Name: Jenny Zhong's review of Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama by Bob Odenkirk
Item: Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama
Rating: 5
Author: Jenny Zhong

Bob Odenkirk

In this hilarious, heartfelt 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’ve known Bob Odenkirk for more than thirty years, and yet I had to read this book to believe his stunning career arc.”—Conan O’Brien 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.

A Memoir

Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama

Brady Valentino

Incredibly moving and insightful to learn about Bob’s early influences and the people who have inspired him. A small bit about Martin Freeman that is unsurprisingly given what we know of his behavior. 

Jenny Zhong

Kristin Boren

I wanted to love this more than I did. Honestly felt like 1/3 of the book was just Mr. Show sketch descriptions. I think if you really love Mr. Show this will probably be a fab memoir for you to read because it goes into a lot of the history of the sketches. Still pretty interesting overall. I'm not mad at it, I just didn't love it.

Erwin Lemuel Oliva

Bob's memoir is gut punch on himself. He recalls mostly his failures more than his successes. Finishing the audiobook version, Bob's modesty and demeanor reminds me of Saul Goodman, the fast-talking lawyer, but the version where he has to explain himself out of a situation. Good book, uhm, audiobook especially if the author is acting each line out.

Cindy Lieberman

A modest, self-effacing memoir about Odenkirk’s dogged pursuit of a career in comedy and striking gold as the lead actor in the drama Better Call Saul. He documents how difficult it is to make it in Hollywood (he had a decade-long dry spell with little work), and the importance of luck and timing. This is not a funny book but there are some funny stories and references to skits from The Man Show and other work.

In this hilarious, heartfelt 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. 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.

Brady Valentino &
Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama by Bob Odenkirk

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Brady Valentino &Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama by Bob Odenkirk

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Join the club

Brady Valentino &
Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama by Bob Odenkirk