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Name Drop: The Really Good Celebrity Stories I Usually Only Tell at Happy Hour

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From Ross Mathews, the nationally bestselling author of Man Up!, judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race, and alum of Chelsea Lately, a collection of hilarious and irreverent essays about his experience with Hollywood’s most talked-about celebrities.

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 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.

240 pages, Hardcover

First published February 4, 2020

115 people are currently reading
1265 people want to read

About the author

Ross Mathews

6 books61 followers
Ross Mathews is an American television personality. He made his television debut as an intern and a correspondent for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where he was known as "Ross the Intern".

He is a regular judge on VH1/LOGO's Emmy-winning hit show RuPaul's Drag Race. Mathews can be heard weekly on his top-rated podcast Straight Talk with Ross Mathews[PodcastOne] where he gives his hilarious take on the latest entertainment news and gossip. He lives in Los Angeles and Palm Springs with his partner.

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5 stars
547 (26%)
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833 (39%)
3 stars
557 (26%)
2 stars
141 (6%)
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25 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews
Profile Image for Valerity (Val).
1,082 reviews2,765 followers
October 8, 2019
I saw a review of this on a friend’s page and just had to check it out. I think Ross is a hoot and would love to be besties with him anytime. His book is a good for a grin, and entertaining right down to the cocktail and appetizer recipes, or Rossipes as he calls them. If you’re ready for a lighthearted and fun break from whatever you’ve been reading, this will probably work for you, especially if you are a Ross Mathews fan. He keeps it real about the stars he meets, and has a great sense of humor that has served him well in his career path. If you love star gossip you will enjoy his book.

Now it makes me want to check out his first book too, which I likely will after this. It’s mentioned below in the author section. I will also be watching for future works of literary art from Ross and plenty more Rossipes for sure! Keep up the great work Ross, we need more happy entertainment like you provide. Perhaps my own personal vlog delivered to my inbox wouldn't be too much to ask? :-) Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Ross Mathews, and the publisher.

First published on my WordPress blog viewable here:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...
Profile Image for Heather K (dentist in my spare time).
4,063 reviews6,536 followers
January 11, 2020
*3.5 stars*

Look, Name Drop: The Really Good Celebrity Stories I Usually Only Tell at Happy Hour is by Ross Mathews, and though I've been pleasantly surprised by some really stellar books by comedians/funny personalities recently (Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life), I kept my expectations at "Kathy-Griffin-Lite" level. And that was just about right.

I read this book in bits and pieces in between reading other stories, but even though it took me three weeks to get through, I found it to be a fun, entertaining read. Sure, it didn't hold my attention for long spans of time, but I enjoyed that the book read just like Ross Mathews sounds, so I felt like I was watching him on TV while I was reading.

*Only read this book if you like lots of puns and play-on-word-humor. I'm... not sure if I like it that much, but I muscled through it. Also, be prepared for lots of self-deprecating "I'm chubby!" humor.*

As a RuPaul super-fan, I could have used more Drag Race content. There was barely any here, which was a bit of a let down. I wanted some drag queen T!! Yeah, I know, there is probably contractual mumble, mumble keeping him from saying the good stuff, but Drag Race fans, you WILL be left wanting.

I enjoyed his celebrity snippets, and though it felt very surface level, I found some to be funny and most to be mildly entertaining.

An easy, fun read to pass the time if you are a Ross Mathews fan (one T!).

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

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Profile Image for britt_brooke.
1,645 reviews120 followers
February 8, 2020
Oh, Ross, you’re so punny! Seriously. So. Many. Puns. I love the cheesiness. 🧀 I never really watched Leno, so I first “met” Mathews on the Chelsea Lately round table. Gah, I miss that show. This is an incredibly entertaining read about memorable celebrity run-ins, mostly who are friends, but some are folks with whom he simply crossed career paths. Plus, lots of fun cocktails and recipes. A delightfully guilty, funny read!
Profile Image for Sue Fernandez.
791 reviews16 followers
September 12, 2019
Yaasss! Grab this book as soon as you have a chance. Name dropping, recipes, cocktails. I'm there. I've loved Ross over the years, and I thank Net Galley and Atria Books for an advance of this book in exchange for my honest review. Ross does a fabulous job of sharing his celebrity stories, but not being mean about it. He tells it like it is, but at the same time, he'll be quick to acknowledge (in his own special way) when his perception of the situation might've clouded the memory. If you want the tea, but want to have a cocktail with it, or if you want to know what happens when a fangirl (man, boy? What is a male fangirl?) gets to come face to face with his people, this is the book for you. Honestly- this is the book for anyone who wants to move away from the problems of the world for a time. GET it.
Profile Image for Read by Curtis.
571 reviews21 followers
February 15, 2020

