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Sick in the Head: Conversations About Life and Comedy Hardcover – June 16, 2015

by Judd Apatow (Author)

212 ratings

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE A.V. CLUB • From the writer and director of Knocked Up and the producer of Freaks and Geeks comes a collection of intimate, hilarious conversations with the biggest names in comedy from the past thirty years—including Mel Brooks, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Roseanne Barr, Harold Ramis, Louis C.K., Chris Rock, and Lena Dunham.

Before becoming one of the most successful filmmakers in Hollywood, Judd Apatow was the original comedy nerd. At fifteen, he took a job washing dishes in a local comedy club—just so he could watch endless stand-up for free. At sixteen, he was hosting a show for his local high school radio station in Syosset, Long Island—a show that consisted of Q&As with his comedy heroes, from Garry Shandling to Jerry Seinfeld. They talked about their careers, the science of a good joke, and their dreams of future glory (turns out, Shandling was interested in having his own TV show one day and Steve Allen had already invented everything).

Thirty years later, Apatow is still that same comedy nerd—and he’s still interviewing funny people about why they do what they do.

Sick in the Head gathers Apatow’s most memorable and revealing conversations into one hilarious, wide-ranging, and incredibly candid collection that spans not only his career but his entire adult life. Here are the comedy legends who inspired and shaped him, from Mel Brooks to Steve Martin. Here are the contemporaries he grew up with in Hollywood, from Spike Jonze to Sarah Silverman. And here, finally, are the brightest stars in comedy today, many of whom Apatow has been fortunate to work with, from Seth Rogen to Amy Schumer. And along the way, something kind of magical happens: What started as a lifetime’s worth of conversations about comedy becomes something else entirely. It becomes an exploration of creativity, ambition, neediness, generosity, spirituality, and the joy that comes from making people laugh.

Loaded with the kind of back-of-the-club stories that comics tell one another when no one else is watching, this fascinating, personal (and borderline-obsessive) book is Judd Apatow’s gift to comedy nerds everywhere.

Praise for Sick in the Head

“I can’t stop reading it. . . . I don’t want this book to end.”—Jimmy Fallon

“An essential for any comedy geek.”—Entertainment Weekly

“Fascinating . . . a collection of interviews with many of the great figures of comedy in the latter half of the twentieth century.”—The Washington Post

“Open this book anywhere, and you’re bound to find some interesting nugget from someone who has had you in stitches many, many times.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“An amazing read, full of insights and connections both creative and interpersonal.”—The New Yorker

“Fascinating and revelatory.”—Chicago Tribune

“For fans of stand-up, Sick in the Head is a Bible of sorts.”—Newsweek

“These are wonderful, expansive interviews—at times brutal, at times breathtaking—with artists whose wit, intelligence, gaze, and insights are all sharp enough to draw blood.”—Michael Chabon

“Anyone even remotely interested in comedy or humanity should own this book. It is hilarious and informative and it contains insightful interviews with the greatest comics, comedians, and comediennes of our time. My representatives assure me I will appear in a future edition.”—Will Ferrell

Editorial Reviews

Review

“I can’t stop reading it. . . . I don’t want this book to end.”—Jimmy Fallon

“An essential for any comedy geek.”—Entertainment Weekly

“Fascinating . . . a collection of interviews with many of the great figures of comedy in the latter half of the twentieth century.”—The Washington Post

“Open this book anywhere, and you’re bound to find some interesting nugget from someone who has had you in stitches many, many times.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“An amazing read, full of insights and connections both creative and interpersonal.”—The New Yorker

“Fascinating and revelatory.”—Chicago Tribune

“For fans of stand-up, Sick in the Head is a Bible of sorts.”—Newsweek

“This exploration of what it really means to be funny, day in and day out, is for the comedian in everyone.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Incandescent . . . an irresistible, ultimate-insider’s comedy-interview extravaganza . . . [Judd] Apatow never loses his unabashed fan’s enthusiasm even as he asks canny questions that yield superbly illuminating conversations rich in shop talk and musings on the lure, demands, and resonance of comedy.”—Booklist (starred review)

“If Apatow’s gift for comedy is a sickness, may he never be cured.”—Playboy

“Sprawling and insightful . . . The candidness of the interviews also exposes the peculiar community of comedians with anecdotes and cameos unlikely to be heard elsewhere. A delightful and hilarious read for anyone interested in what makes comedians tick.”—Kirkus Reviews

