Belushi

Book Description

On the day he turned thirty, John starred in America’s number-one movie (Animal House), starred in the number-one late-night show (Saturday Night Live) and had recorded the number-one album (Briefcase Full of Blues). All from a guy who was never supposed to make it out from behind the cash register of his family’s Chicago diner. How did this Albanian immigrant’s son capture a nation’s imagination and come to embody all the glory and tragedy of the American dream? It was one high-price, high-speed, short-lived wild ride.

BELUSHI is a whirlwind of a book, filled with never-before-seen photos and provocative, intensely personal testimonials by just about every major comedic figure of the last half century. Here is the remarkable and raucous story of a larger-than-life figure who danced out at the precipice of American fame.

Customer Reviews:

A Truly Enlightening Experience.......2006-07-07

John Belushi, a man of laughs, a man who lived for an audience's
approval and cheers, John Belushi was an entirely respectable man and deserved to be remembered as a man of great worth among friends and colleagues, this book harrowingly displayed him as both, they did not write from a biased point of view, but rather from many perspectives, of friends and family. Every comedian should allow the utmost respect for such a spectacular man, John, may you rest in peace, knowing that all of your fans will remember you forever, we love you.

A rare and vulnerable spark.......2006-01-14

Most if not all of the facts of this book will not be new to John's fans. Especially those who have read the eight-or-so books already written about or by him and his friends and family.

And, title aside, it is not really a biography; it is an oral and pictorial history. But that is its strength. The voices of those friends & family come through, showing their love for the man.

But the interesting thing is, as awesome as some of the stories may be (especially to those who haven't read them before); the pictures do an even more excellent job.

Some of the photos were previously seen in SAMURAI WIDOW and WIRED, but most are never before published. And in them, you can see the buildup from Belushi's boyhood through the first three years of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. Then the explosion when that show, ANIMAL HOUSE, and the Blues Brothers record all hit at the same time.

And then the fallout. Visually, I think you can mark the moment when the road turned hard for John; it's in a full-page picture, on page 172, of him in costume for 1941.

It's in his eyes. Look at most of the photos that precede this one, and there is a light in them, something that's growing, some kind of spark.

And though it's probably too simple to say that Hollywood stunted that growth and killed that spark, it's also, probably, accurate.

Because in most of the post-1941 photos, that spark is gone, with only a brief resurgence in the pictures taken during the filming of CONTINENTAL DIVIDE.

This was apparently a happy (if not always fun) time for John, and the pictures reflect that. Unfortunately, more so than the movie, which is enjoyable but instantly forgettable.

The key picture here for me is on page 222. It shows Belushi wrapped in a blanket, sitting on some cabin steps in his stocking feet. He's just sitting, and staring, and thinking of god knows what, but the image has an apparent vulnerability that the photogenic John rarely showed in pictures. He was a man who always seems to have known where the camera was and how to keep its eye on him. Not here.

But CONTINENTAL DIVIDE flopped, and in the photos that follow, he mostly looks wasted. I don't mean that with the drug connotation, I mean that spark was being denied again.

A note at the end proclaims, "This book is not objective," and it isn't, so bully for them for admitting it. It's an attempt to bring a loved one back to life by talking about him.

Biography Of A Decade.......2005-12-30

I was in the library a week before surgery looking for light fiction to tide me over a week of recuperation, when I saw "Belushi" sitting on a new non-fiction shelf and picked it up on a whim. I never got to the fiction.

Well-collected and organized first-person interview quotes, personal photographs, behind-the-scenes stories...this is a wonderful, yet cautionary, tale of the 1970's in America. I laughed out loud; tears came to my eyes. Thank you, authors.

Disclaimer: John Belushi was born in the same hospital (a few years later) as I was; one of his father's restaurants was two blocks from where I did some of my growing up; I was in Second City audiences while John was there; I've watched SNL faithfully since its first year; I saw even John's bad movies. Prejudiced I am-this is still an admirable, accurate, caring biography.

finally, the TRUE story about John Belushi !!.......2005-12-04

Beautifully done...and now I really know, right from the start, how wonderfully talented John was. If you lived his fast paced life with tremendous pressures and being the best he could possibly be, you'd probably be hitting some drugs, too. Lets focus on who the man really was and about all of his close friends who really loved him. Judy Belushi Pisano does an excellent job putting this book together. What a talent she is a fantastic achievement. I couldn't put this book down and I have the rings on my ass to prove it !!! Now John would have appreciated that comment !

The Essential John.......2005-11-20

I grew up on "Saturday Night Live" and my favorite comedy is NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE. I remember the day John Belushi died and I've read WIRED at least three times. I've also read and reread SATURDAY NIGHT: A BACKSTAGE HISTORY OF "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" by Doug Hill & Jeff Weingrad and LIVE FROM NEW YORK: AN UNCENSORED HISTORY OF "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" by Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller. I also read SAMURAI WIDOW by Judy Jacklin Belushi.

