I just finished reading a pretty scary, depressing book, so this was the perfect palate cleanser! Ross Mathews graduated from my college, so I'm always happy to support a fellow alum, but more importantly, I think he's funny and sweet. I've been a fan since his days on 'Chelsea Lately,' so this book sounded appealing.

Mathews covers his time in Hollywood - ranging from his Ross the Intern days on the 'Jay Leno Show' to his 'Celebrity Fit Club' stint and everything in between. Along the way, he's crossed paths with a ton of celebrities - some of whom were warm and gracious, while others were decidedly not. I loved the blend of gossip and humor that his accounts of his celebrity encounters provided. There are even fun cocktail and food recipes at the beginning of each chapter too. The book had the tone too - self-deprecating, charming, and a bit silly.

Not sure how Mathews got away with spilling this much tea, but I am here for it!

Really phenomenal work!
Reading this book feels like catching up with an old friend! Maybe it's because I feel like Ross *is* an old friend!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley!

The cover of this book is eye-catching. I love the vibrant colors.
The book itself was well-written and had some fun & interesting stories.
But overall, it wasn't my favorite.
I'm sure this would be a hit with a specific audience whom loves celeb gossip/tea though!

A fun, fast read great for anyone interested in celebrity gossip. It seems like Ross Mathews enjoys every moment of his celebrity encounters. Would definitely recommend for fans of pop culture.

I find Mathews entertaining as a person but I feel like the confinement of a book doesn't quite work for me. There were some humorous moments in this but he has far more interest in celebrities etc. than I ever will and I was mostly bored.

Name Drop: The Really Good Celebrity Stories I Usually Only Tell at Happy Hour by Ross Mathews
(Published by Atria Books)

3.5 Stars

"Really, you should probably think about getting a life. I should know. I'm a Master Name Dropper, too..."
- End of quiz: Are you a Name Dropper, by Ross Mathews

That's right, get a life!

The most alluring feature of this book is the author's admirable candidness, the raw honesty. He keeps it real.

I've never heard of Ross Mathews (that's Mathews with one "h", as he makes sure you understand in the narrative - and he wouldn't have it any other way), and was asked by the publisher to review the book.

Who he? He worked for the Tonight Show with Jay Leno as "Ross the Intern", with an occasional appearance on the show. You'd see Jay; you'd never see Ross the Intern. But still, he'd be a celebrity of sorts, at least for people in the know, and, as the book unveils, for quite a bundle of headliners.

The book is a well-written hodge-podge of memorable moments when he interacts with quite a few A-Listers, along with aspirants; and it's not just about the occasional sighting of Yeti at a posh joint.

Amusing and hilarious, and at times, quite touching.

He seriously takes laughter as the elixir of life. He makes people laugh. In one of the stories, he made a nervous Lady Gaga laugh before a gig on-stage, and apparently charged up her mettle. Giga-name drop right there.

Ross: "I'm just excited to see Lady Gaga!" (pre-recorded on air)
Lady Gaga: After you said that I took a moment and took a deep breath. And then I said aloud to myself, "I'm gonna do this for Ross... and for all the other Rosses out there."

He laughs at his triumphs and conquers, laughs at his shortcomings, his failures, his disappointments. And as I read through context, each time he comes out strong.

My father wasn't just my biggest cheerleader; he was the man who had taught me how to be funny.

His most touching piece was perhaps the episode when he overcame bullying by Barbara Walters on "The View".

Review based on an Advance Reading Copy from Atria Books through NetGalley.

I read this book in bits and pieces. Its a great read if you just want to quickly read a short chapter with celebrity drama (lite) in it. The chapters have fun quick stories of some of Ross' more interesting celebrity encounters.
Thank you for the ARC. This is my honest review.

He just felt like my best friend gossiping which I feel is exactly the goal of his book. I love the recipes, I thought it added an individual touch, and this book definitely cheered me up!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved and enjoyed this book. Ross shares hilarious and sometimes cringey stories about his experiences with different celebrities. In the beginning of each chapter/celebrity story, he shares a "Ross-cipe" for a cocktail and meal (which they all sounded amazing). I am a lover of puns and boy do you get them with this read, yas!

I highly recommend this book to people who are fans of Ross Mathews and just reading about his comedic interactions with a wide range of celebrities (from Beyonce to Jason Priestley).

Sidenote, I am currently living in WA (go Seahawks) and was tickled to see the Tacoma Dome mentioned. Anyways, go read this book!

This book just wasn't for me. Although I enjoy Ross Matthews as a personality on RuPaul's Drag Race!

The book Name Drop by Ross Matthews is a fun read and his personality really shines through the pages. And while I didn't get the audiobook, I can hear his voice as I am reading the book! The book includes his experiences with various A-list celebrities, plus his favorite "Rossipes" for both cocktails and snacks. I loved his Lady Gaga story and his chapter on The View! Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an advanced copy!

Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for a copy of Name Drop by Ross Matthews for an honest review.


