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Not Funny: Essays on Life, Comedy, Culture, Et Cetera
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Humor (2023)For fans of the perceptive comedy of Hannah Gadsby, Lindy West, and Sarah Silverman, Academy Award–nominated and acclaimed stand-up comedian Jena Friedman presents a witty and insightful collection of essays on the cultural flashpoints of today.
Growing up, Jena Friedman didn’t care about being likable. And she never wanted to be a comedian, either. A child of the 90s, she wouldn’t discover her knack for the funny business until research for her college thesis led her to take an improv class in Chicago.
That anthropology paper, written on race, class, and gender in the city’s comedy scene, was, in Jena’s own words, “just as funny as it sounds.” But it did lay the groundwork for a career that has seen her write and produce for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart , the Late Show with David Letterman , and the Oscar nominated Borat Subsequent Moviefilm .
Friedman’s debut collection, Not Funny , takes on the third rails of modern life in Jena’s bold and subversive style, with essays that explore cancel culture, sexism, work, celebrity worship, and…dead baby jokes.
In a moment where women’s rights are being rolled back, fascism is on the rise, and so many of us could use a breather as we struggle to get by, Jena applies her unique gifts to pull a laugh from things deemed too raw, too precious, and too scary to joke about. She shares her stories of taking on those who told her she was too brash, too edgy, and too “unlikable” to make it. She deftly dissects how we get coerced into silence on the issues that matter most, until they’ve gone too far afield to be turned back around again. And she shares her struggles to make it (-ish) in a world that, more often than not, would rather tune out than listen to a woman confronting the indignities we’ve been told to bear.
Growing up, Jena Friedman didn’t care about being likable. And she never wanted to be a comedian, either. A child of the 90s, she wouldn’t discover her knack for the funny business until research for her college thesis led her to take an improv class in Chicago.
That anthropology paper, written on race, class, and gender in the city’s comedy scene, was, in Jena’s own words, “just as funny as it sounds.” But it did lay the groundwork for a career that has seen her write and produce for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart , the Late Show with David Letterman , and the Oscar nominated Borat Subsequent Moviefilm .
Friedman’s debut collection, Not Funny , takes on the third rails of modern life in Jena’s bold and subversive style, with essays that explore cancel culture, sexism, work, celebrity worship, and…dead baby jokes.
In a moment where women’s rights are being rolled back, fascism is on the rise, and so many of us could use a breather as we struggle to get by, Jena applies her unique gifts to pull a laugh from things deemed too raw, too precious, and too scary to joke about. She shares her stories of taking on those who told her she was too brash, too edgy, and too “unlikable” to make it. She deftly dissects how we get coerced into silence on the issues that matter most, until they’ve gone too far afield to be turned back around again. And she shares her struggles to make it (-ish) in a world that, more often than not, would rather tune out than listen to a woman confronting the indignities we’ve been told to bear.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published April 18, 2023
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April 17, 2023Years ago I used to do copy-edit and retyping for people who could afford to have that grinding work done for them. Mostly non-writers. Two of these projects were memoirs by male comedians. They ended up being far less funny than angry. When this came up at NetGalley I thought, ooh, that rare bird, a female comedian. This should be interesting, and light-hearted reading late at night. I should have known better!
There's a lot of anger underneath these various essays, which are less funny than enlightening about the tough uphill climb for women in comedy. Enlightening and hard-hitting as Friedman tackles not only the unfunny questions female comedians get, but she takes on the tough road for female actors being cast in male-gazey films by male filmmakers (sex scenes, skin scenes). She gets into #MeToo, a subject that no one articulated during the years I worked under the glass ceiling in the film industry, but wow did that subject saturate the air. And there are women-adjacent subjects such as dead baby jokes, and suchlike, which I don't find even remotely funny.
These essays are unflinching, very political, and convey a straightforward view of what it was like for this woman to make her way into the strange world of comedy. Funny? Look at the title; though she snaps off the occasional great line, you're not going to chuckle your way through this book.
There's a lot of anger underneath these various essays, which are less funny than enlightening about the tough uphill climb for women in comedy. Enlightening and hard-hitting as Friedman tackles not only the unfunny questions female comedians get, but she takes on the tough road for female actors being cast in male-gazey films by male filmmakers (sex scenes, skin scenes). She gets into #MeToo, a subject that no one articulated during the years I worked under the glass ceiling in the film industry, but wow did that subject saturate the air. And there are women-adjacent subjects such as dead baby jokes, and suchlike, which I don't find even remotely funny.
