felt connected to her in return.
Not all autobiographies leave me feeling like, yeah, I want to be friends with this person. But I totally want to be friends with Felicia Day.
The part of the book that touched me the most was the section where Day discusses the writing and producing of her show “The Guild.” The show, which features a group of friends who play a MMORPG as a team, originated on YouTube, which was essentially brand new at the time. Day was encouraged to write the series by a group of women, calling themselves “Chicken,” who met regularly as a sort of informal support group. Later, they went on to work together on the series, taking it from a shoestring production in Day’s own home to a seven-season cult favorite that essentially created the genre of web shows.
Day’s description of this time period reminds me so much of the last year writing as Lily Cahill. She talks about the insane hours, the intense pressure, the difficulty of doing everything, and periods of crippling self-doubt. But she also talks about how much fun it is to work with your friends to create something that excites you. Working with other women helped Day bring her creative vision to reality, and working with the women of Lily Cahill has pushed me to expand my creative horizons and pursue my dreams. I found her commitment to the project and willingness to experiment with marketing techniques very inspiring, and I hope I can bring the same determination and sincerity to the Independence Falls series.
I also started watching Day’s Vaginal Fantasy Book Club series, and I’m totally in love. I’ve been looking for an online community to share my love of romance novels, and I think I may have found it. You can check out Felicia Day there, or at Geek and Sundry, the all-things-nerdy YouTube channel Day created and to which she regularly contributes.
I’m sure Day wrote her autobiography hoping to appeal to fans, but in my case she created a new fan through her book. I very much enjoyed it, and I think you will too.
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