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Might As Well Laugh About It Now
Recollections, wisdom, and advice from the beloved entertainer, American icon, mother of eight children, and New York Times bestselling author.
When the Donny and Marie show ended its award-winning run on ABC in 1979, 19-year-old Marie was ready to leave the stage lights for a secretary’s life—she had prepared to say “goodbye” to fleeting fame by studying shorthand and typing! Clearly, life took a different turn.
Now, decades later and still a beloved superstar, Marie opens the door to her thoughts on many of her milestones and missteps, both the public and the personal. In a life brimming with a mixture of charm and chaos, blessings and hilarious bungles, victory and vulnerability, Marie recounts for her “family of fans” her greatest successes as well as her most crushing disappointments, career pressures and expectations, marriage and divorce, depression, weight issues, tough choices, honors and awards, and the incredible joys and challenges of raising children. Through it all, Marie has bounced back time and again with unstoppable enthusiasm, resilience, and an unbeatably healthy and positive outlook on life.
In Might as Well Laugh About It Now, she imparts her insights on surviving all of life’s roadblocks and detours in a collection of friendly musings and heartening advice about learning to survive— and moving forward—with humor and optimism.
When the Donny and Marie show ended its award-winning run on ABC in 1979, 19-year-old Marie was ready to leave the stage lights for a secretary’s life—she had prepared to say “goodbye” to fleeting fame by studying shorthand and typing! Clearly, life took a different turn.
Now, decades later and still a beloved superstar, Marie opens the door to her thoughts on many of her milestones and missteps, both the public and the personal. In a life brimming with a mixture of charm and chaos, blessings and hilarious bungles, victory and vulnerability, Marie recounts for her “family of fans” her greatest successes as well as her most crushing disappointments, career pressures and expectations, marriage and divorce, depression, weight issues, tough choices, honors and awards, and the incredible joys and challenges of raising children. Through it all, Marie has bounced back time and again with unstoppable enthusiasm, resilience, and an unbeatably healthy and positive outlook on life.
In Might as Well Laugh About It Now, she imparts her insights on surviving all of life’s roadblocks and detours in a collection of friendly musings and heartening advice about learning to survive— and moving forward—with humor and optimism.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2009
39 people are currently reading
1040 people want to read
About the author
Marie Osmond
18 books26 followersOlive Marie Osmond is an American singer, actress, doll designer, and a member of the show business family The Osmonds. Although she was never part of her family's singing group, she gained success as a solo country music artist in the 1970s and 1980s. Her best known song is a cover of the country pop ballad "Paper Roses." From 1976 to 1979, she and her singer brother Donny Osmond hosted the TV variety show Donny & Marie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
July 27, 2017
An easy breezy anecdotal slice of "my life right now" book by Marie Osmond. I enjoyed all of her little stories - about the fire that destroyed most of her journals so she is writing from memory - her mother's death - her father's death - why she likes designing dolls - stories of her kids and her brothers - her stint on Dancing with the Stars. She keeps is all light and fluffy with a casual mention of her divorce from her second husband.*
There is a lot of darkness and anxiety she skates over in this book. I guess that's why I find her so fascinating. I'm not saying her perkiness is an act. I think she genuinely strives to be this way at all times - it would be exhausting.
I wish Oprah or Michelle Obama or someone with that sort of grounding energy would give her a hug and tell her she's enough just as she is. I would hate to keep up her punishing, manic schedule.
*This was written before one of her son's suicide and her re-marriage to her first husband.
There is a lot of darkness and anxiety she skates over in this book. I guess that's why I find her so fascinating. I'm not saying her perkiness is an act. I think she genuinely strives to be this way at all times - it would be exhausting.
I wish Oprah or Michelle Obama or someone with that sort of grounding energy would give her a hug and tell her she's enough just as she is. I would hate to keep up her punishing, manic schedule.