These essays are unflinching, very political, and convey a straightforward view of what it was like for this woman to make her way into the strange world of comedy. Funny? Look at the title; though she snaps off the occasional great line, you're not going to chuckle your way through this book.
April 20, 2023
This book was so good. It was such a five star book that I went back and changed a different five star rating to 4 stars because I was reading this and thought “now this is what reading a five star book feels like”
September 27, 2022
Friedman is a comic who has experienced all sorts of misogyny in the stand-up world. This is black humor at its finest - the darkness apparent in the "dead baby jokes" Friedman writes about in one essay. It's also a skewering of this industry/profession and illustrates the need to do better - not just in the comedy world but in society in general. A must-read for feminists and those who enjoy Lindy West and Roxane Gay.
January 12, 2023
I'll be honest, I wasn't familiar with Jena Friedman before reading this book, but I was intrigued by the book summary, so I went into it expecting to laugh and enjoy a comedic-themed essay collection, but I got so much more. Friedman is a whip smart feminist that is well spoken on topics like abortion, privilege, discrimination, and more. She's found really clever ways to weave important hot button issues into her comedy and writing and I found myself nodding and wholeheartedly agreeing with her all the way through. I breezed through this collection of essays and found it hard to put down. If you like The Daily Show, chances are high you're going to enjoy this book.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2023
Just finished Not Funny - the chapter where she interviewed male comedians with questions that female comedians have gotten in the past was the best part. Overall, it got me curious about her work - I often feel like comedians (more specifically, male comedians) are just doing comedy because it’s fun for them, but Jena’s making social change through a comedic lens. Cool!
November 23, 2023
DNF / abandoned p 76. Average comedian memoir-in-essays. Author seems like a cool, smart, funny person. The prose lacks style.
December 23, 2022
If you pick up Academy Award nominee Jena Friedman's "Not Funny: Essays on Life, Comedy, Culture, Et Cetera" solely because you expect the book to be yet another hilarious collection of essays written by an American comedian, there's a pretty good chance you'll be at least a little disappointed.
This isn't because "Not Funny" isn't funny. "Not Funny" is funny. However, if you know truly know Friedman's work then you already know that Friedman seldom stops at funny.
"Not Funny" definitely doesn't stop at funny as Friedman's essays on life, comedy, and culture tackle everything from reproductive rights to gender, privilege, class, #MeToo, and the world of celebrity culture. Hilarious, uncompromising, occasionally squirm-inducing, and remarkably honest, "Not Funny" is fierce, bold, and uniquely thought-provoking.
In 2020, Friedman picked up an Academy Award nomination for her screenplay work on Borat Subsequent MovieFilm. It's the latest accolade for the acclaimed standup comedian and writer who seems as much at ease whether working on or offstage. She appeared in the Sundance flick "Palm Springs," a must-see if you haven't, and her latest comedy special "Ladykiller" premiered on Peacock in September 2022 with the then pregnant Friedman delivering some of her finest, most pointed humor and insights to date with a relentless yet compelling fury that will likely offend those who deserve to be offended.
While "Not Funny" has its share of humor, Friedman is perhaps at her very best when sharing her experiences in the comedy world that range from inspirational to the downright misogynistic. Friedman's writing is often so introspective that "Not Funny" carries with it an emotional resonance that makes even her darkest humor land and her most biting commentary 100% penetrate. By the end of "Not Funny," I truthfully didn't know whether I should laugh or cry.
The truth is that I did both in abundance throughout "Not Funny."
This isn't because "Not Funny" isn't funny. "Not Funny" is funny. However, if you know truly know Friedman's work then you already know that Friedman seldom stops at funny.
"Not Funny" definitely doesn't stop at funny as Friedman's essays on life, comedy, and culture tackle everything from reproductive rights to gender, privilege, class, #MeToo, and the world of celebrity culture. Hilarious, uncompromising, occasionally squirm-inducing, and remarkably honest, "Not Funny" is fierce, bold, and uniquely thought-provoking.
In 2020, Friedman picked up an Academy Award nomination for her screenplay work on Borat Subsequent MovieFilm. It's the latest accolade for the acclaimed standup comedian and writer who seems as much at ease whether working on or offstage. She appeared in the Sundance flick "Palm Springs," a must-see if you haven't, and her latest comedy special "Ladykiller" premiered on Peacock in September 2022 with the then pregnant Friedman delivering some of her finest, most pointed humor and insights to date with a relentless yet compelling fury that will likely offend those who deserve to be offended.
