Author /actress Molly Shannon has lived so much life, and in this book she shares the "bones" of that story; the loss of her mother, baby sister, and cousin in a tragic car accident when she was just 4 years old, her "wild" childhood with a beloved father who struggled with unresolved guilt and alcohol use, the years of hard work that proceeded her big break at SNL, and why she's so thankful that she left SNL when she did.

The writing style of this book is unique; rather than stitching the stories together into one narrative, the memories mostly stand as individual short stories, and only once (and very briefly) does Shannon give advice to those who might hope to become actors themselves. (She also details some important lessons that she learned from SNL head Lorne Michaels.)

"Hello Molly" displays the most depth when Shannon leans into her complex relationship with her father. And while the book began with the devastating loss of Shannon's mother, it ends hopefully, with the fulfillment she's found in becoming a mother. I cried in the final chapters, and I wish Shannon all the best as she continues her journey. My next step after this review is YouTube- to relive all of those great sketches!

My thanks to the author, publisher, and #NetGalley for gifting me this ARC.
#HelloMolly

What a delightful memoir. I was looking for a comedy and this tickled my funny bone. There are some sad parts, but that’s life. She seems like she’d be an awesome friend.

Molly Shannon has been a part of my life since I was about 10 years old. I used to record every episode of SNL on VHS (I believe I still have my archive somewhere at my parent's house) and would watch and re-watch all of my favorite sketches, most of which featured Molly, Will Ferrell or, in the best case scenario, both of them. For me, the Molly Shannon Era is the golden age of SNL. Don't we all think that though? That "our cast" is the first cast that made us laugh and see ourselves? As an unconventionally gorgeous and uninhibited brunette performer, Molly felt like "mine", the person a freaky middle school student saw herself in.

So here's Molly. She has always had a presence in my life on television and in movies, all the way through today as the effervescent Pat in one of my favorite shows, The Other Two. All of this history and real estate she occupies in my mind, but did I really know Molly at all?

Hello, Molly! deep dives into the tragedy that formed Molly's childhood, relationships and career - one I never even knew about. The overarching love story is between Molly and her father, whose appearance on the 2001 SNL Mother's Day Special I was able to picture immediately, in particular the way Molly beamed when they were introduced at the top of the show. Throughout the memoir, you begin to recognize how her family, her father's encouragement of her independence and creative freedom, shaped the wild and free performer we know now. As I read, I looked up sketches to watch along - all of which I remembered like they had just aired yesterday. On top of that, Ms. Shannon offers anecdotal tales that made me laugh (The Mamet Scam), cringe (Gary Coleman, ahem) and applaud (Mary Katherine Gallagher's debut appearance). I loved hearing the tales (even the rough ones) about Hollywood and show business when she was coming up in the 80s and 90s. It seems so much different than it does now - making phone calls, hatching schemes with friends, physically driving to agents offices to pitch yourself, everything "making it" looked like to a young woman before the internet.

I flew through Hello, Molly! in a day. It felt like a day spent with an old friend. I could hear her voice and moments where she was breaking into laughter but trying not to. It was incredible to learn so much about someone who's performances and career I have loved so much. I cannot thank Ecco and HarperCollins enough for allowing me an advanced copy of this book - when I received it I felt like flying into a pile of chairs or breaking through several bathroom stall walls with joy!

Thanks, Netgalley for this ARC. I had no idea about Molly Shannon's trauma she suffered as a child due to the horrific car accident basically caused by her father. It was interesting that she did not blame him for the deaths of her mother, sister, and cousin, but that she developed such a suffocating relationship with him. Not to give anything away, but as their relationship deepens and she learns more about her father, we can see what a complicated kinship she felt with him. Anyone who has struggled with feelings of disappointment, anger, fear, embarrassment or related feelings would probably identify with this book. Although I certainly enjoyed the advice Molly dealt out to up and coming actors and well as the fun anecdotes about her fellow SNL cast and celebrity guests (the Whitney Houston and Courtney Love stories take the cake), I was completely in awe at how hard this woman worked to attain the success she had. Despite the hardships and Hollywood rejections, she kept pouring her heart and soul into her characters, including Mary Katherine Gallagher who was spawned due to her experiences as a child and characters modeled after her father. For MKG specific fans, it was so interesting to hear that Molly performed her own stunts and how the stunt team constantly worried about her injuring herself because when she got on stage, she was no longer Molly. She was MKG and only thought how MKG would think! This was a great biography and I'm inspired to go back and watch her SNL seasons.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book to review.

I have been a fan of Molly Shannon since her days on Saturday Night Live. I had no idea what her life was like growing up, or all of the trauma and pain her life had before she became a star. In this book Molly shares a lot of details from her life, the good, the bad, and the ugly. She doesn't hold back on things that are extremely painful to her ( the death of her mother, sister, and cousin along with her relationship with her father). After reading this book, I certainly walked away with more knowledge about Molly's life and a lot of respect for her. They say that humor comes from pain, unfortunately Molly knows this all to well.

