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The Kennedy Chronicles: The Golden Age of MTV Through Rose-Colored Glasses
Kennedy's off-the-wall memoir reliving the pop music and the madness as an MTV VJ in the 1990s
"I am Kennedy from MTV, and no matter where I go someone has a story to tell me about the time we grew up together."
Known to millions simply by her middle name, Kennedy helped bring the cutting edge of culture into our living rooms during the 1990s through her outrageous segments as an MTV VJ, host of Alternative Nation, and on-the-spot correspondent for MTV News. She interviewed everyone from fame-averse Seattle rock musicians to vapid celebrities and politicians, asking the taboo questions no one else would as she navigated between true artists and phony poseurs. In The Kennedy Chronicles, she gives us a backstage pass at the last golden years of the cable network that defined a generation.
As only Kennedy can, she takes us back to unforgettable moments such as Nirvana's seminal performance on MTV Unplugged, the unbridled bacchanalia of the MTV Beach House and Woodstock '94 festival, and the game-changing "Rock the Vote" campaign. We read of priceless moments—on and off set—with such performers as Bjork, Pearl Jam, Weezer, No Doubt, Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, Oasis, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. And Kennedy dishes on behind-the-scenes antics with MTV colleagues including Jon Stewart, Bill Bellamy, Kurt Loder, and Tabitha Soren.
Straddling the line between witness and participant, Kennedy recounts a blitz of surreal encounters: Dragging Stewart to a strip club. Getting naked with Jenny McCarthy. Playing dice on the men's room floor with Michael Jordan. Wrestling with Trent Reznor. Taking "Puck" Rainey from The Real World to church—and living to regret it. Making out in a coffin with Dave Navarro. Dodging calls from Courtney Love. Serving as John Rzeznik's muse for the Goo Goo Dolls hit song "Name." And there was that…incident…with New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani at the Video Music Awards. Finally, Kennedy intersperses her riotous narrative with priceless, candid interviews with Navarro, Henry Rollins, Billy Corgan, Pat Smear of Nirvana, Matt Cameron of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, former VJ John Sencio, and more.
In her characteristically edgy and irreverent voice, Kennedy delivers a juicy and revealing narrative perfect for Gen X and beyond—and for anyone who wants to know what really went on at MTV.
"I am Kennedy from MTV, and no matter where I go someone has a story to tell me about the time we grew up together."
Known to millions simply by her middle name, Kennedy helped bring the cutting edge of culture into our living rooms during the 1990s through her outrageous segments as an MTV VJ, host of Alternative Nation, and on-the-spot correspondent for MTV News. She interviewed everyone from fame-averse Seattle rock musicians to vapid celebrities and politicians, asking the taboo questions no one else would as she navigated between true artists and phony poseurs. In The Kennedy Chronicles, she gives us a backstage pass at the last golden years of the cable network that defined a generation.
As only Kennedy can, she takes us back to unforgettable moments such as Nirvana's seminal performance on MTV Unplugged, the unbridled bacchanalia of the MTV Beach House and Woodstock '94 festival, and the game-changing "Rock the Vote" campaign. We read of priceless moments—on and off set—with such performers as Bjork, Pearl Jam, Weezer, No Doubt, Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, Oasis, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. And Kennedy dishes on behind-the-scenes antics with MTV colleagues including Jon Stewart, Bill Bellamy, Kurt Loder, and Tabitha Soren.
Straddling the line between witness and participant, Kennedy recounts a blitz of surreal encounters: Dragging Stewart to a strip club. Getting naked with Jenny McCarthy. Playing dice on the men's room floor with Michael Jordan. Wrestling with Trent Reznor. Taking "Puck" Rainey from The Real World to church—and living to regret it. Making out in a coffin with Dave Navarro. Dodging calls from Courtney Love. Serving as John Rzeznik's muse for the Goo Goo Dolls hit song "Name." And there was that…incident…with New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani at the Video Music Awards. Finally, Kennedy intersperses her riotous narrative with priceless, candid interviews with Navarro, Henry Rollins, Billy Corgan, Pat Smear of Nirvana, Matt Cameron of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, former VJ John Sencio, and more.
In her characteristically edgy and irreverent voice, Kennedy delivers a juicy and revealing narrative perfect for Gen X and beyond—and for anyone who wants to know what really went on at MTV.
326 pages, Hardcover
First published July 30, 2013
About the author
Kennedy
256 books6 followersLisa Kennedy Montgomery (stage name Kennedy) is an American political satirist, radio personality, and former MTV VJ. She was the host of MTV's now-defunct daily late-night alternative rock program Alternative Nation throughout much of the 1990s.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
August 23, 2013
Easily the worst book I've read this year. Though Kennedy claims that people either loved or hated her in the 90s, I was ambivalent myself until I read this book. This book seriously needed a decent editor - it was rambling, disjointed and girlfriend needs to learn how to use commas. I don't expect a literary masterpiece from a VJ, but please. I also got the distinct feeling on more than one occasion that I was being lied to (chalk it up to those "rose colored glasses" I guess). I mean what was Puck doing at her parents house over Christmas if she was so repulsed by him? Go ahead Kennedy, just admit that you were dating him, I promise I won't think less of you (not that I could at this point). But the most annoying thing of all is her self-righteous attitude sprinkled throughout. We get it, your vagina was a holy unpenetrated vessel no matter how many hot superstars tried to get into your panties, you weren't a whore like all the other girls (seriously the virgin/whore dichotomy is pretty rich for a girl who let Puck sleep in her bed), but please for the love of god stop talking about your vag! Her disdain for rock stars who tried to keep themselves above the fray of MTV commercialism just makes her look like more of a Reagan-loving douche.
