As a young kid growing up in a farm town, Ross Mathews might as well have wished for a pet unicorn or a calorie-free cookie tree to grow in his front yard. Either of those far-fetched fantasies would have been more likely to come true than his real dream: working in television in Hollywood, California. Seriously, that stuff just doesn't happen to people like Ross. But guess what. It totally did. Now, with his first book, Ross takes us inside his journey as a super-fan, revealing the most embarrassing and hilarious moments of his small-town life and big-city adventures. From learning to swear like a hardened trucker to that time in high school when had to face down the most frightening opponent of all (his girlfriend's lady bits), Ross holds nothing back. Oh, then there's his surprisingly shady past involving the cutest pair of plus-sized women's pajama bottoms, deliciously dangerous pot butter, and embezzled sandwiches. And, of course, how he's managed to turn an obsession with pop-culture into one-on-one interactions with celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Tiffani-Amber Theissen, Madonna, Michelle Kwan, and countless more without ever having a single restraining order issued against him. Infused with Ross's trademark humor, unique voice, and total honesty, MAN UP! is a mission statement for anyone who doesn't fit the mold. His hasn't been the most traditional way to build a career in Hollywood, but Ross has somehow managed to make his mark without ever compromising who he is. He is as serious about this as he is about Golden Girls trivia: You don't need to change who you are to achieve your dreams (although there's nothing wrong with a makeover every now and then). You just need to Man Up!

From Ross Mathews, the nationally bestselling author of Man Up!, judge on RuPaul's Drag Race, and alum of Chelsea Lately, comes "a delightful mix of sweet and sour celebrity experiences" (Shelf Awareness) in this hilarious and irreverent collection of essays. Pretend it's happy hour and you and I are sitting at the bar. I look amazing and, I agree with you, much thinner in person. You look good, too. Maybe it's the candlelight, maybe it's the booze. Either way, let's just go with it. Keep this all between you and me, and do me a favor? Don't judge me if I name drop just a little. Television personality Ross Mathews likes telling stories. He was always outrageous and hilariously honest, even when the biggest celebrity he knew was his favorite lunch lady in the school cafeteria. Now that he has Hollywood experience-from interning behind the scenes at The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to judging RuPaul's Drag Race-he has a lot to talk about. In Name Drop, Ross dishes about being an unlikely insider in the alternate reality that is showbiz, like that time he was invited by Barbara Walters to host The View-only to learn his hero did not suffer fools; his Christmas with the Kardashians, which should be its own holiday special; and his news-making talk with Omarosa on Celebrity Big Brother, which, as it turns out, was just the tip of the iceberg. Holding nothing back, Ross shares the most treasured and surprising moments in his celebrity-filled career, and proves that while exposure may have made him a little bit famous, he is still as much a fanboy as ever. Filled with "charmingly told" (Booklist) tales ranging from the horrifying to the hilarious-and with just the right "Rossipes" and cocktails to go along with them-Name Drop is every pop culture lover's dream come true.

'Some people call what happened to me 'a lucky break.' Sort of, but I don't really believe in luck. I believe in Oprah, which is why I quote her all the time. I once heard her say, 'There's no such thing as luck. Luck is when opportunity meets preparation.' In his first book, Ross Mathews tells readers what it means to 'man up' - to realise, no matter how hard you may hope against hope, you are what you are. The sooner you stop being embarassed about what makes you unique and start embracing and celebrating what makes you special, the closer you get to living the life of your dreams. Admittedly still a work-in-progress, Ross recounts how he's benefitted from this frame of mind his whole life. From growing up as an atypical kid in a small Northwestern farm town to living as an atypical adult in Los Angeles, to eventually being his loud, proud, unapologetically genuine self on national television. Laugh-out-loud funny and filled with Ross's signature wit and wisdom, MAN UP! is not to be missed.