Book Review: Still Laughing-A Life in Comedy (From the Creator of “Laugh-In”) by George Schlatter as told to Jon Macks

The the iconic television show “Laugh-In” was a bit before my time, I knew the show was a classic and quite ground breaking. If it wasn’t for “Laugh-In” we might not have sketch comedy shows such as “Saturday Night Live,” “In Living Color,” and “Kids in the Hall.” “Laugh In” was created by George Schlatter. And now a youthful 93, Schlatter shares his story about “Laugh-In” and so much more in his memoir Still Laughing: A Life in Comedy from the Creator of “Laugh-In” as told to Jon Macks.

Before “Laugh-In” Schlatter started his show business career in one of the most Hollywood clichéd ways. He started out working in the mailroom at MCA in 1948. Sure, it was pretty low level, but not exactly boring, and Schlatter was able to work his way up. In fact, one of Schlatter’s first brushes with fame was when he met Frank Sinatra over a contract. What did old blue eyes say to the then very young Schlatter? “I have ties older than you.” Despite the age difference, Schlatter and Sinatra forged a strong friendship and worked on other show biz endeavors. In fact, Schlatter was asked to give an eulogy at Sinatra’s funeral.

Schlatter can also be credited with creating the Las Vegas lounge act and recalls working with some pretty unsavory mob characters while managing nightclubs and casinos. Through his work in Las Vegas, Schlatter was able to morph into working for television shows working with the greats like Lucille Ball and Judy Garland. Doing this work, producing shows and massaging the egos of the talent was a great education for Schlatter.

But of course, it is the “Laugh-In” that is one of Schlatter’s greatest achievements. It was 1967 when Schlatter came up with the idea of a comedy sketch show that was inspired by the hippie counter culture of the late sixties. Back then, sit-ins, be-ins, and love-ins were very popular, thus the name “Laugh-In.” “Laugh-In” manifested the social issues, politics, and sexual revolutions of that time, and gave all those things a comic twist.

“Laugh-In” became a huge hit. If the internet had existed back then people would have discussed it on social media and would have created blogs and fan pages about the show. “Laugh-In” launched the careers of mega watt stars like Lily Tomlin and Goldie Hawn (who provide the foreward and the afterword respectively in the book). The “Laugh-In” cast was a rag tag bunch of talented and funny people who made TV watchers across America laugh themselves silly. “Laugh-In” gave us such quotable lines like “Sock it to me!” Even President Richard Nixon spoke that famous line. Back then, having a politician on an entertaining TV show was quite revolutionary. Now it it seems to be mandatory that a Presidential candidate, whether a Democrat of a Republican, show up on a show like “Saturday Night Live.”

Schlatter gives us all the details on everything creating and producing “Laugh-In.” He describes auditioning the potential cast members to how he got a bare nipple past the censors. And “Laugh-In” was actual called “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In.” Why? Well, back then Dan Rowan and Dick Martin were huge comedy stars and having celebrity names attached to the show would grab more viewers. It worked. And Schlatter spills some tea. Rowan and Martin hated each other.

“Laugh-In” wasn’t Schlatter’s only television baby. He also created the show “Real People.” “Real People” was probably one of the first reality TV shows. But instead of featuring bachelors and bachelorettes or real housewives ripping out each other’s hair extensions, “Real People” featured people who actually contributed to society like the Tuskegee Airman. I loved watching “Real People” as a kid, and by reading Still Laughing, I found out host Sarah Purcell wasn’t quite as prim as she appeared. As for another host, Byron Allen, whatever happened to him? I kid, I kid.

One continuous character in Schlatter’s life is is devoted and gorgeous wife, Jolene. Where many men in Hollywood are on their third, fourth, or fifth marriage, George and Jolene remain a true blue couple. I adored reading about their love story.

Still Laughing was a tremendous read. I loved all the name dropping and the inside of scoop of show business, working with celebrities, and creating iconic television shows. I’m so glad we still have a George Schlatter in our midst. His stories, and the stories of other old school TV greats who are still with us (Carol Burnett, Norman Lear, Dick Van Dyke) are so important. Still Laughing is an enlightening and fascinating read for anyone with memories of shows like “Laugh-In” or anyone interested in pop culture history.

