Happy People Are Annoying

by Josh Peck, Janos Picken

Overview

A wonderfully candid memoir from one of the most recognizable faces of a generation, actor, writer, Youtuber, and television superstar, Josh Peck. In his warm and inspiring book, Josh reflects on the many stumbles and silver linings of his life—including early struggles with food, drugs, self-esteem, and self-sabotage—and traces a zigzagging path to redemption. Written with such impressive detail and aching honesty, Happy People are Annoying is a visceral memoir full of surprising life lessons for anyone seeking to accept their past and make peace with the complicated face in the mirror.

Josh Peck rose to near-instant fame when he starred for four seasons as the comedic center of Nickelodeon’s hit show Drake & Josh. However, while he maintained his role as the funniest, happiest kid in every room, Josh struggled alone with the kind of rising anger and plummeting confidence that quietly took over his life.

For the first time, Josh reflects on his late teens and early twenties. Raised by a single mother, and coming of age under a spotlight that could be both invigorating and cruel, Josh filled the cratering hole in his self-worth with first food and television, and later drugs and alcohol. Today, with over a decade of sobriety, a string of lead roles on hit television shows and movies, and one of the most enviable and dedicated fanbases on the internet, Josh Peck is more than happy, he’s finally, wonderfully content.

Happy People are Annoying is the culmination of years of learning, growing, and finding silver linings in the scary parts of life. Written with the kind of humor, strength of character, and unwavering self-awareness only someone who has mastered their ego can muster, this memoir reminds us of the life-changing freedom on the other side of acceptance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798200855186
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	03/15/2022
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 5.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Josh Peck is an actor, comedian, podcaster, and social media star who has starred in iconic television shows, including Drake and Josh on Nickelodeon, Grandfathered with John Stamos on Fox, and Turner and Hooch the series on Disney+. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their son.

Table of Contents

Introduction Happy People Are Annoying 1

1 Sex and Deli 3

2 Too Fat for Commercials 15

3 The Laughing Jew Welcome Committee 28

4 New Kid on the Lot 45

5 Fear and Loathing in Beverly Hills 55

6 What Does That Say About God? 69

7 Daddy Gandhi 82

8 Some Not Nice Things About Myself 91

9 When Existing Is Exhausting 105

10 Laugh Loud, Cry Hard 118

11 The Fourth Hemsworth Brother 136

12 Premium Economy to Bali 149

13 Fortune Five Hundy Money 166

14 Adapt or Die 181

15 Begin Again 202

16 You're the Fish You're Trying to Catch 218

17 There Are No Experts of the Future 234

Conclusion Happy People Are (Still) Annoying 241

Acknowledgments 245

Editorial Reviews

★ 07/01/2022

Peck's audio memoir gets off to a hilarious start as he introduces the book in a whispery posh accent and then breaks into his real, jovial voice saying, "Sorry, I swear to God, I'm not going to read the whole book in that voice!" Listeners can hear the smile in Peck's amiable and droll narration as the former child star of Nickelodeon's Drake & Josh recounts transitioning into a successful adult acting career and becoming an accomplished writer. In the chapter "Too Fat for Commercials," he recalls losing out on auditions as a preteen because of his first love: food. While Peck's memoir produces a lot of laughs, he's also candid about the perils and pressures of teenage stardom; at 18, he discovered "drugs and alcohol were like a water truck in the middle of a desert for me—a respite from a life trudging along dehydrated." His recollections of years of addiction and getting sober are harrowing and heartening. VERDICT Peck's memoir is an irresistible and delightful mix of candor and comedy.—Kevin Howell

Library Journal - Audio