“These are wonderful, expansive interviews—at times brutal, at times breathtaking—with artists whose wit, intelligence, gaze, and insights are all sharp enough to draw blood. Judd Apatow understands as well as any of them the pain that holds the knife, and the glee that wields it.”—Michael Chabon

“Anyone even remotely interested in comedy or humanity should own this book. It is hilarious and informative and it contains insightful interviews with the greatest comics, comedians, and comediennes of our time. My representatives assure me I will appear in a future edition.”—Will Ferrell

About the Author

Judd Apatow is one of the most important comic minds of his generation. He wrote and directed the films The 40-Year-Old Virgin (co-written with Steve Carell), Knocked Up, Funny People, and This Is 40, and his producing credits include Superbad, Bridesmaids, and Anchorman. Apatow is the executive producer of HBO’s Girls. He was also the executive producer of Freaks and Geeks, created Undeclared, and co-created the Emmy Award–winning television program The Ben Stiller Show. His latest film is Trainwreck. He was also the editor of the collection I Found This Funny. Judd Apatow lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Leslie Mann, and their two daughters, Maude and Iris.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

David Sedaris
(2016)

David Sedaris is a writer. For the past twenty years, he has been publishing hilarious, poignant collections of personal essays—Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim—and doing epic radio pieces for This American Life that are ideal versions of the form. His material is his life—his family, his walks around the neighborhood, his French lessons—and the most amazing thing about him is that he never fails to make it fresh or meaningful. I can think of very few -writers—in comedy or elsewhere—with better timing or sense of the absurd. When he’s not writing or doing pieces for public radio, David is on tour—massive forty-city tours, thousand--seat venues—and his act consists of walking out onstage, standing at a podium . . . and reading for ninety minutes. He absolutely kills. I’ve never seen anybody do this before.

David doesn’t consider himself a stand-up comedian, because he stands at a podium and reads off of a piece of paper. I didn’t want to say this to him during our interview, but he is a stand--up comedian. That doesn’t mean his essays aren’t brilliant and insightful, and it doesn’t mean he’s not one of my favorite writers. But you take that podium away and force him to memorize his material, and he’s one of the great comedians of our time, or any time.

Judd Apatow: How do you define what you do? Do you think of yourself as a performer or a writer?
David Sedaris: I would never call myself a comedian. I don’t think I’ve ever done stand--up. If I had to try, I really don’t even know what I would do. If you said to me, “You have one month to come up with ten minutes of material,” I honestly don’t think I would be able to do that. I read out loud and I enjoy that. And when I go on tour, there’s usually a question-and-answer session at the end of the reading and I don’t have any papers in front of me, I’m just answering questions. Sometimes at the end of the evening, I’ll think, Oh God, that didn’t go well at all. Those were really bad questions. Then I realize: It’s not the questions, it’s me.

Judd: Yeah.

David: If you’re in the right mood, you can do anything with any question—even if you’ve been asked that question a thousand times. If you’re in the right mood, and you’re feeling comfortable in front of the audience and not too self-conscious, then you go anywhere you want. But I don’t know much about comedy. Every now and then I’ll look at it on YouTube, but I don’t go to comedy clubs. I don’t have anything against laughter or anything. I just think everything I know about comedy I learned from listening to Marc Maron’s podcast.

Judd: When you’re reading in front of an audience, are you reading things that haven’t been published yet? Is this a way to work on them?

David: Yes.

Judd: Your goal, I would assume, is: How funny can I make this? It seems like, in some ways, the process of writing and stand-up is the same, except what you do are more specifically stories. But that’s what most comedians are doing every night, just going onstage and trying to figure out how to make it tighter and funnier.

David: I’m about to start a week’s worth of shows at the Cadogan Hall in London. It’s maybe eight hundred seats. I have eight shows. So I have these stories I’m working on, and I’ll go in and I’ll read them and then I’ll go back at night and I’ll rewrite them. And then the next day—usually, when I’m on tour, I’m taking two planes and then I’m in a car for a couple of hours, and this way, I have all day to work before I go to the next theater in the evening. And that’s what I want. I mean, I made myself laugh today while I was sitting at my desk, and that doesn’t happen too often. I always think that if you make yourself laugh, then it might make the audience laugh. But I’d say, nine times out of ten? No, it’s  just me.