While "Not Funny" has its share of humor, Friedman is perhaps at her very best when sharing her experiences in the comedy world that range from inspirational to the downright misogynistic. Friedman's writing is often so introspective that "Not Funny" carries with it an emotional resonance that makes even her darkest humor land and her most biting commentary 100% penetrate. By the end of "Not Funny," I truthfully didn't know whether I should laugh or cry.
The truth is that I did both in abundance throughout "Not Funny."
July 30, 2023
This essay collection totally took me off guard. Jena is not someone I knew anything about. She is unapologetically anti-Trump and pro-choice and it’s endearing just how unwilling she is to pretend to be anyone else. I really enjoyed learning about what it’s like working in comedy, and considering what it actually is like working in a field where there is no HR. I loved the audiobook and would recommend it!
May 19, 2023
I saw her on Colbert's show. I didn't really know or recognize her, but I thought I'd give the book a try when I saw it was available through my library.
Someone else marked this book as humor which I didn't really pick up on. It seems to me more her journey (and therefore, a partially how-to) of breaking into comedy. It isn't easy and it generally won't pay the bills.
A lot of name dropping. Valid points.
Someone else marked this book as humor which I didn't really pick up on. It seems to me more her journey (and therefore, a partially how-to) of breaking into comedy. It isn't easy and it generally won't pay the bills.
A lot of name dropping. Valid points.
April 11, 2023
Jena has been all over my TikTok FYP, so when I saw that she had a book coming up, I jumped at the chance to read it and see if it would be a good fit for my wee store.
This book, despite the title, includes funny and frank discussions about comedy, the misogyny she's experienced, the infuriation of being asked about the bad behavior of men in her industry more than anything else, about privilege, and about using comedy in an overtly political way. She proves that comedy can be edge and actually not harmful or punching down. (For example, I used to think comedians should never have material about rape, but I just needed some women to add some material.) Not Funny is part memoir, part social commentary. She talks about her journey to now, with a background in improv, working on The Daily Show, working in standup. She also does some straightforward grappling with having had a good relationship with someone who later was fired for allegations against them (Jeff Garlin).
A great companion to the documentary Hysterical on Hulu, this is a must-read for anyone interested in comedy or supporting comedians.
cw: sexual assault/harassment, rape, abortion, racism, statutory/CSA, misogyny
This book, despite the title, includes funny and frank discussions about comedy, the misogyny she's experienced, the infuriation of being asked about the bad behavior of men in her industry more than anything else, about privilege, and about using comedy in an overtly political way. She proves that comedy can be edge and actually not harmful or punching down. (For example, I used to think comedians should never have material about rape, but I just needed some women to add some material.) Not Funny is part memoir, part social commentary. She talks about her journey to now, with a background in improv, working on The Daily Show, working in standup. She also does some straightforward grappling with having had a good relationship with someone who later was fired for allegations against them (Jeff Garlin).
A great companion to the documentary Hysterical on Hulu, this is a must-read for anyone interested in comedy or supporting comedians.
cw: sexual assault/harassment, rape, abortion, racism, statutory/CSA, misogyny
November 29, 2023
Funny.
December 11, 2023
Started it, couldn’t finish. Not my jam I guess?
August 27, 2023
The "Brief Interviews with Hilarious Men" essay alone is worth the price of admission.
April 29, 2023
I’d call this closest to a memoir in content and some of her background is interesting so if you’re a Friedman fan, go for it, but I think it falls into the too-young-to-write-a-memoir trap and know that there isn’t anything on “Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm” due to NDA restrictions.
May 4, 2023
If she was trying to be funny at all in the first five minutes of the book she wasn’t. Then she went into politics. I don’t think “ entertainers “ realize that when people are trying to escape and look for something funny to read, they don’t need to read about politics. We don’t need to know your opinion. We don’t care what you think about partisan issues. You are supposed to make us laugh. After all, you are a comedian? Don’t waste your time with this book. It spews ignorance and hate and rarely makes you laugh.
April 27, 2023
An important read for men in creative industries
There are important lessons in here for men in male-dominated spaces. Jena is able to teach them through whip-smart humor and entertaining industry anecdotes. Really glad I read this book.
