Blake Smith/Jefferson Jimplecute
In 2022, former child star, Jennette McCurdy, with the help of the Simon and Schuster Publishing Company, released a 320 page memoir entitled “I’m Glad My Mom Died.” Once news of the book’s release spread on various social media platforms like Tik Tok and Twitter, “iCarly” fans cleared the shelves of local bookstores as well as online retailers. Since its release date, “I’m Glad My Mom Died” has been rated the number one New York Times Bestseller and number one International Bestseller. Within the first 24 hours of its release, McCurdy’s memoir sold out at a number of retailers such as Amazon, Target and Barnes & Noble. In the same month, it sold a total of 200,000 copies.
The book not only serves as a tell-all but it single-handedly forces the reader to understand the reality of being a child actor in a world that cares more about being entertained than it does about supporting one’s mental and emotional health. The book not only revealed to readers how dangerous it can be to be exposed to fame at an early age but it prompted other child actors to share their experiences as well.
Since the release of “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” various Nickelodeon stars, including Daniella Monet and Alexa Nikolas, have spoken out about the physical, emotional, mental and sexual abuse they experienced while under contract with Nickelodeon.
In the chilling tale of her childhood, McCurdy delves into the challenging relationship she had with her mother before her death in 2013. She explains the years of countless abuse she received from her. Her endless desire to please her mother sent McCurdy down the path of various eating disorders and a slew of toxic relationships with herself. Despite the fact that the book is entitled “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” McCurdy describes the relationship with her mother with a sense of love and adoration. Instead of pursuing a normal childhood. McCurdy had the weight of financially supporting her family at the young age of nine. It is evident that her feelings for her mother are not rooted in anger and resentment; they are rooted in pain. It is not until the final sentence in the book that McCurdy begins to describe feelings of hostility towards her mother. In her final line, she explains the words used to describe her mother on her gravestone are just a romanticized version of the life she truly led.
McCurdy writes, “I look at the words again; brave, kind, loyal, sweet, loving, graceful. I shake my head.I don’t cry. I stand up, wipe the dirt off my jeans and walk away. I know I’m not coming back.”
The author’s goal is to ultimately shed light on how harmful the entertainment industry can be. The majority of the pressure McCurdy received from her mom was rooted in her mother’s desire to make it big in the entertainment industry. Much of her struggles can be directly linked to the unhealthy relationship her mom had to fame as well as the open-ended promises Dan Schedider, the producer of various Nickelodeon programs, made to them both. The author highlights specific moments in her career including the behind the scenes of specific episodes and a closer look at some of the headlines that surfaced during her time in the limelight.
“I’m Glad My Mom Died” is not only crafted to help other child actors work through their trauma. The book, although it does delve into the struggles linked to being a child actor, focuses solely on the effects an overbearing parent can have on your mental and emotional wellbeing. Her fame did hurt her health but her inability to hate her mother is what has truly held McCurdy back.
The book is raw and gritty. McCurdy does not shy away from sharing the truth. It is entertaining, intrusive and honest. The author supports her arguments well with loads of evidence including emails, messages and details about episodes that are easily identifiable. The book’s biggest strength is its honesty.
The only identifiable weakness is the lack of a trigger warning. Despite that, I would recommend this book to anyone that has struggled with eating disorders, abuse or any form of childhood trauma that may be deemed taboo. This book is incredibly well written and I would recommend this book to anyone that has watched shows like “iCarly” and “Sam and Cat”. “I’m Glad My Mom Died” highlights how important it is to choose yourself rather than holding your family on an undeserving pedestal.