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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
I picked this up without a clue as to what I was in for, other than it was on the lips of a number of comedians, friends of Norm's, after he passed away. I looked at the title(s): "Based on a True Story [Not a Memoir]" with the same level of caution that I brought when reading Graham Chapman's "A Liar's Autobiography," expecting a tapestry of truth with some jokes peppered throughout that are less than 100% reality-based. That's not this book, however.
When did I learn this? Probably toward the end of one of the first sections, in which Norm relates his childhood, and meeting the family friend Old Jack, who worked on the family farm for free, happy to do a hard day's work for the free warm meals with the family. Out of the blue, Norm presents us with a realistically-crafted possibility of a repressed molestation at the hands of Old Jack, from which Norm suffered a multi-year memory loss. It's shocking in the telling, and as you progress through the book, you recognize that Norm may have used this shock (without a punchline, mind you) in an effort to eventually cause nervous laughter when the reader recalls the event from this early chapter after a series of other bizarre, clearly untrue episodes.
The episode, unfortunately, rings too true to be a hidden gag. One can't help but feel this is actually a hidden truth, too horrific to be real - especially after having completed the book - but too shockingly presented to not contain an ugly kernel or two of truth. Will we ever completely know which part of this section was true? It's heart-breaking either way - if it's true, the empathy is for the shattered little boy who turned off part of himself for years, perhaps decades, rather than cope with the nightmare; if it's untrue, the sympathy is for someone so far removed from the boundaries of decency that he either doesn't recognize them or feels they are unworthy of his bizarre effort to garner a laugh from a small population that has never had to feel this as a reality.
That's enough about THAT. The writing is excellent, the embroidered third-person ghost writer named Charles Manson is a clever addition, the gags and patter of the author are a delight. But the practical joke or tragic insight behind the inclusion of "Old Jack" and his crimes really leave me feeling kind of hollow. I ultimately think I feel sorry for Norm.
Three and a half stars.
When did I learn this? Probably toward the end of one of the first sections, in which Norm relates his childhood, and meeting the family friend Old Jack, who worked on the family farm for free, happy to do a hard day's work for the free warm meals with the family. Out of the blue, Norm presents us with a realistically-crafted possibility of a repressed molestation at the hands of Old Jack, from which Norm suffered a multi-year memory loss. It's shocking in the telling, and as you progress through the book, you recognize that Norm may have used this shock (without a punchline, mind you) in an effort to eventually cause nervous laughter when the reader recalls the event from this early chapter after a series of other bizarre, clearly untrue episodes.
The episode, unfortunately, rings too true to be a hidden gag. One can't help but feel this is actually a hidden truth, too horrific to be real - especially after having completed the book - but too shockingly presented to not contain an ugly kernel or two of truth. Will we ever completely know which part of this section was true? It's heart-breaking either way - if it's true, the empathy is for the shattered little boy who turned off part of himself for years, perhaps decades, rather than cope with the nightmare; if it's untrue, the sympathy is for someone so far removed from the boundaries of decency that he either doesn't recognize them or feels they are unworthy of his bizarre effort to garner a laugh from a small population that has never had to feel this as a reality.
That's enough about THAT. The writing is excellent, the embroidered third-person ghost writer named Charles Manson is a clever addition, the gags and patter of the author are a delight. But the practical joke or tragic insight behind the inclusion of "Old Jack" and his crimes really leave me feeling kind of hollow. I ultimately think I feel sorry for Norm.
Three and a half stars.
medium-paced
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
It's hard to describe just how weird and funny this book is, so I won't. Just read it.
dark
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
Norm remains an enigmatic figure to me. But one that I'm irrevocably drawn to, none the less. I rarely understand him, so I shouldn't have been surprised by how nonsensical this memoir was. And yet... like I generally found my self when it came to Norm in general... I was surprised. At how whip smart he is while playing aloof so hard. At how razor sharp his critique is when it's disguised so expertly as dumb wonder. I will always miss Norm.
I went into this expecting a standard celebrity memoir. After several chapters in wondering wtf, I realized it is not really a memory, but an entertaining collection of tall tales. Once I had that understanding, I was able to sit back, laugh, and enjoy.
Read as audiobook.
Read as audiobook.