Ross Mathews’ second book exemplifies the art of name-dropping, as Mathews spills personal anecdotes about meeting celebrities such as Barbara Walters, Rosie O’Donnell, Beyoncé, Elizabeth Taylor, and Jackie Collins (to name only a few!). Each story is supplemented with a thematic cocktail and appetizer “Ross-ipe”. In sticking with the book’s theme of name dropping, I believe that this is the perfect opportunity to write the story of how I met a celebrity...the famous writer and television personality, Ross Mathews.

In May 2000, my friend Kevin and I travelled all the way from Winnipeg MB to Los Angeles CA to conquer our shared bucket list item: to attend Rupaul’s Drag Con. At the massive convention, we moved about booths and stood in line-ups to meet (and get pictures taken with) our favourite drag queens. (P.S. We met Alaska! Bucket list item #2, check! And Eureka O'Hara asked us for bear status!). As the day progressed and lines got longer, Kevin asked if we could stand in line to meet Ross Mathews.

“But he’s not even here,” I said.

Kevin had recognized Ross’s assistant Trish, and after a quick chat with her he had learned that Ross would arrive within the hour. With a short line-up of about ten people (for an empty booth), I agreed to stand in line; after all, I was getting crowd fatigue. While we stood in line, Kevin shared stories from Ross’s podcast Straight Talk, and explained everything there was to know about Ross Mathews, Trish, and CJ. Kevin also shared Straight Talk lingo and a password that he was supposed to use to identify himself as a “Straight Talker”. True to Trish’s word: Mathews arrived! Mathews was warm and friendly, and seemed genuinely grateful for the attention of his fans. Mathews, recognizing which one of us was the true fan, had a quick kiki with Kevin; I was grateful to have the pressure of small talk removed, since I just wanted to say hi and get a picture.

As we left, Kevin said to me, “I’m so surprised. He is exactly what I thought he would be.”

“What exactly were you expecting?” I deadpanned.

Kevin stated, “You always think celebrities won’t be like their public persona, or that they’ll just be coldly polite. But Ross was exactly like he is on the podcast. It felt very genuine.”

Though self-described name-dropper Ross Mathews has achieved his own degree of celebrity, he seems to be, in person and in his book, a legitimately , down-to-Earth, affable guy. I have no doubt that Mathews would fit right in with my gaggle of gays. Name Drop: The Really Good Celebrity Stories I Usually Only Tell at Happy Hour feels like vignettes shared by your best squirrelfriend who has met a famous person and shares most of the details. Did I hope for some nastier, juicier gossip from these name dropping sketches? Duh, of course! But then, if the tea was served hotter, it just wouldn’t be on brand for America’s queer sweetheart, Ross Mathews.

Side note: Months later, advertising for Drag Con plastered pictures of Kevin and Ross Mathews all over Instagram. And, just like in our conversation, I was cut out of the picture. But if you look closely, you can see the right side of my face! But maybe in our next photo opp, I’ll be front and centre, since I have read Name Drop: The Really Good Celebrity Stories I Usually Only Tell at Happy Hour, and Kevin has not. Yet.

Profile Image for Breige.
715 reviews26 followers
April 15, 2020
I only really know Ross from watching RuPaul's Drag Race so it was fun to hear him talk about other things. This book isn't a memoir about his life growing up to where he is now (that would be found in his first book Man Up!: Tales of My Delusional Self-Confidence).

Instead this some amusing celebrity ancedotes, tales from all sorts of people ranging from Lady Gaga to Celine Dion to Jackie Collins and the Kardashians. The stories are good and bad but without being very mean or nasty. I really enjoyed listening to this, as Ross is such a lively fun narrator. And I loved how much he freaks out over meeting some of his idols, you really get the sense that underneath it all Ross is still the small-town boy he was growing up.

We also get a cocktail and food recipe at the start of each chapter that's in theme with what the chapter is going to be (with some dreadfully delicious puns for some of them!) which is an added bit of fun.

