Customer Reviews

New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer

5 star:		(85)
4 star:		(46)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(29)

 

 

Bill Maher, ascerbic comedian, claims that we all lived by rules, even if the rules were just "Stay off the grass," or "Don't Feed the Ducks." So, new rules becomes his signature before each witticism. For example, according to Maher, the best way for terrorism to be defeated is to ensure that the terrorists all receive plenty of sex. He suggests, "New rule: We need to mobilize two divisions of skanks,... a brigade of girls who just can't say no--all under the command of Colonel Ann Coulter, who'll be dressed in her Ilsa, She-Wolf of the S.S. uniform. Girls, there's a cure for terrorism and your...it."

Such comedic salvos are pithy, creative, and irreverent. Maher's language is often salty, and everyone and everything is grist for his mill. Although decidedly anti-Bush, he takes potshots at democrats alike, and most importantly, at himself. "... Something is very wrong when the only one fired over terrorism is me." (Too many times people turned their attention toward me to find out why I suddenly laughed out loud).

It would help the reader to have already heard Maher's voice and delivery. It might give each joke more impact. Nevertheless, this man's star is on the rise, and so is his book.

"New Rules," rules!

I love Real Time with Bill Maher, especially the New Rules segment. (HBO and Tivo Rule). This book was very good, but I had previously heard almost all of the material. I was expecting some additional materials or some insight beyond the show script. Having said that, it was fun to re-live the rules and I could almost hear Maher's voice as I read them. A personal favorite rule is - "The people who were most in favor of the war in Iraq must go there and fight it."

I read about half this book in the bookstore and couldn't put it down. It's hilarious, and hits the mark! Maher verbalizes a lot of what many of us feel, but which some of us are too intimidated to discuss during these ultra-patriot days in America (Congressional singalongs to "God Bless America: ok, we get it, you're with us... now get back to work!").

Although Maher obviously leans to the left and isn't afraid to take shots at Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld and Co., neither does he spare the Democrats (he gives France kudos for standing up to the Bush administration, "which is more than the Democrats in Congress are doing").

Guts and honesty. Two virtues sorely lacking in this country today. Thanks Bill, for not being afraid to tell it like it is and remaining "politically incorrect."

A book about very random observations on life today. Bill Maher, a famous comedian known for his political humor , and his very blunt way of expressing them. Maher is famous for his HBO show "Real Time with Bill Maher", and it's famous ending New Rules. This is where the concept of the book came from. He took the best of his New Rules segments, and one's that never made it on air. With these rules Maher takes aim at serious issues ranging from cell phones to McDonald's in hospitals. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys political humor and is always looking for a laugh.

This book is an easy read. It is great for people that have short attention spans, like me. It jumps from subject to subject organized alphabetically and that is the only way that is organized. Maher is very creative when thinking of the correct way of convey what he is thinking and is hilarious in the process. For example "New Rule- Enough with the "for dummies" series. The last straw was this week when I say NASCAR for dummies. Let me save you the $12.99. It's rednecks drinking beer and watching other rednecks turn left." I have to utmost respect for Bill Maher. He is a comedic genious and does not get the amount of possitive feedback that he diserves. I find it refreshing listening to his views and the bold way that he conveys it. He doesn't care about the consequences, he cares about the message taht it sends. If you get one thing from this review it should be to but this book. DO NOT get scared of the Bill Maher name, and the unfortunate shadow casted by it.

First off, you should know that despite the page count of 230, a good deal of that is empty space. No, I'm not talking about the content, wise guy, but the actual empty space surrounding the content. Taken mostly from Maher's show-ending one liners and rants on his HBO talker "Real Time with Bill Maher," mostly these are little nuggets of comedic vitriol, often accompanied by photos to help sell the joke. Here's one entry in its entirety: "New Rule: Former drug addicts and alcoholics have to stop saying, "I almost died." No. Cancer survivors almost died. You almost had a good time." some are a bit longer; some are even shorter. Each chapter ends with a page-or-so long rant that lets him break into something resembling his standup act. As you might guess, politics is a favorite subject, and his opinions, often falsely catagorized as liberal, are really a kind of Las Vegas/Rat Pack brand of libertarianism. Republicans are bullies and busybodies, but Democrats are spineless and unorganized. Both are liars. Of course, where Maher really picks up the blue state support is when he comments on "values issues" like gay marriage (for) or the war on drugs (against). Then there's the matter of religion. Always irreverant, lately his humor has targeted all the stupid things that "people of faith" do, from Christians to Muslims. To quote: "Pat Robertson is insane. Just because he smiles and wears a nice suit doesn't mean he's any less of a whack job than all those wild-eyed, urine stained nut bags who babble on street corners about Jesus through a bullhorn." Then there's this: "If you don't want the world to think your religion is medieval, stop beheading people. Texans are bloodthirsty and dim, and even they learned to use an electric chair. Come on, Islam. Join the nineteenth century." If any of that offended you, maybe those "Left Behind" books are more your speed. They made me laugh almost as much as "New Rules."

