From the Publisher
Gina is one of those comedians you watch on TV and be like I want to meet her. I got the honor to meet Gina in the trenches of the LA comedy scene. Her story is funny, inspiring, and thought provoking. Her success is a testament to her crazy work ethic. This Book is a Must Read, Trust.” — Tiffany Haddish, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Black Unicorn
“As a fellow Nigerian, I've also felt the weight of my parents expectations, Gina and I have kindred experiences from opposite sides of the Atlantic. Her story is at times hilarious, heartbreaking and inspiring, but oh, what a story it is!” — Yvonne Orji, actor, comedian, and author of Bamboozled by Jesus
“Gina Yashere is always going up. Perhaps that’s because she began as an elevator repair person. After conquering the world of standup comedy, she ascended to successful standup, sitcom creator, showrunner and series costar. And now she’s an author. And like everything else she does, it’s wonderful. Hilarious. Irreverent. Insightful. Holy shit she really said that. Now of course, we all know elevators go up and down. But the smart money on Gina is up. Always up.” — Chuck Lorre
“Gina has this incredible way of painting each moment in her life in such vivid color, that it almost feels like you are sitting right next to her looking at what she sees. She is a connoisseur of humor and is so sharp witted that I had to be careful turning the pages for fear of getting a paper cut, which still wouldn’t have deterred me from devouring the pages. A wonderful guided journey through Gina’s world.” — Cynthia Erivo
"There is no man, woman or child funnier than Gina Yashere. They may be as funny but definitely not funnier. If you don't believe me, read this funny ass book." — Chris Spencer, comedian, writer, and executive producer
“Gina is a woman. She’s a Black woman. But that wasn’t enough so she decided to go be a A Nigerian Immigrant Black woman in America. But that wasn’t enough so she decided to be a Nigerian Immigrant Black woman in America pursuing a career in entertainment…an industry that traditionally is not favorable to Immigrants or Black Women. Gina has lived the American dream, the immigrant’s dream, all of our dreams. This book is not big enough for an existence that spans 3 continents.” — Roy Wood Jr., Correspondent 'The Daily Show with Trevor Noah'
“Yashere's voice is consistently candid and unique. By virtue of her raw honesty and acerbic wit, Yashere makes it easy to root for her.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Enhanced by Yashere's splendid storytelling and generous wit, Cack-Handed honors the emotionally resilient, cosmopolitan, proud Black lesbian identity Yashere confidently claims as her own.” — Shelf Awareness
"I don't usually laugh out loud when I'm by myself, but I cracked up reading Gina. Y'all, she is one funny sistagurl. With Cack-Handed, you'll learn a lot, think a lot, and most definitely laugh your ass off—a lot!!!" — Jennifer Lewis, author of The Mother of Black Hollywood
Tiffany Haddish
Gina is one of those comedians you watch on TV and be like I want to meet her. I got the honor to meet Gina in the trenches of the LA comedy scene. Her story is funny, inspiring, and thought provoking. Her success is a testament to her crazy work ethic. This Book is a Must Read, Trust.
Roy Wood Jr.
Gina is a woman. She’s a Black woman. But that wasn’t enough so she decided to go be a A Nigerian Immigrant Black woman in America. But that wasn’t enough so she decided to be a Nigerian Immigrant Black woman in America pursuing a career in entertainment…an industry that traditionally is not favorable to Immigrants or Black Women. Gina has lived the American dream, the immigrant’s dream, all of our dreams. This book is not big enough for an existence that spans 3 continents.”
Chuck Lorre
Gina Yashere is always going up. Perhaps that’s because she began as an elevator repair person. After conquering the world of standup comedy, she ascended to successful standup, sitcom creator, showrunner and series costar. And now she’s an author. And like everything else she does, it’s wonderful. Hilarious. Irreverent. Insightful. Holy shit she really said that. Now of course, we all know elevators go up and down. But the smart money on Gina is up. Always up.
Chris Spencer
"There is no man, woman or child funnier than Gina Yashere. They may be as funny but definitely not funnier. If you don't believe me, read this funny ass book."
Cynthia Erivo
Gina has this incredible way of painting each moment in her life in such vivid color, that it almost feels like you are sitting right next to her looking at what she sees. She is a connoisseur of humor and is so sharp witted that I had to be careful turning the pages for fear of getting a paper cut, which still wouldn’t have deterred me from devouring the pages. A wonderful guided journey through Gina’s world.”
Yvonne Orji
As a fellow Nigerian, I've also felt the weight of my parents expectations, Gina and I have kindred experiences from opposite sides of the Atlantic. Her story is at times hilarious, heartbreaking and inspiring, but oh, what a story it is!”
Shelf Awareness
Enhanced by Yashere's splendid storytelling and generous wit, Cack-Handed honors the emotionally resilient, cosmopolitan, proud Black lesbian identity Yashere confidently claims as her own.
Kirkus Reviews
2021-04-24
Brazen, emboldening tales of the author's arduous childhood and journey to success as a comedian.
Throughout, Yashere, writer and producer of the CBS show Bob Hearts Abishola, is by turns disarmingly funny, inspiring, and disjointed. The meaning of cack-handed, she explains, is "left-handed, which I am, and also clumsy and awkward, which I am. It also represents the unconventional track my life and career have taken—including writing this book myself.” Moving chronologically, the author begins with what she's been told about her Nigerian maternal grandmother; Yashere’s mother believes she was killed by her husband's other wives. Sent to live in England for protection, the author’s mother is the most intriguing character in the book. Overprotective and sometimes mean, she inadvertently inspired Yashere to use humor to defuse stressful and threatening situations. Being subjected to overt racism while working as an elevator engineer made the author want to learn more about Black culture, which led her to meetings of the Pan-African Community Enterprise. After writing and performing her first sketch, by 1995, she writes, "I had become one of the hottest young comics on the circuit." Yashere used to be convinced that White audiences wouldn't connect with Black experiences, yet it wasn't until she began performing authentically in front of all crowds that she really became famous. After seeing her daughter on TV, Yashere's mother stopped pressuring her to get a proper job. The author describes coming out to her mother as a lesbian and her mother's reaction: "My daughter is a gay clown." Yashere replied, "You could say that, yeah." The author also includes memories of her abusive stepfather and her experience, as an adult in Nigeria, meeting her biological father for the first time since he left the U.K. when she was 3. Though Yashere isn’t the most appealing stylist on the page, her voice is consistently candid and unique.
By virtue of her raw honesty and acerbic wit, Yashere makes it easy to root for her.