There are important lessons in here for men in male-dominated spaces. Jena is able to teach them through whip-smart humor and entertaining industry anecdotes. Really glad I read this book.
December 21, 2022
There was a lot I loved about the book. The essays are thought-provoking. The insights into the comedy business are enlightening and gave me a feel for how difficult it is to succeed in comedy. The writing style is conversational; I really felt that Jena Friedman was talking directly to me. And some parts of the book are funny, but the book’s value to me were Friedman’s insights and adventures, not the humor. I fell into the trap of I’ll just read one more chapter. It was never just one more - the book really was hard to put down. Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the digital review copy.
January 6, 2023
Jena Friedman is a comedy writer and comedian with many successes such as Borat Subsequent MovieFIlm,, the Daily Show, Soft Focus on Adult Swim, etc. While there is some humor in this book (some of which resonated with me and some which did not), there is a huge focus on the misogyny in the industry and the struggle women face in the writer's room or doing stand-up. These parts of the book were interesting to me. I appreciated her willingness to be candid and share her experiences.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 11, 2023
Not funny. While I started with the audio version thinking it would be fun like her Colbert interview, her reading was poor and stilted. So I switched to the Kindle version. Still not funny. Gave up 10% into the book; moving on to more interesting things.
March 9, 2023
Snappy but way too left for me. Political.
May 14, 2023
She’s right. This book is not funny. DNF
December 30, 2023
Yes. More like this. Funny, relevant and appreciated.
April 30, 2023
My thanks to both Goodreads and the publisher Atria/One Signal Publishers for an advance copy of this collection of autobiographical essays about the screenwriter/comedian/ very funny human Jena Friedman
I love laughing, mostly at myself, but grew up laughing on sitcoms and comedy specials mostly on HBO. As I got older so did the comedians, and not in a oh their material is getting richer with age. No bad behavior, politics, dull material made me give up on many that I used to follow. However those who blazed a path, and sometimes, a lot of the time gatekeeped, led to others entering the field, even if they had to jump a lot of hurdles. Many with different backgrounds, sexes, attitudes and ways of looking at the world, which I think I am enjoying far more than jokes about airplane food, and other dated material. Jena Friedman is one of those people who has continued to entertain me wherever I see her screen, television, talk shows and now in book form. Even more importantly Friedman has made me think.
Part bio, part examination of an industry and society Friedman shares personal experiences, life lessons, writing types, and funny stories from the road, and other comedians. Starting in improv, and what a mess that was, filling in as a sex columnist, writing for film, and the dark days of the Trump ascendancy are just some of the essays that are included. Oh and a lot of dead baby jokes.
The book is honest, raw and disturbing, and yet funny and hopeful. A lot has gone wrong, however a lot more has gone right. Throughout it all Friedman has not lost her sense of humor, or that spark that keeps her going, and that is great. We all need that kind of encouragement.
This collection of essays hits hard in many different places. Sometimes ending in laughter, sometimes in rage, but all very good.
I love laughing, mostly at myself, but grew up laughing on sitcoms and comedy specials mostly on HBO. As I got older so did the comedians, and not in a oh their material is getting richer with age. No bad behavior, politics, dull material made me give up on many that I used to follow. However those who blazed a path, and sometimes, a lot of the time gatekeeped, led to others entering the field, even if they had to jump a lot of hurdles. Many with different backgrounds, sexes, attitudes and ways of looking at the world, which I think I am enjoying far more than jokes about airplane food, and other dated material. Jena Friedman is one of those people who has continued to entertain me wherever I see her screen, television, talk shows and now in book form. Even more importantly Friedman has made me think.
Part bio, part examination of an industry and society Friedman shares personal experiences, life lessons, writing types, and funny stories from the road, and other comedians. Starting in improv, and what a mess that was, filling in as a sex columnist, writing for film, and the dark days of the Trump ascendancy are just some of the essays that are included. Oh and a lot of dead baby jokes.
The book is honest, raw and disturbing, and yet funny and hopeful. A lot has gone wrong, however a lot more has gone right. Throughout it all Friedman has not lost her sense of humor, or that spark that keeps her going, and that is great. We all need that kind of encouragement.
This collection of essays hits hard in many different places. Sometimes ending in laughter, sometimes in rage, but all very good.
