This week for the Fiction Friday feature, I am reviewing the Audible Original, You Do You by Tan France & Nikki Levy. This work was released in 2019 by Audible. This audio production is 1 hour & 48 minutes in length. Performing in this piece are Janine Brito, D.J. “Shangela” Pierce, Emma Willmann, Gigi Gorgeous, Percy Rustomji, Nikki Levy, and Alexandra Billings. The following overview is provided from Audible: Jump into Pride with Tan France (Queer Eye), Nikki Levy, and seven FABULOUS storytellers as they share true tales of exploring, embracing, and celebrating queer identity. You Do You, produced especially for Pride Month, brings Audible Members a collection of uplifting, raw, and hilarious stories from queer actors, comedians, and personalities. Co-hosted by French-tuck aficionado and super-stylist Tan France, and storytelling maven Nikki Levy, You Do You is a fierce, unfiltered celebration of LGBTQIA+ realness. You’ll hear live stories from RuPaul’s Drag Race fave D.J. “Shangela” Pierce about seeking some Beyonce healing after a fateful death-drop injury. Janine Brito (stand-up comedian and writer for Netflix’s One Day At A Time) who made a curious calendar purchase as a tween, and Emma Willmann (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) growing closer to her sister through heteronormative wedding planning. You Do You also treats listeners to a sometimes fun, sometimes trying excursion to Dubai from YouTube star Gigi Gorgeous, a mischievous switcheroo orchestrated by Percy Rustomji and a touching story about big life decisions from Nikki Levy herself. Closing it out is a deeply personal story, that’s still sizzling with laughs, from the magnificent Alexandra Billings of Amazon’s hit show Transparent. So, celebrate yourself, don’t let anyone dull your sparkle, and dive in to the fabulous, funny stories in You Do You.
I loved every minute of this Audible Original. I laughed, I cried, and I enjoyed my way through each person’s story. I loved hearing the stories told first-hand, it added to the magic of each story. I have re-listened to this a few times because I love it that much. I cannot pick a favorite story, they all moved me for different reasons. Each story taught me its own lesson and allowed me to understand others’ experiences. I think something important that I took away from this is that there is still so much work left to do. There are still people and places that have archaic notions about how people are supposed to be. Love, understanding, and acceptance can only happen with the education of the ignorant. It is almost important that we acknowledge the history of the LGBTQ+ community and make it a standard part of our own history. The younger generation deserves to know how society has evolved in a complete manner and not just the sections that a certain group of people find acceptable. I recommend that everyone listen to this.
I give this work 5 out of 5 stars.
Sunday for the Spotlight Sunday feature, I am reviewing the true-crime podcast, Missing Maura Murray. Next week for the Fiction Friday feature, I am reviewing the horror novel, Christine by Stephen King. Until then keep reading on; Nerd out!
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