Bobbi Brown is Still Bobbi: What a Beauty Icon Learned Writing Her Memoir

Summary

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Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club

Episode: "Bobbi Brown is Still Bobbi: What a Beauty Icon Learned Writing Her Memoir"

Host: Danielle Robay
Guest: Bobbi Brown
Date: January 6, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this engaging New Year’s episode, Danielle Robay sits down with beauty icon and entrepreneur Bobbi Brown to discuss her new memoir, Still Bobbi. The conversation explores themes of authenticity, reinvention, resilience, and staying true to oneself. Bobbi shares personal stories behind her evolution, her writing process, family, and her approach to career and life’s challenges. The episode is filled with candid insights about embracing vulnerability, saying "no," and crafting a legacy—making it deeply relevant for anyone contemplating a new chapter or wrestling with self-doubt.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Announcing Reese's Book Club January Pick (03:08)

• Reese Witherspoon introduces the first ever sequel selection:
  • The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave, sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me.
    • Emphasizes strong female protagonists, power, and love.

2. Laura Dave on Sequel-Writing and Inspiration (04:30-16:22)

• Writing Rituals: Laura listens to a song on repeat while writing each book.
  • For the sequel, it was Taylor Swift’s "Cardigan" (06:47).
• Plot Details:
  • The sequel picks up five years after the original, exploring the idea that 'danger returns' to the main characters.
• Character Intelligence:
  • Laura discusses the importance of writing characters as smart as readers expect.

    “I really like the idea when characters are always as smart as we think they are, that we don't find out they were wrong to trust themselves.” – Laura Dave (10:22)

• Quotes as Inspiration:
  • Gloria Steinem’s quote about “watching women become the hero of their own lives” fueled Laura’s novels.

    “That motivated the entire storytelling of this book and the sequel.” – Laura Dave (12:37)

  • Laura emphasizes hope and love at the heart of suspense.

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3. Bobbi Brown Interview: A Memoir Meant for Evolving (21:54)

Origin Story: Love of Stories & Reading (22:18)

• Bobbi treasures being read to as a child—highlighting the importance of oral storytelling and audiobooks.

Decision to Write a Memoir (24:08)

• Wrote Still Bobbi not as a capstone, but as a way to help and empower others.

  “I always thought memoirs were kind of when you’re done doing what you’re doing, and I’m just in the middle of it.” – Bobbi Brown (24:08)

• Goal: Show that she learned as she went; her journey was not a straight path.

The Title: "Still Bobbi" (25:01)

• Grounded in authenticity; despite her fame, she’s still the same “girl from Wilmette, Illinois.”

Writing Process & Family Involvement (27:53)

• Collaborated with a ghostwriter, Travis, shaping her memories out loud and printing edits because she can’t type.
• Involved her husband and family in reading, editing, and clearing sensitive content.

Vulnerability in Storytelling (30:28)

• Addresses difficult family topics: mental health, struggles in childhood.
• Therapy-like experience in revisiting and processing past traumas, distinguishing between outgrowing versus blocking painful memories.

The Love Story & Partnership (26:36, 44:48)

• Bobbi credits her husband as the missing piece in her life—partnership built on comfort, respect, and working together through life and business.

  “When I first met him, it was the piece of the puzzle I was missing and didn’t realize it.” – Bobbi Brown (26:36) “He’s smarter than I am, he’s tougher than I am...but he also says, ‘why not?’ Let’s go there. So, you know, it just works.” (45:27)

Navigating Success and Setbacks (35:21)

• Opens memoir reflecting on heartbreak and professional setbacks—wants readers to know that “shit happens” and it’s about how you deal with it.
• Learning to let go, accept what can’t be changed, and evolve.

The Art of Saying "No" and Reinvention (39:22)

• Early success meant saying yes to everything. Now values the empowerment in saying no.

  “Now, at this point in my career, saying no is really nice.” (41:21)

• Describes “having it all” as being able to do more than one thing, not about perfection.

  “Having it all means you can do more than one thing at a time.” (41:47)

• Story of a London woman whose own career reinvention was inspired by Bobbi’s book.

Practical Wisdom & Coaching Others (38:36)

• Hopes her book offers a toolkit for resilience, grit, and pushing forward despite failures.
• Stresses need for boundaries, self-care, and support networks—both in business and personal life.

Serendipity and Synchronicity (51:04)

• Landmark career moments came from chance encounters—meeting a lipstick manufacturer in an elevator, getting on the Today Show after an impromptu comment at a book event.

  “I always see possibilities where other people see obstacles.” (52:56)

Looking Forward & Legacy (53:28)

• Aspires for more unscheduled leisure time; dreams of messy, expressive painting.
• Wishes young Bobbi had known that “things are possible even if you don’t have what you think you should have.” (54:26)
• Encourages others to find their “superpower,” even if it’s unconventional.

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Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• Laura Dave on character intelligence:

  “I really like the idea when characters are always as smart as we think they are, that we don't find out they were wrong to trust themselves.” (10:22)

• Laura Dave on memoir inspiration:

  “It's so important to watch women become the hero of their own lives.” (12:37, Gloria Steinem quote)

• Bobbi Brown on not being finished:

  “I always thought memoirs were kind of when you’re done doing what you’re doing, and I’m just in the middle of it." (24:08)

• On authenticity:

  “But then I go home to my kids, my husband, and...I’m still Bobby.” (25:11)

• On writing and closure:

  “Did I block out all this bad stuff, or did I just process it and move on? …I really do believe that I didn’t block it out. I felt it, but…I also was able to move on.” (30:28)

• On saying 'no' and boundaries:

  “Now, at this point in my career, saying no is really nice.” (41:21)
  “Having it all means you can do more than one thing at a time.” (41:47)

• On resilience after setbacks:

  “Years later…it was really important for me that people did not think I was angry, bitter, hurt…I learned how to process things. I learned how to let go…and I just evolved…” (37:10)

• On finding your power:

  “You don’t have to be a rule breaker, but you just need to be a rule maker.” (54:37)

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Memorable Moments & Timestamps

• Reese Witherspoon’s announcement of first-ever sequel pick: (03:08)
• Bobbi on the misconception of “having it all": (41:47)
• Poignant story about her late mother-in-law and the wisdom of "life is sweet": (32:25)
• Family’s involvement in memoir process (hilarious and heartwarming): (29:08)
• The ‘elevator moment’ that sparked her cosmetics empire: (51:04)
• Describing her love of synchronicity and seeing possibility in every encounter: (52:56)
• Speed Read: Literary rapid-fire—Bobbi’s favorite business book, memoirs, and children’s books: (59:11–62:33)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:08 — Reese's Book Club January pick announcement with Reese Witherspoon
• 04:30–16:22 — Interview with Laura Dave about her new book and creative process
• 21:54 — Main interview with Bobbi Brown begins
• 24:08 — Why Bobbi decided to write her memoir now
• 25:01–27:53 — The meaning behind "Still Bobbi" and writing process with ghostwriter
• 30:28–33:51 — Vulnerability in storytelling, writing about family, and emotional moments
• 35:21 — Opening the memoir with a professional setback
• 39:22–43:10 — The art and evolution of saying "no"
• 51:04–52:33 — Synchronicity: Elevator story and Today Show
• 53:28–57:34 — Looking ahead: legacy, future aspirations, and advice for young Bobbi
• 59:11–62:33 — Rapid-fire “Speed Read” segment with her favorite books

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Closing Thoughts

This episode offers more than a glimpse into Bobbi Brown’s public persona—it reveals the core values that have driven her resilience, success, and reinvention. In discussing her memoir, Bobbi models what it means to stay true to oneself while navigating change—and reminds listeners that the next chapter is always possible, no matter where you’re starting from.

