Reddit reviews Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography

From Rob Lowe's autobiography:

>Through no fault of my own, I've had a career where I play guys you meet on page one. And on the first page of The West Wing, here comes a character named Sam Seaborn. Good name. Nice alliteration and romantic-sounding. He's standing at a bar slinging rapid-fire political-insider talk. From my years on the inside of campaigns I recognize at one the authenticity of his voice and the world that surrounds him. Oh, how Sam's flirting with a girl in a charming, self-deprecating way. I get the idea that Sam is more comfortable with public policy than private interaction with the fairer sex. Nice dynamic. I'm liking this Mr. Seaborn more and more. And now at the end of the teaser (the intro before the credits), Mr. Sorkin closes the deal. Sam's date asks who his boss, POTUS, is.

>"President of the United States," he replies, dashing off to solve a White House crisis. My chest thumps, I feel my skin tingle, and I know that, God help me, I'm in love.

>I've read hundreds of scripts. I've read a number that I would have killed to have been a part of, but I've read only one or two over the course of twenty-plus years that made me absolutely certain of this: I know this character at first blush and on the deepest of levels. He feels written for me. Everything I've done as an actor and as a person has prepared me for this part. The miles on the road campaigning, serving a candidate pursuing the calling of that elusive, magical oval office. My interest in policy, in public change, in service. My deep love of the majesty of our flawed democracy. Like Sam, I feel these things in my bones. When Sam Seaborn speaks, it's as if it's me talking, but elevated by the massive intellect and with of Aaron Sorkin. Sam Seaborn, I realize, is my idealized self.

He does get to the point later where he says that he expected a bigger role for Sam (and more money since he was the lowest paid person on the show after season 1), but the way he tells it, he was after the role of Sam from the beginning.

Oh and do yourself a favor and buy / borrow from the library the audiobook. He reads it himself and he's really really good at it. He reenacts a scene from The West Wing and it sounds exactly like it does in the show.

This autobiography by Rob Lowe is really good reading. He spends a whole chapter on the casting/shooting process of The Outsiders. I highly recommend it. I listened to the audio version, which Lowe narrates, and it was excellent. His early life was really amazing.

funny... autobios on people you wouldnt think they would read

• 1
  
  
• 2
  
  cds like
  
  william hung
  
  a kerig box filled with toilet paper
  
  those joke gum
  1
  2
  3