The Funny Thing Is... [Paperback]

Ellen DeGeneres (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2004

Ellen DeGeneres published her first book of comic essays, the #1 bestselling My Point...And I Do Have One, way back in 1996. Not one to rest on her laurels, the witty star of stage and screen has since dedicated her life to writing a hilarious new book. That book is this book.

After years of painstaking, round-the-clock research, surviving on a mere twenty minutes of sleep a night, and collaborating with lexicographers, plumbers, and mathematicians, DeGeneres has crafted a work that is both easy to use and very funny. Along with her trademark ramblings, The Funny Thing Is... contains hundreds of succinct insights into her psyche and offers innovative features including:

• More than 50,000 simple, short words arranged in sentences that form paragraphs.
• Thousands of observations on everyday life -- from terrible fashion trends to how to handle seating arrangements for a Sunday brunch with Paula Abdul, Diane Sawyer, and Eminem.
• All twenty-six letters of the alphabet.

Sure to make you laugh, The Funny Thing Is... is an indispensable reference for anyone who knows how to read or wants to fool people into thinking they do.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Degeneres continues her year-long domination of all media (following a cross-country stand-up tour, an HBO special, a show-stealing turn in Finding Nemo and the successful launch of her daily talk show in September) with this new humor collection, winningly preserved on audio. The laid-back, observational comedienne's stream-of-conscience musings gain additional zest from her wry and adroit delivery. Some of her funniest material is in throwaway lines, dropped with an easygoing deadpan delivery. ("My favorite exercise is walking a block and a half to the corner store to buy fudge. Then I call a cab to get back home. There's never a need to overdo anything.") Her smart and funny routines point out absurdities in everyday life. ("Batteries are packaged as though the manufacturers never want you to get to them. On the other hand, take a good look at a package of light bulbs. Thin, thin, thin cardboard that's open on both ends.") Whether offering tips to cover social embarrassments or grousing about parallel parking ("What better way to do something you're already a little leery about doing than by doing it backwards?"), Degeneres is a delight.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Entertainment Weekly DeGeneres is in top form with her second collection of kooky observations....Her strongest assets -- a-hard won dignity and softly skewed worldview -- are on chuckle-inducing display throughout.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (September 28, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743247639
• ISBN-13: 978-0743247634
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (98 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,583 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ellen DeGeneres is a beloved stand-up comedian, television host, bestselling author, and actress. She hosts the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and was also a judge on American Idol in its ninth season in 2009.

DeGeneres has hosted both the Academy Awards and the Primetime Emmys. As a film actress, she starred in Mr. Wrong, appeared in EDtv and The Love Letter, and provided the voice of Dory in the Disney-Pixar animated film Finding Nemo, for which she awarded a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress, the first and only time a voice acting won a Saturn Award. She also starred in two television sitcoms, Ellen from 1994 to 1998 and The Ellen Show from 2001 to 2002. She has won twelve Emmys and numerous awards for her work and charitable efforts.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Audiobook is the way to go!, October 31, 2003

By 

Stephanie "stephll" (Stoughton, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Funny Thing Is... (Audio CD)

Ellen is once again brilliant with her witty insights and creativity. I bought this as an audiobook on CD, since I saw that it was "read by the author." It was great to hear her stories and joke the way she intended them to be heard! If you're planning on buying this book, audiobook is definitely the way to go!

36 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ELLEN BOMBECK?, November 16, 2003

By 

D. FOXWORTH "foxy" (TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Funny Thing Is... (Hardcover)

WOW! I did not know what to expect from this book when I bought in on AMAZON. I didn't know if it would be political or preachy. But I love Ellen Degeneres so I bought it. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE when this book reminded me of the late, great Erma Bombeck!

By all appearances, Ellen Degeneres is ready to accept the crown for the new queen of written comedy. This fun book reminded me so much of Erma Bombeck... funny, simple circumstances that we can all relate to. Expertly written, THE FUNNY THING IS... had me laughing from cover to cover.

5 stars for sure... my recommendation? BUY IT NOW! You rock, Ellen!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jellin With Ellen...., July 30, 2004

By 

L. Shirley "Laurie's Boomer Views" (Huntington Beach,CA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Funny Thing Is... (Hardcover)

This review refers to THE FUNNY THING IS...by Ellen Degeneres

The Funny Thing Is...that I'm not sure why everyone did not find this fabulous take on the everyday situations that life doles out to us, as well written, witty and uplifting as I did. On every page, Ellen Degeneres finds the humor, and gives incredibly funny solutions to dealing with all those little annoying, tedious and embarrassing events. Now the solutions may not be realistic...but we sure wish they were!

Ellen kept me great company, while sitting and waiting in various places. I took her with me all the time. I'm sure I garnered a few stares too, as I chuckled out loud reading about her take on everything from 'That's Why Prison Wouldn't Be So Bad'(where else could you get away from all the responsiblities?) to 'Things That Are Bothering Me This Week", her wonderful account of her tour('Dear Diary'), to 'Clothes I Have Regretted Wearing"(haven't we all seen pictures of ourselves from years ago that make us cringe?) and 'Naming My Book: The Odyssey'.

Her subtle wit sparkles with energy. Her style is down to earth and unpretentious. I felt like I was catching up with an old friend(a very funny old friend!).

I recieved this book as a gift at a very stressful time in my life. I needed a lift, and this book gave it to me. I have not as yet, read her first book, MY POINT...AND I DO HAVE ONE, so this review is not in comparison to that one, but I am now looking foward to reading that one as well.

Just kick back and chill to this very enjoyable read....Laurie

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