If you're a regular "Real Time" viewer then most of this will be pretty familiar. There's some new material, but mostly this is recycled. Not to mention the fact that takes on subjects like "runaway bride" Jennifer Willbanks and Scott Peterson will be baffling by the time this hits paperback. Still, I found myself laughing again at jokes I heard on the show, so Maher's wit lasts at least that long. Also, you can read it in just a couple of hours! It's a rather slight book even when compared to other celebrity efforts, such as Jon Stewart's "America: The Book," but Maher makes a lot more sense than say, his friend (I'm not kidding!) Ann Coulter. If you're a "blue state" person trapped in a "red state," this would be pretty much essential. Of course, as an elitist New Yorker, I'm probably just "out of touch."

Screamingly funny, frighteningly accurate and some bizarre problem-solving that might just work. (Read Maher's proposal about a "coalition of the truly willing" as the way to undermine jihadists.) What the shrill right reviewers ignore is that Maher is an equal-opportunity muckraker: he is just as bitter towards Democrats as Republicans, no more respectful of Clinton than he is of Bush. Maher is death on the sanctimonious, hypocritical, ignorant state of what passes for political discourse in North America: he is Mencken with less cynicism, more passion and the f-word. He is, as he points out, the only person who has lost his job because of terrorism, and we are better off that he is both angry about it and has a sense of humor.

I was wondering if I'd like this book since I've seen "New Rules" on TV many times already. But I decided to buy it anyway. There is a lot of stuff I haven't seen ... probably because I missed it. And it is very funny. I also like the fact that it is not one continuous book, but really a lot of pages and sections. I'll read a page or section when I feel like it. And I'm always amused. If you like Bill Maher, you'll enjoy this book.

Don't get me wrong, it was funny, but to me, when you charge $14 for a 240 page book I deserve a 240 page book. Easily 1/3 of the book were blank pages, pages with 1-4 lines of text, or empty pages except for his New Rules title. Even the pages that did contain rules were 1/2 full. This was, at best, an 80 page pamphlet spread out over 240 pages. Honestly, I feel that Maher mailed this one in. Do yourself a favor and pick up "When you ride alone you ride with Bin Laden" its a much more substantive book.

In other words "New Rule: A 240 page book should be 240 pages of material."

I absolutely love this book. I do not consider myself either liberal or conservative. I consider myself an American. Bill Maher says exactly what a lot of us think, but are too scared to admit. I may not agree with everything Bill says, but I appreciate his honesty and common sense. It always amazes me that so many people throw stones from a glass house. At least Bill admits he is not perfect, but does practice what he preaches. Bill is in touch with America, and it's a shame that nobody wants to admit it. I am from Texas, and even I think Bill is funny when he picks on Texans. If you can't laugh at yourself or your heritage, you need help.... Bill, if you ever want a Texan on your show, give me a holler! That's Texan for call me, I do have a phone! What we need in this country is more common sense media icons like Bill Maher, and a lot less opinions that are "paid for".

The above reviewers have it right. This books is absolutely hysterical. From jabs at the hyprocisy of the neocons ("to conversative women out there who oppose stem cell reserach...put your cervix where your mouth is") to bridging the gap between the Red and Blue states ("Spice rack, meet gun rack. Drinks bottled water, meet drinks from the garden hose.") to celebrities' take on the war on Iraq ("Britney Spears says we must support the president no matter what. Someone needs to die for that.") this in vintage Maher. On point, insighful, and above all, hilarious.