Featuring our greatest comedic minds on the nature of humor, its relevance in society—and why sometimes you just need a good dirty joke to cleanse the palate—Satiristas is a hilarious multi-voiced manifesto on satire and comedy presented by Paul Provenza, co-creator of The Aristocrats.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“¡Satiristas! reveals the method and the madness of men and women who inhabit the funny side of the commentariat.” (Los Angeles Times )
“Humor heavyweights discussing satire and social change in their craft…A wealth of intimate, and, at times, surprising discussions…A cultural critique of comedy as an art form.” (Time Out Chicago )
“A brilliant, wildly inventive new book that is comedic magic. It features interviews with and portraits of some of the biggest comedians ever.” (Los Angeles Herald Examiner )
“Glimpses into the minds of some of the sharpest, most insightful and revolutionary voices in entertainment. They surprise, they challenge, they may even offend you, but every word is worth your time and attention. Read it. You won’t regret it.” (Sacramento Book Review )
“Humor heavyweights discussing satire and social change in their craft…A wealth of intimate, and, at times, surprising discussions…A cultural critique of comedy as an art form.” (Time Out Chicago )
“A brilliant, wildly inventive new book that is comedic magic. It features interviews with and portraits of some of the biggest comedians ever.” (Los Angeles Herald Examiner )
“Glimpses into the minds of some of the sharpest, most insightful and revolutionary voices in entertainment. They surprise, they challenge, they may even offend you, but every word is worth your time and attention. Read it. You won’t regret it.” (Sacramento Book Review )
From the Back Cover
Our nation's finest comedians, contrarians, and comic subversives come together to discuss the nature of humor, its relevance to society, and how simply speaking the truth as one sees it can give life meaning
We are living in a new golden age of satire. In a nation divided, polarized, and cynical of "official" news and information, it's no surprise that more young people get their news today from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert than from 60 Minutes and CNN—the people who speak the most openly and fearlessly are our satirists. Politics and culture are analyzed, criticized, scandalized, and energized by comedians with no agenda other than to create the laughter and shock that comes from recognition and truth.
Perhaps the greatest collection of comic talents ever between two covers, ¡Satiristas! is a collaboration between Paul Provenza—comedy's insider inquisitor extraordinaire, director/co-creator of the film The Aristocrats, and star of Showtime's The Green Room with Paul Provenza—and Dan Dion, comedy's most celebrated portrait photographer. A virtual who's who of iconoclastic comedy, the book is an epic, hilarious, multivoiced manifesto on satire and comedy, and a revelatory study of the complexities and inner workings of the comic mind.
Balancing on the razor's edge of communicating important ideas without pretense or condescension, political comedians Stephen Colbert, Bill Maher, and Lewis Black weigh in with late-night monologists Jay Leno and Craig Ferguson. Veterans like Conan O'Brien, Robin Williams, Richard Lewis, and Roseanne Barr speak their minds alongside comedy legends such as the Smothers Brothers, Tom Lehrer, Lily Tomlin, and the late, great George Carlin. Also represented are creators, writers, and producers of The Daily Show, South Park, Mr. Show, This Is Spinal Tap, Wonder Showzen, Kids in the Hall, Freaks and Geeks, Superbad, The Simpsons, Monty Python's Flying Circus, and Saturday Night Live as well as fresh, up-and-coming talents and a new generation of comedy stars. Together, this cross-section of subversive comic artists offers insight into what drives them and makes them tick, and what drives them crazy and ticks them off.
Paul Provenza's casual, intimate, artist-to-artist interviews are intelligent, outrageous, controversial, and even downright sick—but no idea or opinion is censored, and the unabashed honesty that results is funny, thought-provoking and inspirational.
The intimate photographic portraits by Dan Dion, comedy's Richard Avedon, are art pieces that take us through the stand-up routine to the person underneath, making ¡Satiristas! something that will change the way you look at comedians and the art of comedy.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Vanillawaif
Format:Hardcover
Ok. I confess. I am a comedian aficionado. I love comedy. I could eat it!