Retro Review: Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell

When the iconic television show “Sex and the City” premiered on HBO back in 1998, it was groundbreaking. It followed four career women in Manhattan as they traversed the world of love, sex, friendship, and careers. “Sex and the City” made cosmopolitans the must-have drink and gave us terms like “funky spunk,” “frenemy,” and “he’s just not that into you.” Those like me, who live in flyover country, learned about Magnolia cupcakes and the perfect Manolo Blahnik stilettoes. At times, brazen, bawdy, and over the top, “Sex and the City” entertained countless women (and some men-mostly gay). We took quizzes to find out if we were a “Carrie,” “Samantha,” “Miranda” or “Charlotte.” We were either Team Mr. Big or Team Aiden. And maybe if our lives didn’t exactly mirror the dames of “Sex and the City,” we reveled in these ladies’ adventures and adored their girl power friendship. We also salivated of the fashion and the sights of Manhattan.

But before “Sex and the City” was a television show, it was a book, written by The New York Observer columnist, Candace Bushnell. Considering it is the 25th anniversary since “Sex and the City” debuted, and its sequel “And Just Like That” wrapped up its second season, I decided to finally read the book that started it all back in 1996.

Bushnell, who was a glamorous girl-about-town and writer, wrote about the sex lives of people she knew from 1994-1996. In this book, you will find some familiar names-Carrie, Miranda, Samantha, Charlotte, Stanford Blatch, and yes, Mr. Big. However, most of them don’t work in the same careers the characters and after reading Sex and the City, aren’t nearly as compelling as those on the show.

For the most part, the people Bushnell writes about in Sex and the City are rather unlikeable. Sure, on the show Carrie worked my last nerve with her self-absorption and obsession with Mr. Big. But I kept in mind Carrie Bradshaw was just a fictional character. For the most part, I got wrapped up on the story lines of the television show, actually caring about the adventures of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda. Even when they bugged me, I still was interested in their lives and I adored the friendship among these four women.

But in the book version of Sex and the City everyone is so shallow obsessed with status, materialism, and getting laid. And according to Bushnell, these stories were based on real people in her rarified orbit of wealthy Manhattanites. I didn’t like any of the people she wrote about, and while reading Sex and the City, I wondered how the creators of the TV show give us a program that was a critical and commercial hit and was on HBO for six years. I just couldn’t give a rat’s ass about any of the people Bushnell writes about in Sex and the City. When I wasn’t finding them frivolous and abhorrent (there is a lot of girl-on-girl hate in this book), I was finding them totally forgettable. And I finished the book rather depressed and completely unimpressed. I didn’t find it hilarious and fascinating as the blurbs on the cover claim. I guess I expected more considering I loved the show so much. Perhaps it’s a good thing I never read Sex and the City until now because I’m sure if I did, I would have never watched and enjoyed the show.

Book Review: NSFW by Isabel Kaplan

When I came across Isabel Kaplan’s novel, NSFW, I asked myself, “Can I possibly read another book about a Millennial working in a ‘glamorous’ industry?” Well, after reading NSFW, I most certainly can!

As NSFW begins, our unnamed narrator (who I will call MC for Main Character) has just graduated from Harvard and has moved back to Los Angeles. Through nepotism and her mother’s connections to the head of development, Robert Braun, MC gets a low level assistant job at the fictional network XBC. It’s the the early 2010s. Network television still has some currency and streaming services are in their infancy. MC knows her new position is just a start but she hopes with her hard work and determination she’ll climb the corporate ladder to success.

MC is ambitious and smart, and is willing to put in the hard work to get ahead (as long as she can keep her dignity).We get to seen the inner sanctum of a TV network, from program pitches to getting a program on the air. But we also learn of the less than ideal machinations that permeate a great deal of work places. NSFW isn’t just about one young woman trying to make it in show business and the corporate world. It’s also about the patriarchal structures that still affect our world in the modern day. Sexual harassment, rape, and sleazy innuendo remarks abound at XBC. MC tries to stay above the fray, but gets sucked in without her consent. It isn’t long before MC hears about the rape allegations of a huge star of one of the biggest hits on XBC, and how it was nearly covered up by the network.

