Customer Reviews

The Greedy Bastard Diary: A Comic Tour of America

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This "diary" is far from a new literary concept, albeit one that sure is amongt the most fun to read. City-by-city, day-by-day we get the oft off-center musing of one of today's genuine comic geniui (is this plural of genius?).

We see the towns and venues and audiences from the performer's perspective, which provides some keen insight into the way his unique point of view evolves. After reading this, I think of Eric as a friend rather than a sleb. He's honest and witty. But what is more, he's also not impressed with his star stature in the entertainment industry.

Hanging with Mr. Idle is quite imossible for most of us. But this book is better than an All Access backstage pass for the entire tour.

I stumbled across this book at my local library and had bought my own copy before I was halfway through the library's. I don't think I've ever done that before.

Those looking for a deep introspective/retrospective look at life post-Python will probably be disappointed. Unquestionably this book is about part of Idle's life that is well post-Python, but he's a Python nevertheless - they all will be - and that seems to be just fine with him, as he tells stories about and on the others. He's not writing for the Pulitzer committee, though - he's just sharing the things that crossed his mind while he was on tour.

Those looking for a complete book of unrelenting yokking it up will likewise be disappointed. Idle speaks movingly of his childhood, the deaths of his parents, his friendship with George Harrison, his ongoing love affair with his wife, and more. On one page he may mock himself and his environmental concerns, and a few pages later he'll describe the scenery at this place or that, suggest great places to eat in certain cities where they stopped on tour. (If I had a complaint about the book, it might be that there's a bit too much on about the scenery, but then again this is a tour blog so it shouldn't be that surprising.)

Those who will be best pleased by this book are those who accept that Eric Idle was/is a Python and more, having spent the intervening years doing other things including movies, books, a stand-up tour, and of course most recently Broadway. Those who will most enjoy this book are those who want a book liberally laced with hysterical tales and retellings about the Pythons, who would like to get to "know" Idle a little better, and who may have wondered what it would be like to be in his cross-country tour.

Those who've known and loved Python(s) from way back will without a doubt get more out of this book than those unfamiliar with them or just becoming fans, especially regarding the many reminiscences about them as an act and as individuals, but anyone who's enjoyed their work at all will probably enjoy "The Greedy Bastard Diary".

Speaking just for myself, I laughed out loud on the very first page, and more than once found myself laughing so hard I couldn't read. (The addition of the marginata was a stroke of genius, by the way.) Reading it in public, however, is something you do at your own risk: I took it to work to read at lunch but only once, because my out-loud laughter drew odd looks from others in the cafeteria. Don't say you weren't warned.

Of the six Monty Python members, Eric Idle has been the most enigmatic. His work is well known, but Idle the human being has been less public. What is surprising, and gratifying, about this book is that Idle opens up and lets us inside his mind a bit. The picture that emerges is of a thoughtful, intelligent, sensitive man . The book is gently funny, but the humor arises out of his natural wit, and not the antic contrivances of a Monty Python skit. Idle also writes about the death of his mother and his close friendship with George Harrison, with an unexpected emotional openness. Recommended highly.

I really enjoyed this book on a number of levels. Idle has a lot of heart and a lot of humor and he isn't selfish with either. I have the giant Python book, which is essential, but this one was easier to get through and more fun to read. It's personal and entertaining- in equal portions. That's hard to pull off.

I missed this tour and felt like a donkey for missing it. However, this book relieved some of my donkey feelings by letting me know what the whole thing was like. By the end of it I wanted to be his bus driver.

It was very interesting to hear the stories about his mum, George Harrison, and Bill Clinton. It was also nice he didn't beat up on the South but took it for what it is.

I still feel like a donkey for missing the tour the more I think about it.

