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An Invitation I Didn't Know I Needed: Tiffany Haddish is "The LAST Black Unicorn"

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Hollywood breakout star of 2017, Tiffany Haddish, published her debut bestselling book, The Last Black Unicorn, in December 2017, and although I may be one year and one month late to the party, Haddish has written her book in a way where no matter what time of day or time of the year you pick it up to read, it's like the party just got started! 

I received the book as a Christmas gift in 2017 and started a job a month later, so I got really busy really fast, but, now that I have some free time, I finally got around to reading it; and it's not like that was an issue either! The Last Black Unicorn is such a page turner, it only took me two afternoons to complete. 

My initial thought was, "I wonder how the book will start." Literally, I was thinking about what the first word and the first sentence would be. To my surprise, rather than a prologue, Haddish uses an invitation to preface her story, welcoming readers into her world.

"Hello, my name is Tiffany Haddish. I would like to invite you to read about a few of my experiences in life so far." She ends by saying, "I am inviting you to read it, because I never want you to say I didn't invite you to nothing. So come on in!", and that is exactly what the reader does; steps right on in to the world of Tiffany-mother*******-Haddish!

Although I had already heard Haddish tell a few of the stories that are in the book during her time on Power 105.1's The Breakfast Club, little did I know there were so many more details to all of these stories and more!

Haddish doesn't shy away from having been illiterate up until the ninth grade, but that is not evident at all! I had actually forgotten that I heard this, so revisiting it in the book was a shocker to me. Still, look at what she has accomplished since; she's written a whole book! If she never admitted it, no one would have ever picked up on it, especially after a project like The Last Black Unicorn! This book, along with the many TV shows, commercials and films Haddish has starred in, are all accomplishments and testaments to what hard work, dedication and the will to improve one's self can do. I don't want to dwell on her temporary setback, especially since she eventually did become literate, so I decided to focus on other revelatory parts of the book. But, now that I think about it, I wonder if Haddish ever even realized this accomplishment.  

Stories that recounted her childhood, teenhood, young adulthood and her current life, all fill the reader with sadness, happiness, cries, laughs, gasps, concern and hope. From being placed into the foster care system, even though she and her siblings lived with their grandmother, all because Haddish's mother became mentally unstable after a life-threatening car accident that Haddish later found out was also supposed to be the fate of her and her siblings; to getting involved with wild and crazy (and abusive) men; to some of the best (and the worst) jobs and opportunities she's ever had; all the way to Hollywood where she can now name drop other A-listers, Haddish has definitely poured every ounce of her being into this book.  

What I love most about the book, which I think I can say for all who've read, is that it is 1000% all Haddish. The tone is so conversational, it's literally like Tiffany called you up on the telephone to tell you a few juicy stories before she has to run on set to shoot a TV series or film. The more words you read on a page, the less you feel like just a reader, and more like an actual friend. One minute, you're bursting out laughing at some of the conversations she's having with people as a child and as a teen, admiring her street-smart and negotiating skills, and the next minute, you're ready to take the book and whack it over both her and a few of her ex-boyfriends' heads. When you pause or close the book for whatever reason, it's almost like you've rested the phone down onto the couch to walk away for a moment, and can hear her yelling through the speaker (and through the pages), "Hello?! Girl, come back! I'm almost done telling you this story!", and then you resume and it's like she never took a break from telling the story, LOL!

Haddish does, however, warn readers in her invitation, "I know that a lot of these stories will seem unbelievable. Shit, I look back over my life and I'm like, "For real, that happened?", and this could not be closer to the truth. Some of the stories will have you like, "Huh?" or "What the --?" or my absolute favorite, "Bihh, I'm done!" But one thing's for sure, they are all real, all raw, all Tiffany, and no one can take them away from her.

Beneath all the fame and popularity, Haddish is quite vulnerable and human, having had to deal and still deal with things that people looking from the outside in, would never think that someone of her status in Hollywood would or should be dealing with. From being cursed at, insulted and physically assaulted from childhood to recent years from her mom who is dealing with Schizophrenia; to having to deal with an abusive, now twice divorced ex-husband who still blows up her text messages and pops up unannounced at one or two of her shows; to having trust issues from her father coming back into her life as an adult after leaving her at age 3, only to leave her again; to constantly living in fear that she may someday be broke and homeless again; it's almost refreshing to see such a sought after celebrity share her weaknesses and fears with us regular folk, revealing that fame and fortune don't necessarily equal peace and serenity. However, Tiffany is a fighter, and always finds a way to bounce back (although I'm certain that she's tired of always having to fight). 

In fact, with many, including myself, labeling Haddish as "loud" and "popular", rather than "funny", there's no denying her truth. She may not be everyone's cup of tea (which I'm sure she couldn't care any less about once those cheques are rolling in), but, I'm certain most can respect her work ethic, which can never be ignored. Her truth is written on all of the pages and seeps into the hearts and minds of all her readers; and one thing is for sure, She Ready!

Without giving too much away, I just have to say that I immediately concluded "Rumpelstiltskin" is Katt Williams. But, beyond that, Haddish has a lot of insight to offer women on how to navigate through Hollywood, a male-dominant sphere, but her advice can easily apply to women everywhere. She recounts moments where fellow male comedians wanted her to exchange her body for sets, or how people just didn't take her seriously as a female comic and didn't give her her worth, until they saw just how valuable she had become after Girls Trip (2017).

From forgetting how big of a celebrity she now is, which led to funny moments with other celebrities; to dealing with family and relationship drama, Haddish shows just how humble she has remained. Still holding on to a "broke person's mindset", Haddish resonates with a lot of women, including myself, and men, who are trying to discover what their God-given purpose is and how they can use it to change the world. This, to me, is the main purpose of The Last Black Unicorn; to show any and everyone that, no matter where you start, you can finish on top, in your purpose.  

So, just as Tiffany has invited me, I now invite you to read the book. Then, when you're done, pass on the invitation. I promise you won't regret it. It will change the way you view celebrities, the industry, and the journey from rags to riches, even when you think the person has reached their "riches". Tiffany has remained the same from she first got here until now, and she does exactly the same in this book. It was definitely an invitation I didn't know I needed! In the words of Drake, "#ThankMeLater". 

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