Ok, so I'll be totally honest; I originally wanted to get this book because i have the biggest crush on Clinton Kelly. I watch The Chew because of him (and the tasty food & craft ideas help). This book did not disappoint. It is true-to=form Clinton. Chocked full of his humor, wit, and banter that has made him one of the most likable television personalities. This book fills in the gaps of the stories he shares on The Chew. It's sure to delight the reader and make you either become a fan or intensify your admiration for him.

After spending a week with Agatha Raisin, even though it was glorious, I needed a mystery palate cleanser. So, I picked up Clinton Kelly’s latest, I Hate Everyone, Except You. I’d previously read (and loved) Freakin’ Fabulous, so I was fully prepared for the sassy and hilarious tone that is Clinton Kelly. And wow does he dive in, warts and all, as he presents a collection of stories that cover brief moments in his life, from his pre-teen years to being cast on What Not to Wear to that oh-so-classy interaction with Paula Deen on The Chew.

While there are a ton of books written by “famous” people, I dare you to find one that is more down to earth and refreshing. Mr. Kelly comes across as someone you could enjoy a laugh with over a glass of wine or the most awkward of situations. The reflections he shares about the long hours on set of What Not to Wear and how the show impacted his journey come across as grateful and sincere. The stories are charming, sometimes raw and on occasion catty, but always witty. I only hope that there were a few stories he held back for a sequel.

Strange little book. I didn't find a theme, or it was vague, or I was sleepy. I stopped halfway through.

Essays, stories and musings by Clinton Kelly, the star of TLC's What Not to Wear.

I saw Clinton Kelly speak at the lia sophia conference in June 2011 and enjoyed finding out more about his life. Overall, I found this book entertaining and am giving this book a 4 star rating because Mr. Kelly is honest, funny, and a good human being who obviously cares about his family. As with Scrappy Little Nobody, I think that this one would have been even funnier on audio listening to Clinton Kelly tell the stories himself.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

That I would watch and love the show What Not To Wear was a foregone conclusion. My friends and I couldn't get enough of TLC's offerings: A Wedding Story, A Baby Story, Trading Spaces, we watched it all. My viewing tapered off after college because I was in grad school and living with my parents who did not have cable. But once I got my own place, the stars aligned and I no longer had to sporadically watch my favorite TLC shows. What Not To Wear would have been on the air for 2 years by that point and I delighted in catching up on Stacy and Clinton's delightful banter.

Who among us did not think of someone they could nominate to appear on the show? Let's be honest: I would have been an amazing friend on the sidelines.

I say all this so you understand why I was excited to read Clinton Kelly's memoir. I was hoping to learn more about him, as well as get some behind the scenes dish about the show. And that's exactly what I got.

The book reads as if Kelly is talking to the reader. Perhaps because I've watched him on WNTW and The Chew but his voice was so strong throughout the narrative. At times it read as if we were old pals spilling dirt and other times he held back the curtain just enough to tease. I admire people who have good boundaries on what they're going to share. But that's not to say Kelly doesn't still push the envelope. If you are the sensitive type, a few stories verge on TMI so beware.

I particularly loved hearing about the series of events that led to him being hired for What Not To Wear. It involved beseeching the Universe- and it worked! I also loved learning more about his family and upbringing and how he met his husband.

Kelly made me laugh out loud a couple of times. The essays are not completely linear and span a variety of topics. Overall, it was quite enjoyable. I hope he'll keep writing.

This was a funny book. I loved What Not to Wear back in the day for Clinton's wit and humor and this book was certainly that. I didn't really get the TV show script, and could have done with a little less high school stories but all in all a good book.

My mother used to make me watch What Not To Wear, as I was pretty much a fashion don't my whole life. I didn't think I'd learn much by watching the show. I was wrong. I'm not one of those people who got a makeover and then my whole life changed. I know how to dress better than I do. I just refuse to care. But that's me. I still learned things, thanks to the shows two hosts, Stacy London and Clinton Kelly. And one of the things I learned is how much I like Clinton Kelly.

