Comedy comedy comedy drama : a memoir /
Material type: TextPublisher: New York : Random House, [2021]Edition: First editionDescription: xvi, 284 pagesContent type:- text
- unmediated
- volume
- 9780399180514
- 0399180516
- Odenkirk, Bob, 1962-
- Odenkirk, Bob, 1962-
- Actors -- United States -- Biography
- Comedians -- United States -- Biography
- Television comedy writers -- United States -- Biography
- Television producers and directors -- United States -- Biography
- Actors
- Comedians
- Television comedy writers
- Television producers and directors
- United States
- 792.702/8092 B 23
- PN2287.O26 A3 2021
Item type | Current library | Home library | Collection | Call number | Copy number | Status | Date due | Barcode | Item holds | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard Loan | Hayden Library Adult Biography | Hayden Library | Book | ODENKIR-ODENKIR (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | 1 | Available | 50610023705697 |
Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:
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.
Includes index.
A madman leads me astray -- My funny, angry dad -- The Chicago funny company -- A bright, shining nanosecond -- L.A., comedy, year zero -- Valhalla, I am coming! At long last, Mr. Show -- Development heck -- The incomplete filmmaker -- Breaking bad -- Drama!
"Bob Odenkirk's career is inexplicable. And yet he will try like hell to explain it here, because that is what memoirs are for. Charting a "Homeric" decades-long "Odyssey" from his origins in the seedy comedy clubs of Chicago all the way to a dramatic career that is baffling to his friends, it's almost like there are two or three Bob Odenkirks...but there is just one and one is enough, frankly. Bob embraced a life in comedy after a chance meeting with Second City's legendary Del Close, which eventually led to a job as a writer at SNL. As he weathered the beast that is live comedy, he stashed away the secrets of sketch writing-employing them in the immortal "Motivational Speaker" sketch for his friend Chris Farley, honing them on The Ben Stiller Show, and perfecting them on Mr. Show With Bob and David, which inspired an entire generation of comedy writers and stars. Then his career met the hope-dashing machine that is Hollywood development. But when all hope was lost for the umpteenth time, Bob was more astonished than anyone to find himself on Breaking Bad. His embrace of this strange new world of dramatic acting led him to working with Steven Spielberg, Alexander Payne, and Greta Gerwig, until finally re-re-inventing himself as a bona-fide worldwide action star for reasons that even he does not fully grasp! Read this and do your own psychoanalysis-it's fun!"--
Excerpt provided by Syndetics
Reviews provided by Syndetics
Library Journal Review
Comedy legend Odenkirk's memoir traces his sketch comedy roots through his breakout success with Breaking Bad with self-effacing wit. He delivers a chronological retelling of his ever-diversifying Hollywood résumé, regaling listeners with old-school comic deep dives about the early days of the Chicago comedy scene, the grind of writing for Saturday Night Live, and the trailblazing collaborative spirit of HBO's Mr. Show with Bob and David. Fans of Odenkirk's more dramatic roles learn insightful tidbits such as how he was emotionally exhausted by playing lawyer Saul Goodman in Better Call Saul. Odenkirk's Midwestern chip-on-the-shoulder gives his narration an unsentimental edge. The actor offers no hot takes or quick tricks after a lifetime in the entertainment business, just the straightforward mantra that hard work can yield success. His sincerity and skilled craftsmanship shine through in a well-paced narrative with quick jokes and relevant asides. VERDICT A high-quality addition and a must-listen for even casual fans of the robust "comedic memoir" genre of audiobooks.--Lizzie NolanPublishers Weekly Review
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. (Mar.)Booklist Review
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.Kirkus Book Review
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 (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.Author notes provided by Syndetics
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.There are no comments on this title.