Name Drop was such a fun memoir. Each chapter had a cocktail and appetizers recipe so you could read over Happy Hour at home. Ross Matthews has always been one of my favourites on the E! Red Carpet before he moved over to Ru Paul’s Drag Race. He seemed to be genuinely excited to meet celebrities and see what they wore. His stories mostly reflect his star struck optimism as he meets increasingly famous people over his career. The chapters are arranged by celebrity rather than chronological which was the only thing I did not love, mostly because then he had to explain what job he was doing and where he was along the chapter, especially if he met the same person more than once.

Name Drop is a fun read if you enjoy celebrity stories with a happy and fun tone, or even just need some cocktail recipes!

You can't help but love Ross Mathews. His humor and heart are on full display in this fun book. It's a very quick read - the perfect companion for a flight. If you're a fan of Ross and/or pop culture, you'll get a kick out of this.

Oh Ross Mathews, how I love thee. This book was everything I imagined it would be.... The writing style felt like having a conversation with Ross right down to the whispers and added bits of info you just HAVE to know. Light, fun, and informative, I really enjoyed the book. Adding his first book to my TBR pile next!

I know Ross Matthews only from his stint on Celebrity Big Brother a few years ago, but I always enjoy a good celebrity memoir so I thought I'd check this one out. I'm not sure if memoir is even the right word for this one - it's not so much about Ross's life, as it is a series of gossipy anecdotes about various celebrities he has met. It's definitely on the less substantial side, and he is a weird combination of self-deprecating and slightly full of himself, but he also seems like someone who would be very fun to hang out with, and this book is a light and fun read, especially if you enjoy celebrity gossip.

Who among us doesn’t like a book that dishes up some celebrity stories and one that has recipes to boot?! Who among us doesn’t love the national treasure that is the adorable Ross Mathews?

Ross has to be hands down one of the people that I would love to meet up with at happy hour and listen to his stories. He is hilarious. His pop culture references are on point. He seems like one of the nicest people ever. He is a Seahawks fan. Go Hawks! He is everything I want in a friend and I feel we would be best friends forever.

His stories are really a lot of fun. You will find yourself just laughing at his misadventures and thinking that you would probably do the same thing. He writes kindly of all the people, even the ones that might not have been so kind to him. Looking at you, Matthew Perry.

It is just one big delightful book. I bet it would be great in audio. Thanks for making me laugh during this crazy time, Ross. Oh and yes, I cried when he wrote about his mom at the end. You have to love a mama’s boy.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this wonderful book.

Name Drop from Ross Mathews is a fun break from all the thriller and domestic drama that I usually read. It's fluff but in the fun kind of way.

Full of fun stories of celebrities and Ross being Ross, this is a good book for a mental break.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for this review.

📖 BOOK REVIEW⠀📚
BOOK: Name Drop
AUTHOR: Ross Mathews
#Rossmatthews
Stars: 🦌🦌🦌
Published: JFebruary 4, 2020
Purchase on Amazon https://amzn.to/36wY606

This is not a book I usually read. Lately, though, I have been loving some celebrity written books so I thought I would like this one. First, the good: his writing style is enjoyable and easy to read. But so many of his celebrity stories involved people who didn’t really interest me, so I didn’t really enjoy the book as much as I thought I would. However, if you like celebrity stories told with wit and fun, pick this one up!

Short Synopsis (abbreviate from Goodreads):
In Name Drop, Ross dishes about being an unlikely insider in the alternate reality that is showbiz, like that time he was invited by Barbara Walters to host The View--only to learn his hero did not suffer fools; his Christmas with the Kardashians, which should be its own holiday special; and his news-making talk with Omarosa on Celebrity Big Brother, which, as it turns out, was just the tip of the iceberg. Holding nothing back, Ross shares the most treasured and surprising moments in his celebrity-filled career, and proves that while exposure may have made him a little bit famous, he is still as much a fanboy as ever.
*****
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

This was such a fun, light, quick and hilarious read! I’ve always loved watching Ross, he is hilarious and never mean spirited in any of his jokes, which I love. Every story in here was funny and quick and written with a kind spirit. I also loved the addition of the drinks and food recipes, it was super cute. Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

*3.5 stars*

Look, Name Drop: The Really Good Celebrity Stories I Usually Only Tell at Happy Hour is by Ross Mathews, and though I've been pleasantly surprised by some really stellar books by comedians/funny personalities recently (Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life), I kept my expectations at "Kathy-Griffin-Lite" level. And that was just about right.

I read this book in bits and pieces in between reading other stories, but even though it took me three weeks to get through, I found it to be a fun, entertaining read. Sure, it didn't hold my attention for long spans of time, but I enjoyed that the book read just like Ross Mathews sounds, so I felt like I was watching him on TV while I was reading.

Only read this book if you like lots of puns and play-on-word-humor. I'm... not sure if I like it that much, but I muscled through it. Also, be prepared for lots of self-deprecating "I'm chubby!" humor.

As a RuPaul super-fan, I could have used more Drag Race content. There was barely any here, which was a bit of a let down. I wanted some drag queen T!! Yeah, I know, there is probably contractual mumble, mumble keeping him from saying the good stuff, but Drag Race fans, you WILL be left wanting.

I enjoyed his celebrity snippets, and though it felt very surface level, I found some to be funny and most to be mildly entertaining.

An easy, fun read to pass the time if you are a Ross Mathews fan (one T!).