It's a very quick and fun audiobook and I just found it perfect for the times right now, as I've been finding it hard to concentrate and this is great to just escape life and pretend you're sitting next to Ross at Happy Hour while he spills all the tea
Profile Image for Sharon.
1,204 reviews76 followers
April 5, 2020
I listened to this on audio via Audible, I was looking for something that was easy to listen to and I enjoy Ross.

This is full of celeb anecdotes from encounters Ross has had with everyone from Lady Gaga to The Spice Girls, Celine Dion to Liza Minelli.

At the end of each chapter (or the beginning, I can't remember), there's a cocktail recipe to go along with the story.

I enjoyed the stories a lot, Ross was funny without being cruel or mean. I'm not sure how well it would work in print, because Ross' voice is so animated and fun that it really made the whole experience very enjoyable.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
376 reviews16 followers
April 1, 2020
We cancelled our cable TV a few years ago, so I did not know who Ross Mathews was prior to reading this book. I picked it up because the reviews were good, and I can't help but enjoy a little celebrity gossip (although I am deeply ashamed about it).

This book was really funny. His idea for a sequel to Pretty Woman had me laughing so hard at 12:30 AM that I had to put a pillow over my face so as not to wake my husband (and it also absorbed the tears). This is a light, fun read... just what is needed during the current dark times.
Profile Image for Dane.
96 reviews1 follower
April 13, 2021
A funny, silly book. I’ve always enjoyed Ross’ comedy, it is clever and never nasty nor mean spirited. I think this would be great as an audiobook, as fans of Ross know, he certainly knows how to deliver a joke.
Profile Image for Beth.
1,164 reviews16 followers
February 12, 2020
I love Ross Mathews and I had no idea this book was even a thing until I saw it at the bookstore I work at. It was a fun read, obviously. He also includes recipes or rossipes in every chapter so I will definitely try some of those out. I am hoping to see him on his book tour.

"You never know who might be listening, so always try to put something good out into the world."

"Bad pizza is better than no pizza."
Profile Image for SerenaBeReading.
529 reviews24 followers
September 28, 2023
WHAT WHITE HOUSE TEA DID OMAROSA SPILL ROSS????? I NEED TO KNOW, DON'T LET A FEW SECRET SERVICE GUYS SCARE YOU!!!

This was so enjoyable. I love me some Ross Matthews and his sweet voice and enjoyed hearing him talk about the many celebrity run ins. When he talked about how Barbara Walters didn't remember him even though she invited him on the show that made me think she was showing signs of dementia earlier than thought. Knowing what we know now I hope Ross still doesn't feel bad about how she treated him. She wasn't in her right mind!

LOVED hearing him talk about interviewing THE BEYONCE. Lucky lucky man!

I forgot he was on Celebrity Big Brother and will have to scour the Internet to find the episodes and watch. I would've given this five stars but I'm being petty since he didn't spill what Omarosa told him about the White House lol.
Profile Image for chris.
43 reviews
June 1, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
As a RPDR lover, I knew going into a Ross Mathew’s book would be a blast, and he didn’t disappoint. There were moments I laughed out loud and cringed from the second hand embarrassment, and even got a little misty eyed when he spoke of his parents (talking about his mom in the Acknowledgment section…so so sweet). My fear initially was that his humor and how he sets up jokes wouldn’t translate super well to the page, and minus a couple weird things, overall I think it was successful. The only true complaint I have is that I wished it was longer! Also, for if Ross ever reads this, I towed the line between an amateur name dropper and a professional name dropped per your quiz - invite me to that dinner part so I can learn from the pro!!
Profile Image for Shannon .
2,330 reviews155 followers
April 1, 2020
Name Drop: The Really Good Celebrity Stories I Usually Only tell at Happy Hour

I Picked Up This Book Because: How could I not, especially when he was narrating.

The Story:

Mr Mathews is such a kind sweet soul and he’s so funny. I would love to be his friend and be invited to every happy hour and dinner party. And you know I downloaded the pdf and will be partaking in a few of his cocktails and rossipies.

The Random Thoughts:

I am ashamed at how long it took me to listen to this. This shutdown has me spending almost no time in my car.

