HELEN LEDERER
(my memoir)
inside the flaps... more about my memoir
get your copy now - what?! YES!!
You may or may not be aware that I’ve written a memoir.
If you would like to order a book, I will love you for ever. I realise ‘for ever’ is a tricky concept, but you can assume my love for you will be in play for at least the next five years - possibly more. Grab yours - before they sell out.
It’s a bit of a truth fest – but no toilet humour – well I don’t think so, best check – but these words below describe my alarmingly honest book which I’d like to think is quite accurate... and very nice talented people have given me VERY NICE QUOTES without me paying them.
A hilarious and alarmingly honest memoir by one of Britain’s first female stand-up comedians of the 80s, when Alternative Comedy created a new generation of TV heroes, and when women were seen as ‘high maintenance’ if they dared to send in a comedy script to the BBC. ‘How did I get from being what my mother called a ‘show-off’, to an ’80s stand-up comedian? It’s not as hard as you might think...’
Helen Lederer’s face and wry, witty perspectives are unforgettable. A regular on the stand-up circuit and new-wave sketch shows that launched the careers of today’s comedy national treasures, she performed on stage and TV with other household names from that time.
But Not That I’m Bitter is more than the story of one decade. The child of a Czech wartime refugee, she was never part of the mainstream. Her powerful, frank, moving and characteristically funny memoir, reveals exactly how tough it was for a woman to break through. Even in the ground-breaking 1980s, it was as much a struggle for women to be seen and heard in comedy as in any boardroom or workplace, and just as hard to avoid predators.
Here in her first full account of her life, Helen Lederer is in joyous flow, mixing startling self-revelation with nail-sharp observation. How does humour help to cope with a lifelong battle with weight and low-self-esteem, diet-pill addiction, or dependence on steroid injections? How can laughter defeat the darker moments, despite enormous success, the constant self-sabotage of always feeling a failure?
There’s something in Helen Lederer’s life story that everyone can relate to. A memoir full of heart and just the right amount of bitterness, Not That I’m Bitter is a compelling, addictive mix of the sweet, the sour, and the genuinely laugh-out-loud.
Available in Hardback, eBook and Audiobook from all good retailers and independent bookshops. And my handbag.
“Dizzy, dippy and divinely funny Helen Lederer takes you on an insanely readable tour through her chaotically wonderful life. Under her costume of the madcap and the daft, there ticks a very, very smart brain and there beats a most warm and kindly heart. It’s a wonderful read.”
- Stephen Fry
“This wildly entertaining ride through Helen’s fabulous life is funny, adorable, and thought-provoking in equal measure, rather like the dazzling author herself.”
- Joanna Lumley
“Helen’s book is funny, wise, brilliant, and brave Just like its author. A fascinating trip through the life and times of one of the early (and not sufficiently recognised) heroes of Alternative Comedy.”
- Ben Elton
“Helen Lederer is the third funniest woman in the world.”
- Dawn French
“Helen is an open book, and this is a book you should open. Her progression through the comedy swamp of the eighties is fascinating, poignant and laugh-out-loudy.”
- Jo Brand
“Honestly funny, honestly truthful, from one of the pioneers of the 80’s comedy scene, when women on the circuit were as rare as unicorns.”
- Jenny Eclair
funny footage... on the socials...
Here are some bits of footage that young people tell me are necessary to promote the book in a light and fun manner?
press... reviews, tv, radio & podcasts!
book tour... behind the scenes...
Very private...
13 APRIL
Until Frome, I never knew the joys of ‘porch signing’ in a book shop, but Harriet at Winstone's Hunting Raven Books Bookshop UK did me proud. Even the local Mayor requested a selfie, but alas, not a book. I asked if he already had a copy of Not That I’m Bitter at home. He told me he didn’t.…
Evening spent at the Bath Comedy Festival, where apart from being interviewed by a real actor who told the audience he had stepped out with one of the ‘names’ in my book (we all tried to guess who she might be), I was also presented with the ‘Bath Plug Award’ for services to comedy 2024 by Nick Steel. Obviously, I cried. Hopefully the plug wasn’t taken out of someone’s actual bath, or they might be crying too.
