Chapter 1: The Setup

Unstoppable Farce; The Mitch Maloney Story

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All About Change

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Jay Ruderman - How to Find Your Fight & Drive Social Change 32:17

2 days ago32:17

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32:17

Jay is more than just the host of All About Change podcast. He is a lawyer and international activist, who has focused his life’s work on seeking social justice by advocating for the rights of people with disabilities worldwide. On the special episode of All About Change, Mijon Zulu, the managing producer of the "All About Change" podcast, is taking over hosting duties to interview Jay Ruderman about his new book, his activist journey, and why activism is even more important today. Episode Chapters (0:00) intro (02:38) How does one choose a cause to go after? (03:33) Jay’s path to activism (07:50) Practical steps a new activist can take (09:24) Confrontation vs trolling (17:36) Learning from activists operating in different sectors (19:20) Resilience in activism (22:24) Reflections on Find Your Fight and goodbye For video episodes, watch on www.youtube.com/@therudermanfamilyfoundation Stay in touch: X: @JayRuderman | @RudermanFdn LinkedIn: Jay Ruderman | Ruderman Family Foundation Instagram: All About Change Podcast | Ruderman Family Foundation To learn more about the podcast, visit https://allaboutchangepodcast.com/ Looking for more insights into the world of activism? Be sure to check out Jay’s brand new book, Find Your Fight , in which Jay teaches the next generation of activists and advocates how to step up and bring about lasting change. You can find Find Your Fight wherever you buy your books, and you can learn more about it at www.jayruderman.com .…

3 years ago 12:42

MP3•Laman utama episod

Mitch describes his childhood and early comedic influences.
Endnotes:

Steve Martin, Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life, (New York, Simon & Schuster, 2007), pp 27-29. Capsule Review: Exquisitely structured narrative, beautifully written. Slack score: 7.3. Snark score: 9.5. Overall FCA ranking: #2
Sanford and Son, Season One, episode 8, “The Great Sanford Siege,” originally aired Mar 3, 1972. Teleplay by Aaron Rubin. Directed by Peter Baldwin, scene featuring Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson
George Carlin with Tony Hendra, Last Words: A Memoir, (New York, Simon & Schuster, 2009), p.283. Capsule review: Medium-interesting career trajectory. Well-written, but overly long. Too many childhood anecdotes. Slack score: 6.2. Snark score: -10. Overall FCA ranking: 47

unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #pnw

20 episod

#Comedy #Mitch Maloney #Audio Drama

Chapter 1: The Setup

Unstoppable Farce; The Mitch Maloney Story

published 3 years ago

Kongsi

MP3•Laman utama episod

Mitch describes his childhood and early comedic influences.
Endnotes:

Steve Martin, Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life, (New York, Simon & Schuster, 2007), pp 27-29. Capsule Review: Exquisitely structured narrative, beautifully written. Slack score: 7.3. Snark score: 9.5. Overall FCA ranking: #2
Sanford and Son, Season One, episode 8, “The Great Sanford Siege,” originally aired Mar 3, 1972. Teleplay by Aaron Rubin. Directed by Peter Baldwin, scene featuring Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson
George Carlin with Tony Hendra, Last Words: A Memoir, (New York, Simon & Schuster, 2009), p.283. Capsule review: Medium-interesting career trajectory. Well-written, but overly long. Too many childhood anecdotes. Slack score: 6.2. Snark score: -10. Overall FCA ranking: 47

unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #pnw

20 episod

#Comedy #Mitch Maloney #Audio Drama

Semua episod

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Chapter 19: Conan O'Brien's Diminishing Returns 48:56

