Josh Gad Announces He Will Donate A Portion of Memoir Proceeds to Wildfire Victims: 'Anything Helps Right Now'

Mar. 15, 2025

Josh Gad and a photo of his new memoir.Photo:Jason Mendez/Getty

Jason Mendez/Getty

TheFrozenstar, 43 — who came out with his new memoirIn Gad We Trust: A Tell-Someon Tuesday, Jan. 14 — reflected on the timing of his book release amid the devastating L.A. fires, which have killed at least two dozen people and left thousands without a home.

“I wish it was a celebratory day,” Gad said onThe Today Show. “It’s been super tough. I just got in from Los Angeles. It is worse than I think is even imaginable.”

“We personally know 15 families who have lost their homes, lost their schools, lost their neighborhoods. It’s tough,” he continued. “I’m thrilled I get to share this book with the world finally, but I feel like I’m doing it during a really difficult period.”

A photo of Josh Gad’s new memoir, ‘In Gad We Trust: A Tell-Some.'.Gallery Books

Gallery Books

TheTodayhosts went on to read feedback on his memoir from other famous stars, includingAdam SandlerandBilly Crystal, who wrote that theWolf Like Meactor’s story was “a remarkable journey.” Gad himself noted that was “amazing” to have the opportunity to create “a memoir in my 40s,” which isn’t something he thought about until his “agent pitched it.”

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“I said, ‘Do you know something I don’t know? Have you seen bloodwork? Do I have a short time left?,’” he recalled. “And he encouraged me to just open up about my life, about my experiences and that became almost therapy in front of a mirror.”

“I started to detail my issues with anxiety — I know you guys were just talking about that — about body image,” he continued. “I know that I have a perfect body, but I’ve had issues with that over the years. A lot of the things that came to the forefront were scary to put down on paper, but ultimately, I found it therapeutic and I found the comedy of talking about it therapeutic.”

Some of the things that he touched upon in his memoir included how he found comedy in the wake of his parents’ divorce while trying to make his mother laugh, and his decision to “invest” in it as he grew older.

Josh Gad and his wife Ida Darvish and daughters, Isabella and Ava, in 2019.LISA O’CONNOR/AFP via Getty

He also noted that his past experiences detailed in the book — especially his relationship with his father — also transformed the way he interacts with his daughtersIsabella Eve, 10, andAva Tanya, 13, whom he shares with wife Ida Darvish.

“What I do with them is I give them the opportunity to be as open with me as possible,” he said.  “I want them to talk to me. So a lot of times I’ll talk taboo issues.”

“One day I talked to my daughter because my wife was like, ‘She’s starting to hear about sex from school and I’m worried.’ And I took it upon myself to be like, ‘Hey, sweetheart, I’m here for you. Is there anything you want to talk about?’ And she goes, ‘Oh, that is the most awful thing I’ve ev….no! I don’t want to talk to you about any of it.’ And I was like, ‘Understood, I’ll see myself out now,’ ” he continued. “But I try. I want to be there when they need me.”

In Gad We Trust: A Tell-Someis available now, wherever books are sold.

source: people.com