March 17, 2015
Anyone who watched MTV in the early 90s knows who Kennedy, the curly-mopped, glasses-wearing, smart-mouthed, hipster VJ, was. Hosting the late-night program, “Alternative Nation”; Kennedy hobnobbed with the crème de la crème of early 90s rock bands. Kennedy reveals her personal stories in, “The Kennedy Chronicles: The Golden Age of MTV Through Rose-Colored Glasses”.
Those readers expecting a chronologically-written celebrity memoir with literary merit; will be sorely disappointed with “The Kennedy Chronicles”. The text is instead a rehashing of gossipy, name-dropping stories during Kennedy’s days at MTV told in her loud-mouthed, conceited, Republican, ADHD tone/style. Sounds awful, right? Yes, if you are seeking professional writing but perfect if one wants to satisfy his/her teen fantasies of MTV infused sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll.
Kennedy keeps the pages alive and the pace rocking encouraging page-turning. Even though she comes off as judgmental and definitely exaggerates her stories; the text is ‘fun’ like the woman, herself. The issue with this is a sort of chunky narrative infused with repetition and off-track tangents. Also adding to this disjoined writing are occasional interviews with Kennedy’s former peers. Yet, this also adds a well-rounded view to Kennedy and her personality by giving others a voice against her subjective view.
The major problem with “The Kennedy Chronicles” is Kennedy’s lack of truly revealing her inner thoughts and feelings. Even though she recalls her MTV escapades in vivid detail; no deep emotions are explored making the text rather shallow. It is obvious that Kennedy is one of those types who use comedy and foul language to cover up feelings and not unpeel her own depths. This is disappointing for the reader who actually wants to get to know Kennedy as a person.
As “The Kennedy Chronicles” progresses; the pages become somewhat tedious as each chapter is basically the same: another gossip story that name-drops celebrities. Why must Kennedy do this? It’s obvious that because Kennedy was a straight-edge virgin (no alcohol, no drugs, and no sex); she didn’t really have first-hand stories to share that fit the music industry mold. Thus, she had to call out people she interacted with and their stories. This is supposed to be Kennedy’s story, though! Plus, Kennedy comes off as egotistical which is tiring for the reader.
For those not impressed with by Kennedy’s gossiping; there are some golden nuggets within “The Kennedy Chronicles” in which Kennedy exemplifies depth, intelligence, and artistry; which helps to carry the pace onwards. If only there were more of these moments…
Kennedy waits until the final two chapters to FINALLY open up about her personal and emotional topics versus just gabbing about celebrity friends. Clearly this is too little, too late. “The Kennedy Chronicles” ends rather abruptly but at least it ends with a little morsel of Kennedy revealed.
Despite “The Kennedy Chronicles” reading like a glorified tabloid; it doesn’t have the pathetic, “I’m relevant! Really!”- sense of urgency which other name-dropping memoirs have. It is obvious that Kennedy merely finds these interactions humorous and has a difficult time getting personal with the reader. Thus, even though “The Kennedy Chronicles” is relatively shallow; it is told in an entertaining and engaging way (Kennedy’s writing is far better than many other celebs, although that isn’t saying much). “The Kennedy Chronicles” is recommended for those who watched MTV in the early 90s or those simply seeking celebrity gossip stories from the music industry.
Those readers expecting a chronologically-written celebrity memoir with literary merit; will be sorely disappointed with “The Kennedy Chronicles”. The text is instead a rehashing of gossipy, name-dropping stories during Kennedy’s days at MTV told in her loud-mouthed, conceited, Republican, ADHD tone/style. Sounds awful, right? Yes, if you are seeking professional writing but perfect if one wants to satisfy his/her teen fantasies of MTV infused sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll.
Kennedy keeps the pages alive and the pace rocking encouraging page-turning. Even though she comes off as judgmental and definitely exaggerates her stories; the text is ‘fun’ like the woman, herself. The issue with this is a sort of chunky narrative infused with repetition and off-track tangents. Also adding to this disjoined writing are occasional interviews with Kennedy’s former peers. Yet, this also adds a well-rounded view to Kennedy and her personality by giving others a voice against her subjective view.
The major problem with “The Kennedy Chronicles” is Kennedy’s lack of truly revealing her inner thoughts and feelings. Even though she recalls her MTV escapades in vivid detail; no deep emotions are explored making the text rather shallow. It is obvious that Kennedy is one of those types who use comedy and foul language to cover up feelings and not unpeel her own depths. This is disappointing for the reader who actually wants to get to know Kennedy as a person.
As “The Kennedy Chronicles” progresses; the pages become somewhat tedious as each chapter is basically the same: another gossip story that name-drops celebrities. Why must Kennedy do this? It’s obvious that because Kennedy was a straight-edge virgin (no alcohol, no drugs, and no sex); she didn’t really have first-hand stories to share that fit the music industry mold. Thus, she had to call out people she interacted with and their stories. This is supposed to be Kennedy’s story, though! Plus, Kennedy comes off as egotistical which is tiring for the reader.
For those not impressed with by Kennedy’s gossiping; there are some golden nuggets within “The Kennedy Chronicles” in which Kennedy exemplifies depth, intelligence, and artistry; which helps to carry the pace onwards. If only there were more of these moments…
Kennedy waits until the final two chapters to FINALLY open up about her personal and emotional topics versus just gabbing about celebrity friends. Clearly this is too little, too late. “The Kennedy Chronicles” ends rather abruptly but at least it ends with a little morsel of Kennedy revealed.
Despite “The Kennedy Chronicles” reading like a glorified tabloid; it doesn’t have the pathetic, “I’m relevant! Really!”- sense of urgency which other name-dropping memoirs have. It is obvious that Kennedy merely finds these interactions humorous and has a difficult time getting personal with the reader. Thus, even though “The Kennedy Chronicles” is relatively shallow; it is told in an entertaining and engaging way (Kennedy’s writing is far better than many other celebs, although that isn’t saying much). “The Kennedy Chronicles” is recommended for those who watched MTV in the early 90s or those simply seeking celebrity gossip stories from the music industry.