Normally turning an online diary into a book would be a pretty lazy enterprise. The saving grace for this work is that the author of the aforementioned diary is one of the great comic minds behind Monty Python and The Rutles. On tour, reprising some of Python's greatest hits, Idle hits upon the idea of sharing his thoughts with his pythononline audience. What follows is surprisingly personal and often very funny memoir.There are wonderful stories here, ranging from the day to day life of Idle and his merry band of players, their trials and tribulations of touring across the states and Canada, Python reminiscences, touching stories of Idle the husband and father and a number of great stories of his friend, George Harrison. There are a few political tirades, some very funny stories and a general feeling of good will towards his fans that was nice to read. I was amazed that Idle was willing to share so much and was impressed with his candor. The book does suffer from its original source; the repetition of a number of stories is fine for an online diary but definitely should have been edited out of a book. But this is a minor knock against a book that should satisfy any Python fans or those who like a well-written memoir about life on the road.

Eric Idle has written this creative book on his tour of north america and has done a great job. He goes into lots of detail about what it was like for him on the road. This is a very interesting book to read and is wonderful if you like a good sence of humor. I recommend going out and buying it now! You'll Laugh, you'll cry, and you'll want to fill the "encore bucket" with several rubber duckys! And heck, the title is funny in itself.

This book is part travelogue; part personal journal; part inside-look at the makings of a comedy tour, and part autobiography. But mostly it is just a fun read - infected with that insane silliness you'd expect from Idle.

Starting in Rutland, Vermont and ending in Los Angeles, Idle and his assembled crew spent 80 cold autumn/winter days visiting cities in the USA and Canada. The daily routine of the bus trip - the interviews, the theaters & hotels, the pains taken to perfect the act - are all addressed. What really makes this book work though, are Idle's hilarious musings on life, and the stories he shares about his friendships and adventures over the years. Also included are color photographs, the lyrics for some of his songs, and amusing comments added to the margins of many pages.

I met Eric Idle when he went on tour. I'd done some of the Street Team promotion for him, and he'd granted us a "Meet and Greet", although nearly everyone who waited around afterwards was allowed to meet him.

I'm a very philosophical person, and, at the time, was deeply in love with Eric Idle. I needed to think of something to say to him that he'd remember. I'm also very shy, and had no idea what I was going to do.

The day of the concert came and I was so nervous, I was shaking and floating on air the entire day. He was amazing, and afterwards I went up to him, eagerly, and my mind went blank. I stared Eric Idle in the eyes and said, "I'll give you ten dollars if you let me touch your a**."

He was so, so nice, let me do it, then gave the money back. I almost died when I saw he'd written about the incident, then died again when I saw it was published in his book.

So there you go. This book is amazing, not just because of that, but because it's a delicate glimpse into the psyche of a mindly tortured comedian. I laughed out-loud at parts, and I nearly cried at others. Buy this book if you have any emotion for Idle at all. You will never regret it.

(And don't think too badly of me, I really am very shy.)

Eric Idle can turn as quick witted phrase as well as any ex-Python member. In truth, he is/was perhaps one of the funniest entertainers of the 20th century. This book serves as both a memoir and a documentation of a tour that often amounted to Idle doing stand-up and being the focus of the show. This was a new experience for this "senile former member of Monty Python". It is a delightful read.

Idle's writing often goes "all over the map", but this is frequently the direction a diary takes. From his observations of the American landscape to his musings of the late great George Harrison, readers can get a better idea of who Eric Idle is and the life he lived. All of this personal information is explored as we follow Eric Idle on his successful American tour. While I missed the tour, I do regret missing it.

Few books have made me laugh out loud as often as this one. For that reason alone, it is worthy of five stars. The tugging at the emotional strings of my heart by one of my favorite entertainers is an added bonus in stars.

This was originally published online as a daily diary on a Monty Python site (some of the boring parts have been edited out in the book version). It chronicles Eric Idle's "Greedy Bastard Tour" of Canada and America. It is pretty interesting, although a few boring parts were left in. A lot of what Idle writes here is quite funny, as you might expect. But what is somewhat surprising is that at times he gets serious and pours his heart out. The account of his friendship with George Harrison, and how Eric felt when George died, is actually quite touching. I should note that this book is not strictly about the Greedy Bastard Tour. There are many instances when he digresses and writes about events that happened in years past. This book will be of the most interest to Monty Python fans, and they are probably the only ones who will buy it, anyway.