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Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir
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Random House Publishing Group 2022
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Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this “essential” (Entertainment Weekly), “hilarious” (AV Club) memoir, the star of Mr. Show, Breaking Bad, and Better Call Saul opens up about the highs and lows of showbiz, his cult status as a comedy writer, and what it’s like to reinvent himself as an action film ass-kicker at fifty.
“I can’t think of another entertainer who has improbably morphed so many times, and all through real genius and determination.”—Conan O’Brien
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker, Vulture, Newsweek

Bob Odenkirk’s career is inexplicable. And yet he will try like hell to explicate it for you. Charting a “Homeric” decades-long “odyssey” from his origins in the seedy comedy clubs of Chicago to a dramatic career full of award nominations—with a side-trip into the action-man world that is baffling to all who know him—it’s almost like there are many Bob Odenkirks! But there is just one and one is plenty.
Bob embraced a life in comedy after a chance meeting with Second City’s legendary Del Close. He somehow made his way to a job as a writer at Saturday Night Live. While surviving that legendary gauntlet by the skin of his gnashing teeth, he stashed away the secrets of comedy writing—eventually employing them in the immortal “Motivational Speaker” sketch for Chris Farley, honing them on The Ben Stiller Show, and perfecting them on Mr. Show with Bob and David.
In Hollywood, Bob demonstrated a bullheadedness that would shame Sisyphus himself, and when all hope was lost for the umpteenth time, the phone rang with an offer to appear on Breaking Bad—a show about how boring it is to be a high school chemistry teacher. His embrace of this strange new world of dramatic acting led him to working with Steven Spielberg, Alexander Payne, and Greta Gerwig, and then, in a twist that will confound you, he re-re-invented himself as a bona fide action star. Why? Read this and do your own psychoanalysis—it’s fun!
Featuring humorous tangents, never-before-seen photos, wild characters, and Bob’s trademark unflinching drive, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama is a classic showbiz tale told by a determined idiot.
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Format:
Adobe EPUB eBook, Kindle Book, OverDrive Read
Street Date:
03/01/2022
Language:
English
ISBN:
9780399180521
ASIN:
B093CYK5VV
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APA Citation (style guide)

Bob Odenkirk. (2022). Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir. Random House Publishing Group.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide)

Bob Odenkirk. 2022. Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir. Random House Publishing Group.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities Citation (style guide)

Bob Odenkirk, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir. Random House Publishing Group, 2022.

MLA Citation (style guide)

Bob Odenkirk. Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir. Random House Publishing Group, 2022.

Note! Citation formats are based on standards as of July 2022. Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy.
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Date Added:
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      • bioText: Bob Odenkirk is an actor, comedian, writer, director, and producer. Odenkirk got his start in improv comedy in the motley Chicago comedy scene of the mid-eighties and went on to write for Saturday Night Live. He has starred in AMC’s Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul and written and starred in the sketch comedy cult hit Mr. Show. He has written and produced a number of television shows and directed three films.
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title
Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama
fullDescription
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this “essential” (Entertainment Weekly), “hilarious” (AV Club) memoir, the star of Mr. Show, Breaking Bad, and Better Call Saul opens up about the highs and lows of showbiz, his cult status as a comedy writer, and what it’s like to reinvent himself as an action film ass-kicker at fifty.
“I can’t think of another entertainer who has improbably morphed so many times, and all through real genius and determination.”—Conan O’Brien
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker, Vulture, Newsweek

Bob Odenkirk’s career is inexplicable. And yet he will try like hell to explicate it for you. Charting a “Homeric” decades-long “odyssey” from his origins in the seedy comedy clubs of Chicago to a dramatic career full of award nominations—with a side-trip into the action-man world that is baffling to all who know him—it’s almost like there are many Bob Odenkirks! But there is just one and one is plenty.
Bob embraced a life in comedy after a chance meeting with Second City’s legendary Del Close. He somehow made his way to a job as a writer at Saturday Night Live. While surviving that legendary gauntlet by the skin of his gnashing teeth, he stashed away the secrets of comedy writing—eventually employing them in the immortal “Motivational Speaker” sketch for Chris Farley, honing them on The Ben Stiller Show, and perfecting them on Mr. Show with Bob and David.
In Hollywood, Bob demonstrated a bullheadedness that would shame Sisyphus himself, and when all hope was lost for the umpteenth time, the phone rang with an offer to appear on Breaking Bad—a show about how boring it is to be a high school chemistry teacher. His embrace of this strange new world of dramatic acting led him to working with Steven Spielberg, Alexander Payne, and Greta Gerwig, and then, in a twist that will confound you, he re-re-invented himself as a bona fide action star. Why? Read this and do your own psychoanalysis—it’s fun!
Featuring humorous tangents, never-before-seen photos, wild characters, and Bob’s trademark unflinching drive, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama is a classic showbiz tale told by a determined idiot.
reviews
      • premium: True
      • source: Library Journal
      • content:

        October 1, 2021

        Known for his portrayal of the intense, complicated, and strangely funny Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad and its spin-off Better Call Saul, Odenkirk believes in embracing and learning from failure and success--his memoir is full of tales of both. Odenkirk describes discovering a passion for sketch comedy while hosting college radio and braving Chicago's comedy clubs in the '80s; later, he used his time as a Saturday Night Live writer to hone his craft. The Renaissance man reached cult status on Mr. Show, acted under Steven Spielberg and Greta Gerwig, directed three movies, and learned stage-fighting for a recent action role. Odenkirk recounts fascinating and humorous behind-the-scenes stories from the many sets he's worked on, plus insights about big names in entertainment, including Chris Farley, Garry Shandling, and Janeane Garofalo, whom he credits as the founder of alternative comedy. VERDICT Odenkirk's account of triumph, struggle, and his firm belief that comedy is a unifying source of connection will inspire his fans and motivate aspiring entertainers.--Lisa Henry, Kirkwood P.L., MO

        Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

      • premium: True
      • source: Publisher's Weekly
      • content:

        Starred review from October 11, 2021
        Comedian and actor Odenkirk (A Load of Hooey) spills on the good, the bad, and oftentimes hilarious moments of his life in this gleeful and irreverent memoir. His love of sketch comedy was cemented in middle school when he discovered Monty Python, or as he calls it “the hip-hop that saved my life.” “It was comedy with a kick... that said, ‘We’re in, and whoever doesn’t get it is out.’ It felt great to find my people.” In 1983, following a chance meeting with comedian Del Close, Odenkirk moved to Chicago (where the wind was “cold enough to hurt your face and your feelings”) to become a comedian. Never missing a beat—or a bit—he hits the highlights of his impressive career, including writing for SNL from 1987 to 1991 (“My grades for the SNL experience: a solid C-minus, but with an A for effort... and an F for citizenship”), cocreating the underground hit ’90s comedy series Mr. Show, and portraying crooked attorney Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad and its spin-off Better Call Saul. Above all, he frankly demonstrates how hard work, pure dumb luck, and “learning to grab your junk and jump” can pay off in the most gratifying ways. Comedy fans will find plenty of laughs and some heartening lessons, too. Agent: Erin Malone, William Morris Endeavor.

      • premium: True
      • source: Booklist
      • content:

        October 15, 2021
        Writing from an insider's view on the industry, Odenkirk tells us what it is really like to work in and learn your way through the comedy business and beyond. Odenkirk begins at the beginning, his childhood, during which his family played an important role in his decision to become a comedian and, ultimately, in his decision to reinvent himself as a dramatic actor later in life. The defining moment when Odenkirk met actor and renowned comedy coach Del Close inspires lessons on comedy, realizations of the humanity of fellow comedians, and, finally, an understanding of his own desires and goals. Odenkirk makes it to Saturday Night Live, writes his own show, and lets a few opportunities pass him by. He's got it all under control until his family is left in bankruptcy and Breaking Bad gives new life to his career. All readers who enjoy truth telling and satire will find Odenkirk's memoir engaging, as will all his fans who want to know why and how this famous comedian transformed himself into a serious actor.

        COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

      • premium: True
      • source: Kirkus
      • content:

        November 1, 2021
        In his third book, the acclaimed actor, writer, and director examines his career through comedic and dramatic roles. Odenkirk begins with his intention to chronicle both his successes and his failures, the latter of which constitute "a big part of my slog through the muck of showbiz....I promise that if I can ascertain a pithy truism, I'll cough it up onto these pages so you can append it to your secret success journal." The author follows his career from sketch comedy in Chicago to writing for Saturday Night Live and many other series in the 1990s. Odenkirk then examines his partnership with David Cross and the cult series Mr. Show With Bob and David (1995-1998), his forays into directing, and his best-known role, crooked lawyer Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and its spinoff, Better Call Saul. The roller-coaster nature of Hollywood is a consistent theme throughout, and Odenkirk hits on a sentiment that many actors and directors may share: "I tried just as hard at the stuff that didn't work as I did at the stuff that worked." He examines why certain projects clicked and others flopped, using both a conversational tone and the occasional direct input of others. Anyone wishing to pursue a career in entertainment, he writes, must "keep making new things in spite of every 'no.' To somehow stay in touch with the joy that brought you into the game." As a writer, performer, director, and producer, Odenkirk gives a fascinating perspective on many aspects of the industry, and his explorations of his later career shift into dramatic roles--e.g., The Post in 2017, Little Women in 2019, and Nobody in 2021--are illuminating about both his own acting process and the creative work of other actors and entertainers. While clearly aimed at aspiring writers and performers, this fun, thoughtful book will appeal to aspirants in any field.

        COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

popularity
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this “essential” (Entertainment Weekly), “hilarious” (AV Club) memoir, the star of Mr. Show, Breaking Bad, and Better Call Saul opens up about the highs and lows of showbiz, his cult status as a comedy writer, and what it’s like to reinvent himself as an action film ass-kicker at fifty.
“I can’t think of another entertainer who has improbably morphed so many times, and all through real genius and determination.”—Conan O’Brien
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker, Vulture, Newsweek

Bob Odenkirk’s career is inexplicable. And yet he will try like hell to explicate it for you. Charting a “Homeric” decades-long “odyssey” from his origins in the seedy comedy clubs of Chicago to a dramatic career full of award nominations—with a side-trip into the action-man world that is...
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