July 29, 2014
*I was given a free copy of this book from netgalley.com for a fair and unbiased review*
I loved this book. I remember Kennedy from when I was a kid. When I was about 8 years old she was a VJ and I do remember seeing her on TV, and I always liked her. I never knew that much about her being so young and all, and reading this was a total riot. I really loved it. I would never have thought she was a straightedge virgin when she was a VJ. It almost blows my mind that she could do that. I admire her for that. Plus being a Republican was a surprise to me as well. I admire her for that being as MTV was so obviously left leaning and still has that stigma.
As someone who grew up with this music and lived this music, all of these bands were and still are my favorite, this was like candy. I love hearing the stories about the behind the scenes and about Rock Stars that I admire and ones that I don't really like. I loved how you got the story written by Kennedy and then often got an interview after the chapter with one of, if not the main person mentioned in the chapter. It gave them a chance for a response. It almost added more weight to her stories and it was pleasant to read.
I would love to read this one again in the future and would recommend it to people my age or a little older who watched MTV and lived like me.
I loved this book. I remember Kennedy from when I was a kid. When I was about 8 years old she was a VJ and I do remember seeing her on TV, and I always liked her. I never knew that much about her being so young and all, and reading this was a total riot. I really loved it. I would never have thought she was a straightedge virgin when she was a VJ. It almost blows my mind that she could do that. I admire her for that. Plus being a Republican was a surprise to me as well. I admire her for that being as MTV was so obviously left leaning and still has that stigma.
As someone who grew up with this music and lived this music, all of these bands were and still are my favorite, this was like candy. I love hearing the stories about the behind the scenes and about Rock Stars that I admire and ones that I don't really like. I loved how you got the story written by Kennedy and then often got an interview after the chapter with one of, if not the main person mentioned in the chapter. It gave them a chance for a response. It almost added more weight to her stories and it was pleasant to read.
I would love to read this one again in the future and would recommend it to people my age or a little older who watched MTV and lived like me.
August 4, 2013
This should be taken on as a fun read, not as anything profound or serious. The narrative jumps all over the place and should have been made more seamless with an editor. I wish the author would have focused more on character development and less about her own opinions. Though a generally funny person, Kennedy tries too hard to be shocking and inventive, spewing bad puns and toilet humor left and right, which eventually wears very thin.
However, as a teen of the 1990's, I did enjoy the gossipy quality of this book. Here, we the readers are given a backstage tour of a network that was indispensable prior to the internet. Executives were not afraid to take chances. Stars were given liberties that would not be thought of as especially professional at other networks. Rock stars became friends with the VJays and television personalities who interviewed them.
This book reads like the contents of a spiral-bound notebook at times, and I'm never sure if it's a clever ploy or just bad writing. The interview portion that concludes each chapter seems like a short cut more than an effective tactic. I never expected great art and read most of the book in a day.
However, as a teen of the 1990's, I did enjoy the gossipy quality of this book. Here, we the readers are given a backstage tour of a network that was indispensable prior to the internet. Executives were not afraid to take chances. Stars were given liberties that would not be thought of as especially professional at other networks. Rock stars became friends with the VJays and television personalities who interviewed them.
This book reads like the contents of a spiral-bound notebook at times, and I'm never sure if it's a clever ploy or just bad writing. The interview portion that concludes each chapter seems like a short cut more than an effective tactic. I never expected great art and read most of the book in a day.
September 1, 2013
Absolutely loved this book. Kennedy's writing is witty and fast paced.; there were moments where I laughed out loud. I liked the behind-the-curtain look at MTV and learning about the stars she encountered during her tenure. The part about Tom York was very funny, her interaction with Trent Reznor and Dave Navarro was very interesting. The fact that she was the inspiration for "Name" by The Goo Goo Dolls was very juicy.
The only negative I have is that the time line is a bit all over the place. One chapter Kennedy is talking about something that happened at the end of her time at MTV and in the very next chapter she's talking about something that happened before she arrived at MTV. It didn't make me enjoy the book any less (I did give it 5) it's just the way the book is written.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes behind-the-scenes novels and enjoys a fast read.
The only negative I have is that the time line is a bit all over the place. One chapter Kennedy is talking about something that happened at the end of her time at MTV and in the very next chapter she's talking about something that happened before she arrived at MTV. It didn't make me enjoy the book any less (I did give it 5) it's just the way the book is written.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes behind-the-scenes novels and enjoys a fast read.
July 19, 2013
I never liked Kennedy when she was on MTV. And this book really did not change that. I still find her to be annoying and not funny.
That being said . . . I did find the information on MTV to be quite interesting. Having watched MTV since it's debut on television, I grew up with the network. While Kennedy's main focus is on her work with MTV, it also chronicles MTV's growth and how it had changed from it's inception until the end of Kennedy's career there. It also gave tidbits on the real personalities of the VJs and news people other than their on air personas.
Even if you do not care for Kennedy, if you are interested in music, in particular the late 80's and the early 90's, you may enjoy the book. She discusses Henry Rollins, Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails, the Goo Goo Dills, Dave Navarro, and others.
That being said . . . I did find the information on MTV to be quite interesting. Having watched MTV since it's debut on television, I grew up with the network. While Kennedy's main focus is on her work with MTV, it also chronicles MTV's growth and how it had changed from it's inception until the end of Kennedy's career there. It also gave tidbits on the real personalities of the VJs and news people other than their on air personas.
Even if you do not care for Kennedy, if you are interested in music, in particular the late 80's and the early 90's, you may enjoy the book. She discusses Henry Rollins, Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails, the Goo Goo Dills, Dave Navarro, and others.
January 16, 2014
I'm going to guess she wrote this herself, because the alternative is she had a really shitty editor. The grammar in this book is making me nuts.
Okay, on the one hand, it's some interesting stories about MTV and rock and roll shenanigans. On the other hand, it was a horribly edited hot mess of book. Between the strange grammar and some instances where you could tell this wasn't the original order of the chapters, it made for a difficult read. Two and three quarter stars.
