“I’m Glad My Mom Died.” A statement that would make most people do a double take and reread the title again. Jennette McCurdy, most likely known for her role as Sam Puckett on “iCarly” but in more current times is most well-known for her 2022 novel.
Her memoir follows her life from the young age of six years old until she’s in her mid- to late twenties. It tells the story of an emotionally and physically abusive mother who forces her young daughter into acting. A choice that forces her daughter, Jennette, to feel wildly uncomfortable, overly anxious, and stressed as she works to support her family. McCurdy starred in several background roles before slowing moving up into more high paying roles, including her Nickelodeon years.
Growing up, McCurdy and her three older brothers were forced to rewatch on VHS her mother’s cancer diagnosis, where their mother emotionally manipulates her children and criticizes their responses when she broke the news – including two-year-old McCurdy who attempted to lighten the mood.
Her mother highly encourages McCurdy to stay small to she can play younger roles through “calorie restriction,” which led to McCurdy’s disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, and alcohol addiction later in life.
McCurdy’s internal monologue shows how hard she worked to make her mother happy; Her mother showered McCurdy until the age of 16 complete with embarrassing body “exams,” and gave her extreme home makeovers where she had whitening strips on for 45 minutes, hair coloring, and eyelash tint.
The well-written, easy read makes readers truly see McCurdy’s life in unflinching detail. It shares all of the vulnerable emotions and experiences, which brings on waves of pity, sadness, and heartbreak for a young girl who doesn’t know any better.
As she enters her twenties, her mother’s cancer comes back and puts her in a wheelchair. It’s clear that her mother would be leaving McCurdy and her family soon. Once her mother passes, she isn’t sure how to process the loss of her “best friend” and in response her mental health plummets.
Like many memoirs, it shows that as a fan of actors and actresses we know very little of their personal lives. We do not understand what they go through in their personal lives, and they are more than their on-screen personalities.
In recent years, McCurdy has worked on herself through therapy, taken a break from acting, and start working on projects that inspire her. McCurdy posted a celebration post on her Instagram (@jennettemccurdy) Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, since her book had stayed on the New York Times Bestseller’s list for 62 weeks in a row.
Emily Loughridge is a third-year Communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