April 29, 2023
(3.5 stars) (Audiobook) Perhaps not my particular brand of comic, but this work offers some candid insights into the life and actions of one notable woman comic in the current business. She starts out with perhaps her most famous/infamous moment on TV, when working with the Colbert Report, she offered her line about “Women, get your abortions while you can” after Trump won the 2016 election. From there, it is her life, growing up, how her comedy evolved, how she got on the wrong side of comedic politics in Chicago (nothing political in Chicago is particularly funny or fun) and how her career evolved. Very candid in her political and social beliefs, you can see how her brand of humor has evolved, where it works and where it doesn’t.
Again, not really a ha-ha type comic for me, but I can appreciate her style of humor, which can be insightful and amusing. This work can get a little gossipy, but does manage to somewhat cover up names in the book (even if a simple web browser search can resolve some of the mystery), and there are legal reasons she can’t speak on other matters. Perhaps more could have been spent on her writing success that led to her Academy Award nomination for the Borat sequel (but see previous sentence). Bonus for narrating her own work, but you would expect someone versed in stand-up comedy to do that. Might recommend the audiobook over the hard copy. Worth at least a read.
Again, not really a ha-ha type comic for me, but I can appreciate her style of humor, which can be insightful and amusing. This work can get a little gossipy, but does manage to somewhat cover up names in the book (even if a simple web browser search can resolve some of the mystery), and there are legal reasons she can’t speak on other matters. Perhaps more could have been spent on her writing success that led to her Academy Award nomination for the Borat sequel (but see previous sentence). Bonus for narrating her own work, but you would expect someone versed in stand-up comedy to do that. Might recommend the audiobook over the hard copy. Worth at least a read.
May 21, 2023
3.5 stars.
The book is a compilation of essays that mostly stem from the author���s experience as a “female comedian”, and all the crap that goes with it. I had not been familiar with the author’s work prior to reading the book, and initially found her somewhat dark & twisted (due to the opening essay on dead baby jokes, which she argues are a reflection of our society). The author seems to have the goal of making people uncomfortable and I expect that she is very good at it. Her work is wonderfully acerbic and a harsh commentary on how messed up things are (in the US). I was initially thinking how suitable the book’s title was, but then I changed my mind with the hilarious sexpert column entries. Some of the essays were a little ‘out there’, but as a woman working in a misogynistic work environment (is there any other?), I found that many rang true for me, and that the author was easy to relate to. I also like that she came across as ‘one of us’ (non-celebrities) & down to earth when she described her Oscar success. Overall, I appreciate that Ms. Friedman is using her voice to try to shed light on injustices, in addition to making us laugh. I was provided with an ARC (thanks to the author & publisher!) and I am voluntarily posting my honest review.
The book is a compilation of essays that mostly stem from the author���s experience as a “female comedian”, and all the crap that goes with it. I had not been familiar with the author’s work prior to reading the book, and initially found her somewhat dark & twisted (due to the opening essay on dead baby jokes, which she argues are a reflection of our society). The author seems to have the goal of making people uncomfortable and I expect that she is very good at it. Her work is wonderfully acerbic and a harsh commentary on how messed up things are (in the US). I was initially thinking how suitable the book’s title was, but then I changed my mind with the hilarious sexpert column entries. Some of the essays were a little ‘out there’, but as a woman working in a misogynistic work environment (is there any other?), I found that many rang true for me, and that the author was easy to relate to. I also like that she came across as ‘one of us’ (non-celebrities) & down to earth when she described her Oscar success. Overall, I appreciate that Ms. Friedman is using her voice to try to shed light on injustices, in addition to making us laugh. I was provided with an ARC (thanks to the author & publisher!) and I am voluntarily posting my honest review.
September 13, 2023
People on Goodreads: it wasn’t funny!
Me: Did you look at the title??
For real though, this was a memoir and there were some funny parts, especially if you have the same kind of humor as the author: feminist, political. But Jesus Christ, it isn’t claiming to be a written comedy special, so why is that a negative against the author? I loved the humor that was included because it was smart and almost undercover in a way so when you caught it, it felt exciting. I loved hearing about her story because women in comedy have to work so much harder to make it to a spot where they feel like they have accomplished what they want. And I very much appreciated that she acknowledged that queer women, women of color, and trans women have it even harder because as we all know, white feminism is real so it was nice to at least see her acknowledge this.
I would recommend if you have clear expectations for this memoir because otherwise, you will be disappointed. I repeat: this is not just a written comedy special!