Okay, on the one hand, it's some interesting stories about MTV and rock and roll shenanigans. On the other hand, it was a horribly edited hot mess of book. Between the strange grammar and some instances where you could tell this wasn't the original order of the chapters, it made for a difficult read. Two and three quarter stars.
September 10, 2013
If you're a certain age, you probably hit the sweet spot of MTV - a little after the network finally solidified its image, but before the scourge of things like Total Request Live and the end of the animation block. For me, I probably started watching around 1993, which means I was too young to know much about the personalities of the VJs like Kennedy, but old enough to know who was who at the very least. Kennedy was probably my favorite, if only because she came across to me as the misfit toy of the group - not a model, not a comedian, sort of the nerdy type who wandered in and ended up getting a gig on TV. Now, today, she's a political spokeperson in libertarian circles, and she put out a book about her time at MTV, so I dove right at it.
The meat of the book is effectively the story of Kennedy at MTV. It trades back and forth between anecdotes about working at MTV, getting hired, getting fired, the Beach House, and so on, and contrasts it with some talk of the bands she met of the time, her personal relationships with many of the people involved, and so on. It's a lot of confessional, a little "look how cool I was," and a lot of topics over the 300 pages.
What worked for me was that there were a lot of interesting stories. She spent a lot of time with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails and you get a different feel for him than perhaps the popular sentiment would represent. In what might be the biggest reveal, we get an admission from the lead singer of the Goo Goo Dolls that their hit song "Name" was actually inspired by and about Kennedy, which is stunning. A lot of other interesting pieces about various musicians, and a surface-level inside look at MTV in general? It's not bad, especially in the short chapter bite-sized chunks it comes in.
I do wish the book spent more time on some of the aftermath. I do wish we had a more in-depth look at MTV's operations. Some stories, like the ones with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, feel like they're missing key information that should have probably been disclosed later on. The book's hyper-focus on MTV was a little disappointing, and Kennedy was way too focused on her virginity in the old stories. Really?
Overall, I enjoyed the read. It is far from perfect, but as a fun nostalgia trip, especially as someone who was right in MTV's wheelhouse during a time when Kennedy was on, and as someone who was young enough to not know what anyone else really thought about her? Absolutely worth my reading time.
The meat of the book is effectively the story of Kennedy at MTV. It trades back and forth between anecdotes about working at MTV, getting hired, getting fired, the Beach House, and so on, and contrasts it with some talk of the bands she met of the time, her personal relationships with many of the people involved, and so on. It's a lot of confessional, a little "look how cool I was," and a lot of topics over the 300 pages.
What worked for me was that there were a lot of interesting stories. She spent a lot of time with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails and you get a different feel for him than perhaps the popular sentiment would represent. In what might be the biggest reveal, we get an admission from the lead singer of the Goo Goo Dolls that their hit song "Name" was actually inspired by and about Kennedy, which is stunning. A lot of other interesting pieces about various musicians, and a surface-level inside look at MTV in general? It's not bad, especially in the short chapter bite-sized chunks it comes in.
I do wish the book spent more time on some of the aftermath. I do wish we had a more in-depth look at MTV's operations. Some stories, like the ones with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, feel like they're missing key information that should have probably been disclosed later on. The book's hyper-focus on MTV was a little disappointing, and Kennedy was way too focused on her virginity in the old stories. Really?
Overall, I enjoyed the read. It is far from perfect, but as a fun nostalgia trip, especially as someone who was right in MTV's wheelhouse during a time when Kennedy was on, and as someone who was young enough to not know what anyone else really thought about her? Absolutely worth my reading time.
April 19, 2014
I did enjoy reading this one. I admit I did not like Kennedy when she was on KROQ, but she grew on me when she was on MTV. She had my dream job! I liked living vicariously through her in her many friendships with bands that I really like. Sure the editing could have been better and at times it felt like I was reading items that were written and published separately, but then mashed together here. I still liked it and I could hear her voice in many of the anecdotes.
August 11, 2016
This author's main theme was her own Reluctant Abstinence, and I just don't care that she was a young sober virgin through the 90's at MTV and moreover I don't consider that a valid excuse for her being as inappropriate, reckless, vicious, and gross as she so vaingloriously presents herself as being in this book. This whole thing comes across as mean and petty poison penning. And not edited very well, so while many bits were repeated several times (throughout the book and within a page, or even a paragraph), other parts seemed haphazardly mentioned without sufficient set-up (what Vegas adventure with Kiefer Sutherland?).
After not liking VJ, it was silly of me to pick up another MTV VJ memoir; I'm interested in reading about MTV's history, but am finally realizing I'm not going to get that from this particular mode of Talent. I thought I remembered liking Kennedy, and granted she is a better writer than the original VJs collectively, but 1) that's a low bar and 2) I was only able to enjoy parts where Kennedy was describing things not about herself. And since she makes EVERYTHING about herself (even the death of her friend's father, and a co-worker's cancer), maybe 10-15 pages I liked? I can't believe she's the product of the Pacific northwest, but it makes sense that she's in California now... raising two little girls. With that mouth, and those body issues.
After not liking VJ, it was silly of me to pick up another MTV VJ memoir; I'm interested in reading about MTV's history, but am finally realizing I'm not going to get that from this particular mode of Talent. I thought I remembered liking Kennedy, and granted she is a better writer than the original VJs collectively, but 1) that's a low bar and 2) I was only able to enjoy parts where Kennedy was describing things not about herself. And since she makes EVERYTHING about herself (even the death of her friend's father, and a co-worker's cancer), maybe 10-15 pages I liked? I can't believe she's the product of the Pacific northwest, but it makes sense that she's in California now... raising two little girls. With that mouth, and those body issues.
