How to Be a Stand-Up Comic [Paperback]

Richard Belzer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2000

Comedian Richard Belzer promises that he can turn anyone into a stand-up comedian. Here he makes good on that promise and provides a generous helping of laughs in the process. This irreverents and informative book prepares wannabe comedians with tips and inside information from a seasoned veteran. Photographs.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Citadel (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806513195
• ISBN-13: 978-0806513195
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,102,117 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars You won't learn how to be a stand up comic reading this book, March 17, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (N.Y.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Be a Stand-Up Comic (Paperback)

While reading this book is mildly amusing, you will not learn how to construct a joke or bring out your funny side by reading it. In short you won't learn much about "how to be a stand up comedian". I was disappointed because I do think Belz is a funny guy. I just didn't think the book was very instructive.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars You'd expect more from a man with only one testicle., March 4, 1999

By 

Glen Steven Colen (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Be a Stand-Up Comic (Paperback)

First of all, I had a terribly hard time locating this book... For good reason it turns out. Although published in 1988, 'How To Be a Stand Up Comic' appears to be a remainder from an earlier, long forgotten era. Shoddy production value, crappy packaging and all together amateur layouts do little to improve this book's allure - once opened it can be read in a single bowel-movement. Not to say that this book is entirely disappointing, it isn't. Richard Belzer is a master of his craft. Being a Stand Up Comic. Writing and assembling a book which captures his celebrated, irreverent wit proves daunting. Entirely devoid of substance this 208 page collection of cheap, grainy B&W photos masquerades as a `book,' containing no more than 6 pages of text. What fills up the remaining 202 pages are a serious of poor-quality black and white photographs of `The Belz' in a series of `comedic' skits. Whereas these pictures could ideally have served to coincide and reinforce the text, Belzer uses them as a way to replace his written word leaving the `reader' cheated. This is basically a scrappy attempt at a half-hearted and entirely unrealized premise. Rarely do you see a talent such as Richard Belzer's so blatantly betrayed. I anxiously await the publication of his next work `Conspiracies You Don't Have To Be Crazy To Believe' which will hopefully ameliorate my current feeling of betrayal.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I want my hour and 90 cents back Belzer!, November 12, 2009

By 

Peter Wolf "Comedian Peter Wolf" (Fort Worth, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Be a Stand-Up Comic (Hardcover)

I bought this book used on Amazon.com and paid [...] for it. I thought; "what a great deal!". It was a total scam. It's NOT informative, helpful or even funny. I found myself wondering; "Was he drunk when he wrote this?". The only good thing about the book is that it can be read in about an hour then used to start a nice cozy fire on a cold winter day when the power is out and there is nothing better to do. Great! I've just wasted another thirty seconds writing a review. I really didn't even want to give it one star, but there is no zero star rating. I feel as though Belzer should issue a public apology to his fans for insulting us.

Peter Wolf
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