So how could there be anything left to say?

I hesitated about buying BELUSHI but, after I picked it up and started thumbing through it, I couldn't put it down. And I couldn't put it down after I got it home. The stories are told by the people who were at ground zero in Belushi's life and the photos are new and personal.

This is a great book for the person discovering what a stormy genius John Belushi was and for the long-time fan who thought he or she knew everything about him.
And BELUSHI is also for everyone else in between.

As Senator John Blutarsky once said, "NOTHING IS OVER UNTIL WE DECIDE IT IS!"

Average customer rating:

Outstanding!!

Chicago Blackhawks: Seventy-Five Years
Bob Verdi
Manufacturer: Tehabi Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

History of Sports | Miscellaneous | Sports | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1887656316

Book Description

Over the past seventy-five years, the Chicago Blackhawks have made sports history. As a member of the National Hockey League's "Original Six," they have defined the sport and raised our expectations of the game and its players. The Blackhawks have been an integral part of Chicago, identifying with their loyal fans and reflecting their unique character and attitude.

Throughout their history, the Blackhawks have shown tremendous resilience in the face of defeat. They have risen from the ashes better than most, often with great drama. Who could forget Bobby Hull's historic goals, the NHL's first hat trick, Tony Esposito's shutouts, Glenn Hall's ironman streak in net, and Bill Mosienko's three goals in twenty-one seconds? Year after year, the Blackhawks have been blessed by a succession of star players—Charlie Gardiner, Pierre Pilote, Stan Mikita, Keith Magnuson, Denis Savard, Chris Chelios, and Tony Amonte, to name a few.

For seventy-five memorable years, the Chicago Blackhawks have inspired unwavering loyalty in their legion of fans with their rousing comebacks and go-for-broke style of play. With a foreword by boisterous, everyman fan Jim Belushi and an insider's introduction by venerable legend Billy Reay, Chicago Blackhawks: Seventy-Five Years celebrates the city and the fans that have made Blackhawks hockey what it is today.

Features:
-- Written by renowned sports columnist Bob Verdi
-- Foreword by boisterous, everyman fan Jim Belushi
-- Introduction by Billy Reay, the winningest coach in Blackhawks history
-- An 8-page foldout featuring the Blackhawks 75th Anniversary Team as selected by 400,000 Blackhawks fans
-- Visual timelines bring the team's rich past to life
-- Portfolios of memorabilia featured throughout
-- Over 250 photographs—early team portraits, victory celebrations, and more
-- Complete team statistics from 1926 through 2000

From the Introduction by former Blackhawks coach Billy Reay:

"I can think of no better way to celebrate being a Blackhawks fan than this seventy-fifth-anniversary book. Reading about the history of the team and its many outstanding players reinforces the pride that I take in being a part of this remarkable franchise. Bob Verdi has done an exceptional job at bringing the characters and the spirit of the Blackhawks to life for the reader. This inspiring anniversary book is a great record of the triumphs and achievements of the Chicago Blackhawks. I hope you enjoy reliving these memories—these moments in time—as much as I have."

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding!!.......2000-11-07

This book is a great tribute to 75 years of Blackhawk history. Bob Verdi does an excellent job and the photos are excellent. I would recommend this book to all hockey fans. This book would make a great Christmas gift.

Average customer rating:

A great book by a man, for men, about being a man...
According to Jim
Lisa's Book Review
Really entertaining
Funny book, some good insights

Real Men Don't Apologize
Jim Belushi
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1401301827
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Book Description

Jim Belushi is a national celebrity who has starred in numerous movies as well as the current hit TV show airing on ABC, According to Jim. His "guys guy" take on things led to a huge following among both men and women who cant get enough of Jim and his irrepressible take on life. Now hes sharing his unique perspective with a funny new book about dating, marriage, and sex that is sure to hit home with every redblooded American male and the women who love them. Any guy will relate to Belushis self-discovered advice from the school of hard knocks. In character with his TV show, Belushi has strong opinions on how real men should act, and he relates his ideas with the trademark irreverent humor that has made him famous. Sample chapters from Real Men Dont Apologize include: How to Be a Man How to Get a Phone Number Boot Camp for Men Sex and the Single Man Over 18 and many more!

Customer Reviews:

A great book by a man, for men, about being a man..........2007-09-04

Picked this book up at an airport on a whim, and it turned out to be one of the better investments I've made in a long time. Belushi does an excellent job of blending a lot of useful advice on what it takes to be a man with his own life stories to validate his opinions, along with plenty of humor to keep pretty much any reader entertained from cover to cover.

From definining your "terms" to the explanation of the "Glurk", Belushi pretty much hits the nail on the head as far as explaining some keys to the guy's guy way to handle women, friends, low times, and life in general.