Me: Did you look at the title??
For real though, this was a memoir and there were some funny parts, especially if you have the same kind of humor as the author: feminist, political. But Jesus Christ, it isn’t claiming to be a written comedy special, so why is that a negative against the author? I loved the humor that was included because it was smart and almost undercover in a way so when you caught it, it felt exciting. I loved hearing about her story because women in comedy have to work so much harder to make it to a spot where they feel like they have accomplished what they want. And I very much appreciated that she acknowledged that queer women, women of color, and trans women have it even harder because as we all know, white feminism is real so it was nice to at least see her acknowledge this.
I would recommend if you have clear expectations for this memoir because otherwise, you will be disappointed. I repeat: this is not just a written comedy special!
May 13, 2023
I am a huge fan of Jena's comedy and have been for years. I've watched from afar as her career evolved from her Letterman and Daily Show days to her own shows, like Indefensible and her latest special, Ladykiller (also, we went to college together). I think she's brilliant and so talented. I was thrilled to hear about her book, and I loved its incisive observations about being a woman in comedy, and I especially loved listening to the audio, read by Jena, for its extra inflection and timing. It's clever and funny, and sometimes devastating (especially when discussing sexism and rape culture), and I'm so glad it exists. Some of the most fascinating content to me was about her pitching ideas that didn't work, or times when she missed the mark or crossed the line, and her ability to reflect on those instances. I really admire her bravery in discussing taboo topics and I love any books that give you the insiders' look at late night comedy development and production.
December 9, 2023
This is an important book.
It looks like it’s going to be a hilarious memoir by a successful standup comic, and it IS funny.
But there is so much more to this story. Jena Friedman gives voice and clarity to the systemic sexism that still pervades our immature, male-dominated culture, from the perspective of a working comedian. This story could be set in any profession in America, but because it is set within the comedy industry, the seriousness of the topic lies in starkly contrasted juxtaposition with its hilarious delivery.
There is true comic genius here, but it does not overshadow the very real inequities which are being highlighted by the story itself. A thoroughly worthwhile read, the author makes solid points about sexism that might not be able to be made so well in a book about another profession.
Kudos Jena Friedman - thank you, and please keep writing.
It looks like it’s going to be a hilarious memoir by a successful standup comic, and it IS funny.
But there is so much more to this story. Jena Friedman gives voice and clarity to the systemic sexism that still pervades our immature, male-dominated culture, from the perspective of a working comedian. This story could be set in any profession in America, but because it is set within the comedy industry, the seriousness of the topic lies in starkly contrasted juxtaposition with its hilarious delivery.
There is true comic genius here, but it does not overshadow the very real inequities which are being highlighted by the story itself. A thoroughly worthwhile read, the author makes solid points about sexism that might not be able to be made so well in a book about another profession.
Kudos Jena Friedman - thank you, and please keep writing.
April 16, 2023
Not Funny is an immensely enjoyable and humorous set of essays. The essays tackle topics that are decidedly not funny including gender inequity, racism, harassment, endangered reproductive rights, and so on.
Jena Friedman’s writing is clear and introspective. While I appreciated all of the essays, the standout for me was “Brief Interviews with Hilarious Men” where Jena interviews her favorite comedians asking them the sexist questions women in comedy are constantly asked by the press. If you like to laugh (and also be sad about the various workplace inequalities typically facing anyone who isn't a white man) give this a read!
Thank you very much to Atria and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.
Jena Friedman’s writing is clear and introspective. While I appreciated all of the essays, the standout for me was “Brief Interviews with Hilarious Men” where Jena interviews her favorite comedians asking them the sexist questions women in comedy are constantly asked by the press. If you like to laugh (and also be sad about the various workplace inequalities typically facing anyone who isn't a white man) give this a read!
Thank you very much to Atria and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.
June 10, 2023
I really struggled with how to rate this book. On one hand, I really appreciated the witty social and gender commentary from this female comedian. On the other hand, the darkness and negativity of the material really brought me down. Jena Friedman is smart, sharp and sarcastic. I enjoyed the segment in which she interviewed male comedians asking them questions commonly asked of their female counterparts. I did not like the dead baby jokes- not my humor at all- way too uncomfortable and cringey. The collection of essays also felt a bit choppy, jumping around in time. I really wanted to like this book but it felt like a chore to get through… broken up by welcome interruptions of sardonic but thoughtful anecdotes.
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