Book Review: Old Bastards

Hi, I’m Tracy. I work in a nursing home, and to say I hate it would be a gross fucking understatement. It’s got a few perks though — like the sleeping pills (so long as no one sees you take them), and Juan, the hot guy who sells me weed and totally wants in my pants.

But lately, things have been fucking weird. Some old bitch died — it wasn’t my fault, I swear! — and now she’s haunting me. Everywhere I go, she's there, creeping me out with her big creepy face. Does she want something, or am I just tripping? Either way, she better fuck off before I really lose my shit.

Old Bastards: A Very Naughty Comedy was written by Stevie Duffy,independently published June 24, 2026.

Book Review: Comedy Book

Comedy is king. From multimillion-dollar TV specials to sold-out stand-up shows and TikTok stardom, comedy has never been more popular, democratized, or influential. Comedians have become organizing forces across culture—as trusted as politicians and as fawned-over as celebrities—yet comedy as an art form has gone under-considered throughout its history, even as it has ascended as a cultural force.

In Comedy Book, Jesse David Fox—a definitive voice in comedy criticism and someone who, in his own words, “enjoys comedy maybe more than anyone on this planet"—tackles everything you need to know about comedy. Weaving together history and analysis, Fox unravels the genre’s political legacy through an ode to Jon Stewart, interrogates the divide between highbrow and lowbrow via Adam Sandler, and unpacks how marginalized comics create spaces for their communities. Along the way, Fox covers everything from comedy in the age of political correctness and Will Smith’s slap to the right wing’s relationship with comedy and, for Fox, comedy’s ability to heal personal tragedy.

Book Review: Sure, I'll Join Your Cult

Maria Bamford is a comedian’s comedian (an outsider among outsiders) and has forever fought to find a place to belong. From struggling with an eating disorder as a child of the 1980s, to navigating a career in the arts (and medical debt and psychiatric institutionalization), she has tried just about every method possible to not only be a part of the world, but to want to be a part of it.

In Bamford’s signature voice, Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult brings us on a quest to participate in something. With sincerity and transparency, she recounts every anonymous fellowship she has joined (including but not limited to: Debtors Anonymous, Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous, and Overeaters Anonymous), every hypomanic episode (from worrying about selling out under capitalism to enforcing union rules on her Netflix TV show set to protect her health), and every easy 1-to-3-step recipe for fudge in between.

Book Review: The World Deserves My Children

When Natasha Leggero got pregnant at forty-two after embarking on the grueling IVF process, she was over the moon. But once her feelings of bliss dissipated, she couldn’t help but shake the lingering question: Am I doing this right? And then, Should I be doing this if the world is about to end?

In The World Deserves My Children, Natasha explores themes like “geriatric” motherhood, parenting in an environmental panic, fear and love, discipline (and conflicting schools of thought on how not to raise a brat), and more. Ultimately, Natasha determines that motherhood is worth it. After all, where do you think the next five generations of humans will be if the only people who are having kids don’t believe in science? The world deserves my children.

Book Review: Don Rickles - the Merchant of Venom

Riding a wave of success that lasted more than sixty years, Don Rickles is best known as the “insult” comic who skewered presidents, royalty, celebrities, and friends and fans alike. But there was more to “Mr. Warmth” than a devilish ear-to-ear grin and lightning-fast put-downs. Rickles was a loving husband, an adoring father who suffered a devastating loss, and a loyal friend to the likes of Bob Newhart and Frank Sinatra. Don was also a young student at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and intended to become a seriously committed actor. But it was in small nightclubs where Rickles found success, steamrolling hecklers, honing his acerbic put-downs, and teaching the world to love being insulted. Sex, race, religion, nationality, physical appearance, political leanings—nothing and no one was safe from the “Planned Parenthood Poster Boy,” as Johnny Carson referred to him.

Book Review: In On the Joke

Today, women are ascendant in stand-up comedy, even preeminent. They make headlines, fill arenas, spawn blockbuster movies. But before Amy Schumer slayed, Tiffany Haddish killed, and Ali Wong drew roars, the very idea of a female comedian seemed, to most of America, like a punch line. And it took a special sort of woman—indeed, a parade of them—to break and remake the mold.