*This was written before one of her son's suicide and her re-marriage to her first husband.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2020
Fun and mostly fluffy. There aren’t any particularly big revelations nor is the book exceptionally emotional but it’s a good book to pick up for a bit of light amusement.
June 30, 2009
It's fun to follow Marie Osmond's career because she has had so many ups and downs in her personal life and taken on way too much. Who can have eight kids and still do musical roles on Broadway, a TV talk show, a doll business, Dancing with the Stars, Nutri-System commericals, and ongoing song and dance show in Las Vegas--and still look beautiful and keep her sanity? Since the writing of her last book Behind the Smile, which mostly described her post-partum trauma of 1999, Marie has had an eighth child, divorced second husband Brian Blosil, survived a major house fire, kept up her doll business, performed in a high-profile dance stint on TV, moved from Orem, Utah, to Las Vegas and begun a successful show at the Flamingo with brother Donny. Whew! The book is a quick read, but an enjoyable one because Marie, for all of her over-the-top activities and endless self-promotion, is a likeable person with the never-ending ability to laugh at her own foibles and personal disasters. This narrative came about partly because of the house fire that destroyed all of Marie's personal diaries over the years. She felt she should get down as many memories as she could with co-writer Marcia Wilkie, and does so in a random manner without regard to chronology. This doesn't matter, though, because all of her stories are so fun to read that you want to get to the next one whether it describes her antics with youngest daughter Abby, an important life's lesson from actress Shelley Winters, her sadness overhearing a photographer refer to her (at about age 9) as the "fat sister" of her six slender, performing brothers, or her hilarious and self-deprecating tales of her tendency to be scatterbrained. Some of the best tidbits from the book include "Its probably a good thing we are Mormon and don't drink or do drugs, because our chemical intolerance is ridiculously low. Balsamic vinaigrette and antihistamine nasal spray can make us giddy, I swear" (110), and "Your seventy-two-hour emergency survival kit should never contain an eighteen-hour girdle." Above all, this book is a heart-warming tribute to Marie's late parents George and Olive Osmond, and their ongoing influence in her life. There are also some little-known facts she shares. Who would have known that Mother Osmond was a substitute mom for Elvis Presley who used to call her regularly for a sympathetic ear (123-24)? Lastly, Marie's latest narrative is a tribute to the famous closeness of the Osmond family, and a testimony of how determination can keep the busiest of moms and aunts close to their loved ones. Speaking of aunts, Marie's numerous nieces and nephews call her "Auntie M" like the character in The Wizard of Oz. "Hey, hold a on a minute!" Marie says. "Wasn't Auntie Em prematurely gray and a drab dresser who spends her days counting chickens? That does it! Not one of them is invited into my tornado cellar!" (291). On a more serious note, Marie ends this chapter with the memory of comforting her brother Tommy when his infant daughter died soon after birth from a serious defect. Marie's quick vision of this little girl in the near future, healthy and whole, reinforces the Osmonds' spiritual beliefs about eternal life and gives this whole memoir an upbeat message despite all of the craziness.
November 26, 2024
This is a timeless and uplifting book.
December 29, 2022
Not sure how I missed this book when it came out. It is my favorite of hers by far. I loved how each chapter was a story in itself so I didn't have to remember where I was. She certainly has had quite the life. So very different from mine yet we do share a faith. I can never decide exactly how I feel about Marie. I can go back and forth and many things but I will always read anything she writes.
February 17, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. I liked that each chapter could be a standalone essay. Very easy to read and humorous. As some one who grew up with Marie (same age, religion, and home state) I remember a lot of the public moments. It was interesting to find out some of the personal details and her struggles with body image etc. that the rest of us felt too. I loved the humor in her writing.
September 14, 2017
Loved it! I couldn't put it down! I laughed. I cried. Great, easy read.