Out in stores today is his new book, I Hate Everyone, Except You, a collection of essays and stories about him and his life. It's not just about his time on television, but he does refer to his days on What Not To Wear and The Chew. It's not just about his childhood, but he does tell stories of friendships, high school, first jobs, and the amusement park he had to go to. And he tells all these stories with his trademark intelligence, wit, and slight snark.

Clinton Kelly is the gay best friend you wish you had. He can get you an invitation to the party, help you get dressed for it (and look fabulous!), be your well-dressed wing man, make sure you're well fed and drunk, help you get home if you need it, and be there the next day for all the bitchy gossip. Although he doesn't have to get you to a party. He can mock porn with you, pull you out of a particularly sticky mud bath, and still come up with 100(ish) article ideas overnight. What a Renaissance man!

Clinton Kelly is a fantastic writer, and this is one of the best memoirs I've read in months. I laughed my head off with this and was so jealous of his close friends. I wish I could have a friend as smart and bitchy and fun as these essays reveal him to be. Read this book, people! It will make your 2017!

(Note: There are some stories in this book that may not appropriate for young readers. Keep that in mind if you are or if you are buying this for a sensitive reader.)



Galleys provided by the publisher through NetGalley.com.

Not a true biography but a collection of stories and essays about his life. The essays are hit and miss of course, like most books structured like this; however the sum of the hits outweigh the misses. I think he is very open and honest without ever being mean or horrible. Except maybe to Paula Deen but honestly, she deserves it

I want to thank Clinton Kelly, Gallery and Netgalley for giving me this book for my honest review!

Review By Stephanie

5 Stars

OMG I am not going to lie I was totally fan girl when saw this book on Netgalley! I am a HUGE fan of Clinton Kelly so I was eager to read his book!

This book was amazing in true Clinton Kelly fashion. It was hilarious and heartwarming! These essays that Clinton so eliquinantly penned took me of a joinery of this adorable awkward little boy and how he became this amazing man he is today!

As funny as this book was the thing I loved most about it was the heart. I highly recommend this book to all!

Clinton Kelly is fabulous! this book is witty, and funny, and a bit strange lol. I am so glad I got to read it!

I Hate Everyone, Except You entered my life at the perfect time. I listened to a David Sedaris book last week and was unimpressed with some of his more edgy material. Clinton Kelly has the snark and sass of Sedaris, but, in my opinion, more heart and empathy. Let's just say, if Sedaris' book was a hard drug, the Kelly book equivalent would be "a little fresca on a panty shield" loc 1784, ebook. Perhaps uncensored, he's more honest and vulgar than what his fans usually see, but he's real. I really enjoyed this one, but don't go into it expecting Kelly to parade himself around as the fashionista from What Not to Wear the whole time. It is definitely not that.

Highly recommended for people who liked, but didn't love David Sedaris or readers who enjoy humorous/tell-all memoirs.

I think most everyone knows who Clinton Kelly is. He was one of the hosts on TLC's wildly popular show What Not to Wear, a show where he and his cohost, Stacy London, helped fashion-impaired women dress better (and ultimately feel better about themselves). The show went on for something like ten seasons. It was formulaic, of course, but still really fun. Now he's a host on The Chew, a show on ABC about food and people and gatherings, etc., which I've never seen but is apparently popular, too.

Kelly has written a bunch of books. I've read two of them (and enjoyed one...). Freakin' Fabulous: How to Dress, Speak, Act, Eat, Sleep, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally Be Better Than Everyone Else gives genuinely good advice on how to dress, act, speak, entertain, cook, etc., and I loved it. Oh No She Didn't: The Top 100 Style Mistakes Women Make and How to Avoid Them talks about the top 100 mistakes women make when dressing themselves, and though the advice is somewhat helpful, the tone is super snarky and I couldn't stand it.

