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- Title: Seriously…I’m Kidding
- Author: Ellen Degeneres
- Narrator: Ellen Degeneres
- Length: 03:00:46
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 04/10/2011
- Publisher: Hachette Book Group USA
- Genre: Biography & Memoir, Comedy, Essays & Memoirs, Memoir, General Comedy
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
It reminds me of a time when I was winding through the dusty roads of Oaxaca, the sun dipping low over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of mango and chili. I’d just spent the day with a local family, their abuela spinning tales of love and mischief with a voice that danced between whispers and hearty laughter. That evening, as I settled into my hammock, I slipped on my headphones and let Ellen DeGeneres’s “Seriously…I’m Kidding” audiobook wash over me. Her narration, with its familiar warmth and playful cadence, felt like a continuation of those Oaxacan nights – an intimate storytelling session, but this time from a voice I’d known through flickering TV screens.
Ellen’s “Seriously…I’m Kidding”, published by Hachette Book Group USA, isn’t your typical memoir. Clocking in at just over three hours, this audiobook experience is a mosaic of musings, quips, and reflections delivered in her signature upbeat candor. It’s as if she’s invited you into her living room – or, in my case, a desert campsite under a star-streaked sky – to share a cup of coffee and a laugh. The book promises to leave ‘no stone unturned, no door unopened, no window unbroken,’ and while that might sound like a chaotic promise, Ellen delivers it with a wink and a grin. You can almost hear the mischief in her voice as she narrates, a quality that makes this listening experience feel like a personal conversation rather than a polished production.
The content unfolds like a winding trail through Ellen’s world – her take on life, love, and the quirks of hosting “American Idol”. There’s no grand narrative arc here, no epic hero’s journey, but that’s the beauty of it. It’s a collection of vignettes, some hilarious, some poignant, all tied together by her unmistakable charm. She riffs on everything from the absurdity of kale obsessions to the chaos of modern life, and her humor lands like a well-timed punchline at a family gathering. For me, it echoed the way that abuela in Oaxaca would pause mid-story, letting the silence hang just long enough before delivering a twist that left us all cackling into the night.
What elevates this audiobook is Ellen’s narration. Her voice – bright, melodic, and infused with that down-to-earth energy – brings the words to life in a way the page alone never could. You can almost feel her leaning in, her eyes twinkling as she deadpans lines like, ‘I think you’ll find I’ve left no ivories untickled.’ Her timing is impeccable, honed from years of stand-up and daytime TV, and she knows exactly when to let a joke breathe or when to soften her tone for a rare, tender moment. It’s a masterclass in oral storytelling, reminiscent of those evenings in Oaxaca when the grandmother’s pauses were as powerful as her words. The audio quality is crisp, with no distracting background noise – just Ellen, her wit, and you.
That said, the audiobook isn’t without its quirks. Its brevity – about 0.125532407407407 days, or roughly three hours – means it’s more of a tasting menu than a full-course meal. If you’re craving a deep dive into Ellen’s life, you might leave hungry. The chapters flit from topic to topic, sometimes feeling more like a comedy sketch reel than a cohesive memoir. For a traveler like me, used to the sprawling, layered tales of “One Hundred Years of Solitude” – which I first heard while driving through Chile’s Atacama Desert – this lightness can feel both refreshing and fleeting. The magical realism of García Márquez stretched time and space; Ellen’s stories, while delightful, stay firmly in the moment.
Yet that’s also its strength. “Seriously…I’m Kidding” doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not. It’s Ellen at her most authentic – funny, self-aware, and unapologetically herself. Fans of her talk show will feel right at home, and newcomers might find themselves charmed by her ability to find humor in the mundane. Publishers Weekly called her style ‘compulsively readable,’ and I’d argue it’s compulsively “listenable” too. The audiobook experience amplifies her oddball riffs – on catwalks, Jesus, or the chaos of daily life – into something you can’t help but smile at.
Compared to other comedic memoirs, like Tina Fey’s “Bossypants” (also self-narrated), Ellen’s offering is less structured but more intimate. Fey’s audiobook leans into sharp satire and career anecdotes; Ellen’s feels like a friend catching you up over a beer. Both are triumphs of narration, but where Fey builds a narrative skyscraper, Ellen crafts a cozy campfire circle. It’s a trade-off – depth for warmth – and your preference might depend on the mood you’re in.
For potential listeners, I’d recommend this audiobook to anyone who loves a good laugh and doesn’t mind a meandering path. It’s perfect for a road trip, a lazy afternoon, or those moments when you just need a voice to remind you not to take life too seriously. If you’re new to audiobooks, Ellen’s narration is an accessible entry point – her energy pulls you in without demanding too much focus. And if you can snag it as a free audiobook download (check platforms like Audiobooks.com for deals), it’s an even sweeter deal.
Reflecting on it now, “Seriously…I’m Kidding” feels like a companion to my travels – a reminder that stories, whether from a grandmother in Oaxaca or a comedian in LA, are what connect us. It’s not the heaviest book I’ve carried in my pack, but it’s one that lightened the load. Ellen’s voice lingered with me long after the final chapter, much like the desert stars overhead that night in Chile – bright, fleeting, and impossible to forget.
Until our next story unfolds, amigos,
Marcus Rivera