April 12, 2009
I loved this book! Sure, some of you might think it's because I'm a long-time Osmond fan, or maybe because I work for Marie's older brother Alan, but the fact is Marie has touched my heart as a woman, a daughter, and a mother. Her stories are funny, and believe it or not, many of them I didn't know. Her insight it wise. She has learned much from her own mother through the years and brings those words of wisdom to her readers through this book. Whether you are an Osmond fan or not, something in this book will be sure to touch your heart.
October 20, 2009
In one way, Marie comes across as a downhome girl in this collection of essays about her life and things she has learned through struggle. In another, though, her life experiences are so vastly different from my own, it's hard to think of her as "normal." In spite of the differences in our existences, the lessons she has gleaned were interesting and inspiring, and there were several gems among them, some I won't soon forget. It was a quick afternoon read. Never dull, never preachy, to its credit as a memoir.
July 7, 2016
About what you would think. Pretty self-serving, watch my youtubes, TV show, buy my dolls, aren't I funny and resilient?, etc. But like a train wreck, I couldn't look away. She is one of ours and has had an amazing career. She's just no writer. Also, I was disappointed in no dirt or the story of her PPD. That may be in her other book.
May 7, 2009
Don't know why I picked this up to read on a plane ride--just curious, I guess. It was interesting enough (since I had nothing else to read)... there were a few wise nuggets in there, but I found it a little too self-promoting...
June 16, 2009
Skip it. It is just an unrelated string of anecdotes which aren't that funny.
July 2, 2012
Great book, lots of interesting info about Marie's life written with her usual humour and positive outlook on life.
January 27, 2016
Live, love, laugh. That's what this book is all about. And putting family first. An endearing book by an endearing celebrity icon.
February 24, 2018
I'm not much of a celebrity lover, and perhaps the books got mixed up in my head at the library. This was a fluffy read. Vapid. Cutesy. And yes, I smiled at times, but the collection of stories seemed contrived, as if constructed for the on-stage laugh track of the old time variety show.
I give 2 stars for not taking herself seriously, but only 2 stars because I couldn't take her seriously, either.
There were inside jokes that I could not relate to: "Melon-colored high heels, anyone?" (Page 28 and repeated on page 30)
References to her weight: "After all, forty pounds is the weight of the average five-year-old. I came off the side of the stage huffing and puffing like the Big Bad Wolf but without enough breath to blow anything down." (Page 260)
Just TMI: "By this time we were hopelessly hysterical, and then even our bladders gave up trying to remain dignified. Our poor dates slid right through the puddles we were leaving behind. ...We ran all the way back to the tour bus, still laughing, though I'm sure the boys we left behind with pee-soaked pants weren't all that amused." (Page 160)
I'm not sure of the purpose for the book. Ms Osmond begins by talking about her experiences on Dancing with the Stars, discusses her children, her forgetful nature, then dips into childhood memories. She tells about lost jewelry, a touching moment baking bread with her mother, the tragedy of a house fire, and gives declutttering tips, and then returns to discuss more Dancing with the Stars wardrobe malfunctions in the final chapters.
Throughout the book there is a theme of obsession about her appearance, her weight, her clothing, jewelry, and her makeup. Yes, she is a celebrity and in the public eye, and the public is not kind to women about their appearance. The use of Sharpie pens as necessary as a makeup tool, and for coordinating jewelry? Hmm.... And how many of us need to know Lucille Ball's tips for proper stage lighting and the most flattering camera angles for the female face? You'll find them here.
Then there is the chapter about losing weight with Nutrisystem. It read like a testimonial. How convenient, how tasty, how healthy! Just eat NustriSystem food with a little daily walking and the pounds melt away - 40 pounds in four months! Add in the chapters about her QVC Doll Collections and her charity work... A bit self-promoting. Stephen Covey praises "her effectiveness in life" but what definition of effectiveness is being used? After all, there is a chapter relating how many times a day she locked her keys in her car and had to call AAA.
If you are looking for a light read that will lighten your pocketbook $24.95 hardcover (I checked it out of the library) and can then be added to your next declutttering box to lighten your bookcase shelves, this is it.
