Handler kicks off book tour with a bang bang

Downtown Naperville's not exactly Times Square, but Chelsea Handler was happy to be here anyway.

Making Naperville the second of 21 stops on her comedy and book promotion tour, the two-time New York Times best-selling author swung by Anderson's Bookshop Wednesday afternoon to discuss the release of her third book, "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang."

"I was in New York first (Tuesday) but you're my second stop. I'm a Jersey girl so I had to go to New York first and do all the talk shows there," she said. "I love Chicago and I love coming to Chicago, but I never get to play in Chicago. I always have to play outside of Chicago but I'm happy to come anywhere. I'm a Traveling Wilbury."

"Bang Bang" is a collection of original essays chronicling her youth, adulthood and growing up the youngest of six children to a Jewish father and a Mormon mother in New Jersey.

Handler's first book, "My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands," is in its 61st week on the best-selling list. Her follow up, "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea," was released in April 2008 and spent 62 weeks on the list.

Writing books about her crazy life, she said, is a nice change of pace to her stand-up routine and her nightly television talk show "Chelsea Lately" on E!.

"I always have more stories because my life is just stupid so I figure I may as well just write another book. It's fun to write and it's nice to do different things," she said, "It's especially nice to do the books because I talk so much about myself and make fun of myself, whereas on my show, I have to focus so much on making fun of other people. It's nice to get back to my roots."

Her tell-it-like-it-is style is exactly what brought more than 600 people to the store, waiting to get a signed copy of her latest effort. Jessica Aymond, of Naperville, reserved her book as soon as she heard the event advertised and ordered her copy immediately, landing her first in line.

"I had to get the book because I love her and I love how blunt she is about everything," Aymond said. "It's awesome how she gets away with saying exactly what everyone is thinking but afraid to say."

Handler agreed.

"Unfortunately for my family, I've always been a loudmouth. I've always been telling people things I shouldn't be," she said. "I have very little filter so it's worked out great now, but it wasn't great when I was younger."

Despite the expectations of this book to match her two others on the best-selling list, Handler has been quoted as saying she's done writing. But Wednesday she provided a scoop for her Naperville fans.

"I think this is my favorite and my funniest book." she said. "But my book agent just told me today there's an offer coming for a fourth book based on the launch of this one, so I'm probably going to have to write another one."

Then Handler, jokingly, said she plans to release an album featuring a hybrid of hip-hop and samba tunes.

That'll be just fine with Wheaton resident Natasha Bengs, who was 177th in line Wednesday.

"I can't get enough of this girl and her wit so, as long as she keeps writing, I'll keep reading and watching," Bengs said.

Handler performed Wednesday night at the Rosemont Theatre and will return April 11 for an already sold-out show at the same venue.