MC also goes through several changes to keep up with living in Los Angeles and working in the industry, you can never be too hot or too thin. And MC goes through great lengths to look good-manicures, coloring her hair, and making sure she never packs on the pounds. She also tries to do the proper networking and meeting the right people so she can climb up that corporate ladder. Outside of work MC starts dating a sweet, supportive guy, but seems uncomfortable in a relationship. She also has a roommate who swears by the power of crystals and is in a “throuple” with a couple. This is LA were talking about. I can’t imagine a throuple in Boise, Idaho, but who knows?

And then there is MC’s relationship with her mother. MC’s mother is a powerful attorney and an advocate for victims of rape and sexual assault. MC’s parents divorced years ago, and MC’s mother is still bitter about it. She often spills her guts to MC almost making her a unpaid therapist. MC’s mothers manipulations and martyrdom is incredibly obnoxious and made me quite uncomfortable while reading NSFW. MC also smokes pot with her mother. Hmm, when my mom and I get together, we play Scrabble. Is this the difference between Silent Generation moms with Gen X daughters and Baby Boomer moms with Millennial daughters? I wonder.

When Robert Braun at XBC is accused of some very sleazy behavior, NSFW goes into a weird twist. Instead of supporting Braun’s accusers, MC’s mother instead supports her longtime friends. MC is completely appalled, especially consider she knows someone at XBC who has been sexually harassed by Braun, and she herself, was assaulted by a co-worker. How could her mother betray women by supporting a completely disgusting man like Robert Braun?

In the course of her time at XBC, MC learns so much about what it’s like to be a woman in the workplace, and despite all the work people have done to make rape and sexual harassment seriously, we still have such a long way too go. Remember NSFW takes place in the early 2010s. There was no MeToo movement, Bill Cosby was still a favorite TV dad, Harvey Weinstein was known for Oscar winning movies, and a President who bragged about grabbing pussy had not yet sullied the White House. Even in 2023, we are dealing with these issues.

NSFW is not a light hearted chick lit read about a young women, fresh-faced, just starting out in the big city in a glamorous industry. NSFW is a very exacting look at world that isn’t so positive for women, fraught family relationships, and the difficulty of finding your place and your purpose. NSFW is also quite triggering and portrays a lot of truly upsetting things. There were passages where I actually gasped out loud when I read about what MC and her coworkers went through. But I do think NSFW is an important and very well-written novel, and I’m hoping Isabel Kaplan has a sequel up her sleeve. I really want to know what MC is up to in 2023.

Funny Girl by Nick Hornby

In Nick Hornby’s novel Funny Girl (not at all related to the musical and movie of the same name), Barbara Parker has just been crowned Miss Blackpool. But the tiara won’t stay on her head for long. Instead of being a beauty queen, Barbara wants to be a famous comedic actress like her idol Lucille Ball. But this isn’t going to happen in a town in north England in 1964.

Rejecting the crown and the title, Barbara leaves Blackpool and moves to London where everything is happening and she hopes she’ll become a successful and famous actress, the British Lucille Ball. Barbara soon gets a job at a department store cosmetics counter (where the store always puts the pretty girls) and lives with one of her co-workers, Marjorie, in a dumpy bedsit.

Being the gorgeous lass she is, Barbara gets a lot of attention. And during a night on the town, Barbara meets talent agent Brian Debenham. Don’t worry. Brian isn’t some sleazebag with nefarious designs on Barbara. He’s truly legit.

Proving to be more than a pretty face, Barbara convinces Brian she has the talent and drive to be a comedic actress. Barbara auditions for a sitcom that ultimately gets named Barbara (and Jim). She is cast as Barbara and her name is changed to Sophie Straw. And we learn making a sitcom is no easy task. The writers, Tony and Bill, agonize over the scripts like its brain surgery.