When I heard that Paul Provenza, comedy genius extraordinare, had released a book called iSatiristas!, it was a moral imperative for me to obtain it and read it asap! Paul is a comic's comic. His playfulness is delightful and contagious. But make no mistake, because behind his sincere charm lies one of the most erudite, hilarious, quickest wits in town!
Since Paul IS a comedian, there is a mutual respect and trust between all involved. Therefore, allowing the questions to be more intimate, in-your-face, honest, hilarious and intelligent. This is not your mainstream, pre-packaged Q&A book. It has heart, depth, dirty words!, insightful and smart answers. It's diversive. iSatiristas! interviews legends such as George Carlin (in apparently his last interview). The comic talent runs the gamut from the classic (Smothers Brothers, Cheech & Chong, Lily Tomlin, Robert Klein, Terry Jones of Monty Python) to house-hold names (Robin Williams, Roseanne Barr, Sandra Bernhard, Billy Connolly, Craig Ferguson, Bill Maher) and contemporary artists of today (Stephen Colbert, Penn Jillette, Dana Gould, Patton Oswald, Conan O'Brien, Doug Stanhope, Greg Proops...) And these 2 "younger" & oh, so talented, heavy hitters Lee Camp & Jamie Kilstein.
If you love and appreciate comedy as an art form, hell, if you just love comedy, then this book is for you.
"Misfit's Rights."
P.S. The photographs, which were taken by Dan Dion, really captures the comedians' essence!
When I heard that Paul Provenza, comedy genius extraordinare, had released a book called iSatiristas!, it was a moral imperative for me to obtain it and read it asap! Paul is a comic's comic. His playfulness is delightful and contagious. But make no mistake, because behind his sincere charm lies one of the most erudite, hilarious, quickest wits in town!
Since Paul IS a comedian, there is a mutual respect and trust between all involved. Therefore, allowing the questions to be more intimate, in-your-face, honest, hilarious and intelligent. This is not your mainstream, pre-packaged Q&A book. It has heart, depth, dirty words!, insightful and smart answers. It's diversive. iSatiristas! interviews legends such as George Carlin (in apparently his last interview). The comic talent runs the gamut from the classic (Smothers Brothers, Cheech & Chong, Lily Tomlin, Robert Klein, Terry Jones of Monty Python) to house-hold names (Robin Williams, Roseanne Barr, Sandra Bernhard, Billy Connolly, Craig Ferguson, Bill Maher) and contemporary artists of today (Stephen Colbert, Penn Jillette, Dana Gould, Patton Oswald, Conan O'Brien, Doug Stanhope, Greg Proops...) And these 2 "younger" & oh, so talented, heavy hitters Lee Camp & Jamie Kilstein.
If you love and appreciate comedy as an art form, hell, if you just love comedy, then this book is for you.
"Misfit's Rights."
P.S. The photographs, which were taken by Dan Dion, really captures the comedians' essence!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Art is an amazing gift given to some for the enjoyment of many. And while most art is accessible, you can teach someone how to paint, draw, sculpt, dance, write, etc., comedy is an art form all its own. No one can teach you how to be funny. You're either funny or you're not.
Being a comic is the most innate, inexplicable art. It is a gift embodied within stoic individuals who seemingly (sometimes barely) survive from life's unrelenting drama and turn that pain, that anger, that rage into art. Comics are the artistic Rumpelstiltskins that spin yarns into gold and SATIRISTAS!, a new book out by Paul Provenza and Dan Dion, is fast becoming the comic`s bible and an outsider`s look into a world barely acknowledged by mainstream media.
This book is not for the faint of heart and certainly not for sissies. It's an authentic dissection of craft and experience by seasoned professionals that have seen, done and heard it all.
Provenza is a comic god to me. His love of craft, his respect for fellow comics draws interviews better than Barbara Walters and without making his subjects cry. His down to earth personality and `take no prisoners' attitude are qualities I long for in my fellow humans and usually only find it in my fellow comics.