I would recommend this book to any man of any age, and have already loaned mine out to a number of my cheapskate buddies who claim they don't know where the nearest Waldenbooks is. If you're a man and you read this book and don't pick up any new advice and think you already knew all of this, then in Belushi's words, where's YOUR book?

For the women who read it, I hope you get some enjoyment out of it, but please remember this is written by a man for men, and let us men review this book, amongst ourselves, in peace - the stuff in this book means a heck of a lot more to us than it ever will to you.

According to Jim.......2007-05-27

Perhaps this is Jim Belushi's true feelings about love and life. Perhaps this book was written in his "According to Jim" character (or a combination of both). Either way, it's a cute "macho guy" take on just about everything and he dared show us, the reader, his softer side by describing his lows in life, his respect for his current wife, and his touching admiration for his late brother, John (I admit I got misty when he said John was the "first man I ever knew").

If you're a fan of "According to Jim" (and I love the show ... especially when Jim's wearing those boxers and tight jeans), you'll see very little difference between Jim's character and this book, but it's worth the read to get the sports-loving, beer-guzzling, macho male's take on life (note to self: This is not all men speaking).

Entertaining, light read, but there's some practical lessons to be learned here as well. - Donna Di Giacomo

Lisa's Book Review.......2007-02-08

The book I got was great! Just what I wanted. I got it in a timely manner also.

Really entertaining.......2007-01-06

This is fun stuff. Every man would find examples of his own life in this book, with the only difference of characters having different names...

Funny book, some good insights.......2006-12-19

I was not too kind to a woman's advice book I reviewed on Amazon awhile back, so I need to say, what justifies this book getting four stars is you know Jim Belushi is trying to be humorous first and (occasionally) insightful second. He gets a good chuckle on every other page, and a few times per chapter he gets a good belly laugh, so I'd call the book a success on that account. If you're a card-carrying member of NOW, you already know not to read this book unless its to blast it in a review. Please do, it will generate lots of free publicity for Jimmy. This is typical guy-talk on the surface, the stuff that can make a "modern" woman's skin crawl. However, at the end of his rants and raves, you find a pretty dependable, decent guy that will stand behind what he believes and the people in his life, and that's what counts in the end.
Jim gives the type of advice you'd hear from guys in a South Side bar on Friday night. Now he pretties it up a bit being all Hollywood, but unless you've got a strong daddy or uncles left in your family, a lot of guys don't get this kind of wise talk on a regular basis. I do agree with Jim, modern society has rewritten the "rules" to suit the collective whims of women, and this isn't necessarily in either society's best interests, your best interests as an individual male, OR women's best long-term interests either. One of his truisms, is that men need to have a support network of guys they can trust. So true. One of the reasons women have become so much more powerful the past 30 years is their endless networking amongst themselves. Don't ever underestimate the importance of social support from friends and peers. The inner Clint is important, but only in the movies does Clint take on a whole gang of thugs by himself and come out alive. There are other insights, but I forgot them now. Read the book.
At other points, Jim sounds like he's really onto something, or he's going to tackle a touchy subject, but then it seems to slip away. Ahh, Jimmy, the world's going to continue waiting for a modern male manifesto. At least Jim's pointing the way, getting a few laughs, and getting paid. Not a bad gig. Problem with men nowadays, is there are a lot of SMART guys, but finding guys that are both SMART and WISE takes extra work. By the time most of us get the WISE part, we're either ancient, or beat up by life to the point we just want the easiest, fattest paycheck and to be left alone. Modern women know the average guy is putty in their hands, and that's why they can work us so well, especially when they make it a collaborative effort. And modern women, with their Cosmopolitan magazine, Oprah, and endless social networking amongst themselves, have male behavior under the microscope from the first pick-up line until they either put you in your grave or the judge signs the divorce papers. Don't be a fool, and don't end up a tool, unless its a tool for change.

Anyways, Jimmy, you get four stars. Funny book, with enough insights to make it worth picking up to thumb through when the King decides to sit on his throne and think deep thoughts.

Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi

Average customer rating:

What Could've Been....
John Belushi Was Not Funny
Life In The Fast Lane
With Friends Like These . . .
Very interesting and sad book, but not very well written.

Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi
Bob Woodward
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0671473204

Customer Reviews:

What Could've Been...........2007-02-16

1,000 friends and family members were at the funeral. So many were such a big part of his life. They loved him and would do anything for him, but they didn't do enough. None could or would save him from himself.
"Wired: The Short Life & Fast Times of John Belushi" by Bob Woodward takes a good look at the events of his life that led him to sudden fame and his fast spiral downward of fast living and drugs that led to his death much too early for this brilliant and much loved comic genius.