Barbara (and Jim) becomes a huge hit and Sophie becomes a big star. The media wants to interview her, women want to be her, and men want to get into her knickers. Sophie even gets engaged to her co-star, Clive, though it’s not meant to be. But don’t fret. Sophie does find love, and has a long marriage. She also tries to prove herself as an actress and a women at a time just before second wave feminism. And as Funny Girl ends, Sophie is older and considered an icon of British television.

Funny Girl also conveys England changing from the staid, uptight post-war 1950s to the more fun, adventurous swinging 1960s. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones are name dropped. The sexual revolution is gaining steam, but homosexuality is still considered a crime. Some gay men do marry women and have children and others are on the downlow having secretive trysts.

Nick Hornby is usually a writer that delivers. His books High Fidelity and About a Boy are classics. But Funny Girl just falls flat. Hornby does the writerly sin of telling not showing. We are told Barbara/Sophie is a laugh riot, but I barely got a chuckle out of this book, let alone a full belly laugh. Funny Girl promised so much yet doesn’t deliver. You’re better off watching the 1968 film Funny Girl featuring another Barbra, Barbra Streisand.

Book Review: Guts-The Endless Follies and Tiny Triumphs of a Giant Disaster by Kristen Johnston

“I’m convinced that the only people worth knowing are those who’ve had at least one dark night of the soul.”-Kristen Johnston-Guts

Many of you probably best know actress and funny lady, Kristen Johnston, from the long-running sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun for which she won two Emmy awards. She had a stint on the TV show Mom and did countless plays. Johnston also had a memorable turn on Sex and the City where she played faded party girl Lexi Featherston who falls to her death from a window after declaring, “God, I’m so bored, I could die!” and did just that. Splat! She’s also been in quite a few movies, including the charming yet criminally underrated Music and Lyrics, and the recently released Small Town Wisconsin, which I saw this past spring at its movie theater premier here in Milwaukee. Bragging rights-I sat several rows behind her. Jealous?

Like me, Ms. Johnston is a Gen X-er, a Cheesehead, and a recovering Catholic. I like those qualities in a person. She’s also gone through some seriously bad shit, and she describes all of the grizzly details in her book Guts: The Endless Follies and Tiny Triumphs of a Giant Disaster.

Johnston was in London doing a play, when she suffered a horrible medical catastrophe. Her intestines exploded and expelled into her stomach. She ended up in the hospital where she had to endure a very difficult recovery and come to terms with her addiction to both alcohol and pills. It was her addiction that brutalized her both physically and mentally. While hospitalized, Johnston had to face facts. She was completely fucked up. Her addiction nearly killed her.

Nobody wants to be an addict, and Johnston was no different. But a simple drink turned into far too many. And taking a pill turned into a severe compulsion. Johnston even stole medication from her mother.

Johnston’s stay at the hospital was hardly a trip to a spa. Her description of her stay is horrifying. It was a wonder how she survived. Yet, at the same time, Johnston’s tale of her hospitalization and road to recovery is quite funny. And this is where Johnston’s oddball humor shines. Her take on one particular exasperated nurse had me in stitches.

Post her time in the hospital was also a struggle for Johnston as she travelled the tricky path to recovery and getting off alcohol and pills. These passages are also written candidly and with humor.

Johnston also covers her childhood in Guts, which wasn’t easy. She shot up to nearly 6 feet tall before she was in high school, and was tormented by her peers who called her a freak. Fortunately, she found herself in the world of performing and comedy, and ended up studying at NYU’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts. She found success as an actor soon after graduation, but was still gripped with the idea that she wasn’t enough.

One thing Johnston discusses in Guts was her inability to ask for help. It is so ingrained in many of us that asking for help in a sign of weakness. Help. The other four-letter word. Perhaps many of Johnston’s (and our) difficulties could have been alleviated if she had reached out and asked for help much sooner.