Norm is the funniest man alive. He's been a hero to me for a number of years. In his standup he plays the everyman, he even might play dumb sometimes, but he's the smartest person in the room. Norm's best jokes (for me) have always been his longer, story-like ones. The time he'll take to meander and craft a joke is something of beauty. For instance on a Letterman appearance he tells a joke/story about meeting his neighbor then going to get a bus. A guy at the bus stop takes out a cigarette and says 'the bus always comes when you light a cigarette' and of course the guys smokes the whole cigarette and the Goddamned bus still hasn't shown up. The cigarette has nothing to do with the joke but as a viewer/listener you feel so much more appreciated and taken in by this little detail. He has a delivery that makes you feel like he's an old friend. He's not a comedian who needs the instant gratification and he's comfortable enough to laugh at himself if it doesn't all come off.
So to get to the actual Goddamned book. It's not a memoir, it's a fiction novel. The story centers on Norm's plan to drive to Vegas borrow a ton of money and win enough at the tables to retire. Along the way Norm meets God, takes copious amounts of morphine and helps a terminally ill boy fulfill his life's dream. The writing is sharp and witty and reminded me in parts of Bukowski, also of course, its incredibly funny.
I read the thing back in December, so I'm a little rusty on some details but now that I think of it he treats some of his friends really terribly. Like Adam Eget who seems like a real swell friend to him. Also his poor ghost writer, poor guy's just trying to earn a living and massaging this Norm fella's celebrity ego, there's Norm, treating him like garbage. Then there's the degenerate gambling. I get the sense Norm would sell his own mother for a bet. You know what? I take back all that good stuff I said above, this guy's a real jerk!
So to get to the actual Goddamned book. It's not a memoir, it's a fiction novel. The story centers on Norm's plan to drive to Vegas borrow a ton of money and win enough at the tables to retire. Along the way Norm meets God, takes copious amounts of morphine and helps a terminally ill boy fulfill his life's dream. The writing is sharp and witty and reminded me in parts of Bukowski, also of course, its incredibly funny.
I read the thing back in December, so I'm a little rusty on some details but now that I think of it he treats some of his friends really terribly. Like Adam Eget who seems like a real swell friend to him. Also his poor ghost writer, poor guy's just trying to earn a living and massaging this Norm fella's celebrity ego, there's Norm, treating him like garbage. Then there's the degenerate gambling. I get the sense Norm would sell his own mother for a bet. You know what? I take back all that good stuff I said above, this guy's a real jerk!
If you're looking for a short, playful book. Check this out.
I don't know if what I'm about to talk about is a spoiler, so if you want to go in "fresh", turn back now, dear reader!
This book is just a bunch of bullshit. And I mean that in the best way. For the first two stories, I believed these ridiculous tall tales -- Macdonald growing up on a Canadian farm; befriending a loner; meeting Lorne Michaels and offering him drugs -- but the lies get more and more audacious as the book wears on.
Some folks will be annoyed because they were looking for "insight". They (and I) should have known better. Macdonald is perhaps the least ambitious person on the planet, and he has a reputation for self-sabotage. BASED ON A TRUE STORY feels like another chapter in that kind of life, where he submitted this manuscript as a joke, and the publisher had no choice but to print it because it fulfilled the contract and met the word requirement.
Absolutely hilarious with several laugh out loud moments, but only 5% of it is likely true.
I don't know if what I'm about to talk about is a spoiler, so if you want to go in "fresh", turn back now, dear reader!
This book is just a bunch of bullshit. And I mean that in the best way. For the first two stories, I believed these ridiculous tall tales -- Macdonald growing up on a Canadian farm; befriending a loner; meeting Lorne Michaels and offering him drugs -- but the lies get more and more audacious as the book wears on.
Some folks will be annoyed because they were looking for "insight". They (and I) should have known better. Macdonald is perhaps the least ambitious person on the planet, and he has a reputation for self-sabotage. BASED ON A TRUE STORY feels like another chapter in that kind of life, where he submitted this manuscript as a joke, and the publisher had no choice but to print it because it fulfilled the contract and met the word requirement.
Absolutely hilarious with several laugh out loud moments, but only 5% of it is likely true.
I like Norm's stand-up, and I like Norm in interviews, so I was hoping to really like this book. It's not badly written, it's just not that captivating. There are funny parts and interesting parts, but mostly just ramblings that may be true or may not be true.