Book review - Portia de Rossi's 'Unbearable Lightness'

Sinead Stubbins reads the current Australian bestselling book, so you can determine whether or not it's worthy of your time too.

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You’ve seen her spruiking her wares on Oprah:

 

And answering questions on Ellen:

Hell, she’s even appeared in an awkward interview with Carrie Bickmore:

For the last few months it has been almost impossible to escape prime time discussion of Portia de Rossi’s first book Unbearable Lightness. It’s easy to see why people are curious about this tasty morsel- Mrs. Ellen DeGeneres, divulging secrets about the seedy underbelly of the nineties television world, telling a harrowing tale of hidden sexuality and a crippling eating disorder. You can just imagine the glee on the publishers’ faces during the pitch.

However it isn’t just the ‘Inside Hollywood’ content of Unbearable Lightness that has accounted for its runaway success. To attribute its popularity solely as a consequence of de Rossi’s celebrity doesn’t seem to do it justice. This book seems to genuinely touch people. And I have to admit, after reading John Howard’s autobiography I was looking to be touched (so to speak).

Unbearable Lightness tells the story of Portia de Rossi’s rise to fame from Amanda Rogers, a child model from Geelong, to L.A dwelling ‘Nell Porter’ of the hit legal dramcom Ally McBeal, all the while documenting her eventual descent into anorexia. Celebrity eating disorders are a subject that have been tackled many, MANY times, and de Rossi is brave at having a crack at it.

The book is interesting in a few ways. For telephiles like myself, the description of the cast and crew of Ally McBeal (which was experiencing its highest ratings ever at the time) is pretty unreal. She doesn’t paint them in a particularly favourable light- they are curt, cold and seemingly unconcerned by the fact that a once healthy, attractive actress is quickly beginning to resemble a sick, pre adolescent girl.

However, for fans of the crazy ol’ dancing baby series, who would prefer not to taint their viewing experience, maybe give this book a miss. After reading about de Rossi agonising over the tiny skirts she must fit into, and having anxiety attacks about the multiple stripping scenes she has to do (and the fact that she has to do them in the first place) it is very hard to enjoy the show. One scene in particular has her‘sexily’ standing in her underwear to seduce her co worker, while her ribs and collarbone seem to sharply jut out of her skeletal frame. It is not easy to watch.

Apart from the McBeal segments, those who pick up Unbearable Lightness for the celebrity gossip will be sorely disappointed. While de Rossi doesn’t appear to hold anything back in recording her own experience of the nineties, she doesn’t dish the dirt on any other celebrities that must have been going through the same experience (Come on Flockhart! COME ON!). Admirably, she barely even mentions Ellen until the very end of the book, as almost a ‘see here’ to any critics that might argue she’s simply cashing in on her marriage. Plus, what does Portia really need the money for. She has like, five pet horses.

Perhaps what I found most disturbing about this book was the constant praise the Portia appears to receive when she has hit her goal weight of 40 kg. Her costume assistant calls her “Skinny Minnie” and begs her to share dieting tips, she appears on the cover of an American health magazine and on a twelve hour flight to Australia, (during which she starves herself and then gets drunk and vomits whatever is left in her stomach) a flight attendant actually congratulates her on her “discipline”. Yup. Safe to say that when doctor calls and says de Rossi’s organs are beginning to fail, the reader is not very surprised.  

All in all, Unbearable Lightness is a very good book. Portia de Rossi has a very lyrical way of writing; she is frank but not overly dramatic. She tells her story without self pity, however you still get the sense that writing this book was more for her own catharsis than anything else. Unfortunately if you’ve seen one of her many television appearances you will know a great deal of the book’s content, yet this shouldn’t be a deterrent. I read it so you didn’t have to, but seriously, maybe you should.

Although if you’re looking for any worthwhile Arrested Development references, you’ll be waiting for about as much time as it will take for that fucking film to be made.