I Hate Everyone Except You doesn't focus on advice at all. It's a collection of stories, almost all memoir-ish (with some random stuff, like a screenplay Kelly wrote, thrown in). And, honestly, there are some flawless moments in here. Kelly's writing is strongest when he talks about the things, especially the people, he loves most: the women he helped on What Not To Wear, his husband, his sister, his dog. And I loved Kelly's earnestness and honesty when he talked about his complicated relationship with Stacy London. Those stories sang.

But there are many chapters that fall flat--mostly, in my opinion, because Kelly chooses to be obnoxious and prickly instead of calm or thoughtful. He's funny even when he's catty, sure, but it gets old. I grew tired of his rude and overly annoyed tone. Sometimes he comes across as bitter--maybe over something deeper that he doesn't want to reveal, or possibly over something he hasn't even figured out himself yet. Other times, his over-the-top exasperation seems so unnecessarily dramatic that I wondered if it was all an act. Either way, I kept wanting to tell him, "Just breathe, Clinton. It's not that big of a deal. And you don't have to be so mean about it."

I definitely like this book better than Oh No She Didn't, and I do appreciate Kelly's willingness to share personal stories and make himself more vulnerable. But I still hoped for more--more about who Kelly really is and less about what he happens to be grumpy about today. The book held my attention and I zipped right through it, but I think it could have been stronger.

I Hate Everyone, Except You by Clinton Kelly is a book of autobiographical essays. I didn't know much about him before reading the book. I enjoyed getting to know more about him through the essays.

One of the things we learn about Clinton through his writing is that he isn't afraid to use profanity. And it seems no topic is off limits. This is a book for adults.

The book opens with an essay about his strong desire to go to a water park at 13 and ends with one where he is giving the commencement address for a high school graduation. So, he sort of seems to come full circle. The path to getting there is circuitous and includes essays from many different events and time periods in his life.

I love the confidence he shows in his writing and hope it truly carries over into his life. It was interesting reading how he got into fashion writing, and about how he got his job on What Not to Wear, and how he met his husband among other things. Besides being informative, most of the essays are humorous. There were several times I laughed out loud.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's an entertaining batch of autobiographical essays definitely written for an adult audience. I Hate Everyone, Except You is due out January 10, 2017 from Gallery Books.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book delivers on its promise of humor and insightful observations, all told in Clinton Kelly's inimitable style!

I’m going to be honest – when I first heard of this book of essays I had no idea that Clinton Kelly is a celebrity in the USA. I’ve googled him since and found out that he is a reality TV presenter, somewhat renowned for being harsh but fair with Joe Public. I sped through this witty and conversational selection of essays and on the whole I did enjoy hearing of Kelly’s experiences, from growing up as an awkward teen in New Jersey to his life and career in New York with his husband Damon and his beloved dog Mary. It seems quite clear that each essay has a ‘moral’, ‘love yourself as you are’ (which is a bit rich coming from someone who has, on two separate shows, been employed to tell people precisely what they should change about themselves) or ‘don’t let anybody get under your skin’ etc.. There are parts of the writing that are slightly strange – it seems to me that Kelly is oftentimes trying to justify his cattiness towards certain co-hosts or even strangers by being overly self-deprecating. The outcome of this is a weirdly off balance tone, especially when you take the collection as whole. There are some very sweet essays – I really liked the ones centred around his childhood – and some very funny pieces, including an extremely tongue in cheek sitcom script.
Overall I enjoyed this book and came away with a positive impression of Mr Kelly :)
3.5 stars

I have always liked Clinton Kelly's television persona on TLC's What Not to Wear and on ABC's The Chew. To me, he came across as funny and kind. I was so excited to see that he compiled some of his essays into a memoir type book. I received this e -ARC from the publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really disliked this book. I was very disappointed in the content as well as Clinton's use of body shaming. This was a crude look into the mind of a TV personality. I felt sad that he was so vulgar in his essays and discriminatory against people. I don't know if I can look at him the same way again.