Actor and comedian Josh Peck made an appearance at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books this weekend in conversation with assistant managing editor Samantha Melbourneweaver to discuss his memoir “Happy People Are Annoying.” Known best for his role as Josh on Nickelodeon’s “Drake & Josh,” Peck has since moved on to other TV and film projects including the “Turner & Hooch” continuation, “How I Met Your Father,” and the upcoming Christopher Nolan movie, “Oppenheimer.”
The actor took the stage to discuss not only his book but reflecting on his experiences with body positivity, alcoholism and using art to embrace audiences.
While most people write their memoirs in their waning years, Peck expressed that he wanted the book to be representative of his life at age 35. He said, “this is views from the halfway point, this is views from someone who’s still trying, this is views from someone who has done some cool stuff and been incredibly lucky, but also had challenge and trial.”
He furthermore explained that the purpose of his “Happy People Are Annoying” was to unveil many of the aspects of his life that audiences knew little about. “I was deeply insecure going through X, Y, and Z, and to most of you, you thought I was sort of trapped in a treehouse,” he said, referencing an iconic episode of “Drake & Josh.” " I was having a great time in that treehouse, but I was also dealing with some inner challenges.” He says that through it, he hopes his vulnerability can be used to help others working through their own personal struggles.
Peck also opened up on how being categorized as the “funny fat one,” as a fan in Amsterdam called him, affected his personal experience as a young actor. Although he appreciates the effort of the “Drake & Josh” writers in rewriting the narrative, the stereotypes still permeated into audiences. “If you were the big guy, you were relegated to two parts: the best friend or the bully,” he said.
While people compared him to comedic geniuses such as Chris Farley or John Belushi, Peck said that “people weren’t comparing my talent to theirs…I’d be happy to have one-tenth of what they had, but they were just comparing my girth.”
Today, he is happy about the growing representation of a wide range of body types, saying “My son and I, we go to the mall a lot…you’ll see the models in the windows and the pictures of the models and there’s so much more representation of all different body styles and looks and it’s beautiful and necessary.”
However, he revealed that this weight loss was also intertwined with his alcoholism. He recalls how at age 17 when he committed to weight loss, the comfort of food was no longer there to numb his anxieties. Surprisingly, it was a notable moment in film history that would inspire his eventual shift to sobriety. “I remember at 21 when Heath Ledger died, someone that I so looked up to and was so beloved…it just made it so real,” Peck said. “This idea that you’re not bulletproof even if you’re 21 and you can sort of walk through anything, and the effect that it had on the people who loved him resonated with me.”
In moving on from his “Drake & Josh” years, Peck talked about his shift to social media. He explains how the “gatekeepers” of film and TV limited his connection with audiences leading him to find ways to expand his platform. “It always took five people to sign off on me to get a job,” he elaborated. “I find Vine and suddenly, I’m able to go directly to you guys, I don’t have to ask for permission.” Not long after Vine shut down, he would move to Instagram and YouTube, where he is still currently active and has amassed millions of followers.
“Inevitably, if you can make some good content, whether it’s on your iPhone or some super dope Christopher Nolan movie, you’re an artist,” Peck concluded. By making it for his audience, he continues to feel relevant and connected with his followers. Looking back at his breakout role, Peck is content. “I embrace that we were able to have an effect on families, and people were able to sit down to watch the show.”
“Happy People Are Annoying” reflects on Peck’s life thus far with all its joys and trials. Though, the future will forever remain a mystery, even to him, as he says, “What’s next is whatever the next right thing is.”