Times Book Review

“Strikes the perfect balance of brutally honest and laugh-out-loud funny. I didn’t want it to end.”—Mindy Kaling, New York Times bestselling author of Why Not Me?

With sharp, timely insight, pitch-perfect pop culture references, and her always unforgettable voice, New York Times bestselling author, comedian, actress, and producer Phoebe Robinson is back with her most must-read book yet.

In her brand-new collection, Phoebe shares stories that will make you laugh, but also plenty that will hit you in the heart and inspire a little bit of rage, and maybe a lot of action. That means revealing her perspective on performative allyship, white guilt, and what happens when white people take up space in cultural movements; exploring what it’s like to be a woman who doesn’t want kids living in a society where motherhood is the crowning achievement of a straight, cis woman’s life; and discussing how the dire state of mental health in America means that taking care of one’s psychological well-being—aka “self-care”—usually requires disposable money.

She also shares tales of her mom slowpoking before a visit with Mrs. Obama, the stupidly fake reassurances of zip-line attendants, her favorite things about dating a white person from the UK, and how the lack of Black women in leadership positions fueled her to become the Black lady-boss of her dreams. By turns perceptive, hilarious, and heartfelt, Please Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes is not only a brilliant look at our current cultural moment, it’s also a collection that will stay with readers for years to come.

BIO

Phoebe Robinson is a multitalented stand-up comedian, a New York Times bestselling writer, and an actress. She is best known as the co-creator and costar of the hit podcast-turned-TV-show 2 Dope Queens, which aired eight hour-long specials on HBO in February 2018 and 2019. On her second WNYC Studios podcast, the critically acclaimed talk show Sooo Many White Guys, Phoebe interviews today’s biggest stars and groundbreakers such as Tom Hanks, Issa Rae, Abbi Jacobson, and many more. Phoebe is also making her presence known in publishing as the author of the New York Times bestseller You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain, a collection of essays about race, gender, and pop culture. Phoebe made her feature film debut as one of the stars of the Netflix comedy Ibiza and followed that up by acting alongside Taraji P. Henson in the Paramount film What Men Want. She was also a staff writer on MTV’s hit talking-head show Girl Code and IFC’s Portlandia, and was a consultant on season three of Broad City.

REVIEWS

“Phoebe Robinson has done it again! While exploring topics ranging from being the boss to helping me determine which wigs are my Zoom standbys, Pheebs keeps the comic relief coming. I’ve never looked forward to reading footnotes so much. Come for the laughs, stay for her vulnerability. You just might find yourself walking away lighter and braver.” -- Austin Channing Brown, New York Times bestselling author of I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness

“Phoebe’s the G.O.A.T. when it comes to honest and hilarious storytelling, and Please Don’t Sit on my Bed in Your Outside Clothes is no exception. Her writing is a MasterClass in transforming life’s most complicated parts into relatable gems. Righteous, ratchet, sincere, and downright entertaining, I couldn’t put Please Don’t Sit on My Bed down.” -- Hasan Minhaj, comedian, actor, producer
 
“She did it again! Whip-smart, laugh-out-loud, and unabashedly honest, this collection feels like a long-awaited weekend with an old friend. Phoebe brings you in with her hilarity, and keeps you with her unparalleled social commentary. After the past year, I needed this!” -- Abbi Jacobson, New York Times bestselling author of I Might Regret This: Essays, Drawings, Vulnerabilities, and Other Stuff
 
“Phoebe Robinson continues to be one of the most interesting, thoughtful, and hilarious writers of our generation. She’s so relatable and captivating and especially gifted at illustrating the ridiculous side of humanity comically while striking you right through your heart without you realizing it. Frankly, how dare she be this gifted and cool and hot? It’s disrespectful. F*ck her. I hate Phoebe Robinson.” -- Jameela Jamil, actress, author, activist

“Comedian Phoebe Robinson delivers another hilarious-yet-poignant collection of essays about her life and work.” -- Entertainment Weekly, “Best New Books of September 2021”

[P]  Tiny Reparations Books  /  June 21, 2022

0.87" H x 8.11" L x 5.43" W (0.6 lbs) 352 pages