While reading Guts I found myself at turns, teary-eyed, laughing, gasping in horror, and being so damn proud of Kristen for overcoming her addictions I could totally plotz. And in one segment where she gets back at one of high school bullies years after graduation, I couldn’t help but smile. Hey, sometimes not being the better person feels pretty good.

As stated above, Johnston thinks the only people worth knowing are those who have had one dark night of the soul. I totally agree. It’s good to know you, Kristen.

Book Review: The Office BFFs- Tales of The Office from Two Best Friends Who Were There by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey

Back in 2005, I started watching a TV show called “The Office.” Often unfairly compared the the British original, the US version soon found its voice and became a critical darling and a fan favorite. I’m one of those fans. I cringed over Michael’s antics, shipped Pam and Jim, and recognized oddball characters like Dwight, Kevin, Creed, and Meredith. I rolled my eyes with Stanley and Angela. I sympathized with Phyllis, Oscar, and Toby. And I related to dealing with chatterboxes like Kelly and smug douche bros like Ryan. “The Office” made me laugh and at times, made me cry. I enjoyed it until its last episode in 2013.

Being a fan of the show, I was happy to discover Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey’s podcast “The Office Ladies,” which I usually listen to at the office, of course. In their podcast they talk about what it was like to play their characters (Jenna played Pam and Angela played Angela), and all the work it took to make each episode come into fruition. Jenna provided us some fast facts about The Office and Angela had her colorful notecards to keep her on track. “The Office Ladies” is a wonderful walk down Dunder-Mifflin way. Now I’m delighted to review their book The Office BFFs: Tales of The Office from Two Best Friends Who Were There .

After The Office BFFs starts off with a very brief introduction, the office ladies get down to business chronicling their lives both pre-The Office and post-The Office, and the delicious details in-between. Jenna and Angela tell us about their struggles as aspiring actresses and the early days of The Office when they ever wondered if their show would become successful. They had no idea it would last for nearly a decade. They describe what it was like to make such classic episodes as “Booze Cruise” and “Casino Night,” and how they nearly faced death in the episode “Work Bus,” which was directed by Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston. Jenna and Angela discuss learning about how their characters would evolve of the show’s run. And they also give the scoop on what it’s like to be real pregnant and fake pregnant on the set. Guess what? Being fake pregnant is a lot more uncomfortable.

Jenna and Angela talk about being on the red carpet, meeting big time stars like Meryl Streep, seeing guest star get mega famous, and being nominated and winning awards. They discuss their sadness over Steve Carell leaving the show and how The Office could go on without such an iconic character as Michael Scott.

The two Office Ladies are also upfront on talking about their personal lives, marriage, divorce, remarriage, and having kids in ways I’m sure a lot of people can relate.

The Office BFFs is written in a narrative style, with Jenna and Angela taking turns giving us the scoop on making The Office. There’s also a lot of pictures of the cast and crew throughout the book and it’s nice to see people enjoying themselves at work. Who knew?

Now if your looking for any salacious gossip and scandalous activities that may have occurred while making The Office, you won’t find it in The Office BFFs. This isn’t just a story about making a TV show. It’s also a book about strong bonds and tight relationships. And Jenna and Angela’s solid friendship sings from the book’s pages.

The Office BFFs is a must-read for any fan of The Office, but I think anybody who is into pop culture and has wondered what it’s like to make a TV show will find this book a valuable read.

Book Review: She Memes Well by Quinta Brunson

A few months I started watching a charming and very funny television show called Abbott Elementary. Abbot Elementary is a mockumentary in the same vein as The Office and Parks and Recreation. Whereas, The Office took a look at the workplace of a small paper company and Parks and Recreation focused on local government, Abbott Elementary brings to light the inner sanctum of an underfunded Philadelphia grade school. The show has become a ratings hit and critical darling. And much of the praise can go to its creator and star, Quinta Brunson.

Pre-Abbott Elementary, I was only vaguely aware of Ms. Brunson. I had heard of some of her work with Buzzfeed and A Black Lady Sketch Show. However, I’m thrilled to have made the acquaintance of this talented and funny lady, so when I came across her book, She Memes Well, I just knew I had to read and review it.

