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Title details for Not Funny by Jena Friedman - Available

Not Funny

Essays on Life, Comedy, Culture, Etcetera

by Jena Friedman
Jena Friedman
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
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 "smart and thoughtful and even a little offensive" (Sacha Baron Cohen) 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. 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 "entertaining and soulful" (Publishers Weekly) 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 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. "A mix of lethal deadpan delivery and biting sarcasm with impressive intelligence not only makes this book phenomenal but announces the arrival of a singular voice" (Phoebe Robinson, New York Times bestselling author).

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    April 18, 2023

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781797152493
      • File size: 201920 KB
      • Duration: 07:00:39

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      February 13, 2023
      Comedian Friedman reflects on her career in this entertaining and soulful debut. The title essay recounts how the author fell in love with comedy while conducting research for her undergraduate thesis on a respected Chicago improv troupe famed as a pipeline to Saturday Night Live, as well as the backlash after her thesis’s revelations of sexism and racism in the troupe went viral. Several essays probe the misogyny faced by women comedians from audiences and colleagues, as in “Girl Having Sex, or, What We Talk About When We Talk About Likability,” where Friedman notes that women comics are often “encouraged to talk about our sex lives onstage because it’s the only way we can get men to listen.” A philosophical strain runs through these pieces, as when the author meditates on comedy’s ability to distract, disarm, or unite while examining jokes she’s written about dead babies for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Friedman’s comedic voice shines, and she tosses off jokes that are often as funny as they are pointed (she deadpans that “for white men, the likability formula is pretty clear-cut: as long as you’re not a serial killer, you’re likable”). Insightful and humorous in equal measure, this is a blast.

    • Library Journal

      June 10, 2024

      Comedian, former Daily Show producer, and Academy Award nominee Friedman's self-narrated debut essay collection touches on a range of topics, including her life, comedy, culture, reproductive rights, gender, privilege, and the world of celebrity culture. Friedman discovered a love for comedy and performing in college, taking improv classes which she parlayed into a senior thesis on race, class, and gender in Chicago's comedy scene. Friedman's insightful observations, distinct voice, grim humor, and clever storytelling are captivating. Unfortunately, as the narrator of this audiobook, Friedman's voice does not incorporate the passion that one might expect to find. Her delivery is fine but not noteworthy; listeners will stay for the content, not the audio experience. Even so, whether discussing feminism, politics, or personal anecdotes, Friedman's observations are intelligent and nuanced. At a time when women's rights are being rolled back, Friedman fearlessly takes on challenging topics and rejects the idea that women need to focus on being likable. VERDICT The content is exceptional, but the undistinguished narration makes this an optional purchase where the print version is available.--Christa Van Herreweghe

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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