8 hours ago48:56

48:56

Mitch makes the rounds of all the popular late night chat shows. Endnotes: “Marlon Bundo” with Jill Twiss, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver presents A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo (Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 2018) In the spirit of Beckett and Pynchon's elusive yet intricately constructed worlds, A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo challenges the reader to consider the absurdity of existence through the eyes of a rabbit — an animal whose very presence in this narrative serves as a symbol of alienation. At first glance, this work may appear as whimsical, child-oriented fare, but one must look beyond the pastoral exterior to truly appreciate its thematic depth. Through the highly symbolic relationship between Marlon and another rabbit, we witness a courageous dismantling of a conformist society. an audacious statement on societal inclusivity, it is a narrative that speaks to the untold stories of marginalized voices, deftly employing a metaphorical layering akin to the works of postmodern literary deconstructionists, a critique of the infantilization of the literary world. Slack Score: 11; Snark Score: 12; Overall FCA ranking: 71 Jimmy Fallon, Your Babies First Word Will be Dada (Feiwel and Friends, New York, 2015) A deconstruction of phonetics, deliberately subverting language itself. As the book eschews traditional storytelling for a form of linguistic abstraction, it forces the reader to question the very foundation of communication. The protagonist — a baby learning to speak — is initiated into a world where meaning is elusive, and language is presented as a fragmented system, reminiscent of the nonsensical utterances found in the early works of the Dada movement. The seemingly chaotic string of sounds presented as the child’s first words parallels the avant-garde's challenge to linguistic precision. The boundary between child and language dissolves here, creating a potent commentary on the artificial constructs of meaning and the role of the adult interpreter. A postmodern meditation on the nature of creation itself designed for the literati, who will appreciate its allusions to the destabilization of language as a social tool.Slack Score: 15; Snark Score: 2; Overall FCA ranking: 43 Seth Myers, I’m Not Scared, You’re Scared (Flamingo Books, New York, 2022) [A navigation of the disorienting terrain of self-perception, offering a narrative in which the protagonists — a bear and a rabbit — engage in a dialogue that exposes the tenuous nature of emotional experiences. The back-and-forth between the characters, each professing their own lack of fear, is a reflection of the performative nature of bravado and self-deception, which one could view as a thinly veiled critique of social masks and expectations. The dialogue itself oscillates between a strange, almost surreal repetition of thoughts, as though the characters are trapped in a loop of denial and confrontation — much like the cyclical nature of fear itself. One might suggest that this narrative is an allegory for the human condition — the tension between self-assurance and vulnerability, the false bravado we project to avoid confronting our inner anxieties. The book’s surrealist approach to this common emotional experience is innovative and experimental, questioning the very constructs of courage and fear, as well as the cultural narratives we build around them. Slack Score: 15; Snark Score: 12.5; Overall FCA ranking: 169 Stephen Colbert, I Am A Pole (and So Can You), (Spartina, New York, 2012) [Stephen Colbert’s I’m a Pole (and So Can You!) At first glance, this might appear to be little more than a whimsical exploration of a child’s desire to claim an ethnic identity, but upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that Colbert is using the figure of the pole — and by extension, the notion of identity itself — as a metaphor for the absurdity of self-definition in a postmodern world. In…

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Chapter 18: Skipper Skete's Beef Baloney 30:13

7 weeks ago30:13

30:13

Under interrogation by the League of Acolytes for Televisual Emcees and Raconteurs, Mitch finally comes clean about what went down on the SS Mayhem at the afterparty to end all afterparties. Endnotes: Mike Myers, Canada (Canada, Doubleday Canada, 2016) p207. Capsule Review: Barely a memoir, more a celebration of Canadianness, Myers must be among the most patriotic citizens of the largely unenthusiastic (in my experience) nation. Lots of semi-interesting trivia and observations for southern Ontario residents and enthusiasts. Relevant information about Myer’s career exposes a ridiculous amount of privilege and fortune, which is reasonably acknowledged but not examined critically. Myers easy confidence/sense of entitlement seems to have played a significant part of his overall trajectory. Slack Score: 15; Snark Score: 9.3; Overall FCA ranking: 84 Richard Pryor, Pryor Convictions; and Other Life Sentences; The Official Autobiography (Los Angeles, Pantheon, 1997) p.97 Capsule Review: One of the most tragic/upsetting of all FCAs, much of the story has been told in bits and pieces either in standup sets or Jo Jo Dancer, and the written word doesn’t quite convey the conflicted nuance of Pryor’s voice. Nonetheless, a traumatic moving confessional. Interjections by Mudbone provide a welcome alterity and distancing from the heartbreak of the main narrative and a poetic flourish I didn’t expect going in** Slack Score: -15; Snark Score: 4; Overall FCA ranking: 5 Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller, Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live (New York, Little, Brown and Company, 2014) p16; (see original citation for Chapter 11) Dick Ebersol, From Saturday Night to Sunday Night (New York, Simon & Schuster, 2022) p.98. Capsule Review: I only read through the SNL relevant sections, so can’t comment on the whole Ebersol enchilada, but he’s not a comedian by any measure so it’s outside of the scope of this project. Writing is just so-so. He’s clearly just trying to get his side of the story out there, probably takes a bit too much credit or deflects blame when possible. Doug Hill & Jeff Weingrad, Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live (San Francisco, Unread Reads, 1986) p.511 (general anecdote widely repeated) Earlier, much more compelling behind-the-scenes story of The Show’s inception until the return of Lorne Michaels creation and first decade than the more wide-ranging oral history by Shales and Miller. Not technically an FCA, so no rankings given.…

