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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
This memoir is a lot of things at once. It's Sarah Silverman doing her comedy, telling stories of her childhood, sharing her life as a stand-up/comedy writer in a world of mostly men, and her mea culpa/I'm sorry (but not really) apology letter. It's jarring and strange and sometimes hilarious and often cringeworthy. We go from the heartbreaking death of her little brother, to fart jokes, to body hair, to which racial slur is better to use in a joke on television. It's schizophrenic and odd and interesting and awful and funny and strange. I don't think I could have made it through if I was just reading it, but hearing Sarah Silverman reading it brings some delight and emotions that I don't think would have come through in just the words.
This memoir is a lot of things at once. It's Sarah Silverman doing her comedy, telling stories of her childhood, sharing her life as a stand-up/comedy writer in a world of mostly men, and her mea culpa/I'm sorry (but not really) apology letter. It's jarring and strange and sometimes hilarious and often cringeworthy. We go from the heartbreaking death of her little brother, to fart jokes, to body hair, to which racial slur is better to use in a joke on television. It's schizophrenic and odd and interesting and awful and funny and strange. I don't think I could have made it through if I was just reading it, but hearing Sarah Silverman reading it brings some delight and emotions that I don't think would have come through in just the words.
not as bawdy as I was expecting, which was a nice surprise. It was interesting to read about her childhood and family and all the information on various comics and her show was kind of like a backstage pass. Made me love Sarah even more!
Sarah Silverman is a master of that form of humor that employs a startling departure from what is expected to follow from an opening statement. (There is a term for this figure of speech, but I can't find it at the moment.)
The memoir is rather random, but then, her sets can be as well. There is a great deal of honesty herein.
Some of her moaning about meeting deadlines put me in mind of The Strawberry Statement. (A crow: "Another day gone and you haven't done shit! Caw Caw Caw!)
The memoir is rather random, but then, her sets can be as well. There is a great deal of honesty herein.
Some of her moaning about meeting deadlines put me in mind of The Strawberry Statement. (A crow: "Another day gone and you haven't done shit! Caw Caw Caw!)
I stumbled across a copy of this at the library book sale last spring and my wife picked it up and read it shortly thereafter. She couldn't stop laughing and we managed to find a few copies of Sarah's stand-up and enjoyed those together. I had been hoping to listen to a different comedy book when it came up in my cycle, but the one I wanted wasn't available and [b:The Bedwetter|7897478|The Bedwetter Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee |Sarah Silverman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1269295414s/7897478.jpg|11141306] was.
I didn't find the book as hilarious as my wife did, although a lot of that may be because I was forced to stifle my laughs. I read the book in less than 24 hours, but most of it was listened to with my daughters nearby, with my wife sleeping next to me in bed, or on a bus with my students. Although I don't agree with all of her political views, I do appreciate her frankness and not-punches-pulled approach. She is right that women, Jews, and blacks among others are unfairly ostracized still and that conservatives pick weird things to get on soapboxes about. Furthermore, like many other comedians/comediennes are unfairly criticized when they mock one group, when really they mock many.
Hopefully soon I can find old episodes of her TV show and watch that, the book certainly piqued my interest there. Overall, it was a good book with a great mix of humor and critique.
I didn't find the book as hilarious as my wife did, although a lot of that may be because I was forced to stifle my laughs. I read the book in less than 24 hours, but most of it was listened to with my daughters nearby, with my wife sleeping next to me in bed, or on a bus with my students. Although I don't agree with all of her political views, I do appreciate her frankness and not-punches-pulled approach. She is right that women, Jews, and blacks among others are unfairly ostracized still and that conservatives pick weird things to get on soapboxes about. Furthermore, like many other comedians/comediennes are unfairly criticized when they mock one group, when really they mock many.
Hopefully soon I can find old episodes of her TV show and watch that, the book certainly piqued my interest there. Overall, it was a good book with a great mix of humor and critique.
I'm a huge fan of Jen Lancaster, who included this book on her summer reading list. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Sarah Silverman is funny, smart, and relatable at the same time. I especially liked the stories of her time on Saturday Night Live and the creation of her own TV show. Definitely recommend to someone looking for a quick and fun read!
Good book, particularly enjoyed the last 3rd. She is self deprecating and does seem to be reflective in her comedy and growth. It does seem that the way she handled here missteps were offensive to individuals as she tends to dismiss individuals and move on.
I want to like Sarah Silverman, I really do. I have tried watching her over the years, and I have had this book on my list for a long time. It just didn't speak to me. There were certainly funny aspects, but, for me, Mindy Kaling, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler just do it better, or at least speak to me on a more humorous level. I really enjoyed their books, and found myself constantly laughing out loud. There were definitely points where I laughed out loud reading this book, but those points were fewer and more far between.
I just can't get behind Sarah Silverman's rape jokes. I don't find them funny. There is no universe in which I could find them funny, even though I do see what she is trying to do with them. I feel like Amy Schumer takes on these more complex issues, and does a better job finding humor instead of being offensive. Silverman is more "hit you over the head."
A reoccurring thing I did not like was the printing of her hate mail. Yes, there are going to be stupid trolls out there, but it felt very defensive and like she cares very much about what these people are saying. It also seems she is dismissing other people's concerns.
I do think it is great that a woman has had so much sucess in a predominantly male industry. I love that. It is just that her style isn't for me.
I just can't get behind Sarah Silverman's rape jokes. I don't find them funny. There is no universe in which I could find them funny, even though I do see what she is trying to do with them. I feel like Amy Schumer takes on these more complex issues, and does a better job finding humor instead of being offensive. Silverman is more "hit you over the head."
A reoccurring thing I did not like was the printing of her hate mail. Yes, there are going to be stupid trolls out there, but it felt very defensive and like she cares very much about what these people are saying. It also seems she is dismissing other people's concerns.
I do think it is great that a woman has had so much sucess in a predominantly male industry. I love that. It is just that her style isn't for me.
Glad I listened to this since she reads it and does funny voices and there's mood music at times. 1/2 of the time I think she's funny and the other 1/2 I don't--but when she's funny she's very funny. Anyway, this was an enlightening look into some of the pain from her childhood that all comics, of course, seem to share in common.
I feel totally OK listing Sarah Silverman as my hero. Yes, I do. I learned valuable phrases in this book, such as "vanilla Jew" (blonde Semite) and "a mouth of blood laughs" (laughing at the racist part of racist jokes instead of the parody of racism itself).
Brilliant.
Brilliant.