Judd: Does that hurt?

David: It makes me laugh.

Judd: But do you enjoy getting a laugh?

David: It means everything to me. When I’ve gone to other people’s readings and—I’ll go see a poet or I’ll go to a bookstore because a friend’s novel is out. And I hear them get up there and read something serious, and I think, Oh, how can you do that? How do you know people are listening if they’re not laughing? You can feel people drifting away from you when you’re reading a story, or telling a story. But nothing’s better than hearing them laugh. Nothing’s better than that.
Judd: Sometimes when we’re doing a movie that has more drama in it than usual and we’re testing it—showing it to audiences to get their reaction—I always find myself wishing there was a noise people made that let me know a dramatic scene is working. There’s no equivalent to the laugh, as far as knowing if a scene is effective. I have no idea. What’s the noise for that?

David: There is a kind of a wistful sigh that people make when they’re touched. Sometimes at the end of a story, I hear that little noise and I think, Ah, that feels as good to me as a laugh. It’s just a feeling of—I don’t know, if I say it’s a feeling of people being touched, that makes it sound like I make greeting cards. But it’s a little sound that people make, just some air escapes their mouth. It’s very quiet, but if you have a couple thousand people doing that, you can hear it. But just barely.

Judd: What about when you’re writing something that is less comedic? You have stories where you talk about people passing and doing very personal things. Sad things. What is it like to read those aloud?

David: Usually what I do is I have, in advance, an image in my mind that I’m going to think about when I read. So I don’t become emotional. Because that would be the worst. It has happened to me twice—my voice cracked onstage when I was reading something, and, oh my God, I was just so embarrassed. I would have been less embarrassed if I’d shit my pants.

Judd: (Laughs) Why is that? I always found it touching when, you know, Johnny Carson’s voice cracked when he said goodbye at the end of the run of his show.

David: Maybe if it were somebody else, I would find it charming or moving or something. But I don’t know. My dad was in the audience one night and I read something that was about him—it was sort of about him dying but, you know, he’s not dead. He’s in his nineties and he’s still alive. It was about how I hoped to remember him after he was dead. And because he was in the audience and I don’t—we don’t talk in my family. We don’t say things like, “Oh, I love you.” We don’t say stuff like that. So reading this would really be the closest I would ever come. And the word love is not in the entire story. But . . . and he was in the audience and . . . ugh. There was a story I wrote in 2004 that really kind of tore me up when I would read it. And so my boyfriend, Hugh, and I were looking for an apartment at the time in London, and as I was reading the story, I would just wonder what the front door of that apartment would look like. At the very last paragraph, I would just think of that. So I wouldn’t really be there, you know. I mean, of course I would be there reading it, but emotionally I wouldn’t be there. I guess it’s about not wanting to lose control. But I don’t know. It’s all just an illusion?

Judd: When your dad is there, and he’s a guy who doesn’t express himself that way, it seems like a conscious choice to read that on that night when he’s attending. Did he react afterwards in any way?

David: He said that he appreciated it. And I didn’t expect anything more than that. I don’t know that my dad reads anything I write. He pretends to. But if I were him, I wouldn’t read it, either. If someone were to write something about me, I wouldn’t read it. I’d say, Oh well, I know it’s out there. No need to actually sit down and read it.

Judd: It seems like there are different kinds of parents of writers and performers. There are the parents who just soak it up, and then there are the parents who don’t seem like they approve or show interest.

David: We were at dinner one night and I overheard my dad saying to somebody, “Well, David is a better reader than he is a writer.” And I thought, Where did you get that from? Like, I know my dad has a book that he’s read about golf, right? But other than that, I don’t think he’s ever read another book in his life.

Judd: His entire life?

David: He was parroting somebody. But I just thought, Who says that? My dad gets a double dose because I have a sister, Amy, who is an actress, but he likes the attention. He likes the attention, but the couple times I have had to go on TV—like, if a book comes out and I have to go on TV, I’m just not comfortable. There are some hosts who make it easy, like Jon Stewart. He’s really nice. And Jimmy Kimmel comes into the dressing room and sets you at ease. He says, “Hey, we’re just gonna go out there and have fun, so don’t feel too much pressure.” You know? It helps a lot. If you’re not an actor, it makes a big difference. And every time I’ve ever gone on television, I go back to the hotel and the phone rings and it’s my father. “You looked terrible. I can’t believe—white socks? You went on television wearing white socks? That jacket doesn’t fit you. You look like a goddamn clown.” But when Amy goes on TV, it’s different. She gets home and the phone rings: “I didn’t laugh once.” He gets off on it but at the same time, he—

Judd: But is that his love language, in some way?