14 APRIL
BBC Radio 2 The Michael Ball Show (Listen from 1 hr 3 minutes in)
I get to meet Michael Ball. I deicide to refrain from singing. We agree this is best. He is lovely about the book. I am lovely about his hair, his personality and probably clothing...
15 APRIL
I go to Chorley Wood Book Shop to be interviewed by a nice woman who also used to go out drinking in the 80’ so we decide to be friends. I am aware it will just be tea in the green room, so I sneak in a mini bottle of wine and pour it into a mug. Unfortunately, I only remembered to send footage of a film trailer to show at the start of the talk, a few hours before we start. We all agree this is quite late, but a very nice technician is setting up a screen and a laptop when I arrive. Everyone is very nice to him.
16 APRIL
Audience With Helen in Richmond in Books on the Rise Bookshop. There is an actress in the audience from Emmerdale who asks good questions, and three gentlemen friends of Joan Collins who buy a book each - Joan says ‘hello’ to me, one of them tells me. I am chuffed. This is the coolest book shop happening ever.
17 APRIL
ITV Good Morning Britain This goes well. Ed Balls appears to be excited; Susanna Reid says my book is well written. I thank her for this. A lot.
ITV London News I wear a different blouse but the same velvet jacket.
19 APRIL
Audience With Helen & Book Signing... Linghams Bookshop (Wirral) this is a glorious book shop. They got the wine in specially for me. I have a choice of Chardonnay and one other make. I choose both, Linghams Booksellers. The shop is haunted - in a good way apparently, which adds cachet. Wonderful audience. In the front row is a man who came to my Edinburgh show in 2018. He reminds me what subject I'm on, when I forget facts. I love him.
20 APRIL
BBC Radio 4 Loose Ends (Listen from 34 minutes in) I am in the presence of Clive Anderson which has always been a thrill. We have a play fight on air. I love this a lot. I’m experimenting with form. Clive has made notes about my book which I take as a caring gesture. I go home chuffed.
Huddersfield Festival I love this town and the team and also Michelle who interviews me. It is very full, and the questions are funny. In fact, it feels like a house party. Lots of people buy my book. I ask about their families in return.
21 APRIL
Cambridge Literary Festival where I get interviewed by the astute and brainy Alex Clarke who, arranges for a dry martini to be handed to me on stage. I can’t remember the reason for the drink, but I happily drink it, on my own. The audience watch as I slur a few words.... Someone who used to work for M15 stays behind for a post-interview tipple, along with someone I was at school with but didn’t recognise. We all party while people clear up around us. I sell loads of books. I decide this is a quality festival - partly because no one else has served a martini.
27 APRIL
Audience With Helen & Book Signing...... Yate Library after going to the wrong car park, I am crisply re directed to the right one. There is bunting galore of lemons and all manner of my book memorabilia displayed as well as cake. I ask two men in the audience to help me put up the screen. This proves interesting. We decide its faulty. Within five minutes of the talk, a hand goes up with a questions and we have the best discussion ever. I LOVE this library.
1 MAY
Channel 5 News with Dan Walker I wear a different blouse again as its television and people may well be making notes about my tops - but I'm sticking with the black jacket. Dan and I admire the news item before me which features some crocheted phalluses made by two women in the country. Then Dan says my book should be taken seriously. I later reflect that since we’ve both seen the phalluses, he may be needing to be focus on the graver aspects of my book, as way of contrast.
Iain Dale All Talk Podcast this is good and vigorous.
4 MAY
Guernsey Literary Festival I take a risk and share a dodgy moment that I experienced in Boots the chemist before the show. This is taken in good heart. I think. Jo Durrant very good interviewer. Sell loads and loads. I could live here I tell everyone.
7 MAY
Chipping Campden Literature Festival – interviewed by Jo Durrant again but this time Jo is wearing a different outfit, I am not. I make a joke about being able to buy tea towels easily here. None walks out. I love the audience and they buy books. Brilliant festival.
10 MAY
RHLSTP with Richard Herring I love this a lot
17 MAY
Festival of Ideas - University of Hertfordshire I manage to keep people under one roof (well tent actually, as we are al fresco) nice questions at the end. We all agree that cancel culture is interesting. We leave it there.