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Chapter 17: The Gathering of the Q-uggalos 40:43

12 weeks ago40:43

40:43

Mitch begins his comeback tour by playing the MAXXED ULTRA Testosta-boosted Dude-fuel 2026 Gathering of the Q-uggalos, an off-the-grid militant hillbilly shock comedy festival at Stone Mountain Park, Georgia, but his set gets interrupted by a mysterious bag-headed interloper and the festival itself erupts in chaos and destruction when mysterious unknown invaders descend over the festival grounds. Endnotes: Phyllis DIller (with Richard Buskin), Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse; My Life in Comedy (New York, Penguin, 2005) p.225-244 (Chapter 10:”A Change of Face”) Capsule Review: Diller forged a career from almost nothing, with arguably less social advantage than her peer-contemporaries such as Joan Rivers or even Moms Mabley. There’s plenty of self-deprecation, or perhaps self-loathing, on display throughout, although once her will to self-actualization clicked into place she let no one stand in her way. There is some dated racial humor that doesn’t play very well, of course, and times when her ambition eclipses her affection for friends and family, such as the occasion when she ditched her 3rd husband/love-of-her-life on his proverbial death-bed so she could make a gig, that make her less than sympathetic. But she had to be tough to make it in the biz, at least that’s how she saw it. Slack Score: -9; Snark Score: 9; Overall FCA ranking: 39 Jeff Dunham, All by my Selves; Walter, Peanut, Achmed and me (New York, Penguin, 2010) p5 Capsule Review: pretty innocuous, bordering on vapid, story of an average kid who gets into an unusual hobby early and sticks with it obsessively until he manages to become rich and famous from it. Not much in the way of drama, he really stretches to make his minor “controversies” sound serious. The most unusual/interesting aspect is that he gives his characters little sections to speak for themselves, but as anyone who’s seen his act knows, they’re not very interesting either, and painfully unfunny. Slack Score: 7.5; Snark Score: 1; Overall FCA ranking: 611 Roseanne Barr, Roseannearchy; Dispatches from trhe Nut Farm (New York, Simon & Schuster, 2011) p80 Capsule Review: an all-over-the-place collection of essays and reminiscences, sometimes baffling, sometimes banal. She’s still a pretty decent writer, and certain passages are pretty compelling, but the lack of focus and inherent contradictions make it difficult to stay with her. Slack Score: 7; Snark Score: 6; Overall FCA ranking: 185 Lewis Black, Me of Little Faith (New York, Penguin, 2008) p.57 Capsule Review: More a series of comedic essays on religion/faith than a memoir, there’s enough autobio here for me to rank it as an FCA, but not too highly. Definitely benefits from the audiobook presentation as 90% of Black’s humor comes from his quavering, angry inflection. Somewhat inconsistent on where he actually lands on his personal faith. He criticizes atheists as having a worthless, miserable existence but also claims to be the least religious person alive. Likewise he constantly identifies himself as Jewish while also claiming to have no personal connection to the faith or the culture. The arguments shift, in other words, to fit the jokey jag of the passage, which is fine, just not a lot of depth or consistency here. Slack Score: 5; Snark Score: 14; Overall FCA ranking: 413 unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #icp #juggalo #Q #pizzagate #wwgowag…

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Chapter 16: The Descendants of the Deplatformed 25:06

