I don’t know when I first became a Busy Philipps fan, it was either when she was on Freaks & Geeks or Dawson’s Creek. I didn’t watch either when they first aired but discovered them later, thanks to DVD. I know I was a fan by the time Cougar Town aired in 2009, it’s because of her that I watched.
When I saw she was going to be in Boston promoting her new autobiography “This Will Only Hurt A Little”, I knew it’d be worth an hour and a half drive and hour on the train to see her. Since most people in the audience (me, 5 other guys, and 1000 women) hadn’t read the book yet, the “discussion” was difficult without giving away any spoilers. It was moderated by her husband so the banter between the two of them was amusing; watching the two of them drink and swat away fruit flies away from their tequila. Busy squirmed in her borrowed designer dress that wasn’t made for sitting and was beginning to smell like the last actress who had worn it. She came across as genuine, funny and the type of person I’d want to be friends with.
After reading “This Will Only Hurt A Little”, I felt that even more, even when her honesty became uncomfortable and didn’t portray her in the best light. The book details Busy’s life through her independent childhood, her life-altering teens, as a struggling actress in misogynistic Hollywood, hitting it big on TV (Freaks & Geeks, Dawson’s Creek and Cougar Town all get honorable mentions), feelings as a dissatisfied wife, being a dedicated mother of two, and all the while striving to be the sparkling star she always knew she was meant to be.
I loved hearing (Busy’s writing style is like she’s sitting next to you dishing, if you want to hear for yourself, get the audio-book) the stories about her embarrassing attendance at a wedding for her boyfriend’s (now husband’s) ex-fiance where she got wasted and had a wardrobe malfunction on the dance floor and when she had a train-wreck of a run-in with Courtney Love at a movie premiere party. Everybody knows (as Busy confirms) that if you’re going to have a run-in with Courtney Love, you want it to be a hot mess, otherwise it might as well have not happened.
I know that show business is all about image and ego but I didn’t realize just how much it can suck away an actress’ self respect. I couldn’t imagine being told that I couldn’t have a job because I weighed too much (like when Busy auditioned for the show Party Down) or commonly having co-workers and bosses telling me that they’ve jerked off to me. That is gross but that being said, I’m also hurt that’s never happened to me. I’ve never been the star of someone’s masturbatory dreams before. Couldn’t I have made a cameo? I’d be willing to be the door man letting in the pizza boy (is that Zac Efron?) or when they’re going at it on the table I could be in the kitchen Tupperwaring up the left-overs.
But I digress (and wish others would to thoughts of me), Busy’s not even forty and she’s penned her autobiography and mentions being burnt out from auditioning for roles. However, she’s huge on Instagram Stories (whatever that is) and has a late night talk show gig coming out on the cable network E! In my gay opinion, a talk show is a good fit since she has tons of talent and a lot to say. My fingers are crossed because she’s a diva I want to see continue to succeed and I’m curious to see what’s next.