David: I don’t know.

Judd: But your mom was the opposite, right?

David: She died before things started happening for me. I think I got my first book contract a year and a half after she died.

Judd: So she didn’t see any of that part of your life?

David: No. But you know, I would be in this play in New York—and it was just a play. It was like monologues based on some stories that I had written. This was the year before she died, and she sent me a check for a thousand dollars. I mean, that was huge. That was a huge amount of money to me. And I didn’t ask her for it. She was really good that way. She didn’t make you ask. But she wasn’t a big reader, either. She would read Harold Robbins novels and beach books every now and then. But this whole sense of my dad’s judgment doesn’t mean anything. It sounds bad, but it doesn’t mean anything to me. You know what I mean? Because he doesn’t read. He doesn’t have anything to compare my writing to. I mean, it’s nice if he likes something I write, but it doesn’t—I feel bad for people whose parents were writers. Or people whose parents were big readers. I feel bad for them. The last thing you want is a father saying, “That reminds me a little bit too much of that Philip Roth novel.” That’s the last thing you want to hear from a parent. So I’m fine with having parents who don’t understand what I do. My mom was generally supportive of whatever artistic endeavors my siblings and I were interested in. I really consider myself so lucky to have had the parents I did, but my entire career is based on taking whatever advice my father has ever given me and doing exactly the opposite. It has all gone in opposition to him. If he had been supportive and encouraging and said, “Let me read the first draft,” then I would be nothing.

Judd: It’s like you got the best of both worlds. You got the supportive mom and the dad you rebel against by trying to prove him wrong.

David: It’s the perfect combination. I think if you have two discouraging parents, that might be too much. And if you have two supportive parents, that might be too much, too.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Random House; First Edition (June 16, 2015)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0812997573
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0812997576
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.8 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.26 x 9.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #786,051 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,063 in Comedy (Books)
- #6,525 in Fiction Satire
- #6,740 in Performing Arts (Books)

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Judd Apatow

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Judd Apatow (/ˈæpətaʊ/; born December 6, 1967) is an American producer, writer, director, actor, and comedian. He is the founder of Apatow Productions, through which he produced and developed the cult television series Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, and Girls and directed and produced The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Knocked Up (2007), This Is 40 (2012), and Trainwreck (2015).

Apatow's work has won numerous awards including a Primetime Emmy Award (for The Ben Stiller Show), a Hollywood Comedy Award, and an AFI Award for Bridesmaids (2011). His films have also been nominated for Grammy Awards, PGA Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Academy Awards. In 2007, he was ranked No. 1 on Entertainment Weekly's The 50 Smartest People in Hollywood. He is considered a pioneer of the modern film genre bromantic comedy.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by David Shankbone (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and entertaining, with many laughing out loud while reading. The book features amazing interviews with comedians, and one customer particularly appreciates the candor between Judd Apatow and his interview subjects. Customers value the book's insight and fascinating insider look at the comedy world, and consider it a great gift for comedy lovers.

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Readability Humor Interview quality Insight Look Gift value

37 customers mention "Readability"31 positive6 negative

Customers find the book well written and often wonderful.

"...SOOOOOOO GREAT. And of course the catchphrase -- WELL EXCUSE ME...." Read more

"...little under 4 hours and I still have a long way to go, but so far, it's awesome...." Read more

"...BUT I really enjoyed this book. Hearing how Jerry Seinfeld fine tunes a joke is fascinating, for example...." Read more

"It was an okay read. The interviews that he does were well down; however, not very entertaining...." Read more

31 customers mention "Humor"28 positive3 negative

Customers find the book humorous, with several mentioning they loved laughing out loud, and one noting how the excitement of comedy oozes through the pages.