25 MAY
Bath Literary Festival boasted a welcoming Green Room – it’s main asset being a FRIDGE. I immediately asked for a white wine and a nice mini bottle was handed over pronto. I sipped my wine, while sitting where Ruby Wax had sat a few days before me apparently. After this piece of news, I reacquainted myself with Becky Rogers - author and winner of The CWIP prize 2021 who was to be my interviewer. We pledge to have fun and also bring each of our books on stage with us, as we decide this isn’t boasting. The sound chap Ben obliges when I ask him to find some Ska music for walking in music. ‘Dave Andrews?’ he suggests, ‘fab ‘ I say, not knowing who Dave Andrews is (Dave Andrews turns out to be excellent). I go off on a tangent about June Whitfield in a ‘M and S’ nightie, giving feed lines to Terry. And forget to be salacious and gossipy. Becky is very good. At the end, nice people buy books. Other people don’t. I’m sure they are nice too. Just not AS nice…
25 MAY
Hay on Wye Festival. On the last day, as I sign the visitors book, I discover I have slept in the same guest house as Marian Keyes. What would we have said to each other I wonder, if we had bumped into each other going up the stairs, and past the umbrella stand of several sharp looking medieval swords? I’m being interviewed by Samira Ahmed and sharing the stage with the very funny Doon MacKichan. Before we go on, I am asked to remove one earring - for the sound man to attach the Brittany Spears style microphone. Apparently, it will rattle if the earring is left in, he tells us firmly. I cave in (‘my ear has a mind of its own and will close up’, I tell him half jokingly, but take it out). After more banter/protest, Doon ends up removing hers as well. We both discuss if this was oppression or not. On stage. I experiment with inserting some gossipy sound bites in the middle of the discussion, to hopefully be picked up in the press. Doons’ are better than mine. It’s not a competition though, just because we are two women who have written memoirs. Hel no, we also have a laugh. No really, we do.
6 JUNE
Essex Book Festival was very exciting - not least because I thought the venue was called Angela Ruskin instead of Anglia Ruskin - but once we got the name sorted - I found myself in a purple (racy) themed lecture hall in front of a fabulous and discerning audience - Not only did I get quality biscuits in Green Room - a nice young student raced off to the student union bar to get me two (mini) bottles of wine – this is what I call professionalism - she will go far.
8 JUNE
Books by the Beach, Scarborough. This time I’m being interviewed by a brainy interviewer Jerry Foley – (mercifully he liked the rude bits) not only that - we are doing it in a marvellous church, sat on rather high chairs above the congregation (sos - audience) – and after a literary romp through my life - I get an offer of a late night trip to a cocktail bar but settle on a nice pub with a band. I LOVE Scarborough.
12 JUNE
Huntingdon. Another church hall, re purposed into a zany venue - all navy blue and gold lettering. I am offered some wonderful ska music for the people of Huntingdon to walk into, and the evening is made complete with attendance from CWIP writer and winner Kathleen Wyman. I love my interview with the fab Niche Comic Book shop owner Angela - we decide we are both disrupters but keep our knees together to be on the safe side.
18 JUNE
Brighton Book Festival - Booze & Books! Slight departure for this one – as I’m teamed with two women wine experts Ashlee Hansel and Honey Spencer, thankfully we decide we are all pioneers in our field which is a positive. This requires tasting lots of natural wine at the same time as shouting about our books. One very lively Brighton book club asked lots of searing booky, boozy questions from a front table – so it is now confirmed - reading and booze do go together. Not always in that order…
20 JUNE
Leeds Lit Fest Oh the joys of Leeds - not only did I buy a bottle of house white for the audience in my excitement - I was also presented with a surprise book entitled ‘vegans in Iceland’ which was not something I had anticipated.
On top of this I had a wonderful head-to-head with Leeds Festival interviewer Jonathan Straight – and made many new friends - including students from China studying comedy sketch shows if you please - and who bought the memoir – it seems rudeness, honesty and fun go down well in Leeds - and then we talked about the book…