You may learn more then you want to know about some pretty big names in the entertainment industry, that either unwittingly helped Belushi or partied hardy with him on his road to self-destruction. I admire them for stepping up and telling their stories to Author Woodward(even the drug dealers themselves have some interesting accounts), and although some actually lectured John on the evils of what he was doing to himself, and at one point a self-professed anti-drug enforcer was hired to help out,I was dismayed by the lack of courage on any of these giants, and those closest to him, to take drastic measures to save his life. Many times the interviewees say, he was headed for death. Woodward does an excellent job of supplying the details of his life and times,his fast rising career, the attitudes of his friends, the movie studio execs, his family and even his Doctors. No one could say NO to him.

It is clear that alot of time,hundreds of interviews, and extensive research has gone into this book, making it a must read for fans. John's bigger then life personality, his constant demand and need for artistic freedom and control are a very big part of this story. My problem came in about the first third of the book. To be honest I found this part a bit tedious and repetitive. Adoring fans, need not be reminded of nearly every line he spoke or wrote for the Saturday Night Live sketches. Long ago, we already made his famous phrases our own("Cheezbugga, Cheezbugga".... "But Nooooooo...." ), and we could probably still recall in great detail, all the great moments he gave us. I did however find the look behind the scenes of this great show, and the movie ranglings most interesting. Each film he did or had a script for is talked about in detail, along with his state of being during that time.As the book goes on though, and especially towards the end where we are with him every one of his last hours on earth, we get a very good look into the craziness his life spiraled.

By the end I was saddened once again by the loss of one of my favorites, and thought about all the laughs the world has missed out on. I also felt angered by the lack of help he received from all those close to him, and thought there were some matters that were just sluffed off by the particiapnats and not detailed enough by the Author, for example the police investigation.The book also has numerous pix..my favorite..John in his Samauri warrior costume.

An interesting read, one that may stir fans to say:

"'Bluto'....you have been truly missed" .....Laurie

John Belushi Was Not Funny.......2006-09-29

He guzzzled some JD in Animal House and pretended he was a zit; he also sliced some things up, over and over, in virtually the same skit repeatedly on SNL. Blues Brothers? Give me a fricking break already; he himself even advises you on one recording to "go out and buy all the blues you can" because he felt guilty making so much cash ripping off true artists.

He was a second-rate "performer" and major-league cokehead who happened to be at the right place at the right time. Apologies to his family, whom he apparently had no feeling or respect for, no one really misses him.

Hope some Playboy Bunnies are slurping coke off your sweat-drenched, bloated face now John; at least you're not boring everyone in Continental Divide.

Life In The Fast Lane.......2006-08-24

I read the book when it was first published and feel as strongly that it is a must read twenty years later.

John Belushi in many ways defined Saturday Night Live and was one of the first cast members to emerge as a prime time player in a string of successful movies. His success did not happen overnight and his tragic death was not caused at the final raucous party.

Bob Woodward leads the reader through Belushi's life and times, which in many ways defined the Wild West of the 1970s with celebrities and the many drugs of choice.

Woodward has been taken to task over the years by friends and family members of Belushi; typically with the criticism that Woodward relied too much on hired researchers to gather material and the portrait presented is not of the person they knew. At times I wonder if it's criticism of guilt, not of the finished work.

Wired remains my favorite book and I strongly suggest that you find a copy on Amazon or through a second-hand bookstore.

With Friends Like These . . . .......2006-02-19

The problem with this book is not that Woodward is too tough on Belushi. He's too easy on his sources. The breakdown is this:

Belushi, being dead, can't tell Woodward what happened to him. However, there are (literally!) hundreds of dope pushers, groupies, strippers, bikers, has-been comics, bar flies, scum bags, scrounge artists, movie directors, session musicians, and network television executives, who are HAPPY to sit down and tell Woodward THEIR version of John Belushi. And each and every one of these people has only ONE objective -- cover his own rear end. In other words, EVERY person here has to explain how HE didn't make John flip out, it was those other guys! The book reads like this for two hundred pages --

"Joe Blow had never made it as an actor, but now he liked to think of himself as a dope dealer with heart. It caused him a lot of pain to see John out of control, begging for more dope. Joe felt bad about selling to him, but what could he do? If he didn't, some other guy would -- some guy not as talented and well meaning."

Or it goes more like this --

"Harvey Katzenberg knew there was a good chance John would die before the film wrapped -- he was doing too much dope. On the other hand, if Harvey complained about the constant dope, the crowd of bikers and strippers, John might get mad and leave the set early. Then Harvey would be out millions. It was better, he thought, to let John keep on doing his drugs, at least until the film wrapped. At least then the film would get made and Harvey's daughter could get that new Porsche."

