Jenifer Lewis had some unfinished business to settle with her new book.
After the bestselling success of her debut 2018 memoir, “The Mother of Black Hollywood,” the “Black-ish” star wanted to offer readers something more than just stories of her past sexual addiction, alcohol abuse and celebrity encounters.
“Walking In My Joy," is described by its publisher as an “essay collection,” but the Broadway veteran veers toward self-help territory with her motivational messaging and poignant reflections throughout the tome.
“I wouldn’t call it self-help, it’s well being,” Lewis told the Daily News. “I think what ‘Walking in My Joy’ is all about working through life, walking through it and doing your best to be happy on your way to happy instead of thinking you’re going to get somewhere and be happy. Wherever you go, you will meet yourself when you get there and how you got there speaks to how you’re going to be.”
She added: “This book has a lot of rage in it, but what did I do with the rage is what I want people to walk away from this book with. Take responsibility for your own sh-t. Take responsibility for your own racism. Take responsibility for all of it.”
With her no-nonsense delivery and unflinching honesty, the 65-year-old raconteur riffs on the ills of the world and shares her personal anecdotes about the Trump administration. She recounts falling for a fitness trainer who turned out to be a con artist, fainting from hunger shortly after hob-knobbing with the Obamas at a White House Christmas party and having a brush with death when COVID-19 hit Los Angeles.
Lewis, who was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in July, said she doesn’t hesitate about giving so much of herself through her prose.
“Here, honey, take it, live it, have it,” is her mantra when it comes to dishing out the good, the bad and the ugly parts of her life. “There is no shame in my game, everybody know that. I gave you all my secrets. All of them. Now take them and learn, run with it.”
Lewis said she may have another book in her, but added that it’s a lot of work involved.
She also plans to return to her cabaret roots with a one-woman show produced by Emmy winner Lena Waithe. There are also plans to finally release a collection of recorded music of original songs and material she performed throughout the years on stage.
