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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
masterpiece
funny
medium-paced
Wow, this was not what I was expecting. I saw this near the top of a list of recommended comedic audiobook memoirs with very high praise. (I'm trying to pick a good one for me and a couple others to enjoy on an upcoming road trip.) Norm Macdonald was at his high point in comedy while I was in high school, and I spent every Saturday night switching between SNL and Mad TV (and then staying up late enough for Red Green and possibly seeing some boobies or even pubic hair on Monty Python's Flying Circus). Many of his comedic bits were regularly quoted ad nauseum in the cafeteria.
I speculate that this is about 5% memoir/nonfiction and the rest is something more like a novel in the style of Hunter S. Thompson's drug-fueled gonzo adventures. There were plenty of hilarious lines that had me stifling my laughter in public. There was plenty of morbid content that makes me want to finally get some truly authentic accounts of the drug culture of SNL cast members and Lorne Michaels over the decades. And then there was his most unfortunate use of a trans woman as a dehumanized prop and running joke. I can't in good conscience recommend this book due to the repetitive transphobia that reminds me of the late '90s Matt Stone and Trey Parker comedy Baseketball, which I thought was one of the funniest things ever at the time but now can't bear to watch more than a few minutes of it.
In general, I believe in not throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Norm MacDonald was probably a fan of that old saying too, as evidenced by him quoting Adolf Hitler in a positive way at one point. So here are a couple memorable lines worth repeating (sans context):
“I quickly developed a cult following. That sounds pretty good, but the truth is it’s the last thing you want to develop. The only time having a cult following is actually a good thing is when you are actually in a cult. Then, you get to be a cult leader, and life is milk and honey.”
“I could tell two camps were forming: the camp I was in, and the camp everyone else was in.”
I speculate that this is about 5% memoir/nonfiction and the rest is something more like a novel in the style of Hunter S. Thompson's drug-fueled gonzo adventures. There were plenty of hilarious lines that had me stifling my laughter in public. There was plenty of morbid content that makes me want to finally get some truly authentic accounts of the drug culture of SNL cast members and Lorne Michaels over the decades. And then there was his most unfortunate use of a trans woman as a dehumanized prop and running joke. I can't in good conscience recommend this book due to the repetitive transphobia that reminds me of the late '90s Matt Stone and Trey Parker comedy Baseketball, which I thought was one of the funniest things ever at the time but now can't bear to watch more than a few minutes of it.
In general, I believe in not throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Norm MacDonald was probably a fan of that old saying too, as evidenced by him quoting Adolf Hitler in a positive way at one point. So here are a couple memorable lines worth repeating (sans context):
“I quickly developed a cult following. That sounds pretty good, but the truth is it’s the last thing you want to develop. The only time having a cult following is actually a good thing is when you are actually in a cult. Then, you get to be a cult leader, and life is milk and honey.”
“I could tell two camps were forming: the camp I was in, and the camp everyone else was in.”
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
For 90% of the book it's the funniest thing I've ever read then hits you with that g t punch toward the end of pure honesty and heart.
I laughed. But after spending time imaging MacDonald's voice reading the words I suggest going directly to the audio book.
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Norm Macdonald takes a shot at a Russian classic.
A novel posing as a celebrity memoir this book switches from self depreciating insanity to prose on self time death and gambling, or as norm says hope.
A novel posing as a celebrity memoir this book switches from self depreciating insanity to prose on self time death and gambling, or as norm says hope.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
nothing but love for this book, perfectly captures norms funny way of thinkin and i loved hearing everything in his voice as i read it.
miss you norm, you old chunk of coal
miss you norm, you old chunk of coal