37 weeks ago25:06

25:06

Mitch finds himself in a toxic underground cavern in the captivity of a contingent of cryptozoological curiosities. Will he be able to escape his imprisonment? Will he be reunited with his affable Swedish chauffeur Leif? Will we ever get back to the lurid showbusiness tell-all we were promised? Endnotes: Russell Brand, My Bookie Wook; A Memoir of Sex, Drugs, and Stand-Up (New York, HarperCollins, 2009) p.122. Capsule Review: Like Brand as a performer, the linguistic highbrow/lowbrow seesaw schtick goes from highly impressive to grating pretty quickly, especially in regards to the proud tales of sexual exploits that in retrospect read more like the confessions of a predator. Slack Score: 15; Snark Score: 12.7; Overall FCA ranking: 327 Miranda Sings (aka Colleen Bollinger), My Diarrhe (New York, Simon & Schuster, 2018) p.123 Capsule Review: one of the most poorly written of any of the FCBs I’ve ever read, just from the perspective of grammer and spelling, although I guess she deserves some credit for writing it all out by hand. Completely unhinged account of the bewildering rise of the Miranda Sings character among the middle school set, bubbling under the surface with insecurities and inability to tolerate criticism even when in jest and from ifiteen year olds. Instead of an honest account, she maintains the Miranda persona throughout, a narrative conceit I have trouble stomaching. Slack Score: -6; Snark Score: 1.5; Overall FCA Ranking: 451 Russell Brand, Bookie Wook 2: This Time it’s Personal (New York, HarperCollins, 2010) p196 Capsule Review: The first one must have sold well, as this ostensible sequel was pushed out exactly one year later. As might be expected, this is a case of diminishing returns, with most of the primo bibliographical tales already mined, Brand is forced to spend more time pontificating on his nascent psuedo-philosophic concepts and anti-political posturing laying the groundwork for his coming devolution. This time around he’s sober, and has moved from burgeoning, quirky personality to full-blown pop star marrying and quickly divorcing A (or maybe A- to B) lister. Even though the hard drugs are gone, the obsession with sex is in full effect, and there are several troubling passages, and a lengthy exploration of one particularly upsetting episode that foreshadow scandalous revelations to come. Slack Score: 15; Snark Score: 6.5; Overall FCA ranking: 552 unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #gugu #sumatra #canceled #cryptid…

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Chapter 15: The Reality Division 32:37

1 year ago32:37

32:37

Mitch takes a BM (Big Meeting) with a streaming concern called Drivvel+ to discuss a new so-called reality series. Endnotes: Maria Bamford, Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere (New York, Galery Books, 2023) p.7 Capsule Review: A quirky yet charming look on mental illness. By cults, Bamford is mostly referring to family and 12-step programs, but like Nancherla, below, she’s not afraid of drifting off topic. Not quite the tour-de-force I hoped for, perhaps my expectations were too high. Slack Score: -4; Snark Score: 5 ; Overall FCA ranking: 95 Gary Gulman, Misfit; Growing Up Akward in the ’80’s (New York, Flatiron Books, 2023) p.283 Capsule Review: An offbeat but witty peak at depression. The spin here is it’s a (more or less) year-by-year chronicle of Gulman’s public K-12 school years, mostly focussing on one core story or theme for that year and interspersed with almost contemporary interstitial journal entrys to set up or contrast the childhood stuff. Very well written, of course, bordering on overly, which sometimes gets in the way of getting inside the head of an inarticulate pre-teen and definitely makes you question how accurate the anecdotes could be. Slack Score: 9; Snark Score: 12; Overall FCA ranking: 117 Aparna Nancherla, Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself, and Impostor Syndrome (New York, Viking, 2023) p.18 Capsule Review: A peculiar but engaging examination of imposter syndrome. Starts off as semi-clinical investigation into the titular syndrome but ends up being a hodge podge of personal essays and confessions, mullings on social media, the trickiness of political correctness and procrastination. Slack Score: -6; Snark Score: 5.2 ; Overall FCA ranking: 142 unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #redpilled #bluepilled #blackpilled…

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Chapter 14: Cloud Forest Confidential 30:34

2 years ago30:34

30:34

Mitch takes a much needed sabbatical in Sumatra, far from the prying eyes of the paparazzi and the long arm of Interpol, to live among and learn from the beasts of the jungle in his everlasting search for comedic inspiration. Endnotes: Dick Ebersol, From Saturday Night to Sunday Night (New York, Simon & Schuster, 2022) p.98. I only read through the 8H relevant sections, so can’t comment on the whole Ebersol enchilada, but he’s not a comedian by any measure so it’s outside of the scope of this project. Writing is just so-so. He’s clearly just trying to get his side of the story out there, probably takes a bit too much credit or deflects blame when possible Julia Sweeney, If It’s Not One Thing, It’s Your Mother (New York, 20) p. Yes, this is an actual quote. It makes sense in context (sort of). Capsule Review: Fairly charming collection of essays on her life in the Chicago with her husband and adopted Chinese daughter. Still sounds like a pretty boring person though, if you ask me. Slack Score: 7; Snark Score: 3 ; Overall FCA ranking: 231 E.M. Cioran, The Trouble with Being Born (New York, 20) p. Capsule Review: I was a little surprised to find this volume in the stacks alongside the other FC autobios at the main branch of the Ottawa library when I was in the research phase of this book, since I had never seen a stand-up special or chat show appearance. He’s somewhere between Sloss and Jesselnik when it comes to nihilism, but funnier than either. He doesn’t get into the whole backstory of his life, but instead basically riffs on the central theme that being born is a “laughable accident.”. Slack Score: -15; Snark Score: 12.5 ; Overall FCA ranking: 22 unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #orangutans #sumatra #gugu…

