Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama

A Memoir

By: Bob Odenkirk

Narrated by: Bob Odenkirk, Steve Rudnick, Leo Benvenuti

In this “essential” (Entertainment Weekly), “hilarious” (AV Club) memoir, the star of Mr. Show, Breaking Bad, and Better Call Saul opens up about the highs and lows of showbiz, his cult status as a comedy writer, and what it’s like to reinvent himself as an action film ass-kicker at fifty.

“I’ve known Bob Odenkirk for more than thirty years, and yet I had to read this book to believe his stunning career arc.”—Conan O’Brien

ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2022—Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, Parade, The AV Club

Bob Odenkirk’s career is inexplicable. And yet he will try like hell to explicate it for you. Charting a “Homeric” decades-long “odyssey” from his origins in the seedy comedy clubs of Chicago to a dramatic career full of award nominations—with a side-trip into the action-man world that is baffling to all who know him—it’s almost like there are many Bob Odenkirks! But there is just one and one is plenty.

Bob embraced a life in comedy after a chance meeting with Second City’s legendary Del Close. He somehow made his way to a job as a writer at Saturday Night Live. While surviving that legendary gauntlet by the skin of his gnashing teeth, he stashed away the secrets of comedy writing—eventually employing them in the immortal “Motivational Speaker” sketch for Chris Farley, honing them on The Ben Stiller Show, and perfecting them on Mr. Show with Bob and David.

In Hollywood, Bob demonstrated a bullheadedness that would shame Sisyphus himself, and when all hope was lost for the umpteenth time, the phone rang with an offer to appear on Breaking Bad—a show about how boring it is to be a high school chemistry teacher. His embrace of this strange new world of dramatic acting led him to working with Steven Spielberg, Alexander Payne, and Greta Gerwig, and then, in a twist that will confound you, he re-re-invented himself as a bona fide action star. Why? Read this and do your own psychoanalysis—it’s fun!

Featuring humorous tangents, wild characters, and Bob’s trademark unflinching drive, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama is a classic showbiz tale told by a determined idiot.

Glad he read it himself.

I really enjoyed this insight into the early days. I have been a fan of Odenkirk since I discovered breaking bad on Netflix, which he details about in the book. I must now go back and watch Mr. Show as his style is very much of my own. I think the character he portrays is much of his true self with some insight into the character depending on the role. He’s charismatic… no brainer there, and overall it was a pleasure to hear him talk about himself instead of having it narrated by someone else or my own internal voice.

Loved finding out about his early works and his aid in all the types of sketch comedy from SNL (which he’s right has been garbage for far too long) to Tim and Eric.

Enjoyed it cover to cover. Nicely done Bobbert.

Worth the wait

It was a slow start but with time, the book grew on me, just like Odenkirk.

Deep Dive

So funny, insightful, reflective and charming.
Enjoyable even if you are not a Mr Show fan

Bravo!

“Saul” this is my first audio book and I’ve loved it the way I loved Saul and Breaking Bad. With a son and sister acting, and me sitting by analyzing the S out if them and your characters (as i am a shrink of your age) I look forward to the next nuanced step in your long and fascinating career! It was so good to hear your voice again! Pow!

Wow!

What a fantastic read! Bob really does a no holds bar telling his failures. The good, the bad and the ugly. A must listen for anyone with self doubt. You can keep trying to you succeed attitude from Bob is inspiring.