Growing Up Laughing My Story and the Story of Funny

by Thomas, Marlo

• ISBN13: 9781401310639
• ISBN10: 140131063X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-05-03
• Publisher: Hachette Books

Summary

Almost all of us have a set of traits that attract us to others, and that we value in others: honesty, intelligence, attractiveness, and, to many, the most important--a sense of humor. Marlo Thomas' sixth book is a paean to humor. Ms. Thomas is the daughter of comedian/actor/St. Jude Children's Hospital founder Danny Thomas. Her book is unusual in its approach and in its style, and extremely enjoyable. First, it is a memoir, a love story, a thank-you letter to her family, and a personal glimpse into her childhood as one of Danny Thomas' three children. But interspersed with the marvelous, intimate stories (about her drum-playing grandmother, her Catholic family, her acting successes and failures) are interviews with current comics and deeply moving homages to the comics of the past. So, a few chapters about her early life, Thomas segues into an interview with Jerry Seinfeld. A discussion about the years her father spent "On the Road" is followed by a wonderful conversation with Robin Williams. Newer comics are referenced and interviewed as well: Tina Fey, Chris Rock ,and Steven Wright all have one-on-one time with Thomas.

Author Biography

Marlo Thomas is the author of five bestselling books, including The Right Words at the Right Time and Free to Be You and Me. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including four Emmys, a Golden Globe, a Grammy and a Peabody. She lives in New York with her husband, Phil Donahue.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
The Set-up: A Prologue	p. 1
Celebrations	p. 5
A Kid at the Studio	p. 9
The Boys	p. 13
Socks and Moxie-Jerry Seinfeld	p. 21
The Wives	p. 31
Stirring the Sauce-Joy Behar	p. 37
Hotels	p. 45
Comedy Begins at Home-Billy Crystal	p. 51
On the Road	p. 57
The First Laugh-Robin Williams	p. 65
The Funny Barber	p. 71
He Said/He Said-Ben-Jerry Stiller	p. 79
aka Orson	p. 87
Testifying-Chris Rock	p. 91
Beverly Hills, My Neighborhood	p. 103
My Dad	p. 113
Harry and the Parakeet	p. 121
Angelo's Boy-Jay Leno	p. 127
Miss Independence	p. 135
My Big Brown Eyes	p. 139
Killing and Dying-Alan Alda	p. 147
Comedians in Their Dressing Rooms	p. 153
A Phone Call with Mr. Warmth-Don Rickles	p. 155
The Two Dannys	p. 165
Turn-ons-Conan O'Brien	p. 169
The Bow	p. 179
Twenty Questions-Stephen Colbert	p. 181
Dinner at the Goldbergs	p. 189
The Survivor-Joan Rivers	p. 195
Obsession	p. 205
Fall-Down Funny-George Lopez	p. 217
Tony's Pilot	p. 223
Oh, Donald	p. 229
Lew Parker	p. 233
The Comedian's Comedian	p. 241
Growing Up Free	p. 245
One-Girl Show-Lily Tomlin	p. 253
Rose Marie	p. 265
The Book-Kathy Griffin	p. 273
Capra, Orson (the Other One), and Me	p. 283
The Wright Stuff-Steven Wright	p. 293
Growing a Feminist	p. 303
The Joke on Me	p. 313
The Making of a Wisenheimer-Tina Fey	p. 319
The Reluctant Interview: An Improv	p. 327
The Storyteller-Whoopi Goldberg	p. 337
Against the Odds	p. 343
Legends of Comedy	p. 345
The Elm House	p. 351
Mother and Marge	p. 357
The Only Jew in the Neighborhood-Jon Stewart	p. 361
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital	p. 371
Epilogue	p. 379
About the Author	p. 381
Credits and Permissions	p. 382
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.