Summary:
Like many, I was first introduced to Molly Shannon through Saturday Night Live. While she would alter act in movies I watched, I never knew much about her. I couldn't tell you anything about her. Through the pages of her memoir, I got to know about her life and how it shaped her. She shares the tragic, the funny, the daring and the achievements.

I remember laughing at the characters Molly played on Saturday Night Live. Who didn't when Mary Katherine Gallagher came on?! Or Sally O'Malley! I knew when they were on, I was in for a good skit. All I knew was they were funny. That was really all I cared to know. That not knowing was my loss- a realization I've recently come to discover.

Within the pages of her book, Molly shares with you her childhood and how the events she lived through effected how she lived her life. She opens up about her complex relationship with her Dad and the journey it was to get to the happy ending. She'll tell you about the gutsy (and possibly illegal) methods she used to get her name out there. She's going to tell you how her own determination, and belief in herself, motivated her to get people to attend her own 1 woman show- and how that led her to the role most of us met her in, Saturday Night Live.

This book is going to let you see not only the creation of her famous characters, but the metamorphosis they took from creation to what we saw. You're going to learn how Molly got her name out there and was successful when the odds were stacked against her. She's going to be vulnerable and candid as she retells how she grew up and became famous.

This book will make you smile and chuckle. It will have you rooting for little Molly and you will cheer with every achievement grown up Molly has. Curl up and enjoy getting to know one of the women that shaped a tv show, but comedy, too.

This is a great example of staying positive when things get rough. Sometimes you just want to read something light that brings you joy. It was great to see Molly’s appreciation for the good things that have happened in her life. Molly Shannon definitely had heartbreak and things to overcome, but that was not the focus of this book.. Instead, she always showed grace and appreciation for the people that helped her along the way. I’m not sure she had a bad thing to say about anyone in the entire book. If you’re looking for something to read that is interesting, funny and light, I recommend this book. Molly had great success and it’s nice to see that she appreciates all the help and good things that have come her way. Hearing about her interactions with celebrities back when they were just ordinary unknowns was interesting and relatable. This is a great book for younger people wanting to start reading non fiction =a quick light read.

I like Molly Shannon more now than I did before reading this. I loved her as an actress but I didn't know anything about her life. It turns out she's had an interesting life and dealt with a lot of tragedy from a young age. I enjoyed learning how her life influenced the characters she created later on in her career.

With all that being said, this book isn't well written. The writing is simple and repetitive. At times the anecdotes feel forced and there's a bit of name dropping. Molly tells us everything but never shows emotion. She skips over some portions of her life (getting married an having kids) which is her choice as the author but the book feels incomplete because she gives so much detail about other areas of her life.

If you're a big fan of Molly's, this is worth reading. If not, skip it.

There is a lot of truth to the idea that comedy springs from tragedy, and certainly SNL cast member Molly Shannon's life is proof of that. When Molly was a toddler, her mother, baby sister, and cousin were killed in the car that she was also in, along with her other sister. Her father, after a night of drinking, was at the wheel. I had to wonder what would have happened to Molly's father, Jim, nowadays - very possibly he would have been brought up on charges and spent time in prison. In fact, there does not appear to even have been any kind of legal repercussions at all - but there were plenty of emotional ones. Jim Shannon, who was severely injured in the crash as well, spends the rest of his life wracked with guilt, struggling with alcohol addiction, making Molly his "surrogate wife" (emotionally not physically!), and denying his sexuality (towards the end of his life, he comes out as gay or bisexual). He's an extremely complex character - alternatively infuriating, boundary-busting, charming, encouraging, and raging. In fact, I got the feeling Molly really wanted to write about him and not her own significant acting and comedic accomplishments.

If you want to hear about Molly and not her dad, you've got to look a bit harder. Her SNL years are covered in a couple of chapters in the middle, and though personally I would have loved to hear much more about them, they are still interesting. What impressed me most was how incredibly grateful she was for her time on the show. I've read other SNL memoirs and no doubt it is one of the toughest, most frustrating gigs in show biz, but it can also launch you to the stratosphere. Molly never forgot that and remains gracious and humble to Lorne Greene.

We hear a lot about her favorite and most famous character, rambunctious, angry, and Uber-enthusiastic Catholic school girl Mary Katherine Gallagher. I went back and watched a few of these skits and they appealed to me more now than when they first aired - perhaps I was too young to appreciate them at the time as they don't come with easy chuckles. My favorite impression of hers is still Courtney Love.

