Hello Everyone and Welcome Back to The Boss Book Club!
Today we will be looking at a truly unique read, an autobiography that contains almost no factual information about the author itself, but instead takes you on a bizarre journey of degradation and humour. I am talking about Norm MacDonald: Based on a True Story.
There are a couple of hurdles you will need to jump through before tackling this book. First of all, do you know who Canadian comedian Norm MacDonald is?
Norm MacDonald is known as a Comedian’s comedian. He is beloved by Louis C.K, who has written the introduction to the book, as well as by Jerry Seinfeld, Conan O’Brien and David Letterman. His humour is dry and drawling. He’s as laid back as you can get. He is not for everyone, and some don’t find him funny at all, but for me, the more you watch him, the funnier he gets. He has developed a very strong, somewhat cult following, as fans don’t just like him, they love him!
You may know him as one of the previous newsreaders for Saturday Night Live or for his movie Dirty Work. You may be vaguely aware of him from his cameos in various Adam Sandler or Rob Schneider movies. He also has his own podcast called Norm Macdonald Live. If it’s still not ringing any bells then I suggest hitting up good old Youtube and checking out his stand up, then watch the podcast, where he interviews famous comedians. The podcast, I should point out, contains some filthy, filthy language and good grief, if you watch the one with Gilbert Godfried…..
If you already are a big fan, or you become one after checking out his stuff, then this book is 100% a must read. Don’t read anymore of this review, just go and buy it right now. If you haven’t watched the podcast yet, then you should do that first to get the most out of it. If you’re not a fan, or are not converted, then don’t bother getting the book. It’s that simple- this book is for fans of Norm’s work, and they will love every page.
If you have watched the podcast, you will be familiar with his sidekick Adam Eget. He is a lowly servant, a holocaust denier, and a degenerate sex worker. He features heavily in the book, and if your opinion of him wasn’t already low enough, this tale serves nothing to improve his image. This “autobiography” discusses Norm’s early years, then takes you on a journey as Norm and Adam Eget travel to Vegas to play a high stakes game to resolve some serious gambling debts. It also chronicles Norm’s disputes with his downtrodden ghost writer.
It is a very, very funny book. It is an easy read, which I finished over two nights, in three hour sessions. There is almost no truth whatsoever in it from Norm’s life, and Norm has admitted in interviews that he “tricked” publishers into letting him write a story by pretending it would be an autobiography. It does however feature Canada, where he is from, discusses gambling, which he has a real life problem with, and talks a little about his work on Saturday Night Live, which he did do. Other than that, well just don’t trust anything…
The good news, for the Norm fans that will inevitably love this book, is that Norm has said he’s going to write a few more.
This is just the beginning…
Happy Reading from The Boss Book Club!
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