Gavin Newsom’s Young Man in a Hurry mixes family memoir with political anecdotes and vivid encounters with figures such as Tony Robbins, Steve Jobs and Donald Trump. Highlights include the political fallout from his 2004 same-sex marriage licenses, the infamous Harper’s Bazaar photo with Kimberly Guilfoyle, and a candid Air Force One tour with Trump. The book uses personal episodes to explain how private moments shaped his public life.
Inside Gavin Newsom’s Memoir: The Most Unforgettable Anecdotes From Young Man in a Hurry
The wildest stories in Gavin Newsom’s new memoir
Gavin Newsom’s memoir, Young Man in a Hurry, blends family history, political flashpoints and behind-the-scenes encounters with public figures. The governor uses personal anecdotes to illuminate how private moments helped shape his public persona.
The "Newscum" Nickname Predates Trump
Newsom writes that President Trump’s later use of the nickname “Newscum” was not original: he says he was taunted with the same epithet at age 13 by a group of teens while on his paper route. Though physically unhurt, he recalls feeling deeply humiliated by the episode.
Tony Robbins’ Influence
As a 24-year-old searching for direction, Newsom credits self-help guru Tony Robbins with teaching him to project confidence and authority. He describes emulating a role model’s bearing and language — a strategy Robbins advocates — and acknowledges that some of Robbins’ phrases even appeared, uncredited, in a 2009 speech by then-Mayor Newsom. The memoir notes Newsom still uses Robbins-style terms like "stretch goals."
Same-Sex Marriage Decision and Political Fallout
Newsom’s 2004 order to authorize same-sex marriage licenses propelled him to national prominence but drew sharp criticism from across the Democratic establishment. He recounts disapproval from figures including the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Barney Frank, who warned he moved too quickly. Newsom also recalls that Barack Obama, then a rising political figure, kept his distance at a 2004 fundraiser—an episode Mayor Willie Brown later publicized after Obama shifted his stance to support marriage equality.
The Notorious Harper’s Bazaar Photo
The 2004 Harper’s Bazaar spread that shows Newsom and then-wife Kimberly Guilfoyle lounging on the Getty mansion carpet resurfaced periodically online. Newsom says the image began as a gag suggested by Ann Getty and became part of an eight-page feature titled "The New Kennedys." While the photo generated mockery, Newsom writes his sister Hilary saw it as symptomatic of a pattern in which he let stronger personalities in his life dominate his image and choices.
Steve Jobs’ Private iPhone Preview
At a Fairmont Hotel penthouse gathering, Newsom recounts that Steve Jobs privately showed him—and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin—a device that would become the first iPhone. Newsom’s immediate reaction: “Whoa.” He says the group recognized they were seeing something proprietary with enormous potential.
Bachelor Pad and First Impressions
On a first date with Jennifer Siebel Newsom, she remembers his minimalist, temporary apartment—no sofa, plastic over the window—and joked that it felt inspired by American Psycho. The anecdote feeds into recurring pop-culture comparisons between Newsom and the fictional Patrick Bateman, a comparison critics have occasionally invoked.
Dianne Feinstein’s Playful Moment
On a diplomatic trip to Shanghai, Newsom describes a surprising, light-hearted moment when Sen. Dianne Feinstein and former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin rose from a private lunch and danced together after a few rounds of gan bei toasts. He frames it as an unexpectedly humanizing diplomatic exchange.
Air Force One and Trump’s Blunt Tour
After Newsom became governor, President Trump escorted him onto Air Force One during a California wildfire visit and enthusiastically pointed out the plane’s features—including the private bedroom and a plainly described lavatory. Newsom recalls Trump quipping about the bedroom arrangement and referencing Melania in a suggestive aside.
A Provocative Moment With Jerry Brown
Newsom also recounts a jocular exchange in which Trump pressed Gov. Jerry Brown about an old girlfriend, prompting Brown to tease Trump by naming Natalie Wood. According to Newsom, Trump then deadpanned, “So who killed her?” — an example of the blunt, provocative humor Newsom says defined portions of the visit.
Note: These anecdotes are presented as Newsom recounts them in Young Man in a Hurry and reflect his perspective and recollection of events.
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