There are also a few anecdotes from her youth that will have today's coddled kids gaping in shock - such as when she and her friend snuck onto a plane at 11 years old, and actually ended up wandering around NYC by themselves. Molly didn't even get into trouble, her dad thought it was hilarious (in fact, the whole thing was his idea). Then there's that incident with the sheik!

Hello, Molly! I love you! This was so heartfelt, hilarious, and reflective. I adored this memoir from Molly Shannon. I’ve been a fan for decades and fully believed I’d adore this book. She did not let me down.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hello, Molly! is the memoir of Molly Shannon, famed comedian from SNL. It traces her early life through her retiring from SNL, especially focusing on her trying to get into show biz. I thought her story was interesting, but I thought there would be more humor since she is such a funny person.

I did love all the bits about her Mary Katherine Gallagher character. Finally, I wish there had been more about her life post-SNL. But overall, an interesting read!

This book made me cry cry cry then laugh hysterically and then cry again.

The story of Molly Shannon is SO much more than this quick book, but the parts she shared with us are fantastic.

Some stories she shared ended too quickly for me. I could have read more details about them for days and days. This book would have been too long, though if that was the case.

I would stop and have to tell my husband some of the things she would be writing about. I even stopped to watch the Whitney Houston clip.

Molly Shannon has brought me SO much happiness in my life and I dont even know her personally. When she smiles and laughs, it never seems like she is acting, she seems HAPPY. I want to be more like Molly!

This book is beautiful. It's also emotionally hard to read. I was sobbing so much at the start of the book. I couldnt read it again for about a week. Im so glad I did, though. The life we got to read about and the relationship with her father was one of a kind for sure. I keep picturing what i would do if my daughter called me from an airport in NYC..... I still cant believe that - HA!

Thank you SO much for this copy of this book. I hope she reads the audiobook, I think i would enjoy it even more with her reading of it.

I grew up watching Molly Shannon on my TV but I didn’t know anything about her life. Her memoir begins with a childhood tragedy that shaped her life and the lives of her family members.

Hello, Molly is full of moments from Molly’s childhood to near present day. My favorite parts to read were about her performing, especially the insight to her SNL days.

I was entertained by this book but I didn’t think it was super well written. The chapters as a whole we’re good, but inside each chapter, the material often felt in-cohesive. We traveled between these loosely related topics without a great segue.

Like most of America, I first discovered Molly Shannon during her six-year stint on the iconic "Saturday Night Live," a now 50+ year comedy series where Shannon memorably brought to life with heart and humor such unforgettable characters as Mary Katherine Gallagher, Sally O'Malley, Helen Madden, Terry Rialto ("Schweddy Balls"), and a host of others.

Shannon could make me laugh. Shannon could, at times, even make me cry right there in the middle of an SNL sketch. Shannon had a knack for discovering the humanity within her characters and even though she quickly rose to the top of the SNL crop, she was, and remains, one of those performers who makes everyone around her better.

To be honest, though, it wasn't until after her SNL days that I really started to fall in love with Molly Shannon, whose slightly naughty Mary Katherine Gallagher always felt like it was at least a sliver of the real-life Shannon with a boldness, brashness, hilariousness, and surprising amount of vulnerability that practically guaranteed you fell in love with her. While one could easily debate just how well Gallagher translated to the big screen in "Superstar!," (I personally love the film), it's almost impossible to debate that one of the reasons we've always loved Shannon is because she brings to life the universality of her characters.

I loved "Superstar," though for me it has always been Shannon's indie work that has endeared her to me as she tackles characters we probably wouldn't love so much if Shannon wasn't personifying them. From an early appearance in Todd Solondz's "Happiness" to "American Splendor," "Marie Antoinette," "Year of the Dog," and her Independent Spirit Award-winning performance in "Other People," Molly Shannon has built a remarkable career portraying truly remarkable characters.

"Hello, Molly," written alongside Sean Wilsey, feels like and reads like a relentless, energized, and incredibly affirming conversation with Molly Shannon. The book starts with a tragedy that hasn't so much defined Shannon's life as it has provided part of its foundation, a car accident when she was a mere four-years-old that claimed the life of her mother, younger sister, and a cousin while leaving her to be raised by her complicated father with her sister.

It's perhaps a bit surprising that this childhood experience is present throughout the pages of "Hello, Molly," informing Molly's growth personally and professionally and, yes, at times, perhaps holding her back a little in ways she processes through both intellectually and through the wonder of her craft.

As one might expect, "Hello, Molly" is also filled to the brim with stories from her SNL days with appearances by the likes of Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Cheri Oteri, Chris Kattan, Chris Farley, and many others. Shannon's love for Lorne Michael is evident throughout and if you're hoping that "Hello, Molly!" will be filled with gossip and "spill the beans" types of stories you'll likely find yourself disappointed as Shannon is hard-pressed to say too much in the way of negative words about her co-stars along the way.