Dan Dion's eye enables him to capture each subject with as much intimacy as the accompanying interviews and help turn this book into a textbook no comic or writer should be without. This is an amazing read, you won't be able to put it down, nor should you. The subjects run the gauntlet of talent and experience, everyone has something powerful to say ... this book is going to shake up the mainstream and bring comedy back to the respectable art form it is.
Being a comic is the most innate, inexplicable art. It is a gift embodied within stoic individuals who seemingly (sometimes barely) survive from life's unrelenting drama and turn that pain, that anger, that rage into art. Comics are the artistic Rumpelstiltskins that spin yarns into gold and SATIRISTAS!, a new book out by Paul Provenza and Dan Dion, is fast becoming the comic`s bible and an outsider`s look into a world barely acknowledged by mainstream media.
This book is not for the faint of heart and certainly not for sissies. It's an authentic dissection of craft and experience by seasoned professionals that have seen, done and heard it all.
Provenza is a comic god to me. His love of craft, his respect for fellow comics draws interviews better than Barbara Walters and without making his subjects cry. His down to earth personality and `take no prisoners' attitude are qualities I long for in my fellow humans and usually only find it in my fellow comics.
Dan Dion's eye enables him to capture each subject with as much intimacy as the accompanying interviews and help turn this book into a textbook no comic or writer should be without. This is an amazing read, you won't be able to put it down, nor should you. The subjects run the gauntlet of talent and experience, everyone has something powerful to say ... this book is going to shake up the mainstream and bring comedy back to the respectable art form it is.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
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Length:
2:49
Mins
Great trailer that has actual clips from the book's interviews including George Carlin.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Insightful and informative
This book has gone beyond my expectations, I like all the different takes on comedy in general, being able to read the viewpoints of the greats is very inspiring. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Jaron Brown
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tips from the masters...
Between "The Aristocrats" and his show "The Green Room", Paul Provenza has taken pains to prove himself the archivist of modern comedy. "Satiristas!" is no different. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Phil Keeling
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fast and accurate service
Fast and accurate service. My book arrived long before expected and it was exactly as advertised. Thank you for excellent customer service!
Published 18 months ago by Kathy R
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great book for die-hard comedy lovers
It couldn't get any better than this - a Q & A book with some of comedy's big players including Carlin, Lewis Black, Greg Giraldo, Matt Stone / Trey Parker and more. Read more
Published 21 months ago by beatlebabe11
4.0 out of 5 stars
Condense, well-edited interviews with great comics
The overwhelming strength of Paul Provenza's Satiristas is the respectful editing of the interviews. Read more
Published 23 months ago by ninjasuperstar
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is how you do a book on comedians
There are three reasons that when it comes time to give a gift to someone who loves good comedy, I get them this book. Read more
Published on February 18, 2011 by T. Wayne
5.0 out of 5 stars
Satiristas is tremendous accomplishment.
Satiristas is a must-own for lovers of comedy. From the sharp mind of Paul Provenza and the sharp eye of Dan Dion we are gifted this landmark comedy undertaking. Read more
Published on January 29, 2011 by Andrew Burnette
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant!
Satiristas is a combination of great humor, fabulous photos, and the personal touch of interviews. Thanks for honoring the many greats who bring laughter and thought provoking... Read more
Published on January 1, 2011 by Neil Young
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly recommended!!!
I think this is an important book-- just in general but especially for anyone even remotely interested in satire, performed or written, comedy, improv, stand-up, theater, or... Read more
Published on October 13, 2010 by Ruth SilveiraSacredFools
5.0 out of 5 stars
The atheists that point to God
I loved this book. I feel like the Double Rainbow Guy: "It's so Beautiful! What does it all Mean?" I loved feeling like I was in the room as bright, funny, worldly people... Read more
Published on October 9, 2010 by Sandra G Duggan
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