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on June 7, 2014
Fred Stoller is the actor you know from countless shows but still don't recognize. His persona is created from his real-life personality where people say to him "Don't be so pathetic" 'when I had no idea I was being that.' He veered out of acting at one stage to write scripts for Seinfeld.
As a Seinfeld fan, I imagined each storyboard meeting would have been a great round table discussion with everyone laughing and bouncing ideas off each other. For Stoller at least, it wasn't like that. His account of working on Seinfeld is illuminating for any fan, particularly when you recognize the episodes he wrote, and the inspiration behind them. Once you recognize his brief acting stint on Seinfeld, the story will resonate more clearly with you.
As a Seinfeld fan, I imagined each storyboard meeting would have been a great round table discussion with everyone laughing and bouncing ideas off each other. For Stoller at least, it wasn't like that. His account of working on Seinfeld is illuminating for any fan, particularly when you recognize the episodes he wrote, and the inspiration behind them. Once you recognize his brief acting stint on Seinfeld, the story will resonate more clearly with you.
on July 21, 2015
Fred's description of his writing experience on the Seinfeld staff is a great read. It's interesting to see how he deals with the diverse personalities of his fellow writers, who are funny only part-time. Fred's interest in acting trumps his interest in writing and gives him something to fall back on. In a lot of ways, his experience sounds like the experience that a lot of us have in our daily jobs. It's just that he's doing it with well-known, recognizable others. If you have a minute (really...it's a quick read), give this one a try. You'll laugh, and you won't waste a lot of time.
on November 26, 2016
I got this as a freebie one day, and it languished unread on my tablet for months. At last I dusted it off in a desperate attempt to procrastinate packing for an international trip. As soon as I finished this hors d'oeuvre, I bought the full meal, i.e. "Maybe We'll Have You Back." I also tweeted at Fred begging for more. I loved this tiny but richly detailed glimpse into a unique career.
on June 25, 2012
You know Fred Stoller. If you see his picture, you'll recognize him as a guest character, or recurring character from many of your favorite sitcoms. If you hear his voice, you'll recognize it right away (so will your children. He's done quite a few cartoon voices, and appears on many of today's top kids shows.)
I've always been very interested in the world of standup comedy, and always dreamed of sitting at a table full of comedy writers, throwing around ideas. Apparently, it's not as "fun" as I thought it might be.....lol. Not when your income depends on it, and there's pressure, competition, and you're constantly in fear of losing your job. Like every other job, there's a bit of sabotage, condescending superiors, the "in" crowd.....etc.
Fred is an interesting guy. Very talented and unique. He's done an amazing amount of great work, yet remains anxious and insecure...... and still wants the "big break". I for one, think that break is long overdue. This guy should be a regular on a comedy series, should be a regular on the talk show circuit, should be in some major comedy films.....etc.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading his story.
I've always been very interested in the world of standup comedy, and always dreamed of sitting at a table full of comedy writers, throwing around ideas. Apparently, it's not as "fun" as I thought it might be.....lol. Not when your income depends on it, and there's pressure, competition, and you're constantly in fear of losing your job. Like every other job, there's a bit of sabotage, condescending superiors, the "in" crowd.....etc.
Fred is an interesting guy. Very talented and unique. He's done an amazing amount of great work, yet remains anxious and insecure...... and still wants the "big break". I for one, think that break is long overdue. This guy should be a regular on a comedy series, should be a regular on the talk show circuit, should be in some major comedy films.....etc.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading his story.
on July 29, 2013
I don't want to write much but I'll say that after reading this I 'm actually torn about whether or not I like Seinfeld/Davids anymore. I still think they're tremendous comedians but now it's tempered with the realisation that off stage they are much more demanding than you would think. I guess I always thought their comedy would be just as fun to make as it is to watch. turns out, there's a lot more behind the scenes grinding & scrapping & fighting to make the comedy that you thought was just a bunch of dudes just goofing off & then filming whatever they found funny.
on March 3, 2012
Written by "that-guy" character actor Fred Stoller, My Seinfeld Year focusies on Stoller's year-long gig as a staff writer on Seinfeld (on which he later guest-starred).
