Alyson Stoner — former child actor turned mental health practitioner — delivers a compelling deconstruction of identity, cultural myths and the illusion of being “well-adjusted” in a dysfunctional society in their debut memoir, “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything.” Overflowing with intimate details from film and TV sets like “Camp Rock,” “Cheaper by the Dozen,” “Step Up” and “Phineas and Ferb,” Stoner exposes a turbulent upbringing behind the scenes, including family violence and betrayal, eating disorders and religious trauma.
Along the way, Stoner uses their unconventional life path to unpack cultural phenomena such as the commodification of high-performing children, society’s enchantment with fame and the tension between digital privacy and visibility — offering actionable insights for deep personal healing and collective change.
Here & Now associate producer Kalyani Saxena sits down with Stoner to discuss their new memoir and advocacy for industry and policy reform across traditional and digital media. Copies of the book will be available to purchase from our bookstore partner Brookline Booksmith and Stoner will sign following the conversation.
CitySpace Tickets:
Book bundle: $50.00 (includes general seating and signed copy of the book)
General: $20.00
BU Faculty/Staff: $15.00 (must present a valid BU ID upon arrival)
Student: $10.00 (must present a valid student ID upon arrival)
Ways To Save:
WBUR’s Legacy Circle, Murrow Society, Sustainers and Members save $5.00 on tickets to this event. To apply the discount to your ticket purchase online, you’ll need to enter a promo code. You can get your code by emailing
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About “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite LIterally Everything”:
Raised on soundstages and studio lots from the age of six, shuffling between auditions for Disney Channel, “Cheaper by the Dozen” or Missy Elliott music videos, Alyson Stoner experienced many of the defining moments of childhood inside the bizarre fishbowl of Hollywood. From working eighty hours a week at eight years old, to learning how to distinguish fan mail from kidnapping plots, to TV execs saying they weren’t “anorexic enough” to stop working and get help, Alyson struggled to find stability and sanity in a chaotic world.
In “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything,” Alyson shares their powerful story for the first time, detailing a turbulent home life fractured by substance abuse, harrowing accounts from rehab, the messy process of discovering their sexuality in church, rebuilding a life after an early professional peak and charting a path of self-discovery and advocacy. With striking introspection, Alyson connects the dots across the entertainment industry ecosystem, child development and media culture, exposing the “toddler to trainwreck pipeline” of child stars and sparking timely conversations about success and society’s enchantment with fame.
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