"...He put the truth about his life in his work. Truth is important in comedy and Judd talks about that in everything he has done...." Read more

"...His love and excitement of comedy oozes through and makes it very exciting to read...." Read more

"...Judd definitely allows us into his life and it's entertaining and interesting. Each chapter is about one celebrity...." Read more

"...I enjoyed the introduction and the first interview with Jerry Seinfeld and the second interview with Adam Sandler..." Read more

21 customers mention "Interview quality"21 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the interviews in the book, particularly the amazing conversations with comedians, with one customer noting the candor between Judd Apatow and his guests.

"...It tells the story of some of the greatest comedy minds of our time in interviews with a 15-year-old Judd Apatow...." Read more

"...It's a must have for any comedy fan. I'm not just saying that cause I think Judd might read this and offer me a walk-on in his next movie...." Read more

"...He gives us a peek into their lives, like when he talks of showing up at Jerry Seinfeld's apartment, before he had a hit TV show and seeing a..." Read more

"...I'm glad for every single thing I didn't get." Great interview question: Judd asks, "Who's voice is in your head that's..." Read more

10 customers mention "Insight"10 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insights, with one customer noting it provides a great behind-the-scenes look at Judd's life and career.

"...an interesting memoir in of itself, but this is one of the great behind the scenes, how it's done, tell alls you're likely to find dealing with the..." Read more

"...There is dazzling variety here and lots of food for thought and oodles of magic and charm. A classic." Read more

"Interesting concept Apatow manages to throw himself into most of the interviews which diminishes the quality of interview...." Read more

"Amazing interviews with comedians, talking about life, the industry, the process, everything!..." Read more

5 customers mention "Look"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's look, with one describing it as a fascinating insider look at the world of comedy.

"...variety here and lots of food for thought and oodles of magic and charm. A classic." Read more

"spectacular view of a world we whites have no idea about...." Read more

"Great gift and read for former amateur comedian friends. Interesting look at the unique world of the onstage and on camera funny men and women." Read more

"...A close look from the inside to how hard people really work that are successful. Judd's stories are funny, touching and real." Read more

3 customers mention "Gift value"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book makes a great gift, with one mentioning it's particularly suitable for comedy lovers.

"Great gift and read for former amateur comedian friends. Interesting look at the unique world of the onstage and on camera funny men and women." Read more

"Makes a great gift!" Read more

"One of my personal favorite reads and a great gift for any comedy lovers..." Read more

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Arnie DiGeorge @ R&R Partners
I WANTED TO BE ON SNL
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2015
Verified Purchase

When I was a kid I used to get up in front of the class and read sections of romance books. I would do a dramatic reading to be funny. I would start it as a straight reading of what was on the page then I would add things and change things once I got into it. I thought it was impressive improv. I thought I was hilarious and got a ton of laughs in class. I was very much like Judd in that I thought someday I would write for SNL and I would be on TV. Now I write advertising and I am not on TV. I had no idea how to get there. And I was an egotistical kid like I am today at 53 (slightly less egotistical) so I thought it would all just fall in my smart-ass lap. Nothing ever falls in your smart-ass lap. Nothing ever falls in your lap period unless you make it rain in the strip club. (Although there are great comedy moments where the girl falls in some guy's lap because the roof gives or something - I think there is one is Blazing Saddles.) Everything takes incredible work in order to succeed and some obsession as well. I realize that from what it took to get any kind of success at advertising. Crazy crazy work. That is what this book is really about. I wish I had it to read when I was a kid. It tells the story of some of the greatest comedy minds of our time in interviews with a 15-year-old Judd Apatow. The same Judd Apatow who writes and directs the great comedies like the 40 Year-Old Virgin and just recently TRAINWRECK. He was not only obsessed at a young age but immersed himself in comedy and comedy greats to an almost stalkerish insanity. For me this was a joy because I idolized all these people and often wish I could get my sense of humor back at times. I see it sparsely now like a shoe I trip over every once in a while. "Oh crap, I MIGHT have been funny at some point. Look at that. I should pick that up before I start laughing."