It's a neat look behind the scenes of a classic television show (especially hearing how episodes or story arcs came out of real life experiences), and Stoller did make me laugh a few times, but it's clear he made the right choice following the acting path over the writing one...
It's a neat look behind the scenes of a classic television show (especially hearing how episodes or story arcs came out of real life experiences), and Stoller did make me laugh a few times, but it's clear he made the right choice following the acting path over the writing one...
on January 29, 2012
Fred Stoller is one of those actors that has you saying "what else have I seen him in". His IMDB profile lists 94 separate acting titles, from Wizards of Waverly Place to Everybody Loves Raymond. Fred typically plays lovable losers, and in interviews, suggests that this persona isn't far off the real Fred Stoller, a guy who wanted to be exactly who he is, the character actor you've seen 100 times, but never learned his name.
In My Seinfeld Year, Fred Stoller describes what it is like being a staff writer on arguably one of the top 10 sitcoms of all time. Stoller details the trials and tribulations of trying to be recognized and push forward his ideas in the cutthroat world of Hollywood, trying to mine his own rather uneventful life for material to write about, and ultimately ending the season knowing he'd be looking for work.
What comes across is a nice behind the scenes look at the show that offers a fresh perspective on Larry David, and what's it's like to be a nice, unpushy guy in a world where those people cannot possibly succeed. Fred's book makes you like Fred the man, and want to hear of his stories on the sidelines of Hollywood.
At the price, highly recommended if you're a Seinfeld fan. Hopefully Fred can turn this into one chapter of an autobiography.
In My Seinfeld Year, Fred Stoller describes what it is like being a staff writer on arguably one of the top 10 sitcoms of all time. Stoller details the trials and tribulations of trying to be recognized and push forward his ideas in the cutthroat world of Hollywood, trying to mine his own rather uneventful life for material to write about, and ultimately ending the season knowing he'd be looking for work.
What comes across is a nice behind the scenes look at the show that offers a fresh perspective on Larry David, and what's it's like to be a nice, unpushy guy in a world where those people cannot possibly succeed. Fred's book makes you like Fred the man, and want to hear of his stories on the sidelines of Hollywood.
At the price, highly recommended if you're a Seinfeld fan. Hopefully Fred can turn this into one chapter of an autobiography.
on January 31, 2012
I had often wondered about this gifted character actor. His appearance on Seinfeld is one of the most memorable because he was so beleivable as one of the few men on the show who wasn't smitten by Elaine. Stoller's honesty really shines through in his prose. How refreshing it is to hear someone freely admit to sucking up to the boss. The writing makes you feel like you're having a comfortable conversation with an old friend about the real story behind the scenes of the most iconoclastic sitcom in television history. Larry David had to be beaming after Stoller's candid portrayal of David's ruthless comedic genius. It simply confirmed what we all know...great comedy that looks effortless is extremely hard to create.
I hope Fred keeps writing.
I hope Fred keeps writing.
on June 25, 2012
I bought this Kindle single just based on the title and description (being a big Seinfeld fan), not knowing who Fred Stoller was. I couldn't remember the Seinfeld episode he appeared in, so I looked him up and recognized him as one of those people you know as "that guy." As in, that guy who you keep seeing in guest roles in various TV shows and movies. The book gives a bit of background on Fred's early life and his career as a stand-up comic, which helps set the stage for the main event. I found the behind-the-scenes glimpse into Seinfeld to be fascinating, where the atmosphere was competitive and writers worked alone, not even wanting to share ideas. As some reviewers have mentioned, it's not a "funny" book, as in, I wasn't laughing out loud as I read it. But I don't think this was meant to be taken like a stand-up comedy routine. As a short entertaining and informative read, I feel I got my money's worth. I'd recommend it to Seinfeld fans, or to anyone who's interested in behind-the-scenes info on the entertainment industry.