January 2, 2014
I was born in 1984, which means I was coming of age and slave to the idiot-box perfectly in time with this book. I remember Kennedy and the early seasons of the Beach House, so I found the behind the scenes tidbits to be absolutely enthralling. I am now old enough to marvel at the feat of keeping political outlook and hymen intact despite the world young Kennedy was immersed in. If I were in her shoes would I have been able to turn down the advances of the famous (or semi-famous)? Oh, not a chance. What I found annoying about Kennedy's book (though totally within her right) were the hints towards her personal issues and struggles she continues to keep under wraps while she airs the dirty laundry of others. Towards the end she becomes much more personal changing the tone of the book and making you feel like there's so much more of her story left to tell.
January 21, 2016
No matter how much you love the '90s, don't bother reading this book.
The tagline "The Golden Age of MTV Through Rose-Colored Glasses" could not be more of an incorrect description of this book. I loved Kennedy on MTV as a kid, so I was interested in reading her take on the glory days of alternative rock and MTV. However, all the stories are tainted with Kennedy's negativity and bias against people who pissed her off for some reason or another during her short-lived VJ career. The chapter on Courtney Love was incredibly biased against the rocker (we all love to hate Love, but this takes the cake).
This book could also use a good, hard edit.
Verdict: Not worth your time. Instead, YouTube some Alternative Nation and MTV Beach House if you're jonesin' for classic MTV.
The tagline "The Golden Age of MTV Through Rose-Colored Glasses" could not be more of an incorrect description of this book. I loved Kennedy on MTV as a kid, so I was interested in reading her take on the glory days of alternative rock and MTV. However, all the stories are tainted with Kennedy's negativity and bias against people who pissed her off for some reason or another during her short-lived VJ career. The chapter on Courtney Love was incredibly biased against the rocker (we all love to hate Love, but this takes the cake).
This book could also use a good, hard edit.
Verdict: Not worth your time. Instead, YouTube some Alternative Nation and MTV Beach House if you're jonesin' for classic MTV.
February 2, 2014
I highly recommend this for anyone looking to overdose on 90's nostalgia. Due to a finicky oldr sister who would not turn the channel from MTV specifically during the MTV with Kennedy era and having curly hair and horned rimmed glasses, Kennedy and MTV were staples of my adolescence. .. the book is written in the manner in which she speaks and I love the follow up interviews that to me just prove the memoir is the memory of the writer. Someone reviewed regarding grammar... this isn't an English paper. I loved the pacing, the passion and the crazy trash mouthed Greek Orthodox gypsy and now I have closure for my own personal choice to stay away from the post Kennedy era of MTV...
June 7, 2013
First of all, I liked this book. But I liked Kennedy, and in the early 90's she was one of my favorites on MTV (back when they actually showed music videos). It's written in a light hearted, "giving us the scoop", kind of way and she reveals many behind the scenes liaisons and interesting personalities.
Recommend if you are a fan of early 90's MTV, pop culture or Kennedy herself. Fun read.
Recommend if you are a fan of early 90's MTV, pop culture or Kennedy herself. Fun read.
November 20, 2013
Any child of the 90s will appreciate this blast from the past. The storytelling is a little all-over-the-place at times, but in this situation, I think it works. Kennedy includes random stories about friends and frenemies in the music industry, with a make-out session or two thrown in for good measure. Love Kennedy now, loved her back then.
August 16, 2013
This was a fun read with lots of 90s gossip. Just as you remembered, Kennedy doesn't hold back. She always annoyed me and she still does but you'll be so swept up by 90s nostalgia that you won't care!
November 14, 2013
Now that's a memoir. Nice and long, tons of awesome stories, brutally honest. Be ready to roll your eyes whenever she talks politics; luckily that's not too often.
I wish she would have kept going since she doesn't talk about anything after her stint at MTV.
I wish she would have kept going since she doesn't talk about anything after her stint at MTV.
November 20, 2015
A fun breezy book about Lisa's time as an Mtv VJ in the mid 90's. You can actually hear her voice in your head while reading it and she's very witty.
Also is unflinching in her opinions which is actually refreshing......
Also is unflinching in her opinions which is actually refreshing......
September 12, 2016
Entertaining memoir for the waning days of summer (shades of MTV's 'Beach House'?), especially for those who lived through the 90's and/or appreciate the music from that era. Always amusing, sometimes raunchy, and occasionally moving experiences from the opinionated former 'VJ.'
August 7, 2023
Oh, Kennedy! The girl has stories, but getting to the center of the Tootsie Roll is near impossible. She doesn't narrate, she bloviates. Like a pitcher winding up, and winding up and winding up- only to drop the ball. She speaks in cliches, innuendo, rhymes and sing song. She gets to the point rarely and often when she gets close she uses words and phrases shrouded in mystery (or is that 'wtf?'), leaving you to unravel whatever the eff she isn't saying, so as not to be sued or worse-be honest.
She has a filthy mouth and her images are constantly sex based even though she literally hangs her hat on being a virgin into her mid twenties as though that isn't a weird hill to die on. Virginity isn't a prize or measure of a life well lived, but Kennedy's inner misogyny runs deep and is embedded into her very veins. She is constantly giving us the weather report from her crotch, and describing the various erections she's come across and she loves the word 'bulging'. It seems that being a technical virgin (though bj's abound) means her entire being is laser focused on her vagina, unlike us more average folks who can just get on with our day. (If this review seems cringe, there is no easier way to put it)
She also takes pride in being a Republican, but since the book was released in 2013 I'm going to shake my head, but NOT go there so as not to rile myself up. A lot of Kennedy's personality relies on being a square surrounded by circles but I guess everyone has an angle.