For listeners seeking inspiration, practical wisdom, and the affirmation that authenticity can be a superpower, Bobbi Brown’s message—and life—is the perfect companion for the new year.

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Transcript

[Danielle Robay]

This is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed human. Today's episode is brought to you by Cotton. We spend a lot of time with stories, hours curled up with dynamic plots and characters who feel like friends. What if the story isn't just in your hands, but also in the world around you, in the fabric that's holding you close? Cotton is that timeless companion. Soft sheets for a lazy weekend morning with a book. Breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard. And it's the fabric that can be tossed in the wash without fuss. It's about ease, comfort, and caring for yourself and the planet. Just like books we cherish, cotton weaves meaning into everyday moments. Next time you settle in for a chapter, slip into something cotton not just to read the story, but to feel it. Cotton the fabric of our lives. Learn more at thefabricofourlives.com hi, I'm Dr. Priyanka Walley.

[Hari Kondabolu]

And I'm Hari Kundabolu.

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

It's a new year, and on the podcast Health Stuff, we're resetting the way we talk about our health, which means.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Being honest about what we know, what we don't know, and how messy it can all be. I like to sleep in late and sleep early. Is there a chronotype for that, or am I just depressed? Health Stuff is about learning, laughing, and feeling a little less alone.

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Brad (Brad vs. Everyone podcast host)]

The social media trend is landing some gen zers in jail. The progressive media darling whose public meltdown got her fired and the massive TikTok boycott against Target. That actually makes no sense. You won't hear about these online stories in the mainstream media, but you can keep up with them and all the other entertaining and outrageous things happening online in media and in politics with the Brad vs. Everyone podcast. Listen to the Brad vs. Everyone podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bobbi Brown]

Whenever I got through the window, I tried to pick him up and his body was stiff. I'm Ben Westoff, and this is the peacemake, a true crime podcast about a string of mysterious suicides at a Missouri university and the fraternity brother tied to them all, Brandon Grosseim. The lawsuit says Grossheim was one of.

[Hari Kondabolu]

The last people to see each victim before their deaths.

[Bobbi Brown]

Was he profoundly unlucky, or was something much darker at play? Listen to the Peacemaker podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danielle Robay]

Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club is Presented by Apple Books. Hi, I'm Danielle Robay, and welcome to Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club. Happy New year, everybody. I'm so excited to begin a new chapter with all of you, and what better way to start anew than to chat with the woman who reinvented makeup for an entire generation? And then when she was 60, she reinvented herself. Pretty inspiring, right? But first, it's the first Tuesday of the month, and you know what that means. It's time to announce the first Reese's Book club pick of 2026. Reese, let us know what you're obsessing over this month.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Hi, bookmark listeners. Okay, for the first time ever in Reese's Book Club history, we are coming to you with a sequel. Can you believe it? Okay, our January Reese's Book Club pick is the First Time I Saw him by Laura Dave. That is the sequel to the Last Thing He Told Me. This book, it completes Hannah and Bailey's story so beautifully, but it also feels like it could be a standalone novel. They're like two perfect halves of a whole fitting together. It was such a pleasure to return to these characters, and just in time for the next season of the TV show the Last Thing He Told Me, starring Jennifer Garner. It has so many moments of family love, and you watch this woman, Hannah, come into her power. I think you're gonna finish this in a single day. So what are you waiting for? Pick up a copy of the First Time I Saw him by Laura Dave, our January Reese's Book club pick for 2026.

[Bobbi Brown]

Oh, my gosh.

[Danielle Robay]

It's 2026. You all know I love a first. Laura Dave just became the first Reese's Book Club author to have both a book and its sequel selected. That's what we on bookmarked like to call iconic. I mean, obviously, I had questions. Take a listen. Laura Dave, welcome to the club.

[Laura Dave]

Oh, thank you so much.

[Danielle Robay]

I'm welcoming you to the club because this is the first time that I'm getting to talk to you on the podcast. But you've really been a part of the club even before I was a part of the club. You've really been here.

[Laura Dave]

Oh, I'm so happy to be here.

[Danielle Robay]

This is the first episode of 2026, so happy new Year. Happy pub day.

[Laura Dave]

Oh, thank you so much.

[Danielle Robay]

This is your second pub day as a Reese's Book Club pick.

[Bobbi Brown]

It is.

[Danielle Robay]

Do you have any pub day traditions that you're continuing? Do you have new traditions? Is it balloons and champagne? Is there a ritual dance we need to know about.

[Laura Dave]

So what's so funny is that for every book, I listen to a song on repeat the entire time I'm writing the book. And so I have a little pub day tradition, which is when I wake up, the first thing I do is listen to that song. And then I always try to take a walk. Listening to music or taking a walk with a friend is my happy place. So that's sort of how I start pub day to sort of ground everything, and then it's off to the races.

[Danielle Robay]

That's so nice. You know what's funny is every time I date a new man and I say, like, okay, I'm going on a walk with a friend, they're like, I don't understand these walking dates.

[Laura Dave]

Yes.

[Danielle Robay]

Men don't do them.

[Laura Dave]

They don't do them. You know, it's so funny. Kate Baer, the poet, has this incredible poem in her new collection in which she talks about. I'm going to paraphrase badly, but basically what you're saying, like, men cannot understand the way we as women communicate and what that gives us. And they're always going to be outside of it, not quite understanding, you know, Spot on. So there's something about women friendships that's so healing and magical.

[Bobbi Brown]

Yeah. Walk.

[Laura Dave]

And now I've read that walking and talking at the same time is like. You know how they say to do all those brain exercises? It's like the best brain exercise you can do because you're activating two things at once so you can tell all those men that you're dating. The next guy who doesn't know what you're doing, you tell him that. Be like, I'm protecting my brain from dementia.

[Danielle Robay]

Yes, I am doing brain exercises. Exactly. So when you published the first book, you listened to if I should Fall behind by Bruce Springsteen. That was the song.

[Laura Dave]

Yes.

[Danielle Robay]

What was the song you had on loop for the sequel.

[Laura Dave]

So for the sequel, it was Cardigan on Folklore. I know I'm not alone in my love of that album and that song and that wonderful artist, Taylor Swift. The last verse became for me like a siren call for Hannah hall, who, you know, if the novel, the last thing he told me was really about Hannah figuring out the question that was at the center of the book, which is, what are you willing to do for the people you love? The second book is really about belief and salvation and what are you willing to do for a second chance? And that last verse, it felt to me like it was her sort of screaming into the void that she knew this man. And she knew her family in a way that no one else could. It's that same position of strength that she knew the end of the story and she was going to take us there. So it was a really wonderful song to spend, you know, 30,000 listens to.

[Danielle Robay]

And listening to music doesn't distract you from writing. Does it become almost a part of the rhythm? Can you explain to me that's such.

[Laura Dave]

A good way to say it? It becomes rhythmic. So for me, like, one of the best compliments is when a reader reaches out and says, I could not put this down. It gave me relief from xxx whatever's going on in their life and to sort of hold onto that propulsion. I do think it's like a rhythm and to the point that when I'm listening to the song on repeat, I stop it wherever I've stopped writing that day. And the next day, I pick up exactly where I left off.

[Danielle Robay]

Wow.