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Chapter 13: Afterparty on the SS Mayhem 24:48

2 years ago24:48

24:48

Mitch infiltrates the ultimate 8H post-show bash, still searching for his missing mullet, and witnesses almost unimaginable displays of debauchery and tribal violence whilst being pursued by an enraged Nora Dunn. Endnotes: Molly Shannon, Hello Molly!; A Memoir (New York, HarperCollins, 2022) p.207 Capsule Review: Heartbreaking, touching, occasionally funny, moving and inspirational recounting of a life well lived by a purely delightful human. Super down-to-earth frank writing style. Extra heart wrenching in audiobook form. Slack Score: -12 ; Snark Score: 5.2; Overall FCA ranking: 6 Charna Halpern, Del Close, and Kim "Howard" Johnson, Truth in Comedy : the Manual for Improvisation (Meriwether Publishing, Colorado Springs 1994) p.53 Capsule Review: As the title implies, this is a handbook not a memoir, so not subject to FCB ranking, etc. A mish-mash of testimonials from students and acolytes of Del Close, many of them SNL stars, ranting wide-eyed about the magic of improv or whatever. Kevin Nealon, I Exaggerate My Brushes with Fame; Portraits & Stories (New York, Abrams, 2022) p.61 Capsule Review: Not like the others, arguably not an autobiography, although enough of Nealon’s life is woven throughout that I’m willing to accept it (not to mention he’s one of the best stand ups of all time IMO). He presents a series of pretty remarkable, sort of beautiful, painted caricatures of various celebrities, mostly SNL adjacent but not necessarily, with cute, tidy accounts of his titular brushes with celebs, or, in certain cases, how a showbiz legend inspired or delighted him. Slack Score: 14.2; Snark Score: 10; Overall FCA ranking: 98 unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #snl #snl50 #nyc #statenislandferry #mayhem…

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Chapter 12: Escape from Area 54 24:01

2 years ago24:01

24:01

Mitch comes to in a subterranean torture dungeon and tries to make sense of the last chapter, but can he escape and get to the afterparty in time to be reunited with his trusty hairpiece Dennis? Endnotes: Amy Poehler, Yes, Please (New York, HarperCollins, 2014) p.23 Capsule Review: Despite sharp and breezy writing, not a lot of laughs, lengthy complaining about the difficulty of writing the book (I get it). Cute stories about developing friendships with Meyers and Fey. Mildly inspirational. Most intriguing section for me was Chicago improv roots outside of Second City and formation of Upright Citizens Brigade. Slack Score: 11 ; Snark Score: 2.6; Overall FCA ranking: 130 David Spade (New York, HarperCollins, 2015) p.118 Capsule Review: As expected, text is formulaic Spade-speak throughout, tales of medium creepiness with women are in (over) abundance, but useful, extensive accounting of SNL hiring and production practices in the mid to late ‘90s. Slack Score: 12.8 ; Snark Score: 14.2 ; Overall FCA ranking: 459 Martin Short, I Must Say; My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend (New York, HarperCollins, 2014) p.124 Capsule Review: Mostly breezy, occasionally wrenching (last chapter on wife Nancy’s death is the most intense example) Specific interludes that explicate the origin and evolutions of various characters he’s created are particularly insightful and one of the most fleshed-out accounts of the Toronto production of Godspell aka the Big Bang of Canadian sketch outside of the full oral history in the Washington Post ( https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/05/19/godspell-toronto-martin-short-levy-radner-shaffer-garber/ ). Slack Score: 7 ; Snark Score: 12; Overall FCA ranking: 44 unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #snl #snl50…

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Chapter 11: The Legend of Studio 8H 44:00