The book really took me back to the days of experimentation in comedy. The genius that Albert Brooks was doing on the Tonight Show with his crazy inventions. How Adam Sandler used to do the phony phone calls. I remember I used to entertain Angelica (daughter) when she was young by screwing with the people who would call the house wanting to give me a loan. I would say, "Can I get enough to build something in my backyard? They would say, "Sure". Then I would go, "I want to build a hotel. Not a big one. A boutique hotel. You know the pretentious kind. I want to call it LA CASITA. I'll need about $10 million give or take because I will need a water feature of some kind to bring people in." Amazing how long they would stay on the phone. I had someone on there for 20 minutes or so. Jim Carey and Andy Kaufman would do bits that only made you laugh because you just couldn't figure out what the hell was going on. I LOVED anything like that. Anything that looked new. Anything that was surprising and innovative. I still love that today in advertising. ANYTHING THAT NO ONE HAS DONE AND NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DO.

Judd and others talk a lot about their parents being divorced and how it might have made them who they are in a way. My parents stayed together. I will blame them for me not getting on SNL. I am already blaming them for a weird mole I have on the back of my ear and my asthma. I think my failure to get on SNL is also their fault. Well there is still time for them to split up.

There is a lot here about standup and how comics work their craft. Some keep refining the same act for a long time like Seinfeld and others go for something new over and over. Chris Rock is probably the hardest working man in comedy. When you watch his act it looks so effortless. There is nothing effortless about Chris Rock. I had no idea how hard he works at it and I love how he browbeats other comics with his work ethic. And, of course, Pryor. Everyone in the comedy business worships Richard Pryor. I love how they talk about his shows when he was sick and how he took his experience and put that in his act. He put the truth about his life in his work. Truth is important in comedy and Judd talks about that in everything he has done. Even in advertising it is the most powerful thing you can have as a brand -- TRUTH.

I think my first concert was Steve Martin in Las Vegas. It was in the Aladdin Center for the Performing Arts. Weird name for a Vegas showroom. Usually they have names like THE COPA ROOM or something that goes with the theme like THE COLOSSEUM AT CAESARS or the BIG TOP at CIRCUS CIRCUS or the WYNN SHOWROOM at WYNN. At WYNN it's all about WYNN. Steve Martin did a bit with a dime that basically made fun of the fact that you couldn't see the dime from where I was sitting. SOOOOOOO GREAT. And of course the catchphrase -- WELL EXCUSE ME. Obviously in advertising we like catchphrases -- like ours -- WHAT HAPPENS HERE, STAYS HERE.

If you love comedy like I do...you will love the book... And if you were ever that guy or girl who thought they were funny...blame your parents for staying together.

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Geno Vicario
Comedy, Comedy, Comedy!!!
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2015
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I've only had the book for a little under 4 hours and I still have a long way to go, but so far, it's awesome. I never tire of hearing/reading people talk about comedy and Judd's got 520 pages worth of that. His love and excitement of comedy oozes through and makes it very exciting to read. I have to admit, after about 25 pages I couldn't resist skipping all the way to the Steve Martin interview at the very end. There's no way I could've waited until Christmas to get there. (I read pretty slow)
All in all, it's jam-packed with an insane amount of interviews ranging from the early 1980's to present day. It's a must have for any comedy fan. I'm not just saying that cause I think Judd might read this and offer me a walk-on in his next movie. Nor am I saying it because it's 4am and I'm delirious. I'm saying this because it's true and it's 4am and I want to be in a movie. Ok, I'm done. Buy the book, you won't regret it. Plus the Kindle version comes with a balloon.

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Shan A
Judd gives good insight into his & other's perspectives
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2015
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Judd Apatow graciously shares his interactions with some of the most notable, often funniest comedians and celebrities of our day. He gives us a peek into their lives, like when he talks of showing up at Jerry Seinfeld's apartment, before he had a hit TV show and seeing a flicker of disappointment when Jerry realized it was merely a young kid doing the interview. Judd definitely allows us into his life and it's entertaining and interesting.
Each chapter is about one celebrity. Think of it like a season of Law & Order. The season is great but each episode can stand alone magnificently.
I have really enjoyed this read so much so I'd check out his other literary endeavors.

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Lynne M. Spreen
Full of Life Lessons, Wisdom, and Humor
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2015
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This is a goldmine of conversations between Judd Apatow and successful people in the entertainment industry (mostly comedians). I enjoyed seeing how decent and hard-working the majority were. How much they slaved to get to where they are. How smart they are. Some of it resonated for me as a writer, to see how another creative person works.

What I liked the least: when interviewees recited their job histories.

What I liked the most: when they spoke about the bigger issues about life. Here are a few examples.

