The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, illness, and substance use.

The Friday Afternoon Club is an important symbol that gives the book its name. It was a tradition started by Dominique when she lived with Lenny shortly after the latter disclosed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis to her children. Dominique, who had joined an acting group, would gather her close friends and acting group peers every Friday night at her and Lenny’s home for a weekly party she hosted. Lenny would be brought out in her wheelchair to join the celebrations as well.

As a symbol, the Friday Afternoon Club encompasses all the important themes and ideas that Griffin touches on in this family memoir. With the guests including now-famous names like George Clooney, the tradition highlights the family’s immersion in the world of Hollywood and The Impact of Fame on Relationships. The parties were a source of merriment and community for Lenny, in particular, with her physical symptoms worsening and causing her to use a wheelchair at this stage in her life. Despite these physical restrictions, the Friday Afternoon Club allowed her to be surrounded by community and celebration. The fact that Dominique was the originator of this tradition is significant, as her death is the

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