In on the Joke is the story of a group of unforgettable women who knocked down the doors of stand-up comedy so other women could get a shot. It spans decades, from Moms Mabley’s rise in Black vaudeville between the world wars, to the roadhouse ribaldry of Belle Barth and Rusty Warren in the 1950s and '60s, to Elaine May's co-invention of improv comedy, to Joan Rivers's and Phyllis Diller’s ferocious ascent to mainstream stardom. These women refused to be defined by type and tradition, facing down indifference, puzzlement, nay-saying, and unvarnished hostility. They were discouraged by agents, managers, audiences, critics, fellow performers—even their families. And yet they persevered against the tired notion that women couldn’t be funny, making space not only for themselves, but for the women who followed them.

Book Review: Hello Molly!

At age four, Molly Shannon’s world was shattered when she lost her mother, baby sister, and cousin in a car accident with her father at the wheel. Held together by her tender and complicated relationship with her grieving father, Molly was raised in a permissive household where her gift for improvising and role-playing blossomed alongside the fearlessness that would lead her to become a celebrated actress.

From there, Molly ventured into the wider world of New York and Los Angeles show business, where she created her own opportunities and developed her daring and empathetic comedy. Filled with behind-the-scenes stories involving everyone from Whitney Houston to Adam Sandler to Monica Lewinsky, many told for the first time here, Hello, Molly! spans Molly’s time on Saturday Night Live—where she starred alongside Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, Cheri Oteri, Tracy Morgan, and Jimmy Fallon, among many others. At the same time, it explores with humor and candor her struggle to come to terms with the legacy of her father, a man who both fostered her gifts and drive and was left with the impossible task of raising his kids alone after the loss of her mother.

Witty, winning, and told with tremendous energy and heart, Hello, Molly!, written with Sean Wilsey, sheds new and revelatory light on the life and work of one of our most talented and free-spirited performers.

Rodney Dangerfield - Rappin' Rodney

November marked the thirtieth anniversary of Rappin’ Rodney, the fourth comedy album by Rodney Dangerfield. It had been three years since his last release, a time period he spent working on films like Caddyshack and Easy Money. Sparked by his new found popularity, the record spent twenty weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 36.

Bob & Doug McKenzie - The Great White North

Merry Christmas, eh?

On December 12th, 1981, The Great White North entered the Canadian album charts at number 3. Within a week, it rose to number 1 and remained there until January 23rd of 1982. Not a bad Christmas present for comedians Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas, who portrayed the fictional Canadian television personalities “Bob and Doug McKenzie” on the sketch program SCTV.

DVD review: Get A Real Job, Numbnuts

Get a Real Job, Numbnuts is the four-disk box set featuring a decade's worth of stand up comedy from Christopher Titus. It is available through his website http://christophertitus.com for the low price of $75 plus shipping. When you consider you are getting all four of his specials (over six hours of comedy) and each set comes signed by the comedian himself, that's a pretty sweet deal. You can also purchase each of the shows individually.

Now, long-time readers of my blog know I am a huge fan of Titus' comedy (just click here to read my 2007 post - go ahead, I'll wait...). Given that, it is no surprise then that I was very eager to pick up this collection. I've already watched the set through one time since I got it at the end of next week and will no doubt be viewing these shows again and again.

Beetlejuice (1988)

Tuesday night I was flipping around for something to watch and came across Beetlejuice on Universal HD. This comedy with special effects was directed by Tim Burton and starred (a very young) Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, Jeffrey Jones, and Michael Keaton. Baldwin and Davis play the Maitlands, a happy couple whose life turns for the worse when they end up dead and their spirits are unable to leave their ideal home. That would be fine until the Deetz family (Jones and O'Hara) buy the place and begin major remodeling. Lydia Deetz (Ryder), a strange girl herself, can actually see the ghostly Maitlands. Unable to drive the family from their home, the haunted couple enlist the aid of a trouble-some spook named Betelguese (Keaton) to help them out. Chaos ensues.