2 years ago44:00

44:00

Mitch reveals the spooky backstage shenanigans at 30 Rockefeller Center and how he helped solve the mystery of the Headless Thompson. Endnotes: Colin Jost, A Very Punchable Face (New York, Penguin/Random House, 2020) p. 231. Capsule Review: Breezy, glass-half full take from guy aware of his advantages, growing up in Staten Island, touching 9/11 mom story and more Harvard Lampoon insight than other FC memoirs. Slack Score: 14.7; Snark Score: 6; Overall FCA rating: 159 Tina Fey, Bossypants (New York, Hachette, 2012) p. 145. Capsule Review: Well written, somewhat uneven mix of heartwarming anecdotes, comedic happenstances and career musings. Slack Score: 9.72; Snark Score: 8; Overall FCA ranking: 54 Bob Odenkirk, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama (New York, Randomhouse, 2022) p. 58. Capsule Review: funny and insightful tour of multiple points of interest for me, topped by Mr. Show, unconventional, less reverential perspective on Lorne and SNL, fascinating anecdotes on early work with Farley and Conan in Chicago. Slack Score: 12.6; Snark Score 4.5; Overall FCA ranking: 112 A Very Punchable Face, p. 290-301 Chris Kattan, Baby, Don't Hurt Me: Stories and Scars from Saturday Night Live (New York, 20) p. 14. Capsule Review: Defensive and whiny, downplays rift with Norm, cringed stories about “dating” 21 y/o Zooey Deschanel, and molesting Charlize Theron and Katie Holmes on live TV. Surprised to learn he was from my neck of the woods (Bainbridge). Slack Score: 11; Snark Score: -2.7; Overall FCA ranking: 443 Jim Bruer, I'm Not High: But I've Got a Lot of Crazy Stories about Life as a Goat Boy, a Dad, and a Spiritual Warrior (New York) p.84. Capsule Review: par for the course SNL memoir. Lots of complaining about how his “talent” was restrained by the producers and lots of grandstanding about the importance of family, etc. Slack Score: 13; Snark Score: 0; Overall FCA ranking: 642 Rachel Dratch, Girl Walks Into a Bar...: Comedy Calamities, Dating Disasters, and a Midlife Miracle (New York, Gotham Books, 2012) pp45-47. Capsule Review: Kind of a bummer, in keeping with the Debbie Downer character, a lot about her love life, which didn’t really start until after SNL, and many disappointments and challenges there, as well as the fizzling out of her career, chronic typecasting, and drift into spiritualism. Slack Score: 6 ; Snark Score: -3.4; Overall FCA ranking: 289 Darrell Hammond, God, If You’re Not Up There, I’m F*cked (New York, Harper, 2011) p.14, Capsule Review: Exceptionally dysfunctional and depressing, even by FC standards, account of childhood abuse and learning to cope by doing funny voices, including recovered memories (dubious, to my mind) self-cutting and secret alcoholism during SNL tenure. Slack Score: -13.6; Snark Score: -7 ; Overall FCA ranking: 379 Jay Mohr, Gasping For Airtime: Two Years In The Trenches Of Saturday Night Live (New York, 20) p.237 Capsule Review: Hack comic writes hack book. Unbelievable entitlement and complaining. Openly admits to completely ripping off Rick Shapiro, lying to Lorne about it, and then is surprised when his contract isn’t renewed. Slack Score: 15; Snark Score: -9; Overall FCA ranking: 633 Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller, Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live (New York, Little, Brown and Company, 2014) p. 531. Most definitive oral history of SNL, with extensive interviews of every significant contributor excepting Eddie Murphy and the deceased. Not technically an FCA, so no rankings given. Ibid, 541 unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #snl #snl50…

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Chapter 10: Rarefied Mirth 28:26

3 years ago28:26

28:26

Mitch takes questions from the Seattle media right before his legendary performance on the roof of the Space Needle. Endnotes: Ali Wong, Dear Girls; Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life (New York, Random House, 2019), p.* Capsule Review: framed as letters of advice to Wong’s daughters, but otherwise disconnected and rambling, with predictable pop-cultural analogizing and confessional pre-sex grooming ritual semi-jokes often repurposed from her specials. Another example of a comedian eventually rising to some degree of fame and success less from funny demeanour or clever joke writing than by relentless careerism. Likely more relevant for readers that are women, Asian, interested in reproduction and bodily fluids and/or functions related to reproduction. Most useful to me for a helpful guide to choosing Asian restaurants to dine at. Slack Score: 3.8; Snark Score: 6; Overall FCA ranking: 581. Woody Allen, Apropos of Nothing; Autobiography (New York, Arcade Publishing, 2020) pp220-382. Capsule Review: The first third (approximately) details his rapid rise in stand up as a contemporary of Cosby and Rivers (both of whom had the same agent and played the same clubs in Greenwich Village in the ‘60s), writing for Candid Camera, Smothers Brothers, etc.; 2nd part whizzes through movies, mostly describes how lazy, unmotivated, and undeserving of praise he really is/was; 3rd part is primarily an explanation/defence of unsavoury accusations regarding Dylan Farrow & Soon-Yi Previn. Slack Score: 9.72; Snark Score: 8; Overall FCA ranking: 89 Dadourian, Eric, live performance at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Los Angeles, 2/04/2016, archived at Put Your Hands Together (Earwolf Podcast Network; rebroadcast 12/27/18) more polished version of this routine, “Lunch & Death,” appears on Nebraska 2 (Aspecialthing Records, audio cassette, 2020) unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #seattle #spaceneedle…