[Laura Dave]

Because to me, it creates. One of the things I do as I'm wr is when I edit, I read out loud. No one's in the room but me. But as a way to make sure that it's a story that feels like it's being read to you out loud, which is almost what a song is. It's a story that you're listening to out loud. Every book I find that song, and every book, I start with, like, a playlist of songs that I think are contenders or that I'm listening to when I do the research. And then it always just narrows down and it's something like with Cardigan, it's a verse that speaks to me, It's a line speaks to me. And I'm like, oh, this is the siren call of this story.

[Danielle Robay]

That makes sense, because something I love about this series in particular is how much meaning and power you pack into even just a handful of words as short and as powerful as possible. Give us the plot of the First Time I Saw him.

[Laura Dave]

Okay, here we go.

[Danielle Robay]

Okay.

[Laura Dave]

The first Time I Saw him picks up precisely where the last thing he told me left us off. We're in the Design center with Hannah hall and Owen. Her husband has returned after five years on the run, and she knows, even if she doesn't know why yet, it's because she and Bailey are once again in danger. And she's about to unearth all the reasons why that is and hit this relentless race to get herself and her daughter to safety.

[Danielle Robay]

And so confirming that we are jumping five years ahead. Because at the end of the first book, we don't really know where we're headed.

[Laura Dave]

We don't know. So at the end of the. At the first book, it says maybe five years later, maybe eight years later, maybe 10 years later. And when we open the second book, we are five years in the future, and we revisit that scene. And now we see it from Owen's point of view, and that propels us into the action.

[Danielle Robay]

How'd you choose five years?

[Laura Dave]

So for me, it's really about Bailey. And I really liked the idea of rejoining her in early adulthood. Those years between your late teen years and your early twenties are so important for how we form ourselves as adults. And Owen has missed that. And Hannah has been present for it. So that was a big piece of it. And the other piece was, you know, so many readers reached out after the first book and said, like, well, what happens next? What happens next? And I was so surprised. Cause I thought that was the end of the story. But I knew that the danger was gonna start again. And Hannah was correct that this truce she negotiated with Nicholas was gonna give her and Bailey some safety. But she was also right that it was not going to be permanent. I really like the idea when characters are always as smart as we think they are, that we don't find out they were wrong to trust themselves.

[Danielle Robay]

I love what you just shared. The idea that characters are as smart as we think they are.

[Laura Dave]

Yeah.

[Danielle Robay]

I don't know that I've ever been able to articulate it, but I feel disappointed in books oftentimes when the characters do things that are. Are not as smart as I think they are.

[Laura Dave]

I am with you because I also feel like then you feel the hand of the writer. It's almost like a cheat.

[Danielle Robay]

Yes.

[Laura Dave]

Don't tell me all of these things about someone that I think I know, because I actually think, for me, the books I love the most are books that make me feel like I'm in a really great conversation with people I want to know better. And that might be that I want to know them better because I don't understand why they're behaving badly, but I still. I'm in it with them.

[Danielle Robay]

Are you a quote person, by any chance?

[Laura Dave]

I'm a huge quote person, so I'm.

[Danielle Robay]

A really big quote person too, Laura. And I always felt really silly because a lot of quotes are platitudes.

[Bobbi Brown]

Yes.

[Danielle Robay]

And then I became Gloria Steinem's fellow, and she had an entire book of quotes that she loves. And I talked to her about it, and she was like, quotes exist for a reason to inspire us. And she made me feel not silly. Tell me about your love of quotes.

[Laura Dave]

So I owe a large part of the last thing he told me to Gloria Steinem because of one of her quotes. So, like the fact that you're saying this is like giving me the chills. But she has a quote, to paraphrase it badly, in which she says, it's so important to watch women become the hero of their own lives. And that motivated the entire storytelling of this book and the sequel. The first time I saw him, all the way back in 2003, I watched and learned about Enron. I was fascinated by it. And for any listeners who aren't familiar with that, it was a real financial scandal in which the CEO and all these people went down for essentially a Ponzi scheme and lying to the public and all sorts of embezzlement. And the wife of the CEO said on the Today show, my husband's done nothing wrong. And I became fascinated by this idea of putting aside whether she believed that, what if a woman really believed that. But I wanted her to believe that and be correct. And I only wanted to tell the story if and when I could figure out how she was the hero of her own life in response. And so I didn't put pen to paper until 2011. But it was that quote by Gloria Steinem.

[Danielle Robay]

I actually didn't know that quote from her. It sort of feels like it encapsulates almost the entire mission of Rhys's Book Club.

[Bobbi Brown]

Yeah.

[Danielle Robay]

Was there a quote that you thought of during this sequel, during the writing?

[Laura Dave]

That's such a great question. Well, there's two, I would say. One is a quote that lives on my desk that has more to do with writing in general. For anyone that is trying to write an El Doctor who has a quote that it's like driving a car at night. You only need to see as far out as your headlights, or you can only see if you're being honest with the sense of discovery. You only see the next 20 pages, let's call it. And that really is hugely helpful to remind myself, because I don't map out. I really am in that sense of conversation and discovery. Certainly in the early drafts, the quote that has the most influence is actually from a poem that's a Harriet Selena poem at the beginning of the book that I love so deeply. You know, it's funny because I write suspense books, but at the heart of them are really elements of hope and love more than sort of despair and revenge. And this quote was really, for me a huge part of the Hannah Owen love story. The Nicholas Frank love story. The Nicholas Hannah love story. The Nicholas Owen love story for everyone. This was sort of the quote that I felt was at the heart of the book, which is maybe one day we'll bump into each other in a checkout line or a quiet car lot and we'll smile like we didn't shatter each other once, like we didn't make an unholy mess of love. So that is from that really wonderful poet from a poem of hers called A Prayer for Future Us.

[Danielle Robay]

A moment of silence for that quote. Does it do you feel that like from your past relationships or past life is that it hit you?

[Laura Dave]

That really hit me. I mean, I think there are so many ways that we never say goodbye. And I think Hannah's belief in Owen and Hannah's belief and what her and Bailey's future needed to be really, really popped that feeling back to the surface for me.

[Danielle Robay]

I'm so excited to dive in with everybody. Laura, thank you. And I can't wait to talk to you at the end of the month.

[Laura Dave]

Oh, I can't wait to. I'm really, I'm so happy to be a part of the book club again.

[Danielle Robay]

Oh my God. You are forever our book club, girly. Thanks, Laura. Apple Books is the best place to read, listen to or discover the books you love without a subscription right on your iPhone. And now there's a very exciting heads up for listeners. Apple Books is the official audiobook and ebook home for Reese's Book Club, so it's easier than ever to explore each monthly book pick, plus author curated collections and more all in one place. Open the Apple Books app to explore a world of books and audiobooks. You can set goals and track your reading progress. Get great recommendations for your next read or listen and enjoy it all on the go, wherever you are. You can even share your books with up to five family members at no cost. Again, no subscription required. Visit Apple co reeseapplebooks to find out more. That's Apple co reeseapplebooks and read or listen to Reese's current Pick and browse past selections today on Apple Books. Today's episode is brought to you by Cotton. We spend a lot of time with stories, hours curled up with dynamic plots and with characters who feel like friends. What if the story isn't just in your hands, but also in the world around you, in the fabric that's holding you close? Cotton is that timeless companion. Soft sheets for lazy weekend mornings with a book. Breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard. It's the fabric that can be tossed in the wash without fuss. It's about ease, comfort and caring for yourself and the planet. Just like the books we cherish, cotton weaves meaning into our everyday moments. Moments like following four adult daughters as they navigate love, loss and the legacy in the Most Fun We Ever had by Claire Lombardo, all while curled up in soft cotton joggers. Or sinking into the island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. A story that spans generations, forbidden love and a fig tree that remembers everything wrapped in a hand stitched quilt, each thread holding its own kind of memory. Next time you settle in for a chapter, slip into something cotton. Not just to read the story, but to feel it. Cotton the fabric of our lives. Learn more at thefabricofourlives.com hi, I'm Dr. Priyanka Walley.

