150 Ways to Tell If You're Ghetto [Paperback]

Shawn Wayans (Author), Chris Spencer (Author), Soli McCullough (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 9, 1997

Shawn Wayans (star of the hit prime-time WB Network Television show The Wayans Bros.), Chris Spencer (host of the upcoming national late night talk show Vibe), and Suli McCullough (up-and-coming comedian, actor, writer) bring their lively brand of humor to the page in a book sure to tickle city- and country-bound alike.  More than a place, the authors remind us, "ghetto" is a state of mind; "If Hillary Clinton ever picked up Chelsea from school with rollers in her hair...guess what?  The First Lady be ghetto."

Among other ways to tell if you're ghetto:

You can read your haircut
You throw a pool party at the fire hydrant
You buy pagers to match your outfits
You go to church just to pick up women
Your fingernails are longer than your fingers
You have a car phone and no car
You take a bubble bath with dishwashing liquid
You get into a fistfight while you're pregnant
You missed the birth of your child because you were playing Sega
You named your daughters after cars you can't afford

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

You know you're ghetto if...

You have a wife and kids but still live with your parents.

You don't have two pieces of ID.

You didn't know there were two Lionels on The Jeffersons.

You chew ice.

You cain't, kant, can't spell "can't".



You wear house shoes to the grocery store.


You were close enough to hit Reginald Denny.

You go trick-or-treating without a costume.

You pee in the shower.

You have to put stuff on layaway at the 99-cent store.



You're nineteen and you just met your father.


When you were little you had to be in the house before the streetlights came on.

You think you can kick Mike Tyson's ass.

You go to church just to pick up women.

You've ever had to have a police escort to a baby shower.



You've ever slapped someone over the prize in the cereal box. Copyright 1997 by Next to Last Productions, Out Too Much Productions and Suli McCullough. Illustrations copyright 1997 by George Hay.

From the Inside Flap

Shawn Wayans (star of the hit prime-time WB Network Television show The Wayans Bros.), Chris Spencer (host of the upcoming national late night talk show Vibe), and Suli McCullough (up-and-coming comedian, actor, writer) bring their lively brand of humor to the page in a book sure to tickle city- and country-bound alike.  More than a place, the authors remind us, "ghetto" is a state of mind; "If Hillary Clinton ever picked up Chelsea from school with rollers in her hair...guess what?  The First Lady be ghetto."

Among other ways to tell if you're ghetto:

You can read your haircut
You throw a pool party at the fire hydrant
You buy pagers to match your outfits
You go to church just to pick up women
Your fingernails are longer than your fingers
You have a car phone and no car
You take a bubble bath with dishwashing liquid
You get into a fistfight while you're pregnant
You missed the birth of your child because you were playing Sega
You named your daughters after cars you can't afford

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Dell (June 9, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440507936
• ISBN-13: 978-0440507932
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.2 x 7.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,334 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Entertainment > Humor > Jokes & Riddles
  • #61 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Entertainment > Humor > General

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So Funny It Hurts, September 9, 2000

By 

Luis Hernandez (New York, New York, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 150 Ways to Tell If You're Ghetto (Paperback)

Written by comedians Shawn Wayans (television's "In Living Color"; "Scary Movie"; "Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood"), Chris Spencer ("Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood"), and Suli McCullough ("Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood"), "150 Ways to Know If You're Ghetto" is a hysterical satire of life in the ghetto. With outrageous, comical illustrations by George Hay, the books looks at life in the ghetto in a humorous view, by poking fun at stereotypes that are obviously true.

This book will make anyone laugh, especially if you grew up or live in any huge urban metropolis where a ghetto exists. I grew up in New York City, and can I tell you that I could not stop laughing after reading this book, because it is so, so true. I have known girls whose names start with "La," "Ta," and "Sha". I know people who still think that Tupac Shakur faked his death, and I surely seen people jump into fights that don't involve them. These and the other 147 reasons are guaranteed to make anyone who grew up in such cities as New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles roll on the floor laughing.

Being a small, thin book with only 79 pages should make this an easy read while you commute or travel, however I must warn you that people will stare at you if you start to laugh too hard. In the same way the Wayans' brothers spoofed the blaxploitation films of the 1970's with the film "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka," the authors of this book do the same when it comes to urban life. Hysterical in every sense of the word, "150 Ways to Tell You're Ghetto" will keep your funny bone entertained for hours.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LOTS OF LAUGHS!!!, December 16, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: 150 Ways to Tell If You're Ghetto (Paperback)

I had the opportunity to work as an extra on the Wayans' show and not only are Shawn, Marlon, and their nephew Craig (a writer on the show) very funny but they are the nicest people you could meet. I bought the book to "support" Shawn and not to actually read it. I thumbed through it one day and found myself laughing out loud. Last Christmas when the family got together I took the book with me and though we thought our "buppie-ism" had it going on -- we are definetly ghettoluxurious. I argued that I could only relate to 12 things in the book, but all you need is one and u b ghetto!!! Get the book and get a lot of laughs while being brought back to reality. If you argue points like I did, then you are TRULY ghetto!!! Congratulations Shawn on a great book and use the list I gave you about my roommate and do a Part II!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Funny, August 9, 2001

By 

"amazonjoan" (Omaha, Nebraska USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 150 Ways to Tell If You're Ghetto (Paperback)

I don't know what to say except that I highly recommend this for a quick laugh. I've read through it several times and laugh at each read.