The heartwarming memoir of beloved television actress Valerie Harper, best known for her role as Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and on Rhoda. Valerie Harper was an unknown actress when she won the groundbreaking role of Rhoda Morgenstern, Mary Tyler Moore’s lovable and self-deprecating on-screen best friend. Bold and hilarious, the native New Yorker and struggling working girl was unlucky in love and insecure about her weight—in other words, every woman’s best friend. Harper represented a self-reliant new identity for women of the 1970s. She fought for equal rights alongside feminists Gloria Steinem and Bella Abzug; and her incredible showbiz journey, which began on Broadway with Lucille Ball and Jackie Gleason, led her to four Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe. Harper is upbeat and funny, and her inspiring life story is laced with triumphs and transformative obstacles. This beloved actress’s incredible pluck, indomitable spirit, and warm and generous heart have touched our lives and kept us entertained for decades. "Valerie Harper, my beloved friend, is just as enjoyable on the printed page as she is on the screen. This is a delightful read. Enjoy." -- Betty White “ I, Rosie, loved I, RHODA, Valerie Harper's wonderful new book full of heart and Hollywood, friends and family. I have loved Val since I first saw her standing on Mary's balcony. Her amazing career and her beautiful life are woven together with grace and wit." -- Rosie O'Donnell “Valerie is brilliant, frigging talented, funny as hell, warm, generous...and her book is a HIT! Detailed, delightful, and delicious — I've found myself starting to read it again! " -- Cloris Leachman “ I am a law-abiding, God-fearing Orthodox Jewish boy, and Valerie Harper is a wanton, out of control, nihilist who I’m sure never thought of God unless his name was on a contract. I thought I knew this wastrel of an actress, but it turns out I didn’t know a thing about her! A regular Jo, she worked her ass off to develop every aspect of her great talent, be it as a twinkle-toed tapper or a fantastic comedic actress with equal dramatic chops. Valerie is a pisser and you gotta read her book!” -- Ed Asner “ Valerie writes in a straight-forward style that is honest and funny and true. I know because I was there during the Rhoda years. It was great fun to relive the moments I was honored and lucky enough to be a part of. I also got to learn things about Valerie I never knew. What a marvelous life and what a wonderful read.” -- Julie Kavner Valerie Harper is best known for her role as Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and on Rhoda. The winner of four Emmys, as well as a Golden Globe for her starring role in Rhoda , Harper has been celebrated by fans and peers alike for her work in television. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband. I, Rhoda chapter ONE “Valerie, don’t overdo.” This parental reprimand was the constant refrain of my childhood. One more jump off the diving board when my fingertips were shriveled and my lips blue. One more turn on the swings when my palms were long since shredded by the metal chains as I tried to propel myself higher. One more twirl around the living room to “The Blue Danube,” even though my legs were already covered in rug burns. One more. One more. I was also always looking for something to eat. When I was two years old, I bit the tail of our neighbors’ yellow Labrador because it looked delicious. I couldn’t help myself—I was drawn to that fluffy golden Twinkie of a tail, and I just had to sink my teeth into it. The dog was not amused; he spun around and bit me right on the lip. (It would be years before I’d overcome my fear of dogs. Though in truth, perhaps they should have feared me . . . ) When I was three years old, while watching my mother get dressed for the evening, I uncorked her beautiful bottle of perfume, Intoxication by d’Orsay. The bottle was so stylish, so alluring. It was in the shape of a cut-glass liquor decanter. How could I resist? I chugged the entire bottle in one gulp. Like the Labrador’s tail, the perfume did not taste as good as it looked and boy, did it burn as it went down! Throughout my life I’ve had no desire to drink anything intoxicating because to me it all tastes like perfume. Talk about aversion therapy! My mother, Iva Mildred McConnell, was a petite, blue-eyed, blond Canadian. She met my father, the tall, dark, and handsome Howard Donald Harper, through their mutual interest in hockey. Mom played on a women’s team in Canada and spotted Dad at a match where he was playing for a visiting team—the Oakland Sheiks, who were named after Rudolph Valentino’s famed role. My mother had always dreamed of becoming a doctor, but her parents insisted that she go into teaching instead. She first taught eight grades, all together in a one-room schoolhouse out on the Saskatchewan prairie, where each row in her classroom was a different grade. After about