The book is so dry that you can't tell if Woodward is allowing these slimy parasites to kid him along -- or if he's laughing at them the whole time. I did read a fascinating PLAYBOY interview with Woodward some years later, where he indicated the whole Hollywood community hated him for showing them up --showing how they let their good buddy John kill himself right in front of them. Problem is, the book itself is dull because Woodward never imposes any kind of authorial voice or objective truth. All we get are 101 lying parasites rationalizing away, with Belushi's corpse stinking up the back room.

Very interesting and sad book, but not very well written........2005-05-17

The story of John Belushi's life was a rollercoaster ride of very low times of self destruction, separated by short rises of happiness and accomplishment. John seemed to be someone that just could not be happy in his own skin, he did not see himself as a worthy human being who deserved to be happy, but instead someone who did not deserve his fame, or did not feel he was respected in the ways he thought he should be, he was constantly trying to prove himself. John was selfish, yes, he would binge for weeks on drugs, parties, and the fast life looking to fill that void regardless of who it hurt. He destroyed friendships as fast as he made them, but was always the one quick to apologize and try to mend the bridge he had just burned. I feel sorry for John and wish that he would of been given the help he was crying out to receive. Like so many before and after him his problems were ignored in hopes that he would somehow see the light and snap out of it on his own. John is to blame for his own death, and partial blame goes to his friends, but a huge part of the blame rests on Hollywood's shoulders. A town that rewards it successful entertainers with money and fame, and then quickly shuns them the minute that entertainers value has been sucked dry. Hollywood glorifies a lifestyle, in it's movies, that in reality is an impossible one to maintain. The book is very poorly written in my opinion, and Woodward easily confuses the reader by jumping from quote to quote. The readers many times is left unsure of who the quote is being taken from or who exactly the quote is about. There are a lot of scattered bits of information in the book as well and also many typos. For example in one section John's heart is described as being 222 lbs after his death. The book was interesting but so scattered I found my self struggling to stay focused and had to re-read many paragraphs to fully understand what exactly Woodward was trying to say.

Average customer rating:

Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi.
Bob. Woodward
Manufacturer: Simon and Schuster c
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LQAS46

Average customer rating:

Amazing book for all Belushi fans...
Belushi Forever!
a great book about a great man
A touching portrait of loss

Samurai Widow
Judith Jacklin Belushi
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0881845752

Customer Reviews:

Amazing book for all Belushi fans..........2003-11-07

Samurai Widow is a beautiful, courageous, and honest story of Judy Jacklin Belushi's recovery following John Belushi's death. If you want to get to the bottom of all the lies and hoopla the media has thrown around John's fame and success, read this book. It makes his fans and those who admired him from afar feel like they truly get to know him as a person instead of a character or celebrity. Also, if you have lost someone close to you, this book is helpful in learning how to carry on and knowing that you're not alone. Extremely touching and emotional story. Ms. Jacklin, if you read this, thank you so much for giving your story to John's fans. It relieved me greatly to find out how wonderful the Belushi family is.

Belushi Forever!.......2002-08-21

In reading "Samaurai Widow," I was moved to tears on more than one occasion. This book is as intimate as one can get; exposing the difficulty of losing someone who was more than just someone Mrs. Belushi loved, but a part of her life..the other half of her being.
However in the midst of such a tragic time, this book also gives inspiration and recognizes the need and ability to love and be loved again. Although John Belushi is gone, he will never ever be forgotten.
All I can say is thank you. Thank you so much, Mrs. Belushi for letting us know who the real John Belushi is and allowing us to embrace the intimateness of the life you two shared together.

We love you, John

a great book about a great man.......1999-04-08

After the book "Wired", I was glad Judith wrote this book. John Belushi was more than just a wild man, and Judith showed a intimate portrait of a comical genius, who was as human as the rest of us. I was glad Judith was able to show a side of John that isnt portrayed in the media. That of a caring, giving, sensitive human being, who regualar everyday people could relate too. Though I never had the pleasure of meeting John, his well chronicled life, really made me examine my own. I'd like to thank Jacklin for sharing a side of John that few of us knew, and would have never known without her courage to write this book. Thanks.

A touching portrait of loss.......1997-08-18

I picked this book up for a dollar at a used book store. Judy Belushi's intimate portrait of the grief she felt when she lost John helped me get through my own loss of a love. You feel her anger, pain, frustration and love as she comes to grips with losing the person she loved the most in life. A wondeful book about survival that will show you why JB was not just a funny man, but a treasure to so many who knew him.

Mixed Nuts: America's Love Affair with Comedy Teams from Burns and Allen to Belushi and Aykroyd

Average customer rating:

Clever Title...Interesting Book on Comedy Teams!
COMEDY CENTRAL
A fine history of American comedy interests
Fondly recalling some of Americas most beloved performers
Comedy as the antidote for whatever ails the country

Mixed Nuts: America's Love Affair with Comedy Teams from Burns and Allen to Belushi and Aykroyd
Lawrence J. Epstein
Manufacturer: PublicAffairs
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Comedy | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1586481908
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Book Description

From nineteenth-century vaudeville to contemporary sitcoms, comedy teams have made people laugh. Those teams were masters of the comic craft and gave to the world a particularly American art form. And, more than that, they were funny.