I give 2 stars for not taking herself seriously, but only 2 stars because I couldn't take her seriously, either.
There were inside jokes that I could not relate to: "Melon-colored high heels, anyone?" (Page 28 and repeated on page 30)
References to her weight: "After all, forty pounds is the weight of the average five-year-old. I came off the side of the stage huffing and puffing like the Big Bad Wolf but without enough breath to blow anything down." (Page 260)
Just TMI: "By this time we were hopelessly hysterical, and then even our bladders gave up trying to remain dignified. Our poor dates slid right through the puddles we were leaving behind. ...We ran all the way back to the tour bus, still laughing, though I'm sure the boys we left behind with pee-soaked pants weren't all that amused." (Page 160)
I'm not sure of the purpose for the book. Ms Osmond begins by talking about her experiences on Dancing with the Stars, discusses her children, her forgetful nature, then dips into childhood memories. She tells about lost jewelry, a touching moment baking bread with her mother, the tragedy of a house fire, and gives declutttering tips, and then returns to discuss more Dancing with the Stars wardrobe malfunctions in the final chapters.
Throughout the book there is a theme of obsession about her appearance, her weight, her clothing, jewelry, and her makeup. Yes, she is a celebrity and in the public eye, and the public is not kind to women about their appearance. The use of Sharpie pens as necessary as a makeup tool, and for coordinating jewelry? Hmm.... And how many of us need to know Lucille Ball's tips for proper stage lighting and the most flattering camera angles for the female face? You'll find them here.
Then there is the chapter about losing weight with Nutrisystem. It read like a testimonial. How convenient, how tasty, how healthy! Just eat NustriSystem food with a little daily walking and the pounds melt away - 40 pounds in four months! Add in the chapters about her QVC Doll Collections and her charity work... A bit self-promoting. Stephen Covey praises "her effectiveness in life" but what definition of effectiveness is being used? After all, there is a chapter relating how many times a day she locked her keys in her car and had to call AAA.
If you are looking for a light read that will lighten your pocketbook $24.95 hardcover (I checked it out of the library) and can then be added to your next declutttering box to lighten your bookcase shelves, this is it.
December 30, 2022
What better person to follow a Brady book review with than an Osmond? Yes, I know one's fictional and the other is real, but you get the idea. I ended up with this book by accident--I really wanted to read her first memoir, "Behind the Smile," but there was a mix-up ( a tangent not worth getting into.) Yet I decided to read it anyway because of the catchy title and the intro as to why she wrote the book (she had recently lost all of her journals in a house fire, so she wanted to store her memories in a new book with lessons from her life that everyone can learn).
To be honest, I felt the title was a misnomer. If you read the cover description, you expect it to be mostly--well, funny. Although there are funny stories here and there, like how she used humor to get through the devastation of the house fire, many of her stories are simply insightful, interesting and sad. If you're looking for something to really give you a lot of belly laughs to lift your spirit, this might not be the best choice.
That said, if you love Marie Osmond or the Osmonds in general, you will still love this book. It's full of stories about their beginning as a musical family, the sacrifices their parents George and Olive made, working with her brother on the Donny & Marie shows (old and new), her doll collection, the heartbreak of two divorces, etc. There were also some surprises--I didn't know she was the first choice to play Sandy on "Grease." She turned it down because she felt it sent mixed messages to young girls. And speaking of which, she talks about her lifelong struggle with weight and body image and how she eventually found success with NutriSystem.
Get ready to not just laugh but cry and simply be inspired by her stories. It's a must-read for any Osmond fan.
To be honest, I felt the title was a misnomer. If you read the cover description, you expect it to be mostly--well, funny. Although there are funny stories here and there, like how she used humor to get through the devastation of the house fire, many of her stories are simply insightful, interesting and sad. If you're looking for something to really give you a lot of belly laughs to lift your spirit, this might not be the best choice.