She does have stories though, and this is why I read the whole (long) memoir. Some of the stories were decent and worth the trip, others rambled. Being privvy to the backstage brouhaha at MTV in the 90s brought back a lot of memories, like how things used to be, the styles, the mood. Her hate for Courtney Love is strong, Courtney having smudged her lip gloss (on purpose and out of malice?) and her name calling and criticism for Love is so over the top. And yet- when Courtney calls her, she talks to her, so...And, good lord, I still cannot grasp that the Goo Goo Dolls song 'Name' is about Kennedy. What's next? The Foo Fighters 'My Hero' is secretly about Marjorie Taylor Greene?
Two stories off the top of my head that were especially disturbing: When she had Marcus Shenkenberg on her talk show (Model, Samantha's boy toy on 'Sex in The City') she took great pleasure in shoving her tongue down his throat without consent. About it she says: "There are very few times in your life, and even fewer contexts, where you can take advantage of a vulnerable super model and assault him against his will, and I knew I would stew in regret if I didn't at least taste his genetically superior, glistening adenoids" (this is what we are dealing with, description wise throughout the entire book) Another involves her in an upscale sauna with Jenny McCarthy wherein Jenny has to 'reinsert' a part of her body when she gets up off a lounge chair, a sentence that has given me nightmares ever since. (Oh, and Jenny eats a lot of fiber and clogs up toilets all across our vast nation, so if you hang with her, bring a plunger. This is discussed many times, is a favored callback)
We also get a ditty about a backstage encounter with members of NIN and the Marilyn Manson band and a groupie that is disgusting, yet absolutely, positively tracks.
Anyhoo, this is the deal and you're welcome to have at it. Just be prepared. It got me revved up enough to write a review years after it was published, no less, so there's that. For me, it was the perfect summer hate-read. (And I must admit, there are times when I actually enjoy a good hate-read!)
She has a filthy mouth and her images are constantly sex based even though she literally hangs her hat on being a virgin into her mid twenties as though that isn't a weird hill to die on. Virginity isn't a prize or measure of a life well lived, but Kennedy's inner misogyny runs deep and is embedded into her very veins. She is constantly giving us the weather report from her crotch, and describing the various erections she's come across and she loves the word 'bulging'. It seems that being a technical virgin (though bj's abound) means her entire being is laser focused on her vagina, unlike us more average folks who can just get on with our day. (If this review seems cringe, there is no easier way to put it)
She also takes pride in being a Republican, but since the book was released in 2013 I'm going to shake my head, but NOT go there so as not to rile myself up. A lot of Kennedy's personality relies on being a square surrounded by circles but I guess everyone has an angle.
She does have stories though, and this is why I read the whole (long) memoir. Some of the stories were decent and worth the trip, others rambled. Being privvy to the backstage brouhaha at MTV in the 90s brought back a lot of memories, like how things used to be, the styles, the mood. Her hate for Courtney Love is strong, Courtney having smudged her lip gloss (on purpose and out of malice?) and her name calling and criticism for Love is so over the top. And yet- when Courtney calls her, she talks to her, so...And, good lord, I still cannot grasp that the Goo Goo Dolls song 'Name' is about Kennedy. What's next? The Foo Fighters 'My Hero' is secretly about Marjorie Taylor Greene?
Two stories off the top of my head that were especially disturbing: When she had Marcus Shenkenberg on her talk show (Model, Samantha's boy toy on 'Sex in The City') she took great pleasure in shoving her tongue down his throat without consent. About it she says: "There are very few times in your life, and even fewer contexts, where you can take advantage of a vulnerable super model and assault him against his will, and I knew I would stew in regret if I didn't at least taste his genetically superior, glistening adenoids" (this is what we are dealing with, description wise throughout the entire book) Another involves her in an upscale sauna with Jenny McCarthy wherein Jenny has to 'reinsert' a part of her body when she gets up off a lounge chair, a sentence that has given me nightmares ever since. (Oh, and Jenny eats a lot of fiber and clogs up toilets all across our vast nation, so if you hang with her, bring a plunger. This is discussed many times, is a favored callback)
We also get a ditty about a backstage encounter with members of NIN and the Marilyn Manson band and a groupie that is disgusting, yet absolutely, positively tracks.
Anyhoo, this is the deal and you're welcome to have at it. Just be prepared. It got me revved up enough to write a review years after it was published, no less, so there's that. For me, it was the perfect summer hate-read. (And I must admit, there are times when I actually enjoy a good hate-read!)
November 18, 2020
This book badly suffers from want of a good editor, though I guess at least you can read it start to finish in the author's own voice. I loved Kennedy during these years of the MTV heyday, I can personally trace my life to what videos came out what year in the nineties during the grunge and alternative boom before the channel mostly died. I guess it made me sad to know the disdain the woman herself held for her 'radical left' colleagues the whole time as she has now transitioned to Fox channel host and Trump cult member. MTV using the platform to inspire youth voters for Clinton was definitely a turning point for me to vote when my time came so it was a real slap to see Kennedy dismiss the idea so thoroughly. It's certainly been interesting reading this in the aftermath of the Biden election win.
May 9, 2022
At least one of these stars is for nostalgia. Here, ex-MTV VJ Kennedy presents the rock gods of the 1990s (Trent Reznor, Thom Yorke, more) in all their messy, human glory. She brings these stars closer to earth, never mind that they lose some illumination along the way.
She’s not a great writer (and the book seems strangely unedited; grammatical errors abound), but she knows what stories to tell. This is not a book that begins in childhood; instead, it starts right with the action.
If there’s a thread running through the book, it’s Kennedy’s virginity (which she surrenders, in the end, to the man who will become her husband). Rest assured that there’s still plenty of raunch. But the real draw, for readers of a certain age, is access into a world most of us saw only through our TV screens.
She’s not a great writer (and the book seems strangely unedited; grammatical errors abound), but she knows what stories to tell. This is not a book that begins in childhood; instead, it starts right with the action.
If there’s a thread running through the book, it’s Kennedy’s virginity (which she surrenders, in the end, to the man who will become her husband). Rest assured that there’s still plenty of raunch. But the real draw, for readers of a certain age, is access into a world most of us saw only through our TV screens.