She Memes Well is a mix of both essays and memoir. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Quinta Brunson grew up the fifth child in loving and close family. A desire to perform came early to her when she started taking dance classes. Ever the ham, it was comedy that grabbed Quinta as she grew older. Somehow she knew she had to make comedy her career, but how?

After a brief stint at Temple University and learning improv in her free time, Quinta dropped out and made her way to Los Angeles hoping to find her way to comedic brilliance. But dreams don’t come true easily, and Quinta had to pay quite a few dues along the way, including working a regular job. It was at a local Apple Store where she made the cash to pay the bills, but performing was her goal. To gain experience and exposure, Quinta spent time with other comedic performers, made videos for YouTube and Instagram, and even made TV’s Judge Joe Brown laugh at The Comedy Store. One of her most popular acts was about a girl who has never been on a nice date, with the tagline, “He got money” when her date actually paid for something. Not surprisingly, a lot of women could relate and laughed.

Thanks to her massive talent and a few connections, Quinta landed a gig working for Buzzfeed, her first video featuring her tasting Doritos (yum) and other funny videos and bits. It wasn’t long before Quinta’s work with Buzzfeed got some, well, buzz, and she started working with A Black Lady Sketch Show and other creative endeavors.

But there were struggles, and Quinta is very honest about paying her dues and facing rejection and disappointment. Now these things aren’t rare in show biz, but they can really sting and do a number on one’s self-esteem.

Today, Quinta is with Abbott Elementary, which was inspired by both her mother who was a teacher and her favorite teacher growing up. I’m thrilled for both the show and Quinta’s success. It proves that actual talent and hard work can lead to victory. Abbott Elementary is good to go for a second season, and I hope it’s remembered come Emmy time.

She Memes Well is both very funny and touching. Quinta discusses issues like being broke, having one’s heart trampled on, making it in comedy, which is still a white dude bro culture, and the importance of edges when it comes to black hair. She jokes about her troubles in the kitchen, dealing with being sort of famous, and gets sentimental when talking about growing up in a devout Jehovah Witness family. She also isn’t shy to admit some of her misgivings when it comes to social media.

And then there are moments that focus on more serious topics. She lost a cousin to gun violence and your heart breaks for her. And her rage over death of young black men to police violence is quite palatable. As humorous as Quinta is, her life hasn’t always been a barrel of laughs.

However, Quinta never strays far from a more fun side of life and she expresses her love of various pop culture in her chapters titled, “Quinta’s Classics.” Among Quinta’s pop culture faves? They include TV shows like The Office, the movie Jurassic Park, the music of Stevie Wonder, and Tina Fey’s book “Bossypants.” She also mentions a few millennial touchstones like the TV show Even Stevens and the video game Mario Kart.

Abbott Elementary made me a fan of Quinta Brunson. She Memes Well makes me an even bigger fan.

Book Review: You Play the Girl-On Playboy Bunnies, Stepford Wives, Train Wrecks & Other Mixed Messages by Carina Chocano

Is there a book you wish you had written? Is there a book you would have written if you had the ambition? Well, thank goodness Carina Chocano had both the desire and motivation to write a book and that book is her collection of essays, You Play the Girl: On Playboy Bunnies, Stepford Wives, Train Wrecks & Other Mixed Messages.

I love pop culture, and I’ve been studying and writing about pop culture since I was in high school. But despite my mad love for film, TV shows, music, and obviously books, I’ve often been dismayed (if not downright pissed off) by how girls and women are portrayed in these various works, and how they affect society and those we care about.

Chocano shares this loathing,  wonders these same issues, and writes about them in this dazzling collection of essays (which also acts as a caring and concerned love letter to her daughter, Kira).

After a brief introduction, You Play the Girl is divided into four distinctive parts:

Part One: Down the Rabbit Hole covers topics like Playboy bunnies, the classic Good Housekeeping column, “Can This Marriage Be Saved?” and MTV-inspired movie Flashdance.

Part Two: The Pool of Tears muses on the concepts such topics like ingénues and bad girls.