Lawrence J. Epstein has written a joyful, celebratory history of America's finest comedy teams from Burns and Allen and Laurel and Hardy through the Marx Brothers, the Three Stooges, Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance, and Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis to the Smothers Brothers and beyond. It's a story of the classics of comedy and, at the moment of the apparent eclipse of comedy teams, of their unexpected rebirth.

Although for comedians success is fickle and failure brutal, comedy teams couldn't resist the lure of celebrity and the remarkable explosion of the popular media of radio, film, and television. These were platforms from which to speak to an emerging nation in often troubled times; and when the times were hardest, the nation looked to its most cherished comic teams to cheer it up. Filled with telling anecdotes and hilarious routines, Mixed Nuts is the story of how America created comedy teams and how successive teams reflected America back to its people, meeting its deepest needs, tackling its most sensitive issues and mocking its pomposities. And always for laughs.

Customer Reviews:

Clever Title...Interesting Book on Comedy Teams!.......2006-04-28

Who would have ever thought that the birth, evolution and eventual demise of comedy teams would present an insight into America's changing psyche? Author Lawrence Epstein did and we have him to thank for this interesting, insightful book on some of the most famous names in American entertainment including Weber & Fields, Burns & Allen, the Marx Brothers, the Three Stooges, Abbott & Costello and Martin & Lewis.

Epstein's book is sub-titled 'America's love affair with comedy teams,' an appropriate heading since the American audience embraced each of the various comedy teams in turn, loving them for what they brought to the public and then moving on to the next, new funnymen. Most people probably never bothered to rationalize WHY they enjoyed a particular comedy team; they just enjoyed the laughter of the moment. Luckily for us Epstein's probing insights help reveal much about why, for instance, Abbott and Costello was just what America needed during World War II. It's fascinating stuff but you also get to laugh along the way as Epstein includes some of the classic comedy lines and routines from the teams.

A good read!

COMEDY CENTRAL.......2005-07-03

Though the subtitle suggests that great comedy teams lasted at least into the 70s-80s and the cover's inclusion of a couple characters from Friends would suggest they lasted in the 90s-00s, the reality is that they were pretty much through by the end of the 50s, but what a run they had. Though the heyday of the teams came in vaudeville, Golden Age movies, and early television, those of us in the Baby Boom generation -- especially those of us born later on, who grew up with television -- were probably more thoroughly exposed than any other demographic group and seem most likely to love this book. We got to watch The Little Rascals, Three Stooges, I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, and even Amos 'n Andy in syndication every afternoon when we got home from school. Abbot and Costello was a Sunday morning staple and Laurel and Hardy, the Marx Brothers, and Hope and Crosby's Road movies made perfect cheap filler for non-network broadcast stations. There were enough variety shows still going that older teams and solo comedians would still show up from time to time. We may not have gotten all the jokes, but we spent an awful lot of time laughing at their varied antics. In Mixed Nuts Lawrence J. Epstein treats us not just to a history of these acts but a sociological dissertation on American humor. The anecdote and joke-filled history, though brisk and though it extends several decades too far, is informative and fun, but it's the context he adds that makes the book fascinating.

No one will agree with all his analyses, and sometimes he's obviously reaching in order to give comedy acts a significance they just don't warrant, but the text is so rich in ideas and so thought-provoking that the few misfires are easily forgiven. Consider, for example, this discussion of George Burns and Gracie Allen:
[C]omic timing was a crucial part of their professional craft. In comedy, the straight man's "timing" refers to his ability to wait to speak until the laughter has peaked, receded, and finally stopped so that audiences can hear the next line, but not wait for so long after it has stopped that audiences might get confused or bored. The comic's timing refers to the response after the straight man has finished a line. The term "beat" is used to measure the pause between lines, and it and the "pace," or speed of the delivery, had to be perfect. The comic in the team needed an appropriate appearance and funny lines. Both the straight man and the comic needed rhythm.

Burns and Allen were experts at all of this. They knew which words to emphasize. They learned to control their voices. The staccato rhythm of their delivery was perfect. Other performers would have spoken too slowly or too fast or fallen out of the rhythm, which had to be maintained with each line and each silence. They even used pauses well. Gracie would giggle, an infectious sound and a prompt for even further audience laughter. George's repetition of much of the material was also crucial to the pacing, allowing the audience to grasp the premise precisely and be set up by George for the line to follow. It was impossible for Burns to be a comedian in such a structure. Any joke he interjected would break the patented Burns and Allen patter.
Note how deftly he establishes the general concepts he'll need throughout the book, but illustrates with a specific team, describing what made them masters of the form.