That said, if you love Marie Osmond or the Osmonds in general, you will still love this book. It's full of stories about their beginning as a musical family, the sacrifices their parents George and Olive made, working with her brother on the Donny & Marie shows (old and new), her doll collection, the heartbreak of two divorces, etc. There were also some surprises--I didn't know she was the first choice to play Sandy on "Grease." She turned it down because she felt it sent mixed messages to young girls. And speaking of which, she talks about her lifelong struggle with weight and body image and how she eventually found success with NutriSystem.
Get ready to not just laugh but cry and simply be inspired by her stories. It's a must-read for any Osmond fan.
Read
December 15, 2021The thousand-page novel 'Gone with the wind' can be described in one word - "Survival"
Marie's 300-page book can be described in one word as well - "Frantic"
If what she shared in this book is a good representation of her regular life then that lady is "really" over-scheduled. I'm exhausted just reading about her life.
When you have to let the hair dresser do your hair the same time the dentist is doing your teeth, Yikes! Something's gotta give.
And she's got to do all of this while starving herself to death.
Then when the world lets her go for the day and she gets home at 10pm, then she has to bake bread from scratch and organize the storage in the attic, not even to mention all the flying everywhere from one side of the country to the other.
If I was her, I'd be screaming, "No, No, make it stop!"
Bless her heart!
Marie's 300-page book can be described in one word as well - "Frantic"
If what she shared in this book is a good representation of her regular life then that lady is "really" over-scheduled. I'm exhausted just reading about her life.
When you have to let the hair dresser do your hair the same time the dentist is doing your teeth, Yikes! Something's gotta give.
And she's got to do all of this while starving herself to death.
Then when the world lets her go for the day and she gets home at 10pm, then she has to bake bread from scratch and organize the storage in the attic, not even to mention all the flying everywhere from one side of the country to the other.
If I was her, I'd be screaming, "No, No, make it stop!"
Bless her heart!
April 16, 2022
Loved Donny & Marie so much as a kid, so this was a fun & light-hearted read. Not too many stories on that show though and no essays on her and Donny’s relationship, though she does reference him (the 70s show may have been covered more extensively in other memoirs.) Loved reading about the evolution of the Donny & Marie Barbie Mattel doll Bc my dad worked for Mattel then and I had those dolls! Essays were written with Marie’s humor & personality which is captured well by co-writer too, and stories show her resilience & adaptability & positive thinking. Not a deep-dive into anything heavy, but rather easy, sweet essays including her kids & friendships. This is an older book from around 2009 and included her house fire, a story from Dancing with the Stars and ended with a sweet story of her late mom being with her in spirit.
January 22, 2019
Uplifting and a wonderful read!
I've been a fan of this beautiful lady ever since I first heard her sing Paper Roses on American Bandstand. Whoops, guess I'm telling my age. Lol. Oh well, age is just a number, right? Right.
Honestly, I loved this book, and I love reading about the very personal relationship she has with our Lord and the love she has for her family.
Thank you Marie, for pointing out that it's ok to laugh ourselves every now and then. In fact, it's healthy!
I have always thought she was one of the most beautiful women in the world, but I think her true beauty comes from inside. So thanks, Marie for writing this book and also for the helpful tips!! I am going to start carrying a box of assorted colors of Sharpies! God bless you.
I've been a fan of this beautiful lady ever since I first heard her sing Paper Roses on American Bandstand. Whoops, guess I'm telling my age. Lol. Oh well, age is just a number, right? Right.
Honestly, I loved this book, and I love reading about the very personal relationship she has with our Lord and the love she has for her family.
Thank you Marie, for pointing out that it's ok to laugh ourselves every now and then. In fact, it's healthy!
I have always thought she was one of the most beautiful women in the world, but I think her true beauty comes from inside. So thanks, Marie for writing this book and also for the helpful tips!! I am going to start carrying a box of assorted colors of Sharpies! God bless you.