Part Three: In You Wouldn’t Have Come Here, Chocano writes about the surrealism of the “Real Housewives,” awkward men who choose “Real Girls” over real-live women, and the singular, life-changing journey of redemption of eating, praying and loving.

Part Four: In Mad Tea Party, Chocano acknowledges that girls love math even if Barbie claims, “Math is hard,” women as a trainwreck, the phenomenon of the Disney movie Frozen, and wraps up things with her desire for a feminist dance number (personally, I suggest bellydancing).

There are several reasons why I Iove You Play the Girl. First, Chocano is an excellent writer. Sure, she’s technically proficient but most importantly she has a distinctive voice, down to earth, wise, but also funny and charming. Plus, she just makes you think. Her essays are deeply researched and make you reflect on how pop culture affects you in ways you never thought possible, whether it comes to classic sitcoms like Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie to the current day of reality television with its collection of real housewives, bachelors and bachelorettes.

Chocano also has interesting opinions when it comes to classic movies like The Philadelphia Story and a movie I hope is never considered a classic, Pretty Woman. And when it comes to how boys and girls are portrayed coming-of-age books, films and TV shows, Chocano sums things up with this passage:

“In the male coming-of-age story, the boy creates himself. In the female coming-of-age story, the girl is created by forces around her.”

She questions why in an age of diversity and women making strides in business, academia, politics, technology, activism, arts and entertainment, and business our definition of what makes a woman attractive and sexy grows more and more narrow.

Chocano likewise has a very interesting take on women’s magazines and how they prey upon women’s insecurities and perceived failings as wives, mothers, workers, and just human beings as a whole even in this age of “You go, girl!”

Throughout You Play the Girl, Chocano looks at the details but also gives us the big picture on so many attention-grabbing topics. Simply put, You Play the Girl is one of the best books I’ve read this year.

 

Book Review: The Actor’s Life-A Survival Guide by Jenna Fischer

Back in the day, I believe it was in the year 2006, when MySpace was still a thing and we were all friends of Tom, Jenna Fischer wrote a post on her MySpace page where she discussed the trials and tribulations she faced as an aspiring actor. Already well-known as  the sweet and vulnerable Pam Beesly on The Office, Ms. Fischer’s MySpace post resonated with a lot of people, even people with no acting ambitions.

Now Fischer has turned that MySpace post into something more with her book The Actor’s Life: A Survival Guide that is at turns both a memoir of Jenna’s journey to acting success and a wise and practical primer for aspiring actors.

Fischer fell in love with acting and performing as a child. She took acting and dance classes and performed in both community and school productions, including acting as the Fiddler in Fiddler on the Roof, which must have been quite a challenge for a someone going to all-girls Catholic school.

After earning a degree in theater at Truman State University in Missouri, this St. Louis native packed her bags and headed out to Los Angeles. All Fischer had was her college diploma, a beat up car and some saved up cash. But she also had a big dream to make it as an actress in both television and in film. She thought it wouldn’t be long before she saw her name on the marquee of movie theaters or among the credits of a hit television show.

Boy, was she wrong. It took her eight years to finally become a success on The Office and in movies like Blades of Glory and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. And in that nearly decade long road, Fischer dealt with the good, bad and ugly of being an aspiring actor, which she isn’t afraid to share in The Actor’s Life.

When it comes to the survival guide, Fischer offers sound advice on getting the right headshot, getting into the film and television’s actor union SAG (Screen Actors Guild), and building one’s resume as an actor. She also advises on finding and keeping an agent and manager.

Fischer also discusses in detail the arduous auditioning process, the heartbreak, the glory, and how to keep going on.

Want to know what it’s like to be on the set as an extra, a bit player saying three lines in one scene, a guest star or part of the main cast? It’s not glamorous, but once you’re performing, you’re reminded why you chose acting as a vocation.

Of course,  even once one makes it things don’t go smoothly. Pilots for TV shows don’t get picked up,  shows get cancelled, speaking parts get edited out,  a movie bombs at the box office even if you’re an established name. You may even get fired. Fischer was recently fired from a TV show. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. She’s now the star of the ABC show Splitting Up Together, which is filming its second season.