Likewise, here he discusses an irony that I've always found especially delicious, that two of the most conservative men in Hollywood politically were also the great innovators of post-modernism, years before academics and intellectuals imagined they were inventing a new phenomena:
Beyond creating an alternative to classic teams, Hope and Crosby signaled the decline of the traditional comedy team in two ways. First, they helped erase the line between the two worlds created by classic comedy teams. They developed the fourth and final model of the relationship between reality and the comic world created by teams, which negated the three previous models developed by Burns and Allen, Laurel and Hardy, and Abbott and Costello. In this new model, there was no necessity for one member of a team to have a tenuous hold on reality while another character brought the team back to the real world, or for the team to create a fantasy world in which the team members banded together to overcome a strange, hostile reality represented by an outside straight man, or a team in which a straight man represented a tricky world seeking to con us.

Hope and Crosby developed a realistic humor that mocked the illusory world their movie producers had arranged for them. [...]

[I]f you didn't take the real world too seriously there was no great need to create a fantasy comic world. Such an approach required a lack of sentimentality, an ability to avoid so strong an attachment to any person or place that you couldn't face the inevitable disappointments inherent in those people and places.
The earlier portion of that is bang on, but by the end seems quite wrong. Rather it is precisely because we are realistic about the inevitability of being disappointed by people and places that we can find the disappointments comic when they come, rather than tragic. Therein lies the secret to the notion that all comedy is conservative.

Let's end with one more, a look at Ralph Kramden that let's us see The Honeymooners in an almost religious context:
The character goes through a transformation in each show -- but then returns to his old form for the next show, only to be transformed again. Audiences wanted to see that transformation -- that change from the angry loser, the guy with a thousand get-rich ideas that all fail, that yells at his wife and his neighbor, that never seems to get ahead -- to the Chaplin-like, sad and sympathetic soul who is touched by love and, in Gleason's view, by grace and somehow finds the means to express it. As an episode was about to close, he often gazed lovingly at his wife and said, "Alice, you're the greatest."

Audiences saw in Ralph's transformation hopes for redemption in their own marriages and lives.
That's good stuff. Even if you disagree you're forced to grapple with what you think is wrong about it, an edifying exercise in itself. I suspect though that as you read you'll find more you agree with than disagree, and while it would have been better to end the story before we get to the point of considering Rowan and Martin and Cheech and Chong to be peers of the greats, all of it worthwhile.

A fine history of American comedy interests.......2005-02-07

Mixed Nuts: America's Love Affair With Comedy Teams From Burns And Allen to Belushi and Aykroyd isn't the typical biography of a single comedy act but an all-embracing set of memoirs of America's love affair with comedy teams as a whole, from Belushi and Aykroyd to Burns and Allen. Analyses include portraits of rises and falls in popularity, departures from traditional comedy team norms, the changing world of comedy as it moved from stage to the big screen, and more. Author Lawrence Epstein is an English professor who frequently lectures on popular culture, with Mixed Nuts bringing a scholarly, yet accessible, atmosphere to a fine history of American comedy interests.

Fondly recalling some of Americas most beloved performers.......2004-12-16

If you're a Baby Boomer like I am you have been exposed to just about all of it. When we were growing up in the 1950's and 1960's the George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy and of course The Three Stooges were all staples on TV. In the early 1970's, the antics of Groucho, Harpo and Chico enjoyed a remarkable revival and at colleges and universities all over America Marx Brothers film festivals were all the rage. We enjoyed the antics of Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance and lived through the controversary surrounding the Smothers Brothers. And we howled at the comic genius of John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd. That is why I was so excited when I came across "Mixed Nuts".
Lawrence Epstein has succeeded in chronicling the history of comedy teams in his exciting new book. I enjoyed it from cover to cover. Epstein tells the remarkable story of comedy teams from their earliest days in vaudeville. He introduces us to names we probably never heard of but who were nonethless influential in the history of team comedy. He cleverly intersperses bits of some of the classic routines into his narrative. And he attempts to explain the political, social and cultural reasons why certain acts were wildly popular while most others fell by the wayside. It is quite obvious that Epstein is a big fan of comedy teams. And in the end, he offers reasons why they have all but disappeared from the American scene. Whatever your age, you are sure to enjoy this informative and extremely well written book. Highly recommended.

Comedy as the antidote for whatever ails the country.......2004-11-10

The Smother Brothers were one of the most important influences on me in my formative years. By the time I was in the sixth grade I had all of their albums and the last television show I watched before we flew to Japan to live there for several years was "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour." I went to school proudly wearing my "Mom always like you best" button and still have my autographed photographs of Tom and Dick. Not only did I learn all of their routines and to sing both parts of their arrangements, but from the Brothers Smothers I got my love of satire, parody, political humor, folk song, and two-part harmony. I even got to tell this to Tommy Smothers once upon a time when I ran into him in a Minneapolis hotel and was able to inform him of his personal responsibility in making me the person I am today.