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Chapter 9: Children of the Frackhole 21:59

3 years ago21:59

21:59

Mitch reflects on his early comedic influences while high on white skunk juice at the bottom of a disposable waste facility in the Alabama woods and explains how, with the help of his chauffeur, he escaped from a pack of cannibalistic mutants in his up-armored tourbus. Endnotes: Patton Oswald, Zombie, Spaceship, Wasteland:(New York, Simon and Schuster, 2011) p.102. Capsule Summary: Some chapters are straight autobiography, interspersed with cultural observations consistent with his proto-geek persona: Dungeons & Dragons, sci-fi B pictures, REM, etc. Some interesting insights, the titular essay also referenced in this transmission might be most beguiling. Pleasant read. If anything, as with his stand up, language might be a notch too clever for it’s own good. Slack Score: 12; Snark Score 8.3; Overall FCA ranking: 338 Whoopi Goldberg, Book (William Morrow and Company, 1997) p.127. Capsule Summary: More a series of mildly amusing essays, some more ranty than others, than autobiography. Her beliefs on subjects such as religion and politics are elucidated, as are her sexual proclivities and defecatory practices. Slack Score: 2.7; Snark Score 5; Overall FCA ranking: 197 Mort Sahl, Heartland (New York/London, Harcourt, Brace, Jovonovich, 1976) p.145. Capsule Summary: Predictably great writing from the progenitor of Stewart and Colbert, though (also predictably) riddled with anachronisms. Profundity, usually regarding Sahl’s faith in the American people, is undercut by finger-pointing, score-settling, gossip-peddling, and a devolution into conspiracy chaser. Slack Score: 0; Snark Score: 12.7; Overall FCA ranking: 20 unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #chapelle…

1
Chapter 8: Gertrude 14:13

3 years ago14:13

14:13

Mitch describes some behind-the-scenes challenges he ran into while touring the American south with Hannah Gadsby. Endnotes: Todd Barry, Thank You for Coming to Hattiesburg: One Comedian's Tour of Not-Quite-the-Biggest Cities in the World (New York, Gallery Books, 2017) p.70. Capsule Review: the title pretty much covers it. Specific anecdotes about life on the road in 55 cities, mostly smaller-sized, mostly American. Tone is typical Barry knowingly false bravado complaining about minutiae such as limited coffee options in rural outposts and shabby green room decor. Slack Score: 12.6; Snark Score 4.5; Overall FCA ranking: 303 Hannah Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette; A Memoir Situation (New York, Penguin/Random House, 2022) p. 214. Capsule Review: Exhaustive personal history of life in homophobic Tasmania in the ‘80s and ‘90s as an impoverished, undiagnosed, autistic lesbian. Often excruciating, occasionally humorous, extremely thorough, touching on seemingly every aspect of her formative years. Slack Score: -14.2; Snark Score: 6; Overall FCA ranking: 16 James Acaster, James Acaster’s Classic Scrapes (London, Headline Publishing Group, 2017) p. 301. Capsule Review: A series of challenging or embarrassing scenarios (“scrapes”) that Acaster has found himself in, in more or less chronological order, that are mildly amusing though solidly crafted. Has a skydiving anecdote similar to my own. Slack score: 9.3; Snark Score: 13.7; Overall FC ranking: 139 unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #hannahgadsby #trauma…