Interspersed throughout The Actor’s Life are Fischer’s tales of getting speaking parts on hit shows like Spin City and That 70’s Show, working less than desirable office gigs, falling apart at The Pottery Barn because she felt like such a loser, filming kissing and sex scenes, her wonderful relationship with her manager Naomi Odenkirk, and the dos and don’ts on how to behave on the set.

Fischer also discusses creating opportunities by generating DIY acting projects and how the iconic book The Artist’s Way helped her on her journey as did actor and friend Molly Shannon.

Within the pages of The Actor’s Life include inspirational quotes by a diverse collection of people-Einstein, Sheryl Sandburg,  Marilyn Monroe, Jon Hamm and Debra Messing.

I enjoyed reading The Actor’s Life,  starting with an introduction by Steve Carell who played the bumbling Michael Scott on The Office to Fischer’s loving acknowledgements to family, friends, and colleagues at the very end.

The Actor’s Life is honest,  funny and wise. Fischer’s writing voice is empathetic, truthful and warm. It’s a must read, and not just for actors. I’m using it as a guide as I get my writing career back on track.  I also think this book is ideal for teachers, guidance counselors, and college career centers.

It was The Office that made me a fan of Jenna Fischer and The Actor’s Life is one reason why I remain a fan.

Well that,  and we both suffer from MCG-Midwestern Catholic Guilt.

 

“Author! Author!” Writers in Their Own Words

I’ve been very fortunate to read and review some wonderful books. But I’ve never had the chance to interview any authors…until now. Thanks to the lovely Elizabeth Jahns from Beacon Publishing Group, I was able to interview the iconic comedian Kip Addotta about his memoir “Confessions of a Comedian.”

According to his website‘s bio, Mr. Addotta has appeared on such classic programs like “The Tonight Show” and the syndicated show “Make Me Laugh.”  He was also featured on “The Larry Sanders Show.” Not only a stand up comedian, Mr. Addotta is also a talented songwriter who wrote songs such as “Wet Dream,” “Big Cock Roach,” “Life in the Slaw Lane,” and “I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus.” Some of these songs were featured on the the Dr. Demento radio program. In 1995, Addotta released the DVD “Live From Maximum Security!”

What inspired you to write a book?

I thought it was time to write the story of my life and help other comedians become better at the art of stand-up comedy.

Who inspired you to write your “Confessions of a Comedian”?

Steve Martin’s book, “Born Standing Up.”

How did you prepare to write this book?

I simply began putting down my memories:

“From the first interactions with “The Mob” in his early childhood, his nightmarish life with his father until he was on his own at 15 years of age, through his marriages, and how he became one of the best and most famous stand-up comedians of his time, Kip Addotta tells all. He names names and details the how-to and fine-tuning of comedy.”

Is your memoir arranged in a time?  If not, how and why?

It starts from when I was eighteen months old and ends at the present time!

What are the similarities and differences between writing a book and stand-up comedy?

They are two totally different things and it was difficult to write both!

What challenges/difficulties did you face when writing your book?

Remembering the order in which things happened and making my point without being ponderous!

What experiences do you feel were significant for you? (personally or career wise)

Meeting Jack Benny and trying to find my mother!

What difficulties did you overcome writing this memoir?

It gave me the opportunity to explain my behavior to my family and friends.

Did you include photographs? Do any of them hold any significance to you?

Yes I did and the ones of my grandmother, who raised me and my uncle Victor who were both Made members of Bonanno crime family!

What else should people know about “Confessions of a Comedian”?

That it is a true story!

What are your future plans? Will you continue to write?

I have another book in mind, but can’t divulge any information now so as not to impair the sales of my current book “Confessions of a Comedian.”

Anything else you’d like to add?

I am amazed at the response to my current book and the fact that people are finding it so entertaining!

For more information on Kip Addotta, his comedic work and his memoir “Confessions of a Comedian visit the following links:

Kip Addotta’s Website

Amazon

Good Reads