[Hari Kondabolu]

And I'm Hari Kondabolu.

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

It's a new year and on the podcast Health Stuff, we're resetting the way we talk about our health, which means.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Being honest about what we know, what we don't know, and how messy it can all be. I like to sleep in late and sleep early. Is there a chronotype for that or am I just depressed?

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

We talk to experts who share real experiences and insights.

[Bobbi Brown]

You just really need to find where.

[Hari Kondabolu]

It is that you can have an impact in your own life and just start doing that.

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

We break down the topics you want.

[Hari Kondabolu]

To know more about sleep, stress, mental health and how the world around us affects our overall health.

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

We talk about all the ways to keep your body and mind inside and out healthy. We human beings, all we want is connection. We just want to connect with each other.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Health Stuff is about learning, laughing and feeling a little less alone.

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dr. Joy Harden Bradford]

The moments that shape us often begin with a simple question. What do I want my life to look like now? I'm Dr. Joy Hardin Bradford and on Therapy for Black Girls we create space for honest conversations about identity, relationships, mental health and the choices that help us grow. As cybersecurity security expert Camille Stewart Gloucester.

[Danielle Robay]

Reminds us, we are in a divisive time where our comments are weaponized against us. And so what we find is a lot of Black women are standing up and speaking out because they feel the brunt of the pain.

[Dr. Joy Harden Bradford]

Each week we explore the tools and insights that help you move with purpose, whether you're navigating something new or returning to yourself. If you're ready for thoughtful guidance and grounded support. This is the place for you. Listen to therapy for black Girls on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danielle Robay]

Honestly, I'd be shocked if you didn't know Bobbi Brown by name. But I am sort of curious how you know her. Maybe you were like me and you snuck into your mom's vanity and discovered Bobbi Brown makeup for the first time. Or maybe you're obsessed with Jones Road beauty and swear by her miracle balm. Maybe you've read one or several of the nine books that she's written about beauty. Or maybe she's popped up on your TikTok feed. However she's entered your world, she's definitely shown up as Bobby completely unapologetically herself. No shrinking, no chasing trends, no compromising who she is to fit the moment. And I love that. So when I heard she was writing a memoir titled Still Bobby, I knew she had to be on bookmarked. This book is so much about what it really means to stay true to yourself through every chapter of your life. And if you've ever found yourself thinking about what your next evolution might be, you're in exactly the right place. Let's turn the page with Bobbi Brown. Hi, Bobbi. Welcome to the club.

[Dr. Joy Harden Bradford]

Thank you.

[Bobbi Brown]

Happy to be here.

[Danielle Robay]

You have published many, many books, but recently you published your first memoir, and it's called Still Bobby. I feel like this is the first time that you've turned the lens fully inward in one of your books. And so I want to go back to the very, very beginning of your story. What is the first memory that you have of reading?

[Bobbi Brown]

Oh, my God. First memory is being read, too, by my grandparents, my parents. And, you know, it's so interesting because I have really gotten into reading more from listening.

[Danielle Robay]

Do you have any audiobooks that you listened to this year that really stick out to you? I just finished Unreasonable Hospitality, and I really liked that one.

[Bobbi Brown]

And whose book is that?

[Danielle Robay]

It's the founder of eleven Madison Park, Willow Gudera. And so it's all about, like, how to make every interaction and every person feel warmer. So, for instance, he said that you can have the best meal in the world, and then if you don't give them the check the right way, everything is ruined. And so he. He started this thing where all of his waitstaff will take, like, a beautiful liqueur to the table with the check, put the check down and say, it's been such a pleasure getting to know you all. Please enjoy as much as you'd like, and then they leave, and it's like. He's like. Then everyone leaves happy.

[Bobbi Brown]

Okay. That's. You know, it's all about the touches. And so that book is called Unreasonable Hospitality.

[Danielle Robay]

Yeah, I think you'd love it.

[Bobbi Brown]

Yeah, I think I would like it, too. I read Keith McNally's book, which was quite the memoir, you know, because I also love listening to people's stories and how they do certain things. You know, I loved Ina Garden's book that I read this year. You know. Cause you never think that people have this journey. You think everything's easy, and it's really not. It's really not.

[Danielle Robay]

That's a really good way of putting it. I think we learned that about you in your memoir. Why did you decide to write it now? Because you've been a huge success for a long time.

[Bobbi Brown]

Well, truthfully, you know, I wasn't ready to write a memoir. I didn't think that it was my time. You know, I always thought memoirs were kind of when you're done doing what you're doing, and I'm just in the middle of it. But I was convinced that my story and telling my story, how I do things, how I think will help other people on their journeys. And so much of what I do is to help and empower people to be a better version of themselves. And I didn't have a playbook. I didn't know how to be an entrepreneur. I didn't know how to be a freelance makeup artist. I certainly didn't know how to be a wife or a mother. I just kind of figured it out along the way. So I just started writing this book, and it was a combination of stories that were connected and made me understand a lot about myself.

[Danielle Robay]

I was curious about the title Still Bobby, because it indicates to me, at least, that you're still that same girl from Wilmette, Illinois.

[Bobbi Brown]

Well, I mean, that is pretty much what it meant, because I talked to a ghost writer for a lot of the book, and I would just tell these stories one by one. He just kept saying, oh, my God. Wow. Oh, wow, oh, wow. Oh, wow. And I'm like, yeah. But then I go home to my kids, my husband, and, you know, and I'm like, take off all that stuff. And I'm just the. I'm still Bobby.

[Danielle Robay]

I'm so curious about that experience working with a ghostwriter or co writer, because I can't imagine plumbing through my history with somebody else. Were there moments that you thought about differently after you told him the story?

[Bobbi Brown]

Well, absolutely. And he's the one that really started to make me realize how much of what I am and how I figured out things came from my Papa Sam or my Aunt Alice or my dad or my mom. And I saw how so many things were connected and, you know, a little bit of my naivete, even though my husband thinks my naivete is fearlessness.

[Laura Dave]

Oh.

[Danielle Robay]

You know, I love hearing you talk about how you built your businesses and all the synchronicity in your life, which I'm going to ask you about later. But I have to say, I get chills when you talk about your husband, because you guys have the kind of love that I think people are searching for. You have something so special.

[Bobbi Brown]

You know, I feel very lucky, and it's very comfortable. Like, being with my husband, for me, is just. When I first met him, it was the piece of the puzzle that I was missing and didn't realize it. Before I met my husband, I had the same boyfriend for 12 years, and that was from 18 to 30. And when we broke up, I just. I was lost. You know, I was lost even before that. And when I met Steven, it was just this missing piece of the puzzle. And it's been 37 years. And, you know, we. Neither of us had a roadmap of what and how to live our life. And trust me, when he said, let's move to New Jersey, I was like, what?

[Laura Dave]

Huh?

[Bobbi Brown]

And then I'm like, okay. You know, because we both really liked just more of a normal, regular life. And so I'm lucky to have both sides of me. But I really, you know, I'm most happy about my normal life.

[Danielle Robay]

I'm really curious about the writing process for you. I've never written a memoir, and I imagine it to be like brutal therapy over and over again. It feels so vulnerable. What was the first chapter or scene that you wrote down?