1
Chapter 7: The Night of the Lithuanian Chupacabra 19:03

3 years ago19:03

19:03

Mitch goes to Edinburgh, and then London with his new one-man show, an attempt to reckon with the political fallout surrounding his alter ego, Wade Dinklington, and helps crack the case of the most infamous crime spree in history along the way. Endnotes: Stewart Lee, How I Escaped My Certain Fate; The Life and Deaths of a Stand-Ip Comedian, (London, Bloomsbury House, 2011) p.223, Capsule Review: Interesting, well-written history of the British Alternative Comedy Scene and Lee’s place in it. Autobiographical passages are interspersed with full transcripts of stand-up performances, which, while largely autobiographical themselves, still feels like cheating. Slack Score: 4; Snark Score: 12.3 Overall FCA ranking #30 Romesh Ranganathan, Straight Outta Crawley; Memoirs of a Distinctly Average Human Being (London, Penguin/Random House, 2018), p149. Capsule Review: Very heavy on British slang makes for somewhat challenging reading. Semi-interesting story about how Romesh went from school-teacher to semi-famous stand-up. Lots and lots of hip hop references and adulation. Slack Score: 9 ; Snark Score: 3.6; Overall FCA ranking #290 Johny Vegas, Becoming Johnny Vegas (London, HarperCollins, 2011) p 67. Capsule Review: interesting read about (real name) Michael Pennington's life; formative years, sojourn in a seminary as a child, and studying ceramics before moving to stand-up. Creation of JV character has interesting parallels with Wade Dinklington, an out-of-control alter-ego that’s hard to define or reign in. Slack Score: 8.5; Snark Score: 4.4 Overall FCA ranking #87 unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #edinburgh #onemanshow…

1
Chapter 6: Airport Security 25:38

3 years ago25:38

25:38

For the very first time, Mitch discusses what went down on the set of his HBO sitcom that was cancelled halfway through the first day of shooting. Endnotes: Chris Elliott, Bob Elliott, Daddy’s Boy; A Son’s Shocking Account of Life with a Famous Father, (New York, Delacorte Press, 1989) Capsule Review: Chris describes his privileged upbringing in New York and the pressures of living under the shadow of a massively successful, but controlling and occasionally cruel patriarch. His father, Bob is provided chapter-by-chapter rebuttals for legal reasons. Heartbreaking, scandalous. Slack Score: 6.7; Snark Score: 14.6 Overall FCA ranking #83 Chris Elliott, Into Hot Air; Mounting Mount Everest, (New York, Weinstein Books, 2008) Capsule Review: Chris discovers the diary of his Great Uncle Percy Brackett Elliott, that suggests that he was the first person to reach the peak of Mt. Everest. Chris attempts to solve the mystery with a group of his celebrity friends. Solid adventure read, though not as autobiographical as his other works. Slack Score: 2.7; Snark Score: 9; Overall FCA ranking #83 Chris Elliott, The Guy Under the Sheets: The Unauthorized Autobiography (New York, Plume, 2012) Capsule Review: Chris describes his rise to greatness in the business and the outlandish misadventures he experienced at the height of success. Slack Score: 12.8; Snark Score: 12.4 Overall FCA ranking #26 unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #sitcom #chriselliot…

1
Chapter 5: The King of H!jnx 19:57

3 years ago19:57

19:57

After Mitch is attacked while hosting an alt-comedy open-mic night at his newly acquired sanctuary in Lipstick City, the Velveteria, he begins practicing the new martial art of Comido Defendu under the tutelage of Sensei Judah Friedlander. Endnotes: Whitney Cummings, I’m Fine… and Other Lies, (New York, Penguin Randomhouse, 2017), p. 55. Capsule Review: More self-help journey than showbiz bio, very little about her career, more about struggles with body image, anorexia, breast implants, migraines, costochondritis, exploding-head syndrome (audio hallucinations), therapy, and adopting pit bulls, specifically Billy, who almost bit her ear off. Good example of the therapy-by-proxy FCA sub genre. Slack Score: -6; Snark Score: 3.3 Overall FCA ranking #206 Judah Friedlander, How to Beat up Anybody; An Instructional and Inspirational Karate Book by the World Champion, (New York, Harper Collins, 2010) p. 113. Capsule Review: Ostensible martial arts manual with highly questionable claims involving levitation, "sizing," fighting Bigfoot, etc. Notable that the author went from being the "World Champion" of Karate to being one of many secondary teachers of Comidu Defendu in the San Fernando Valley. Slack Score: 11.5; Snark Score 14.2; Overall FCA ranking #221 Sebastian Maniscalco, Stay Hungry, (New York, Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster, 2018) p.289 Capsule Summary: Paint-by-numbers FCA with relatively low-trauma origin element; upper-middle-class to marrying rich to getting more rich by telling uninteresting family stories in an over-the-top energized manner. Slack Score: 13; Snark Score: -4; Overall FCA ranking #312 unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #judahfriedlander #comidodefendu .…

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