This archive report was first published on 28 September 2019.
Debbie Harry's life story is a fascinating tale of fame, identity, and self-discovery. Born Angela Trimble, Harry was given up for adoption at just three months old, a decision made by her musician father and his married childhood sweetheart.
Harry's adoptive parents, Dick and Cag Harry, were doting but incurious, bewildered by their daughter's sudden rise to fame and the fans who would often turn up at their doorstep or write to them during Blondie's heyday.
As a young woman, Harry was a good student who loved books, geometry, and television. She identified with Marilyn Monroe and would often dye her hair platinum with her mother's bottle of peroxide. Her dream was to leave home and become an artist, but art school was not in her family's budget.
It wasn't until years later, with the encouragement of her manager, that Harry began working on her memoir. The process took years, but she was determined to share her story with the world. 'I had no intention of doing it, but he kept nudging,' Harry said, referring to her manager. 'It's been stewing for a long time, and it feels good to get it out there.'
Harry's memoir is a candid and introspective look at her life, including her relationships and experiences. She even shared a humorous anecdote about her old boyfriend, Penn Jillette, who reworked the jets on a Jacuzzi to give a female bather the most pleasure, which he called the 'Jill-Jet.'