4 Stars
Profile Image for aCupcakeBlonde.
1,432 reviews26 followers
June 14, 2020
10 million stars!!

This audio book was exactly what I needed right now. A breath of fresh air and several laugh out loud moments. I love Ross's energy and spunk. Can he be my friend? I want to be involved in his next stories. I love how down to earth but totally fabulous he is by just being himself. And the stories are a hoot!! Too many were awesome to name my favorite, but the one where he marries his two friends he set up was a top one. If I ever have a book made about me, I want Ross to narrate it. He is a joy to listen to. And now I need to track down some of those drinks and Rossipies to try!
Profile Image for Christopher Hicks.
361 reviews6 followers
August 2, 2023
This is a compilation of Ross Mathew’s stories about his interactions with Famous people. It kinda reads like a tabloid in book form 😜 i’ve been a fan of his since he was a corespondent for the Tonight Show, then Chelsea Lately, Fashion Police and now as a judge on Rupaul’s Drag Race. I love his stories about reality TV and pop culture. I really liked his first book and while this was pretty much just Fun Fluff. I really enjoyed it.
Profile Image for John.
419 reviews2 followers
August 24, 2025
Mathew’s writing isn’t changing the literary world by any stretch of the imagination - there’s more fluff and puns than shocking stories. But the way he tells them, with the enthusiasm, charm and positivity that has defined his career in entertainment makes this a silly sweet time all around. Some stories of gruff encounters will surprise, but all in all the tales are tame and the book breezes through thanks to an energetic narrator.
Profile Image for Roman Colombo.
Author 4 books35 followers
August 29, 2020
An immensely fun book. Ross Matthews is really funny, and he reads this a lot like how I'd expect him to be in real life, just going on and chatting. A few years ago, my sister got Ross to do a Cameo video for me, and it was great. I watched him on RuPaul with her, but then he became one of the best Big Brother contestants ever. I'd love to hang out with him one day--and namedrop him later on.
Profile Image for Ankur.
352 reviews3 followers
December 23, 2020
This book was a breeze to read. I absolutely adore Ross Matthews... fun fact, his was the last comedy show I saw before everything shut down this year because of Covid-19. At the show, he had already told a couple of these stories, but re-reading them again I could hear his voice and see his expressions as I read.

Ross Matthews just seems like a really genuine nice guy. Despite this being a book of gossip, the stories are (mostly) fun and flattering to the celebrities he mentions.

If you like celebrity culture and want to read Ross' gossip, then this is the book for you.

Profile Image for Matt.
360 reviews65 followers
December 16, 2022
Ross has a handful of memorable, juicy celebrity stories here (Lady Gaga, Barbara Walters). Some were just okay. A fair chunk of the book was filler.

I liked this book better than his first. I appreciate Ross as a media figure a lot more after reading his books. But I do still think he’s not always super authentic. He’s definitely got a schtick and a persona. That’s fine but I feel like he’s not always very real.

I still had a good time listening to this audiobook, though. It was fun and light.
Profile Image for Catherine.
197 reviews41 followers
March 12, 2020
This book was so much fun. It’s a quick read and I laughed out loud several times. Very enjoyable!!
Profile Image for Maria.
59 reviews2 followers
May 26, 2020
This was a fun read!
Profile Image for The Katie.
239 reviews4 followers
July 2, 2020
I enjoyed this book read by the author. Felt like sitting in a room with a friend.
Profile Image for Theresa.
276 reviews17 followers
July 3, 2020
Ross Mathews is just a lot of fun, and his stories are gold. Also, I highly recommend the audio version as his theatrics are off the charts.
Profile Image for Nikiverse.
274 reviews51 followers
October 16, 2020
All name dropping, but NO TEA. Give us the GOOD stuff. Other than that, fast read and cute. 3.5 stars.

If you don’t know who Ross is and aren’t into sassy gay guys, probably skip this one.
Profile Image for Katie Rankine.
285 reviews76 followers
August 10, 2021
I really enjoyed all the fun stories in this. Ross Mathew's is a legend!
Profile Image for Sarah Kat.
100 reviews59 followers
March 4, 2020
Are you looking for something in-depth, insightful, extremely inspiring? This is *TOTALLY* not your book!

^Hell-OOOO^, IT'S ROSS!!

This is a super fun, get-away-from-real-life, poolside book. Grab your cocktails (instructions included), Rossipes (totes included), and get ready for some not mean 'gossip' about celebs.

*Cheers*
Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews

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