[Bobbi Brown]

First of all, I don't type. Okay. I don't know how to type. So the process is. I spent a lot of hours on the phone with Travis, who was the, you know, my. My ghostwriter, and I enjoyed. He was so easy to talk to. He didn't really know much about makeup or beauty. He's just a regular guy who was married and eventually had a baby during this process.

[Danielle Robay]

Oh, wow.

[Bobbi Brown]

He was very curious, asked a lot of questions and remembered my conversations. So, you know, remember when you said this? Oh, that's why you figured out how to do this. So he helped me connect a lot of the dots or a lot of the tunnels because you realize so much about your Life is like a tunnel. Where you've been, where you're going, and ultimately who you really want to be. He would interview me, and then he would start to share some of the writing. And I would read it, but I would have to print it out because I don't type, so I couldn't make changes. I would print it out, and I would take a pen, and I would sit there, and I would edit, edit, edit. Then I take a screenshot, and I send it back to him, and then he would put all the changes in and send it back.

[Danielle Robay]

Bobby, this is crazy.

[Bobbi Brown]

That's how. That's my process. And I figured out that was the easiest thing to do. And after the book was almost finished, my husband pretty much did the same thing, even though he knows how to type, and it was a printed manuscript. And he literally took his pen, and I had to hand the manuscript to my two assistants who had a. You know, put all of his things in and then give me a new copy. And I would have to read it to see what, you know, how comfortable I was and, you know, and how lucky was I to meet this man who has been my greatest supporter, the father of my children and my partner and everything I do, and also the ultimate guy that read word by word, every word in that book, making sure I didn't say things that I would regret. It was quite a process.

[Danielle Robay]

I can imagine. And also, I mean, you built this empire helping other women see themselves clearly. Like, you did makeup for Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford and Anna Wintour and Keith Richards, even, which is wild. But memoir is the opposite. It's about learning to see yourself. What felt different about telling your own story versus shaping how the world and these, like, iconic people see themselves?

[Bobbi Brown]

Well, you know, when I think about my. My childhood and growing up, I feel very lucky that I had these two parents who were not perfect, but who is. And they gave me so much. They gave me the gift of love. They gave me the ability to work hard. And when I started writing about them and writing about my mom's mental illness and the things my dad was going through, and I have a brother who had mental illness, like, it was really hard to write about, and it was. I had to stop and ask myself, did I block out all this bad stuff, or did I just process it and move on? And I really do believe that I didn't block it out. I felt it, but. But I also was able to move on because you have to separate yourself from what someone else is going through and be there for a Support.

[Danielle Robay]

I read an interview that you did with Elvis Duran in the morning and it said that you actually teared up talking about your mother in law.

[Bobbi Brown]

I do.

[Danielle Robay]

Because you're so close with your family, out of all the people, what about your relationship with her made you emotional?

[Bobbi Brown]

My mother in law, Evelyn, mother to four kids, just a very simple woman who just loved her family and me unconditionally. She really did. And she was not impressed that I was Bobby Brown, you know, celebrity. She was proud of me. But what impressed her was the good person I was and how much I loved her son and what a good mother I was. And she just, it was such a. She was just easy to be around.

[Danielle Robay]

Yeah, I loved. In the interview you said she'd say, come over here, sit down, have a piece of chocolate, life is sweet.

[Bobbi Brown]

Exactly. And she always said to me, whenever you have a fight with my son, you're right, I'm taking your side. You're right.

[Danielle Robay]

That's so rare.

[Bobbi Brown]

Yeah, it is so rare for a mother in law.

[Dr. Joy Harden Bradford]

Yeah.

[Danielle Robay]

When did you tell your friends and family that you were going to be writing a memoir and what was that conversation like? And also you're so close with your kids. Were they okay with it?

[Bobbi Brown]

You know they were okay with it. My kids are just, honestly, I don't know what they really think. I know they're proud of me. I know I'm annoying to them. And I also know, just like anyone who's so busy and traveled so much, I am sure there were plenty of times where they felt that mom's not paying attention to me, you know, I, look, I did the absolute best I could. So I think my kids, I don't even know if they've all read the book. I don't know. They said they did and I had them read certainly parts that they were in before I sent it in because I didn't want them to feel uncomfortable. And one of the daughter in laws did read it and did say to me, maybe you shouldn't say that because maybe, you know, he might get upset if you say, say this or you mentioned this son 20 times and you only mentioned this son three times or something. So, you know, I have my little support team around me.

[Danielle Robay]

I mean, it sounds like it was really a family project between your husband and your kids and your daughter in law's.

[Bobbi Brown]

I mean, I think they read it because I, I insisted. I did. And I. And especially this one daughter in law, I know she would tell me exactly what she thought, not what she thought. I wanted to Hear.

[Danielle Robay]

Bobbi, I think the outside perspective, especially even before reading your memoir, that people have. One of the words they would use is that you're unflappable. Would you agree with that?

[Bobbi Brown]

No. No. I mean, I think I am resilient. I think I can handle a lot. I'm a good student, but I'm also a really good sport. So I do things that I don't necessarily have the energy to do or the patience to do, but I know it's my job, and so I. I do it. I. I do reach points where I'm, like, up to here, and I need a break. So, no, if you know me, especially if you're my husband or my kids, they see me Flap.

[Danielle Robay]

As someone who's experienced great success in many areas of her life, you chose to open your memoir with a moment in your career that was really challenging and almost a bit of a heartbreak, I would say. What kind of tone did you want to set for the reader by opening with that?

[Bobbi Brown]

You know, that shit happens. You know, things happen to all of us, and it's what you do with it, like how you. How you think about it. And my dad always taught me, you can't always control the circumstances. However, you can control your attitude, and it is really true.

[Danielle Robay]

Is there anything that was cut in the editing process that you were kind of dying for readers to hear?

[Bobbi Brown]

A lot of things were cut in the editing process because I didn't want people to hear. So really, you know, I didn't want people to hear because I realized, you know, I didn't need to say all the junk that I felt people did or acted to me or upset me. It's easier to say. We parted ways. She left the company. I didn't go into how I would communicate to a dear friend.

[Danielle Robay]

So was your thought process, I'm gonna write everything as is and then take things out?

[Bobbi Brown]

No, I think I wrote it as I thought at the time. But then when you reread it and have a chance to look at it again, and I sent a bunch of the chapters to different people in my life, and I had them read it, and it was really important for me to get their opinion. And only one person said, are you sure you want to put that in the book? And I said, yes, and I put it in the book, which is a lot of the tough times at Estee Lauder.

[Danielle Robay]

I sort of think hearing you, that's maybe part of your resilience. It's not easy to not say all the things, especially after the fact.

[Bobbi Brown]

Years later, and it was really important for me that people did not think I was angry, bitter, hurt. I was. At first, I had a lot of those emotions, and that is part of the process. But I learned how to process things. I learned how to let go of things, and I just accepted other things. And then I just evolved into the person I wanted to be now. And happy that I had those experiences because it has made me a better person.

[Danielle Robay]

A few months ago, I got to do a episode on here about celebrity memoirs with Chelsea Devontes and Jeff Hiller. And Chelsea said something that really stuck with me, and she said, celebrity memoirs, she's read so many, and she said they taught her really practical, tangible things that she otherwise wouldn't have known, like how to get an agent, how to write a script. And I'm wondering, you know, a lot of people don't know that after. And they will if they read the book. But after your time at Bobby Brown, you became a coach. And I can imagine that there are certain things you are trying to instill in people and inspire them to do. Writing this. Is there anything you really wanted people to take away from the book? What did you want them to learn?

