A Load of Hooey

A Collection of New Short Humor Fiction, Odenkirk Memorial Library, Book 1

By: Bob Odenkirk

Narrated by: Bob Odenkirk, David Cross, Jay Johnston, Jerry Minor, Megan Amram, Paul F. Tompkins

Bob Odenkirk is a legend in the comedy-writing world, winning Emmys and acclaim for his work on Saturday Night Live, Mr. Show with Bob and David, and many other seminal television shows. This book, his first, is a spleen-bruisingly funny omnibus that ranges from absurdist monologues ("Martin Luther King Jr.'s Worst Speech Ever") to intentionally bad theater ("Hitler Dinner Party: A Play"), from avant-garde fiction ("Obit for the Creator of Mad Libs") to free-verse poetry that's funnier and more powerful than the work of Calvin Trillin, Jewel, and Robert Louis Stevenson combined.

Odenkirk's debut resembles nothing so much as a hilariousnew sketch comedy show that's exclusively available as a streaming video for your mind. As Odenkirk himself writes in "The Second Meeting of Jesus and Lazarus," it is a book "to be read aloud to yourself in the voice of Bob Newhart".

©2014 Bob Odenkirk (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Great highs

At its best, it's hilarious. At its worst, it's a bit dull and potentially misguided.

I'm a fan of Mr. Show and related projects, so I'm inclined to enjoy this quite a bit. This book definitely has great moments, but it's weighed down by some less impressive parts.

The Hitler sketch felt a bit sophomoric (as many Hitler sketches are bound to), and there are some questionable choices regarding gender here and there. The MLK bit didn't do much for me, either; it was pretty monotonous beyond what isn't even that great of a premise.

However, on the whole, it's a fun listen that's easy to recommend to fans of Mr. Show, Comedy Bang Bang, Birthday Boys, etc.

Okay

I was disappointed. This just was not laugh-at-loud funny. Mildly amusing. The words used to shock have lost their punch, and the sketches are not clever enough to carry their weight on content.

Sweet spot between Superego and more mainstream comedy

Funny essays read by funny people. Def offbeat but I found it more accessible than superego podcast

funny, funny, funny

loved it. Bob Odenkirk is just as good writing as acting. Loved him as Sal discovering his writing was just what I needed laugh out loud funny.

Genius.

I have been a huge fan of Mr.Show and Bob and David for years and they never disappoint. I enjoyed the hardcover immensely, but the audio book added a new dimension. I been listening in the mornings when I'm on the bus going to work and I get stared at because I'm laughing away. I so love these guys!!