June 26, 2019
While I'm not a fan of this broad necessarily, I love and remember fondly the period of time she writes about here.
I remember my older and brothers and sisters getting annoyed with her VJ-ing on MTV. I remember all these bands (and have been lucky enough to see a few of them in person) and all these shows, because this channel was a huge part of growing up for me.
Living in the 90's down south- it all constantly reassured me that there was a world out there that didn't consist of country music, backwards racists, southern accents, and stifling heat.
This book is like a love letter to my younger self, and offers a sneak peak behind the scenes of a channel (and the bands) I was obsessed with.
If you were a child or a teenager in the 90's you have to download this book.
I remember my older and brothers and sisters getting annoyed with her VJ-ing on MTV. I remember all these bands (and have been lucky enough to see a few of them in person) and all these shows, because this channel was a huge part of growing up for me.
Living in the 90's down south- it all constantly reassured me that there was a world out there that didn't consist of country music, backwards racists, southern accents, and stifling heat.
This book is like a love letter to my younger self, and offers a sneak peak behind the scenes of a channel (and the bands) I was obsessed with.
If you were a child or a teenager in the 90's you have to download this book.
May 16, 2021
Since I’m European, I didn’t know who Kennedy is. I only saw her twice on tv at one of their award ceremonies.
Judging from how the book is written, I assume she is all over the place. The book is full of gossip and she is apparently full of herself.
This is the bottom of books related to music.
I don’t want to be a negative asshole, so let’s end this with something positive: the cover photo is funny as hell !
Judging from how the book is written, I assume she is all over the place. The book is full of gossip and she is apparently full of herself.
This is the bottom of books related to music.
I don’t want to be a negative asshole, so let’s end this with something positive: the cover photo is funny as hell !
August 21, 2017
A wonderful flashback into, as the title says, "the golden age of MTV." Kennedy's stories from her five years at the video channel are a lot of fun. She hates Courtney Love and loves Gwen Stefani for reasons that will become clear to readers. Why she insisted on wearing jammies all the time--Well, I'll never understand that. If you liked MTV back when it played videos, you'll enjoy this book.
May 8, 2019
Hilarious, nasty, amazing time documented from an up close perspective with fun and raunchiness
I know Kennedy from political analysis, never guessed she was a teetotaler, virgin in the rock and roll world previously.
I know Kennedy from political analysis, never guessed she was a teetotaler, virgin in the rock and roll world previously.
May 24, 2017
It is TERRIBLY written, but I couldn't help but love the content. She was a VJ from 1992-1997, when I was 13-18, so MTV was huge in my life. It was a fun trip down memory lane.
September 8, 2023
This is a book with words and sentences.
July 9, 2013
2.5 stars
ARC received by the publisher via NetGalley.
I made it known on a message board I co-admin that I planned to read this book, despite having very little memory of Kennedy, as an MTV VJ or otherwise. I knew the name, knew she was somebody, but I honestly have no recollection of seeing her on the channel, or of watching MTV at all during her five-year tenure. The subtitle of her memoir defines the early-to-mid 1990s as the golden age of MTV, and some may debate that. Me, I saw it as the beginning of the end, the transition from grab-bag video roulette that scheduled Motley Crue to follow The B-52's to follow The Doors to more structured programming that parsed videos by sub-genre and gradually doled out time slots to irrelevant shows. The 1980s had music videos, the 90s had Beavis and Butthead and Jenny McCarthy. By the time Kennedy appeared on the scene I was a college graduate in Athens, Georgia spending more time outside.
Nonetheless, I wanted to read her book in tandem with VJ, the oral history of MTV's genesis as told by four of the surviving original VJs. I thought it interesting to see both books come out around the same time, thereby allowing us a personal view of the network's evolution. First response from my message board post: You're lucky you don't remember her. I do, and she fuckin' sucked.
I haven't asked for specifics, but the "fuckin' sucks" opinion is one Kennedy seems to acknowledge. You loved her or you wanted to poke her with sharp, fiery sticks. To make up for my neglect of MTV in the 90s, I researched clips on YouTube to find a hostess resembling a bespectacled Darlene Conner, only more interested in her environment. Not enough material to determine if she fuckin' sucked at her job, so I'll let more seasoned critics decide that. In The Kennedy Chronicles, the author recounts her time at MTV and within the music scene at the time, devoting entire chapters to specific encounters and/or relationships with the era's notables - among them Henry Rollins, Billy Corgan, and Dave Navarro. There's also talk of her colleagues - some mentioned merely in passing, others with a hint of bemusement (*cough* Kurt Loder), and a few she viewed with respect (Tabitha Soren, the one I do remember watching in this time).
From what I gathered in this collection of rambling vignettes (which are interspersed with chapters that serve as interviews with a number of these musicians), Kennedy was basically the 90s rock galpal, couch surfing at rock stars' homes and grimacing as everybody at MTV kissed Clinton's ass during a major youth vote campaign - apparently Kennedy was quite a unicorn at 1515 Broadway, perhaps the lone conservative among her peers. While many stories provide nice gossip, not all have happy endings. There's little affection spared for Courtney Love and Puck from The Real World, and you'll learn more about Jenny McCarthy's bowel habits than you'll care to know. I do wish I had more access to MTV archives to know if Kennedy's broadcast style matched her writing, regardless of the twenty-year gap. To me, the book rambles, and while fans may enjoy the "interview" chapters I thought them out of place, as though others encroached on Kennedy's time by sharing their memories.
Whatever you think or thought of Kennedy, her legacy is cemented in her short MTV tenure, and The Kennedy Chronicles serves as an interesting, albeit uneven, history of the time. Fans of the VJ and the musicians featured in her anecdotes will likely appreciate the book the most.
ARC received by the publisher via NetGalley.