December 9, 2024
A joy to read …and experience
This is a wonderful and honest account of her own life, not just as part of a family of entertainers ( although she loves and treasures them all) but as her own self. I loved the openness that Marie expresses. She is not afraid to expose her insecurities and times when she has stumbled ,and the reader gets to witness a beautiful heart and soul. Reading this book I have been moved to tears at times and laughed hard and long at other times. In a demanding industry Marie has remained real and, at the same time, juggled a thousand demands and given her best. She is a true celebrity with a common touch - her parents will always be proud of what she has accomplished and become. Her fans ? We just love her.
This is a wonderful and honest account of her own life, not just as part of a family of entertainers ( although she loves and treasures them all) but as her own self. I loved the openness that Marie expresses. She is not afraid to expose her insecurities and times when she has stumbled ,and the reader gets to witness a beautiful heart and soul. Reading this book I have been moved to tears at times and laughed hard and long at other times. In a demanding industry Marie has remained real and, at the same time, juggled a thousand demands and given her best. She is a true celebrity with a common touch - her parents will always be proud of what she has accomplished and become. Her fans ? We just love her.
February 13, 2023
I have been an Osmonds fan since e my teens so I have always been interested in anything to do with the Osmonds.
Marie is a fascinating character as she has had a turbulent life. What I liked about this book was her honesty about her failings as a wife and mother but instead of dwelling on them she showed how she recognised what she had done wrong and worked at putting them right - and all done with humour!
Marie's humanity shone through. This was written in 2009 and her rollercoaster life has continued. There is now rumoured to be a rift between her and her brothers, so I'd love to see another book telling more of her life story. How about it, Marie?
Marie is a fascinating character as she has had a turbulent life. What I liked about this book was her honesty about her failings as a wife and mother but instead of dwelling on them she showed how she recognised what she had done wrong and worked at putting them right - and all done with humour!
Marie's humanity shone through. This was written in 2009 and her rollercoaster life has continued. There is now rumoured to be a rift between her and her brothers, so I'd love to see another book telling more of her life story. How about it, Marie?
January 20, 2018
This book talks about the trials and tribulations that Marie Osmond has overcome and the many accomplishments she has achieved. She talks about how having a sense of humour is a must in getting through life's difficulties. Her story made me laugh, cry, and examine how I could handle things better in my own life. Very inspirational!
December 15, 2018
I admit it. I read this. I was looking for a light biography; this is light, but it's not exactly a biography. It's more of a series of vignettes from which Marie acquired life lessons. I read it in a couple of hours, as it's like listening to a friend tell stories. At least I didn't find any typos, which can be a rare thing these days!
November 15, 2019
I needed a light pick me up read to help with this reading slump and this book did not disappoint. Marie Osmond gave a glimpse I to her superstar like fe and wrote about her family memories. Some which were funny and some not so funny and how she overcame obstacles through her parents wisdom that she seems to be carrying on to her own family.
June 3, 2019
I saw her in concert only because I wanted to see her brother. I was blown away at her talent. What a voice and comedic timing. She is the real deal and is the hardest working woman in show business. The book is a look at bits and pieces of her life. I very much enjoyed it.
November 14, 2023
Certainly not a tell all, but I did learn a lot about the Osmond family. e.g. the oldest two boys were deaf from birth/childhood.
It was OK. I got a few laughs. But, mostly, just stuff about her and the family.
It was OK. I got a few laughs. But, mostly, just stuff about her and the family.
January 6, 2018
Marie Osmond is so down to earth. She isn’t afraid to be honest, even when it might be some embarrassing story about herself. She seems to be the kind of friend or sister we would all love to have.
April 17, 2018
Good book but she never really let you see her personal thoughts. Very superficial book. Still good though.
August 23, 2018
Not brilliant literature, but a fun memoir nevertheless
February 24, 2019
With typical Osmond positive style she writes about both the joy and sadness in her life. Much of it I had listened to in interviews on line.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews