Growing Up Urkel

by Jaleel White

Overview

An incisive and insightful memoir by one of the most beloved icons of nineties television Jaleel White, the actor who portrayed Steve Urkel on the hit sitcom Family Matters.

At the tender age of twelve, Jaleel White auditioned for the role of Steve Urkel, the socially inept genius, who was in love with his next-door neighbor, Laura.

Though Steve Urkel was intended to be in only one episode, Jaleel’s indelible performance catapulted Urkel into the pantheon of American pop culture. But success can cost as much as it pays. After nine years on the popular sitcom Family Matters, Jaleel is twenty-one, a UCLA undergrad, and adjusting to a world and industry that sees him as the nasally nerd in high water pants, suspenders, and coke bottle glasses.

In this wise and witty memoir, Growing Up Urkel takes you on a memorable journey through the peaks, valleys, and plateaus of fame and fortune.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781668068892
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster
Publication date:	11/19/2024
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	50,240
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Jaleel White is an actor, producer, and screenwriter most known for his iconic role as Steve Urkel on the sitcom Family Matters. White has also starred in Big Fat Liar, Sonic the Hedgehog, Grown Ups, and Scooby Doo. White’s top guest appearances include Boston Legal, Dreamgirls, House, and most recently starred in the Netflix’s Hustle, starring Adam Sandler. In April of 2021, he launched a successful cannabis line called itsPurpl.

Editorial Reviews

09/30/2024

Actor White discusses the “double-edged sword” of his breakout role on the 1990s sitcom Family Matters in this intriguing if tight-lipped debut. The focus is squarely on White’s career: he booked his first commercial at four years old (for Toys R Us), then stepped back from auditioning in middle school. His parents, however, encouraged him to continue acting, hoping the money could help pay for college. That nudge led White to audition for a single-episode guest spot as nerdy neighbor Steve Urkel on Family Matters when he was 12 years old. He got the part, and the crew liked his performance so much that he became a series regular. White balances boilerplate behind-the-scenes reminiscences with frank, sometimes funny discussions of the role’s repercussions, including the trouble he continues to have being recognized for other performances (including in Big Fat Liar and Fake It Til You Make It) and the discomfort he feels that Urkel has become a “punching bag” for critics discussing Black representation on TV (“Friends doesn’t speak for all white people. But no one ever thinks should or did. not examined with the same lens”). What’s missing, save for a few humorous anecdotes about dating in his 20s and a brief ode to his daughter, is insight into White’s personal life. While plenty charming, this doesn’t offer much that fans don’t already know. Agent: Kristen Neuhaus, Ultra Literary. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

Comedically gifted, crazy acting chops, wonderfully dressed, weirdly handsome, beyond perfect posture, and a crossover that’s guaranteed to put your ass in the blender. What? Oh, I thought this blurb was about me. That’s okay, Jaleel is pretty awesome too.” –ADAM SANDLER

From the Publisher