I made it known on a message board I co-admin that I planned to read this book, despite having very little memory of Kennedy, as an MTV VJ or otherwise. I knew the name, knew she was somebody, but I honestly have no recollection of seeing her on the channel, or of watching MTV at all during her five-year tenure. The subtitle of her memoir defines the early-to-mid 1990s as the golden age of MTV, and some may debate that. Me, I saw it as the beginning of the end, the transition from grab-bag video roulette that scheduled Motley Crue to follow The B-52's to follow The Doors to more structured programming that parsed videos by sub-genre and gradually doled out time slots to irrelevant shows. The 1980s had music videos, the 90s had Beavis and Butthead and Jenny McCarthy. By the time Kennedy appeared on the scene I was a college graduate in Athens, Georgia spending more time outside.
Nonetheless, I wanted to read her book in tandem with VJ, the oral history of MTV's genesis as told by four of the surviving original VJs. I thought it interesting to see both books come out around the same time, thereby allowing us a personal view of the network's evolution. First response from my message board post: You're lucky you don't remember her. I do, and she fuckin' sucked.
I haven't asked for specifics, but the "fuckin' sucks" opinion is one Kennedy seems to acknowledge. You loved her or you wanted to poke her with sharp, fiery sticks. To make up for my neglect of MTV in the 90s, I researched clips on YouTube to find a hostess resembling a bespectacled Darlene Conner, only more interested in her environment. Not enough material to determine if she fuckin' sucked at her job, so I'll let more seasoned critics decide that. In The Kennedy Chronicles, the author recounts her time at MTV and within the music scene at the time, devoting entire chapters to specific encounters and/or relationships with the era's notables - among them Henry Rollins, Billy Corgan, and Dave Navarro. There's also talk of her colleagues - some mentioned merely in passing, others with a hint of bemusement (*cough* Kurt Loder), and a few she viewed with respect (Tabitha Soren, the one I do remember watching in this time).
From what I gathered in this collection of rambling vignettes (which are interspersed with chapters that serve as interviews with a number of these musicians), Kennedy was basically the 90s rock galpal, couch surfing at rock stars' homes and grimacing as everybody at MTV kissed Clinton's ass during a major youth vote campaign - apparently Kennedy was quite a unicorn at 1515 Broadway, perhaps the lone conservative among her peers. While many stories provide nice gossip, not all have happy endings. There's little affection spared for Courtney Love and Puck from The Real World, and you'll learn more about Jenny McCarthy's bowel habits than you'll care to know. I do wish I had more access to MTV archives to know if Kennedy's broadcast style matched her writing, regardless of the twenty-year gap. To me, the book rambles, and while fans may enjoy the "interview" chapters I thought them out of place, as though others encroached on Kennedy's time by sharing their memories.
Whatever you think or thought of Kennedy, her legacy is cemented in her short MTV tenure, and The Kennedy Chronicles serves as an interesting, albeit uneven, history of the time. Fans of the VJ and the musicians featured in her anecdotes will likely appreciate the book the most.
September 16, 2014
I grew up in the 90s, but wasn't old enough to really grasp the blooming "alternative" scene. Between '92-'97 (the time frame of Kennedy at MTV) I was ages 6-11. That being said, MTV was on constantly in my household, so I was exposed to some of the "golden age" of MTV.
I remember more of the bands and songs that were popular during that time than I do about Kennedy. I wanted to read this book to get personal stories of some of my favorite bands. She does have quite a few stories, many involving musicians or men that I greatly admire (Trent Reznor, Henry Rollins, Dweezil Zappa, to name a few). I couldn't help but to think perhaps she was an unreliable narrator on a few occasions, but that might be because her life was so crazy and even surreal to her.
I know a lot of people seem to dwell on the grammar or writing style of this book. She writes in her train of thought, which is very hurried and almost vomit of the mouth style. I know that sounds negative, but it's almost like you can hear her voice reading each story. I thought it gave the narratives character, which this book is full of her personality.
I was afraid going in that I would greatly dislike Kennedy. The majority of her story revolves around how she was a straight-edge virgin in a world of sex, drugs, and rock and roll...oh and did I mention she is a Republican? However, she is a genuine person and I think that speaks a lot for people in her position. I think she was just being herself and you can't blame someone for that. I found many moments in her life touching and I felt sympathetic to her when she was getting in trouble for being herself.
I would recommend the book to anyone who loved the 90s(particularly MTV)and the alternative music scene. It made me wish I was older to appreciate what was going on with music at the time. I will remember the glimpse I had into the "golden age" of MTV, and thanks to Kennedy, I got to read about the softer side of the hardened alternative veterans of the time.
I remember more of the bands and songs that were popular during that time than I do about Kennedy. I wanted to read this book to get personal stories of some of my favorite bands. She does have quite a few stories, many involving musicians or men that I greatly admire (Trent Reznor, Henry Rollins, Dweezil Zappa, to name a few). I couldn't help but to think perhaps she was an unreliable narrator on a few occasions, but that might be because her life was so crazy and even surreal to her.
I know a lot of people seem to dwell on the grammar or writing style of this book. She writes in her train of thought, which is very hurried and almost vomit of the mouth style. I know that sounds negative, but it's almost like you can hear her voice reading each story. I thought it gave the narratives character, which this book is full of her personality.
I was afraid going in that I would greatly dislike Kennedy. The majority of her story revolves around how she was a straight-edge virgin in a world of sex, drugs, and rock and roll...oh and did I mention she is a Republican? However, she is a genuine person and I think that speaks a lot for people in her position. I think she was just being herself and you can't blame someone for that. I found many moments in her life touching and I felt sympathetic to her when she was getting in trouble for being herself.
I would recommend the book to anyone who loved the 90s(particularly MTV)and the alternative music scene. It made me wish I was older to appreciate what was going on with music at the time. I will remember the glimpse I had into the "golden age" of MTV, and thanks to Kennedy, I got to read about the softer side of the hardened alternative veterans of the time.
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