Now then, maybe a few exes but Shannon even seems to have an appreciation for those exes.

There are times when you can't help but wish that "Hello, Molly!" really did dig just a little bit deeper. At times, these stories play out more like comedy sketches in the mind allotted their five minutes of time and not daring to go over it. Additionally, there are times when the loose organizational structure of "Hello, Molly!" feels so chaotic that the material doesn't have the time it needs to breathe. However, these are truly minor quibbles for a book that is truly a must read for Molly Shannon fans, like myself, along with anyone who enjoys engaging, spirited memoirs or journeys through television history.

While I found myself adoring the chapters related to Shannon's time on SNL, I must confess that I most appreciated the bookends here of the life experiences that helped develop Shannon and those late life experiences working toward some sort of peaceful co-existence with her complicated father and the car accident that permanently altered their everyday relationship.

"Hello, Molly!" reads and feels like the Molly Shannon we've always loved and that makes it an absolutely delightful and entertaining experience.

When I think of Molly Shannon, I think funny, but that is not what this book is. Once I got through the beginning and realized that this is real life and not everything is hilarious, I enjoyed her story.

We’re long past the days when the great Molly Shannon was on SNL, yet I regularly lunge into a Mary Katherine Gallagher “superstar” pose when pleased. I was so excited to see NetGalley (via ECCO) offer this ARC, and requested it immediately.

I quickly realized that I knew absolutely nothing about Molly Shannon’s personal life, and that she is an engaging writer. Her childhood was heartbreaking, and she wastes no time delving into the formative event that set her life in motion. While the loss of her mother, sister, and cousin was breathtaking, the ensuing caretaking relationship with her father was just as emotional a read. A childhood that could understandably have lured Ms. Shannon into the cyclical alcoholism of her family tree instead focuses her into laughter, positivity, and stardom.

Her recounting is so forthcoming and just plain real. Post-read, what stands out most to me is the beauty in how she saw her father as exactly what he was: a hilarious, charming, supportive cheerleader who was also a severe alcoholic, wounded, unable to forgive himself, and struggling with his identity. I love that she appears to have brought the best of him into her own parenting.
I appreciated that she told her truths minus any specific names and details about her romantic life. I know that many love reading celebrity tell-alls because of the dirt dished, but you’ll find a classy approach here.

This is the most engaging, fully-formes biography I’ve read in some time. Kudos to Molly Shannon and her editing team. Upon publication I plan to seek out the audio version of this book, so long as its author is the narrator. Beautifully done!!

I was already a fan of Molly Shannon's so when I saw this book I was excited to read it. Let me just say this, Molly is not only funny but truly an inspiration for all women. If you work hard and follow your dreams you can accomplish anything.
The book begins with Molly sharing a very personal story about an accident that took her mother and baby sister when she was very little. The story is so important because not only did this tragedy shape her life but it also gives the reader a little back ground to issues with her father. Being raised by her father had it's ups and downs, on the upside he let Molly and her sister have freedom, way to much freedom, and the downside was the sisters needed a mother to nurture them and help them with girly things. Molly shares some crazy stories of growing up in Ohio attending Catholic school but also her experience of trying to find where she fit in. This lead her down a very long path of discovering she was actually funny and enjoyed entertaining people and making them laugh. Molly shares her experiences going to college in NY and working hard to support herself. Working, auditioning, getting rejected, struggling, and eventually getting opportunities. The biggest being SNL. I had no idea "Superstar" was all Molly's doing, and the amazing characters she plays on SNL were all her idea. I found it fascinating to read all about what goes into working on SNL and how hard these actors work. When I watch it again I will definitely have a greater appreciation for the actors that's for sure!
I enjoyed this book from the first page to the very end, even wishing for more. Molly Shannon is an icon and the characters she created will never go out of style!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I didn't find the writing to be particularly strong, but Molly won me over in the end with her trademark quirkiness and resilient spirit in the face of childhood tragedy.

With singular wit and style, Molly Shannon, perhaps best known for her characters, including Mary Katherine Gallagher, on Saturday Night Live gives readers an insight into her life, from budding comedian to in-demand character actress.

Hello, Molly! is a comedic yet deeply vulnerable memoir from SNL alum Molly Shannon. I've been a fan of her's since I was a kid but had no idea about her backstory. I found the description of her tragic early life both fascinating and harrowing. I went in to this memoir thinking I was going to read some fun anecdotes about showbiz and crazy stories from SNL in the 90's. While it does contain that, the heart of this story is Shannons complicated relationship with her father. I did find the writing to be a bit disjointed, it was like hearing a story from a friend who keeps getting sidetracked, but ultimately it was a quick enjoyable read.