Harold Ramis: "...you’re famous. Now what? Now it becomes a measure of character, growth, and development. Who do you want to be from that point on?...Growth is hard...When you’re almost sixty years old there’s got to be something more going on. What are the challenges of being a grown-up in the world?" (Lynne: I loved this, because I'm all about rethinking things when you're around 50, 60, and older).

Jerry Seinfeld on being a dad: "...my son (insulted me) even worse than that. We were making up words as a game at dinner one night and I said, 'You know, I've made up a lot of words that people actually use as words.' And my son said, 'Uh, really, like what? UNFUNNY?'"

Larry Gelbart: "I don’t worry about what (the audience will) get. I write for myself on the assumption that there are a number of people who have similar sensibilities and will appreciate what it is..."

Lena Dunham: "There are always people telling you that your experience doesn’t matter, that it’s navel gazing or unnecessary. 'We don’t need to hear about twentysomething girls who feel like they’re ten pounds overweight. We don’t need to hear about forty-year-olds getting divorced.' But we do need to hear it, because...it can be the difference between someone feeling like they have a place in the world and someone feeling they don’t." (Lynne: I write for people who are 60-something, so thank you for the validation, Lena.)

Louis C.K. on not being chosen for gigs: "I'm glad I didn't get it. I'm glad for every single thing I didn't get."

Great interview question: Judd asks, "Who's voice is in your head that's wise?"

Mike Nichols: every scene is either a fight, a seduction, or a negotiation.

Judd: "When your parents behave in ways that make you feel unsafe, you think, 'Oh, I guess I’m in charge of myself.' And when you’re fourteen, that’s not a great thing. It kind of never goes away. As a producer, I’m always assuming things are going to crash and I’m trying to figure out what could go wrong before it happens. It’s helpful for work. But it’s a terrible way to live your life." (Lynne: amen, brother.)

I could go on, but you get the idea. I think Judd Apatow poured his considerable heart and soul into this book, and I recommend it.

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LG
bon livre
Reviewed in France on June 5, 2018
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Livre intéressant que j'ai beaucoup aimé. Je le recommande sans hésitation, ce livre est amusant et très plaisant à lire.

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Aida B
love it!
Reviewed in Spain on December 2, 2015
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great great great great great great great great great!! Judd Apatow is amazing as always! you should read this! GO JUDD!!

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Dawson85
giod book
Reviewed in Canada on July 21, 2024
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wife enjoyed the read

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Sonja Obradovic
Relatable & Meaningful
Reviewed in Canada on July 28, 2015
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This book is a series of interviews performed by Judd Apatow through the years. The earliest dating back to 1983, Apatow showcases a more relatable side to comedians that we may not have seen before. I did not buy this book with the expectation of it being funny, but rather with the intent to learn. There are funny interviews and funny moments, but the point of the book is to relate and understand those who are in the spotlight. This book features interviews with current big-name comedians and actors, such as Amy Schumer and Key & Peele, along with some legends, such as Jerry Seinfeld and James L. Brooks.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone, because I feel that these people have great advice to give and it's hard to not see yourself in any of their descriptions of themselves and their lives.
As well, this book is definitely something that people could read more than once or twice. Depending on your stage in life or what you happen to be going through, these interviews could mean more to you at any given point in time, depending on your life circumstances.

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Peter mcwhirter
The product was fine and arrived on time
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 17, 2018
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The product was fine and arrived on time, the only problem was that it came without the dust cover.

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Sick in the Head: Conversations About Life and Comedy Hardcover – June 16, 2015

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5.0 out of 5 stars I WANTED TO BE ON SNL

5.0 out of 5 stars Comedy, Comedy, Comedy!!!

4.0 out of 5 stars Judd gives good insight into his & other's perspectives

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of Life Lessons, Wisdom, and Humor

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars bon livre

5.0 out of 5 stars love it!

5.0 out of 5 stars giod book

5.0 out of 5 stars Relatable & Meaningful

4.0 out of 5 stars The product was fine and arrived on time

I WANTED TO BE ON SNL

Comedy, Comedy, Comedy!!!

Judd gives good insight into his & other's perspectives

Full of Life Lessons, Wisdom, and Humor

bon livre

love it!

giod book

Relatable & Meaningful

The product was fine and arrived on time