Now, I know this film has been around for 20 years but must admit that this was the very first time I've seen the entire film (I've seen a scene here and there on places but not the whole thing). I am however much more familiar with the animated cartoon based on the film that came out a couple years later (I used to watch that a lot even before I had a child). For me, the film was okay - not spectacular as I had assumed. From what I understand, Burton was going for a "B movie" feel with the effects, sort of a quirky, off-the-wall, what-the-heck sort of reaction. At least that's what I got from it. A lot of it just seemed so out there. The directing was very much to Burton's style - it brought back memories of Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas, both later works by him.

With this cast, I expected a bit more. Keaton seemed more hammy than funny, more creepy pervert than off-the-wall troublemaker. O'Hara played a shrew well enough - if I was to hate her character, it worked. Davis and Baldwin were okay but aimless - their characters were more enjoyable when they were alive. Only Ryder pulled off that neo-Goth role well enough.

I have to say that I liked the cartoon series better. I think the outlandish aspects of Beetlejuice's world worked better in full animation.

Wild Hogs (2007)

Given the all-star line up, I expected 2007's Wild Hogs to be pretty funny. You've got Tim Allen and John Travolta, both who I enjoyed a lot in TV and film over the years. You also have Martin Lawrence and the always superb William H. Macy. These actors play four middle-aged suburban men in Cincinnati who, frustrated with the pace of daily life, decide to embark on a road-trip to the Pacific coast on their motorcycles. The film also stars Ray Liotta and academy-award winner Marisa Tomei as well as a cameo by that original road-warrior Peter Fonda.

I watched the film over the weekend on cable and have to say it was just okay. The story was fairly predictable and the comedy was slapstick at best. Travolta's character came across very whiny. Allen's character came across as a bit bland. Lawrence played his usual role as expected. The Macy character was played very well, as expected, and really lit up when Tomei enters the film. Liotta seemed very over the top.

The soundtrack rocked well though - I loved the use of the classic road-trip rock songs you'd expect in a film about motorcycling. And on HD, the scenic shots of the cross country ride looked nice too. The ending seemed a bit contrived and forced - sort of one of those where the writers get the characters painted into a corner and then say "now, how do we end this?" (it is a regular comedy - as opposed to a dark comedy - after all so it had to end positively).

This is one of those films I was glad I didn't spend money to see it in the theatres or to rent it. It was worth a one time viewing but that's about all.

Remembering...Dickie Goodman

While on emusic.com downloading some of my monthly allotment of music, I ran across a true blast from past. I was very excited to find these after so many years of having not heard them.

Those of us who grew up in the 70's and the 80's probably have some recollection of the novelty records put out by Dickie Goodman - songs like "Mr. Jaws" and "Mr. President" and the "Energy Crisis". These typically consisted an interviewer asking questions and the responses would be snippets from popular songs at the time to invoke a humorous response.

Example:
Interviewer: Mr. President, what really caused the energy crisis?
musical response: Smokin' in the boys room*
Interviewer: During the crisis, how much gas will motorists be allowed?
musical response: Just enough for the city*

*taken from the songs by Brownsville Station and Stevie Wonder, respectively

Anyway, you get the idea.

As I kid in the 70's, I found these to be very clever. So much so, I would often try to make my own version of these novelty songs. I'd take my old tape recorder (this was back in the day when I didn't have a stereo that combined both a turntable and a cassette record together - I think my first combined stereo had a turntable, radio and 8-track player - but that's a story for another time), speak questions into the microphone, pause the recording, then queue up a song on my record player. I'd hold the tape recorder up to the speaker, wait for just the right spot, release the pause button to record, then pause again. This could easily keep me busy for a Saturday afternoon. Sure it was hours of work to perhaps produce three or four minutes of stuff to play back, but it was a fun and creative exercise to do. Just something to keep me busy - especilly during those cold winter days when it was just too miserable to go outside in the weather.

One Word - Titus!

I happened to be watching Comedy Central the other weekend and caught a rebroadcast of a 2004 comedy special. It was Norman Rockwell Is Bleeding which is the one-man performance by Christopher Titus. Born in 1964, the native Californian's comedy act is really a look at his dysfunctional family life in a rather humorous way. His father was an alcoholic and a womanizer who would rather his sons learn by their actions not to do stupid things versus just telling them not do. He constantly referred to his boys as "wussies". His mother suffered mental illness and killed her second husband. Titus' and his younger brother Dave's lives were forever impacted by the environment in which they were raised.