Manon Mathews - Funny How It Works Out

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Masterless Press

https://www.masterlesspress.com/

Many names and identifying details have been changed. Any persons or entities alluded to or directly referenced by the author are a reflection of the authors views and by no means represents the views held by Masterless Press, LLC.

Instances of health and mental illness are discussed in this book. Any opinions/recommendations offered in Funny How It Works Out by the author are not intended to diagnose or treat any kind of medical condition. Please consult a licensed medical professional before following any advice in the book.

Funny How It Works Out

Copyright 2020 by Manon Mathews

Cover design by Vanessa Mendozzi

All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwisewithout prior written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations used for reviews or articles. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at www.masterlesspress.com or at info@masterlesspress.com. Thank you for your support of the authors rights.

First Masterless Press print edition: July 2020

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN: 978-1-7350801-0-9 (print)

ISBN: 978-1-7350801-1-6 (ebook)

ISBN: 978-1-7350801-2-3 (Hardcover)

To my always encouraging parents
Terri & Temple Mathews.

About the Author

Manon Mathews is an American actress, comedian, writer, and director who lives in her hometown of Los Angeles with her adorable canine, Russell. She studied film production, dance, and theater in Santa Barbara, and is an alumnus of The Second City Conservatory (Hollywood), as well as The Groundlings and Upright Citizens Brigade. Manon entered the world of content creation on Vine (accumulating over 1.6 billion loops), earning her a spot as a Shorty Awards finalist for Viner of the Year two years in a row.

She has since starred in both television and film roles. Manon was selected as a New Face in Just for Laughs 2018 and headlined the Breakout Artists Series at Carolines on Broadway. Now she creates ridiculous videos that touch upon the absurdity in everyday moments for her Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok audience where she has a combined 2.7 million followers. Over the years, Manon has written, directed, and stared in dozens of commercials for brands such as Coffee Mate, M&Ms, Febreze, and Allure Bridal.

Contents

An Introduction

Tinkle, Tinkle, Little Star

My First Love

What Happened in Vegas

The Best-Worst Night of My Life

The Guy Who Cried in a Strip Club

Something BIGGER Than Me

#Impression

The Vine-Famous Life

Fruits of the Vine

Speaking Your Truth

Manon and the City

Marriage Am I Right?

The Bomb Drops

Hello Again, Samuel

Things That Happen in LA: Dating a Celebrity

Meet the Mathewses: Dad

Meet the Mathewses: Mom (and Dad Again)

The Centaur

@MeIsRussell

The Next Chapter

LESSONS IN MANONFESTATION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Hello! And welcome to Funny How It Works Out! Truth bomb time. Abrupt, I know. You ready? Theres a lesson in each moment that passes, if you pay attention. From embarrassing myself as a child to shamefully blacking out in Vegas to blowing up on social media to a storybook-turned-drama movie marriage and my life now as a content-creating comedian, Im sharing this collection of wacky and seemingly impossible but true stories from my life with you in hopes that you can learn from the lessons in each anecdote and take steps toward manifesting your best life with a peaceful state of mind using my roller coaster of experiences as an example.

Oh, and at the end of the book is a little bonus for you. Its just a collection of short life tips that I practice daily to keep me centered and on the right track. Call it free therapy for anyone who may need it. If you follow me @manonfestation on Instagram, youve probably heard some variation of them, but at least now youll have them handy if your battery is low or the internet goes out Am I right?

This wont be a tell-all about my Vine-famous life. Vine was only one chapter in the grand scheme of things that changed my journey, so I wont go heavy on it. And I may be internet famous to some, but I promise it isnt all glitz, glam, and good times that lie in the pages ahead. Its better! JK. By the end of this book, if youve smiled, laughed, cried, and shaken your head at me a few times on top of learning a thing or two (or six), then Ive done my job.

Yippee!

This book is a reminder that I, like everyone whos made it big in the days of social media, am a flesh-and-blood human just like you. (Unless youre a dog; then we are a bit different. Im less hairy. Okay, thats a lie. If I let myself go, I can look like Chewbaccas wife.) Sure, just because the right confluence of events occurred at the right time and I achieved some stardom, it doesnt mean that I didnt have to work hard or take heart-pounding risks to get there. If youre someone who hasnt achieved your dreams yet, that doesnt mean youre not going to. (Spoiler alertyou can when you DECIDE to!) And you WILL so long as you put yourself out there, keep going, seize opportunity, and listen to what the universe or whatever higher power you believe in is telling you in every moment. Because there are signs if you know where to look. Like a sparrow flying into your head through your window while youre driving (which actually happened to memore on that later).

Funny How It Works Out is a reminder that even those who have manifested their best lives are not without their fair share of obstacles. Take me for example. My family has a history of alcoholism, depression, and anxiety, not to mention schizophrenia and obesity Ha. Ha. Ha. And the best part is, thats from both sides of the family!

Yay

For the record, Im not schizo (yet), but Ive had to do a lot to overcome the parts of those genetic hurdles that trickled into my coding like my abusive Lifetime-movie relationship with my old flame, whom you may have heard of. Al Cohol? Hes starred in movies such as The Hangover, Project X, and Superbad, and essentially made guest appearances in every movie ever. I had to learn how to focus on whats good in my life and to train my brain to be in the present moment, to attract good things, and to let the past go. The value of accomplishing all of that is what I hope to impart to you before the acknowledgments section.

Jess-ka:Gosh, Manon, I cant imagine what its like having it all figured out!