Of all of the comedy teams discussed in "Mixed Nuts: America's Love Affair and Comedy Teams from Bruns and Allen to Belushi and Aykroyd," the Smothers Brothers are the only ones still performing. I saw them perform just this summer and their opening number is entitled "We're Still Here." In this book Lawrence J. Epstein looks at the great American comedy teams of the 20th century. Epstein started off his research for this book in order to explore why the classic comedy teams disappeared and ended up advancing the idea that the importance of these comedians was in how they helped American survive the trying times in which they lived. The author of "The Haunted Smile: The Story of Jewish Comedians in America," Epstein obviously takes comedy seriously.

The focus here is primarily on the great comedians of the movies, with chapters being devoted to Laurel and Hardy, the Marx Brothers, Abbott and Costello, Hope and Crosby, the Three Stooges, and Martin and Lewis. However, the volume begins with Burns and Allen playing the Palace for the first time and by the time television replaces the movies in the 1950s and 1960s, Burns and Allen are on television. In between a lot of things have changed, and there are chapters devoted to particular mediums (e.g., radio) and decades (e.g., 1930). With television forcing comedians to be funny every single week we have a move towards ensemble comedy. At the heart of "I Love Lucy" and "The Honeymooners" you will find Lucy & Ethel and Ralph & Norton, but Ball and Gleason do routines with other cast members and guest stars as well. Eventually we get to the ensemble casts of classic situation comedies from "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "All in the Family" to "M*A*S*H" and "Friends."

However, you need to be forewarned that just like the real things, "Mixed Nuts" is going to leave you wanting more. You cannot toss in "The Password" routine from "Horse Feathers" and not immediately thinking about other choice verbal duels between Groucho and Chico Marx. Fortunately Epstein includes the entire "Who's on First" routine as performed in "The Naughty Nineties" or I would have had to take the book and throw it against the wall. But while Epstein does revisit several of the best-loved comedy routines from the previous century, that is only part of his purpose here. He also wants to look at the personal stories on how these groups came together, and how each team was shaped and were shaped by their respective eras. So be prepared to be tantalized by those snippets of favorite routines and wish for there to be much, much more. For the Smothers Brothers we get their short little "Moron" routine, but nothing about their masterpieces, like the way they took "I Talk to the Trees" over the years to the point where they got laughs when Tommy did not come in or the way they they can milk Dick's glare for multiple laughs in "Cuando Caliente el Sol."

In the end the key thing is that Epstein makes the case for his thesis. Weaving in lesser known comedy teams, from Gallagher & Sheen and Amos & Andy to Nicholas & May and Rowan & Martin, is more important than providing a comprehensive look at any given team. Epstein wants to define the uniqueness of each group and establish their place in the era they helped to define. Besides, there are plenty of books out there about the Marx Brothers and the cast of "Saturday Night Live," and if Epstein wants to leave the door open for somebody else to write a definitive history about the lives and comedy of the Smothers Brothers, I am certainly not going to be complaining on that score. Epstein is justified in keeping "Mixed Nuts" lean, because that way his thesis is not lost in the laughter. Now, you have to excuse me because I suddenly need to watch "A Night at the Opera" again.

Wired - The Short Life & Fast Times of John Belushi

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Belushi?...by Woodward?...

Wired - The Short Life & Fast Times of John Belushi

Manufacturer: S&S
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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SNL - Best of John Belushi

ASIN: B000GL6QN8

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Belushi?...by Woodward?..........2006-09-08

I read this book soon after it was published, mainly out of curiosity. Having come from the same town in Illinois, Woodward paints a fascinating and tragic portrait of the SNL funnyman. His rise and fall is the stuff of Hollywood legend and this book covers his childhood, professional life, relationships, and death by heroin overdose, despite the efforts of friends and loved ones to intervene. An interesting read.

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A backstage guide to SNL

Saturday Night Live (1977)
Dan Aykroyd , John Belushi , Al Franken , Bill Murray , Lorne Michaels , Chevy Chase , Tom Davis , and Michael O'Donoghue
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0380513420

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A backstage guide to SNL.......1999-08-30

A long, long time ago Saturday Night Live was simply Saturday Night. John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Chevy Chase were among the cast-members. Elliot Gould, Richard Pryor, and Paul Simon were all guest stars.

This book chronicles the first 2 seasons of SNL. It features interviews, scripts, pictures, and other miscellaneous information about the show that gave us all a reason to stay home on Saturday nights.

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Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi

Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000EP85MG

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