Diary of an Ardent Fan

Singer/songwriter/musician Michael McDonald (The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, Solo), along with actor/comedian/writer Paul Reiser (My Two Dads, Aliens, Mad About You, Stranger, and much more) wrote Michael’s autobiography “What A Fool Belives: A Memoir” and released it on May 21st of 2024.

I’ve been a fan of Michael’s work since I was a teenager, but I really did not know much about him outside of his work.

This book taught me a lot about him.

I honestly thought he was fairly squeaky clean, but he partied as much as many musicians have.

Luckily, he’s been sober since the 1980s, but for a while there, he was a party guy.

Like most autobiographies, Michael talks about growing up, getting into music, various bands he was in, ultimately joining Steely Dan by a chance encounter with a fellow musician, getting a call to join The Doobie Brothers initially as a fill-in, but ultimately stayed and helped the band attain just as much, if not more success, solo career and working with various musicians, relationships, and much more.

Michael is a PHENOMENAL talent.

If you are a fan, you must read this book.

If I have one complaint, I wish he would have mentioned the time he worked with Van Halen singer David Lee Roth on what would become a big hit for them “I’ll Wait”. But that’s OK. I’ve read that story in Michael’s frequent producer, particularly with The Doobie Brothers, Ted Templeman’s book.

Aside from that, Michael has a lot of stories and as a fan, it was great learning a lot more about him.

Actor Patrick Swayze (The Outsiders, Red Dawn, North & South, Dirty Dancing, Road House, Steel Dawn, Next Of Kin, Ghost, Point Break, To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar, The Beast TV series just to name a few) and his wife, Lisa Niemi, were working on Patrick’s autobiography near the end of his life.

It was released in September 29th of 2009, 15 days after he passed. An abridged audio book of this was actually narrated by him.

The book covers Swayze’s life growing up, dancing, ultimately meeting his wife Lisa and their life together, getting into acting, stories about many of his projects over the years, and about his battle with pancreatic cancer.

The book is very well told and thoughtful, but sad, knowing what was coming.

He was positive throughout and I soooo wish he could have made it through.

But as the title of the book says, he and his wife, through good times and bad, had the time of their life together.

I always was a fan of his and always will be.

I remember even near the end of his life he went on a talk show and did one of the Dirty Dancing routines with a fan. He looked great and I was hoping he would be OK.

What can I say? Cancer sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He will be forever missed and if you are not as aware of his work or are and haven’t seen any of it in a while, go check some of it out.

And read this book. It’s a good read.