[Bobbi Brown]

Well, it's been so interesting. Who has stopped me and just told me what the book meant to them? I've had a bunch of people that said, oh, my God, I loved your book so much. I bought them for my three kids who are in college or just out of college because I want them to see your grit and see how you figured it out and how you kept pushing. And that made me happy. And a woman in London came up to me and said, I was really depressed. I was in political office for over 13 years, and I lost, and I had no idea what I was going to do. I read your book, and now I realize I could reinvent myself, too. So, I mean, things like that makes me feel great.

[Danielle Robay]

Yeah. That's amazing to hear, especially the reinvention piece, because that is so at the heart of everything you've done. One of the things I took away from your book was your relationship with the word no. And you have this line where you say, essentially, having a child made you better at saying no. Bobbi, this is my life's work to learn how to say no. How did having a kid change your relationship with that?

[Bobbi Brown]

Because I realized I would rather be home with my kid in my robe, my ponytail, in my hair. Yeah. Than being at some dinner party, fabulous. Something that. That I would just rather be home and be comfortable. So that. That is. That has Helped a lot. And I find, you know, you can imagine my inbox on a daily basis where people invite me to things they want to honor me. Like, it just. It's so much, and it feels so good when you finally say it means a lot, but I'm unable to or I can't. You know, it's like, yes, it feels good. It's like the saying that I always see on Instagram. I want to be invited, but I don't want to go.

[Danielle Robay]

What's your matrix for that? Is it a gut instinct? Like a gut yes or a gut no?

[Bobbi Brown]

Sometimes I struggle, right? Sometimes I struggle. And by the way, every decision I make to accept something comes with a lot of baggage. Right. I mean, I learned early on when they say, we want to honor you, and it's so nice, that's great. But I have to raise money, I have to share all the social. I have to get a blowout. I have to dress up. I have to write a speech. Like, there's all those things that go with it. So that has allowed me to say I'm only going to do it if it really matters to me. I have to just think about what happens when I say yes. And by the way, anyone starting on their career, you gotta say yes to everything. I did.

[Danielle Robay]

Yeah.

[Bobbi Brown]

I said yes to everything. But now, at this point in my career, saying no is really nice.

[Danielle Robay]

Well, you were also working and mothering throughout the 90s, and you write that having it all actually meant saying no, which I'd never heard before. What do you think gets missed in the conversations about whether women can have families and careers?

[Bobbi Brown]

You know, I think everyone thinks, or a lot of people think, that things has to be perfect. And I don't know what perfect means. Right. I don't know what perfect means. I think having it all means you can do more than one thing at a time. Yes. You work and you're a mother. That definitely fits in together. You can have a great relationship with your husband or a boyfriend. You can also figure out how you're going to take care of yourself and you're going to be able to have friends. Nothing's perfect.

[Danielle Robay]

Yeah. I have one more question about no. Because when you split with Estee Lauder, you said your relationship with no shifted, and it became a frustration and a pain point. What is your relationship with no, like today?

[Bobbi Brown]

It's empowering. You know, it's empowering. And I do have a tendency to say no now, right away. And my husband gets really.

[Danielle Robay]

No.

[Bobbi Brown]

He gets upset with me. It's Always, no, I don't want to do that. He says, maybe I do. So I've learned to say, what do you want to do? And the more I ask him and he says, I don't know, then he wants to know what I want to do. But if I say no right away, it doesn't go well. So I've learned to not throw it out there right away.

[Danielle Robay]

Part of your beautiful relationship with him is. Is you honor him. It sounds.

[Bobbi Brown]

Yeah. You know what? You have to. Right? And people always say, like, how and why are you guys so happily married? Well, a, we work on it, and we enjoy each other's company. And you know what? You have to give a little. Like, you know, I know I piss him off. I know I do. And he knows he pisses me off. But we try to figure out things that are not such a big deal and just give into it. Like, he came home the other day, and I have an organizational problem when I'm stressed. I love things organized. And after Thanksgiving, and we hosted a lot of people, my kitchen was a disaster. So we went away after Thanksgiving, and I just hired an organizer who happens to be my neighbor, but she redid the entire kitchen. And I didn't tell him. And honestly, I thought he was going to kill me, but he just said to the organizer, if it makes my wife happy, it's okay.

[Danielle Robay]

Aw.

[Bobbi Brown]

However, I don't want to have to take a thing out to find nuts. And I'm like, all right, we'll work around this. We'll work around this. We got this.

[Danielle Robay]

That's so funny. Kitchens are really hard to organize because usually the things that look nice are not utilitarian. Right.

[Bobbi Brown]

And I see, like, I don't know if it's Khloe or Kim Kardashian's kitchen when you see it on Instagram. And I'm like, oh, my God. Like, it looks like, you know, it looks like, you know, a photograph. It doesn't even look well.

[Danielle Robay]

The home edit is the best of the best. They're incredible.

[Dr. Joy Harden Bradford]

Yeah.

[Danielle Robay]

Was it so fun to write your love story down?

[Bobbi Brown]

I don't know if it was fun. I mean, I love. I love our. I love our love story story because it was really magical. One of my nephews told me I kind of almost ruined his life because he thought that's the way he should meet his wife. This, like, instant. And. And now he's happily married. It took him a while to find the perfect woman. You know, he really held out, but he said he always thought it was going to happen just like it happened with me and his Uncle Steve.

[Danielle Robay]

That's so sweet. What do you think is the key to your partnership after all of these years?

[Bobbi Brown]

He's smarter than I am, he's tougher than I am, and I really depend on his opinion because I am someone that I'm very entrepreneurial. I could just kind of go like, oh, that makes sense. That and he's like, wait, slow down, just slow down. But he also says, why not? Let's go there. So, you know, it just works.

[Danielle Robay]

As I'm getting older, I'm realizing that friendship is really important in partnership and I think I undervalued it. Is there anything that you would tell people to value more as they're, as they're looking for their partners or even early on in their marriages?

[Bobbi Brown]

Well, you know, you need your posse. Your posse are people that you can just call and say, hey, what's going on? You have no agenda, just, you know, checking in. And they're the same people you can call where God forbid you get a bad report from the doctor or something's happening to your family member. You need people that you can call that will stop what they're doing and listen to you. And that's a relationship that takes time to develop and it has to be two sided. You can't always be the one asking for help and vice versa. I think that's important. Find your posse for sure, Apple Books.

[Danielle Robay]

Is the best place to read, listen to or discover the books you love without a subscription right on your iPhone. And now there's a very exciting heads up for listeners. Apple Books is the official audiobook and ebook home for Reese's Book Club, so it's easier than ever to explore each monthly book pick, plus author curated collections and more all in one place. Open the Apple Books app to explore a world of books and audiobooks. You can set goals and track your reading progress. Get great recommendations for your next read or listen and enjoy it all on the go, wherever you are. You can even share your books with up to five family members at no cost. Again, no subscription required. Visit Apple co reeseapplebooks to find out more. That's Apple co reeseapplebooks and read or listen to Reese's current Pick and browse past selections today on Apple Books. Today's episode is brought to you by Cotton. We spend a lot of time with stories, hours curled up with dynamic plots and with characters who feel like friends. What if the story isn't just in your hands but also in the world around you? In the fabric that's holding you close. Cotton is that timeless companion. Soft sheets for lazy weekend mornings with a book. Breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard. It's the fabric that can be tossed in the wash without fuss. It's about ease, comfort and caring for yourself and the planet. Just like the books we cherish, cotton weaves meaning into our everyday moments. Moments like following four adult daughters as they navigate love, loss and the legacy in the Most Fun We Ever had by Claire Lombardo, all while curled up in soft cotton joggers. Or sinking into the island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. A story that spans generations, forbidden love and a fig tree that remembers everything wrapped in a hand stitched quilt, each thread holding its own kind of memory. Next time you settle in for a chapter, slip into something cotton. Not just to read the story, but to feel it. Cotton the Fabric of Our Lives Learn more at the Fabric of Our lives.

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

Hi, I'm Dr. Priyanka Walley.

[Hari Kondabolu]

And I'm Hari Kondabolu.

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

It's a new year and on the podcast Health Stuff, we're resetting the way we talk about our health, which means.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Being honest about what we know, what we don't know, and how messy it can all be. I like to sleep in late and sleep early. Is there a chronotype for that or am I just depressed?

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

We talk to experts who share real experiences and insights.

[Bobbi Brown]

You just really need to find where.

[Hari Kondabolu]

It is that you can have an impact in your own life and just start doing that.

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

We break down the topics you want.

[Hari Kondabolu]

To know more about sleep, stress, mental health and how the world around us affects our overall health.

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

We talk about all the ways to keep your body and mind inside and out healthy. We human beings, all we want is connection.

[Bobbi Brown]

We just want to connect with each other.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Health Stuff is about learning, laughing and feeling a little less alone.

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dr. Joy Harden Bradford]

The moments that shape us often begin with a simple question. What do I want my life to look like now? I'm Dr. Joy Harden Bradford and on Therapy for Black Girls. We create space for honest conversations about identity, relationships, mental health and the choices that help us grow. As cybersecurity security expert Camille Stewart Gloucester.

[Danielle Robay]

Reminds us, we are in a divisive time where our comments are weaponized against us. And so what we find is a lot of Black women are standing up and speaking out because they feel the brunt of the pain.

[Dr. Joy Harden Bradford]

Each week we explore the tools and insights that Help you move with purpose, whether you're navigating something new or returning to yourself. If you're ready for thoughtful guidance and grounded support, this is the place for you. Listen to therapy for black Girls on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danielle Robay]

You have all these moments of huge synchronicity in your life. Will you share the story about the elevator and how it changed everything?

[Bobbi Brown]

Well, I have a couple of elevator stories, but I assume you're thinking about the time I was in the elevator that I said hello to a girl, and I asked her what she did, and she told me she worked for a cosmetics manufacturer. And I said I was looking for someone to make a lipstick, and she gave me her card and they made my first lipstick.

[Danielle Robay]

And there is one more story about how you got on the Today show that feels like it's very synchronous. Is that the right word? Yeah.

[Bobbi Brown]

Well, I was on a book tour for my first book. It was the very last appearance I had to do. And it was Neiman Marcus and the Encircle Club, the Fancy Ladies Club. And I finished my. My. My make of demonstration, and I started answering people's questions. And there was one lady in the back of the room that raised her hand, and she asked me out of the blue, are you Jewish? And I said, I am, as a matter of fact. I said, why? She said, as a Jewish girl, you've done so well, and I wonder if there's anything else you want to do. And I said, I don't know. I'd like to be a regular on a Today show. And she said, honey, my grandson is Jeff Zucker, who is the executive producer of the Today Show. And that's how I got on the Today show from Grandma Fran.

[Danielle Robay]

Did you realize at the time that all these moments were gonna be so life changing?

[Bobbi Brown]

No. No. I mean, I met my first agent on the beach in Nantucket when her daughter was playing with one of my sons, and I asked her what she did. I still ask people what they do. You never know. You find a lot of people, like, right in front of your nose.

[Danielle Robay]

It kind of reminds me of the Ina Garten quote that I just realized was Eliza Minnelli quote, be ready when lucky happens.

[Bobbi Brown]

And I'm someone that. I always see possibilities where other people see obstacles. I see possibilities. Yeah. Things happen, and you've got to pay attention and you've got to be able to shift. Like, oh, that's not working anymore. Let me try this.

[Danielle Robay]

Now that your Whole story, your life story is written down. What do you feel like is next for you? Because I know your dad started writing children's books later in life. I was like, huh, Maybe she'll write a fiction book or a children's book. What do you have on your mind.

[Bobbi Brown]

In the new year? I want to find a little bit more time to do nothing. And my nothing is never nothing. It's something, you know, but more leisure time to do something I want to do that's not scheduled. I don't know when that'll happen. And I have this secret fantasy. I'm not an artist. I can't draw. But I want to, like, go in a room with a big, giant white canvas and a lot of paint, and I want to just start putting paint on a canvas. Not for any reason. I love that. Yeah, not for any reason.

[Danielle Robay]

Well, a reason. You have it on your heart for some reason, but we'll find out why.

[Bobbi Brown]

Yeah.

[Danielle Robay]

That's very cool. I think a lot of writers write the books that they needed when they were younger. What do you think young Bobbi, the one who was trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life, would have thought of this book and your story?

[Bobbi Brown]

I think she would have loved to hear that things are possible even if you don't have what you think you should have.

[Dr. Joy Harden Bradford]

Right.

[Bobbi Brown]

I mean, I always thought I should be better in school. I always thought I should be a better athlete. I should be this. I should be intellectual. I should be all these things. And I realized I don't have to be those things, and that I have a superpower, which means something that's uniquely you, that you could use to get to where you want to be, and that there's not a whole lot of rules. You could make up your own rules. You don't have to be a rule breaker, but you just need to be a rule maker.

[Danielle Robay]

How do you find your superpower?

[Bobbi Brown]

You know, it takes years to figure it out, but you have to know what you're good at. Like, mine is definitely being naive and not being afraid to email someone or ask a question or suggest something or try something, you know, and it comes easy to me.

[Danielle Robay]

Did you write any of the memoir for young Bobby?

[Dr. Joy Harden Bradford]

No.

[Bobbi Brown]

My editor said, what would you tell young Bobby? And so I basically said, would you believe that all of this would work out? Like, would you ever in your wildest dreams, think that you would have all this? And the answer is no. And if I had a crystal ball and someone said, this is going to be your life I would look at it and I would say, no, thanks. It's too complicated for me.

[Danielle Robay]

Wait, really?

[Dr. Joy Harden Bradford]

Mm.

[Bobbi Brown]

I never.

[Danielle Robay]

Complicated in what way?

[Bobbi Brown]

It's just too big. My life is. I have a very big life. Right. I have a very busy big life. I've slowly learned how to, how to deal with it. But if I was young Bobby, I might have said, I don't want to be traveling like that. I don't want to be on tv. I don't want to be on the COVID of this. I don't want to, you know, it would be overwhelming.

[Danielle Robay]

And some of the ways you deal with it, are they like internal modalities or are they sort of like life scheduling things?

[Bobbi Brown]

Well, I think, you know, I, I, A lot of my anxiety is about my calendar and schedule. How am I gonna do this and get there and then feel good the next day to do that? Right. I mean, I don't wanna go to that cool holiday party because I won't get home till 11:30. And how am I gonna. Then I'm gonna have to cancel my trainer at 7 in the morning or 7:30, so. Oh, and then, so when am I gonna do that? And when am I gonna, you know. So that's my hardest part of my life is my. Is how to fit all the things in.

[Danielle Robay]

That makes sense. This is our first episode of the new year. Are there any New Year's resolutions or specific energy aside from throwing a lot of colorful paint on a white wall that you're carrying into 2026?

[Bobbi Brown]

Well, I say this every year about my hydration, and I've started already drinking a lot of big, giant herbal teas, because that counts. And, you know, I'm going to find more time for myself. I don't know how, but I'm going to find it. So if my assistant is listening, you're going to help me find it. And you know, I, I really, after everything that I really put myself through this, I keep saying this semester, but since September, you know, because it all sounded so doable, no problem. I'll hop on that plane and go on that show. And my very last thing I did, I ended up canceling all the TV shows because I said, you know what? I'm done. Yeah, I'm just done. So, you know, are you going to find a little bit more time for me?

[Danielle Robay]

That's really nice. Part of. Maybe it's your new era of no.

[Bobbi Brown]

Maybe it is my new era of no.

[Danielle Robay]

And were there any, any writers or books that you were inspired by or thought of when you were writing your memoir.

[Bobbi Brown]

I mean, Ina Garden's book. Yeah, for sure. You know, telling her story. And I mean, I've read everyone's book from Diane Keaton to Susan Sarandon to Estee Lauder. I just love reading memoirs and hearing people's stories.

[Danielle Robay]

It's so cool that you have one now. Okay, I want to do speed read with you, which means we put 60 seconds on the clock and see just how many rapid fire literary questions we can get through. Are you ready?

[Bobbi Brown]

I'm ready.

[Danielle Robay]

Okay. What's at the top of your TBR pile?

[Bobbi Brown]

I mean, I actually have a couple books next to my bed. My friend Harley wrote a book about eating carbs and it's sitting next to my book. I don't have a problem eating carbs. But his book is about how to eat carbs, be healthy and lose weight. So I'm very interested. And then I also have Jennifer Fisher's book about not eating carbs next to my bed. She wrote this beautiful cookbook about eating paleo and these amazing recipes. So that's, you know, that's how conflicted I am on the two different books. And now I just pinpointed, I just wrote Unreasonable Hospitality. That's going to be on my list next.

[Danielle Robay]

Yeah. Report back. I think you'll love that.

[Bobbi Brown]

I will, I will.

[Danielle Robay]

What's your favorite book about? Beauty.

[Bobbi Brown]

My favorite book about beauty. I mean, besides all the nine or ten books that I've written, I've read Elizabeth Arden's book and Helena Rubinstein and Estee Lauder. So, you know, those are my favorites.

[Danielle Robay]

Do you have a favorite book about business?

[Bobbi Brown]

It's an older book with the guys that started Celestial Seasonings, the tea company, years ago. They wrote a book, I think it must have been in the 90s. And they talked about having this really cool alternative company and how they live their life and, you know, their company in Colorado, how dogs would come to the office and they would all take hiking breaks in the middle of the day. That really inspired me.

[Danielle Robay]

Those were the sleepy time tea guys.

[Bobbi Brown]

Exactly. I am drinking their peppermint right now. It's my favorite peppermint tea.

[Danielle Robay]

What's your favorite book to read to your grandkids?

[Bobbi Brown]

Oh, my God, I have so many. I mean, from when my kids were little. I saved all of the books. One of my favorite books is Cloudy with the Chants of Meatballs, where it rains spaghetti and meatballs. Yeah, it's really funny.

[Danielle Robay]

And my last one is what book do you wish you could read again for the very first time?

[Bobbi Brown]

Breaking Night. It's one of my favorite books. It's called From Homelessness to Harvard. I will read it again. It was a book about a girl that was brought up with this amazing family who happened to be both drug addicts and she survived. Somehow they both passed away or had to go to jail or rehab and she ended up being homeless and eventually she figured out a way through a teacher to apply for something and she got into Harvard. So she wrote about From Homelessness to Harvard.

[Danielle Robay]

What about it was so memorable for you?

[Bobbi Brown]

Just that if you read this book, you will never complain about anything. Like, you know her, she's the most positive person. She had a dollar left and she was starving and she had an option. She can either go buy a piece of pizza for a dollar or get on the subway and go check out this new school that was opening. And she chose to go to the school and that's when they said you can come here for free. And they started helping her and that's when she turned her life around.

[Danielle Robay]

Wow. Bobbi Brown. I used my Jones Road eyebrow pencil today. It's still my favorite. So thank you so much for your time. I'm glad that your book is out in the world.

[Bobbi Brown]

Oh, my pleasure. Thank you so much for talking to me.

[Danielle Robay]

If you want a little bit more from us, come hang with us on socials. We're at Reese's Book Club on Instagram serving up books, vibes and behind the scenes magic. And I'm Danielle Robay. R O B A Y. Come say hi and DM me. And if you want to go 90s on us, you can call us. Okay, so our phone line is open, so call us now at first 501-291-3379. That's 501-291-3379. Share your literary hot takes, your book recommendations.

[Bobbi Brown]

Ooh.

[Danielle Robay]

Please share those and questions about the monthly pick or just let us know what you think about the episode you just heard. And who knows, you might just hear yourself in our next episode. So don't be shy, give us a ring. And of course, make sure to follow Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your shows. Until then, see you in the next chapter. Bookmarked is a production of Hello Sunshine and iHeart podcasts. It's executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and me, Danielle Robaix. Production is by Acast Creative Studios. Our producers are Mattie Foley, Brittany Martinez and Sarah Schlied. Our production assistant is Avery Loftus. Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rutter are the executive producers for Acast Creat Creative Studios. Maureen Polo and Reese Witherspoon are the executive producers for hello Sunshine. Olga Kaminwa, Sarah Kernerman, Kristin Perla and Ashley Rapoport are associate producers for Reese's Book Club. Ali Perry and Lauren Hansen are the executive producers for iHeart podcasts. Sa. Apple Books is the best way to read or listen to the books you love without a subscription right on your iPhone and a heads up for listeners. Apple Books is the official audiobook and ebook home for Reese's Book Club so you can discover every exciting pick, plus author curated collections and more all in one place. Open the Apple Books app to explore a world of books and audiobooks. You can set and track your reading goals and get great recommendations for your next read or listen again, no subscription required. Visit Apple Co Reese that's R E E S E Applebooks to find out more. Today's episode is brought to you by Cotton we spend a lot of time with stories, hours curled up with dynamic plots and characters who feel like friends. What if the story isn't just in your hands, but also in the world around you, in the fabric that's holding you close? Cotton is that timeless companion. Soft sheets for a lazy weekend morning with a book. Breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard. It's the fabric that can be tossed in the wash without fuss. It's about ease, comfort and caring for yourself and the planet. Just like books we cherish, cotton leaves meaning into everyday moments. Next time you settle in for a chapter, slip into something cotton not just to read the story, but to feel it. The fabric of our lives. Learn more at thefabricofourlives.com hi, I'm Dr. Priyanka Walley.

[Hari Kondabolu]

And I'm Hari Kondabolu.

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

It's a new year and on the podcast Health Stuff we're resetting the way we talk about our health, which means.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Being honest about what we know, what we don't know, and how messy it can all be. I like to sleep in late and sleep early. Is there a chronotype for that or am I just depressed? Health stuff is about learning, laughing, and feeling a little less alone.

[Dr. Priyanka Walley]

Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Brad (Brad vs. Everyone podcast host)]

Social media trend is landing some gen zers in jail. The progressive media darling whose public meltdown got her fired and the massive TikTok boycott against Target. That actually makes no sense. You won't hear about these online stories in the mainstream media, but you can keep up with them and all the other entertaining and outrageous things happening online in media and in politics with the Brad vs. Everyone podcast. Listen to the Brad vs. Everyone podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danielle Robay]

This is an iHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human.