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babewiththepower.bsky.social · @babewiththepower.bsky.social@bridge.neodb.net

Rated I'm Glad My Mom Died 6/10

There were so many mentions of this book that while I didn't know who this person was, I decided to read a copy from the library. I'm a Nickelodeon kid from the generation before the iCarlys and Zoeys, so I went in blank slate on her. There's so much going on in this memoir, there's just nowhere to start. In short, her mother was horrifyingly abusive who should've never been allowed to parent.<br/><br/>McCurdy happens to be famous, but this level of abuse is sadly common and no one really knows what goes on behind closed doors. I read faster through the book to the section she labeled "After" (meaning after her mother passed away) hoping that without the mother around her life would greatly improve. Unfortunately, the long-term damage was done and dismayingly her mental health got worse rather than better. I can't even imagine. I'm glad she finally got and maintained good help, but it was a terrible road to get there for such a young person.<br/><br/>There were a large number of people who probably had a good idea how monstrous this woman was, but chose to turn a blind eye. So many child performers go through this type of thing and TPTB willfully ignore it as long as they're getting their pound of flesh. To have, on top of a parent like this, a showrunner (whom she only refers to as The Creator) who was also abusive just really took the cake. I was surprised, but not surprised, to look up Dan Schneider and find it was the name I knew from "Head of the Class." It's good he was dropkicked by Nickelodeon, but I cynically think it didn't happen until they were done getting any use out of him. After all, the era of all the shows he made successful was long over.<br/><br/>The final page of the memoir really struck a cord. It very accurately described what it's like to live with and love a narcissist, to see all their flaws but also their charming and endearing qualities you wish they were like all of the time. It's true that sooner or later, for your own sanity, you need to realize that will never be the case, that's not fully who they are, and you need to distance yourself and move on.

#book

Published 2026-08-18 17:59 UTC · bridged from Atmosphere