First published 2022
Danny Pellegrino knows what it feels like to be the only gay kid in small-town Ohio. The 90s internet becomes his lifeline to a bigger world beyond Midwest suburbia. He loses himself in pop culture, watching The Nanny until he channels Fran Fine's confidence and playing Brandy songs to mend his heartaches. Ryan Phillippe scenes provide their own form of comfort. Years later, Danny finds himself interviewing the same iconic celebrities he once idolized as a podcaster behind Everything Iconic. His real-life stories trace the path from isolation in Ohio to success in Los Angeles, capturing every amusing detour along the way. Danny writes with trademark humor about his struggles while celebrating the pop culture obsessions that sustained him. The book mixes emotional honesty with 90s nostalgia and plenty of comedy, showing how one kid's escape into entertainment became his career.
Genres: memoir, comedy
Vibes: emotional, humorous, intimate
Tropes: escape-into-entertainment, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Ohio, Midwest, Los Angeles
Period: 1990s
280 pages · Hardcover · Sourcebooks