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Jennette McCurdy defends naming her memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died

10 August 2022, 16:36

Jennette McCurdy opens up about new memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died

By Sam Prance

Jennette McCurdy writes about the parental abuse she experienced from her late mother in I'm Glad My Mom Died.

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CONTENT WARNING: This article contains details of child abuse that some readers may find triggering.

Jennette McCurdy has defended titling her memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died and opened up about why she chose that name.

Yesterday (Aug 9), Jennette McCurdy released her first ever autobiography I'm Glad My Mom Died. The critically acclaimed memoir explores Jennette's life as a former child actor and sees her write frankly about her relationship with her mother and the parental abuse she experienced up until her mother passed away of cancer in 2013 when Jennette was 21 years old.

Now, Jennette has explained the book's title and said that it will make sense to anyone who's experienced parental abuse.

Jennette McCurdy defends naming her memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died. Picture: ABC, Simon & Schuster

When asked about backlash to the title on Good Morning America, Jennette replied: "This title is, I get that it's attention-grabbing, but it's also something that I mean sincerely. I'm not saying it at all in a flippant way. And, while the response might be divided, I really appreciate the positivity that I've received from a lot of people and the support that I've received from a lot of people."

Jennette then continued to explain: "I think that anyone who's experienced parental abuse understands this title and I think anybody who has a sense of humour understands this title and I'm not so concerned with the opinions of anybody else because this book is not for them."

When asked what her mother would think of the title if she were still alive, Jennette explained: "I wouldn't have written the book if my mom were still alive. I would still have my identity dictated by her."

Jennette McCurdy gets candid about life as a child star in new memoir

In the book, Jennette writes candidly about the "calorie restriction" that her mother would enforce on her diet. She also talks frankly about her mother weighing her five times a day and forcing her to share showers with her until the age of 16. On top of that, Jennette's mother would routinely perform breast and vaginal exams on her to check for lumps.

Discussing her mother's death with GMA, Jennette said: "Grief for me toward my mom used to be really complicated. I'd feel really angry and confused at why I felt angry that I was grieving her. I felt like she didn't deserve my tears and my sadness and that she was abusive."

Jennette then explained how writing the book changed her perspective: "It simplified in a really relieving way. It now feels like I'm able to just miss her. I think that that's only possible because of the healing that's happened through writing this book."