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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
This is an entertaining collection of short autobiographical stories (of courage, redemption, and pee, of course) that give some insight into the life of a comic that I enjoy, Sarah Silverman. Her over-the-top humor makes me giggle, though I must say that I haven't had a chance to watch too much of her material. Reading this book makes me want to go back and see more, though.
Peppered throughout the vignettes are a couple of e-mail chains that give a glimpse into the work behind the book and how ridiculous show business can be. For instance, she included a little of a conversation she had with her agent regarding the subtitle of the book where he's trying really hard to convince her to change 'pee' to 'pee-pee,' positing that it's more playful. Sarah stands firm, though, arguing that 'pee-pee' is creepy baby-talk and will never be included on the cover of her book as long as she has any say in the matter. I must say that I side with her in this debate, so I'm glad they let her have the reins on that issue. Also, the publishers tried to talk her out of writing her own forward, but she forged ahead anyway, a true trailblazer.
As with most comedians, Sarah Silverman's life definitely has its darkness and moments of tragedy. One example of her struggles involves (as the title would suggest) the fact that she was a bedwetter into her teens. This caused a lot of stress for her when it came to sleepovers, camp, and overnight class trips. After a class hiking trip that she didn't want to go on, though she successfully hid her problems, she describes getting back and meeting her mother, who kept taking pictures of her instead of talking to her. At that moment, there was a wave of depression that crashed over her, altering her life forever. I thought it was a particularly vivid image, and it's really interesting to me that she is able to pinpoint the start of her depression with such accuracy.
The later portion of the book also dealt with some controversies she encountered once she'd gained some fame as a comedian. Anyone who is familiar with her knows that she is a bit extreme sometimes, someone who likes to push on the boundaries of people's comfort zones by discussing gross topics or playing it up as an ignorant and offensive character. She came under fire for the latter, when she used a racial slur in a joke on TV. Later, she got flak for making fun of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. The backlash for the latter two seemed disproportionally high to me, but oh well. I can understand why some may have gotten upset about a joke with a racial slur, but at the same time I think they might not have understood the purpose of the joke.
Side note: She talks about how ugly she is pretty frequently, but I've always thought that she's beautiful.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about Sarah Silverman, or who is looking for a funny book that still deals with some serious issues. It is in turns self-deprecating and self-aggrandizing, and overall an amusing read.
Peppered throughout the vignettes are a couple of e-mail chains that give a glimpse into the work behind the book and how ridiculous show business can be. For instance, she included a little of a conversation she had with her agent regarding the subtitle of the book where he's trying really hard to convince her to change 'pee' to 'pee-pee,' positing that it's more playful. Sarah stands firm, though, arguing that 'pee-pee' is creepy baby-talk and will never be included on the cover of her book as long as she has any say in the matter. I must say that I side with her in this debate, so I'm glad they let her have the reins on that issue. Also, the publishers tried to talk her out of writing her own forward, but she forged ahead anyway, a true trailblazer.
As with most comedians, Sarah Silverman's life definitely has its darkness and moments of tragedy. One example of her struggles involves (as the title would suggest) the fact that she was a bedwetter into her teens. This caused a lot of stress for her when it came to sleepovers, camp, and overnight class trips. After a class hiking trip that she didn't want to go on, though she successfully hid her problems, she describes getting back and meeting her mother, who kept taking pictures of her instead of talking to her. At that moment, there was a wave of depression that crashed over her, altering her life forever. I thought it was a particularly vivid image, and it's really interesting to me that she is able to pinpoint the start of her depression with such accuracy.
The later portion of the book also dealt with some controversies she encountered once she'd gained some fame as a comedian. Anyone who is familiar with her knows that she is a bit extreme sometimes, someone who likes to push on the boundaries of people's comfort zones by discussing gross topics or playing it up as an ignorant and offensive character. She came under fire for the latter, when she used a racial slur in a joke on TV. Later, she got flak for making fun of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. The backlash for the latter two seemed disproportionally high to me, but oh well. I can understand why some may have gotten upset about a joke with a racial slur, but at the same time I think they might not have understood the purpose of the joke.
Side note: She talks about how ugly she is pretty frequently, but I've always thought that she's beautiful.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about Sarah Silverman, or who is looking for a funny book that still deals with some serious issues. It is in turns self-deprecating and self-aggrandizing, and overall an amusing read.
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
emotional
funny
informative
medium-paced
dark
funny
informative
fast-paced
Sarah Silverman is crass, gross, shocking, potty-mouthed…and often absolutely hilarious. Though she sometimes crosses the line into such bad taste that you feel uncomfortable listening, she also has moments that are surprisingly warm. My husband and I enjoyed listening to this memoir. Read my full review at:
http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2011/08/memoir-review-bedwetter-stories-of.html
http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2011/08/memoir-review-bedwetter-stories-of.html
I "read" this book on audio, with the author as the reader. Having her voice read it helps (could anyone else really do it?). Silverman's humor is often focused on the scatological so she's not for everyone. This memoir is very much Sarah Silverman with all the good and bad that comes with that. Unlike many comedians' books, this is not simply a rehash of her stand-up act, but a genuine memoir and a surprisingly brave one. She is fearless in discussing many of her problems (the title hints at this, but she's also battled depression, career stagnation, and negative reviews). She doesn't flinch in discussing her awkward, embarrassing moments on-stage and off.
In short, if you like her comedy, you'll probably like the book. It won't win her new fans, but it does provide some interesting insight on the comedy industry.
In short, if you like her comedy, you'll probably like the book. It won't win her new fans, but it does provide some interesting insight on the comedy industry.
Like most of these comedian bios it starts out real strong then peters out toward the middle and there's a lot of filler. BUT the good was very good and it made me like and respect the goodness of SS all the more.
emotional
fast-paced
Ok, this was pretty silly. Sarah Silverman is her own kind of comedy and this book is just more of that. Loved reading about her start in New York with buddies Louis C.K. and Dave Attell and her brief stint at SNL. Fun times!
This was a quick and funny read, this made me like Sarah Silverman a lot more. One of my favorite things from this book is that she tells her staff "Yay, this is fun! We're having fun! We're making a show!" to remind everyone that they are doing what they want for a living and they should be having fun. She said she got that from Chris Farley, who she said was genuinely excited and in awe to be working at SNL.