A great deep dive into Odenkirk's fascinating and eclectic career. His reflections are more geared towards his professional successes and failures rather than his personal life, but his musings are honest and thoughtful throughout.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Random House Publishing Group- Random House for an advanced copy of this entertainment memoir.

There is an adage, possibly an adaptation of something Mel Brooks might have said: "Comedy is if someone slips on a banana peel, tragedy is when you slip on it". Bob Odenkirk's response to that would probably be it just depends on the delivery. In his memoir Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama, the actor/ comedian/ producer/ director/ all around nice guy discusses his work, breaks, and set backs. and his views on what he has had a hand in creating and messing up.

Growing up in the midwest with a difficult father, a loving mother and a lot of siblings, Mr. Odenkirk learned to love entertaining to make and create jokes and be the center of attention. A chance meeting with a improv comedy master, and hard work got him a break in Chicago. Harder work got him a job writing on Saturday Night Live, just as the show was recreating itself. Using a mix of both uncomfortable humor and tenacity Mr. Odenkirk moved to Los Angeles, where a comedy renaissance was taking place and he soon found a partner in David Cross, and a new show, the groundbreaking Mr. Show w/ Bob & David. After the highs, came the lows until a call asking if he would be interested in a small role on a small show called Breaking Bad.

Mr. Odenkirk is not shy about sharing his troubles and tribulations, from his childhood in the midwest with his father, his SNL days, to mistakes he made in both jokes, actions and just being a man in an industry like comedy that tends to ignore women. However what really comes across is a man who was not afraid to try new things, new forms of comedy, drama roles, anything to well not be bored, but to live a life that is interesting and and artful. Plus hard work. He does not look at his career as something deserved but as earned, and is grateful for it.

Oh and the book is very funny. I should not omit that. The writing is not the usual ghostwritten memoir, but is more Mr. Odenkirk sharing tales in long car ride. Very personal and full of bits that only the person who lived it could share. Again, something rare in most memoirs. Highly recommended for fans of comedy or improv theater, or entertainment fans. Also for people who like to read books about people whose success seems well deserved.

Thanks to the author, publisher and to Net Galley for an advanced reader copy of this book.
Some famous actor, English, I think, was reported to have said after a death bed scene, ,” Tragedy is easy; comedy is hard.”
Bob Odenkirk’s auto-biography certainly proves that.
Most of the book tells how he always wanted to be a comedian, more than that, a sketch comedian. Even as a teen Odenkirk yearned to be. On stage saying the word he had written in a sharply witty or broadly comic skit that would make the room rock with laughter. Certainly he paid his dues as he left college to find a place with Chicago’s Second City troupe. What he did was learn a lot through a lot of disappointment and inner struggle. He learned that , often what seemed like a sure- Fire laugh to him and his friends fell flat- comedy is hard.
Eventually, he found his voice as a comic actor and writer, even as a producer of sit-coms and episodes for them. He feels of what he learned and the talented people who, in a sense, mentored him . There were a lot of hungry days, falling flat, coming back to find work in tv that helped Odenkirk learn how to play to an audience or to a camera.
The came his big break, being hired to play Saul Goodman, the sleazy lawyer on one of TV’s best ever shows, Breaking Bad. As Odenkirk writes. What was a sit- com actor/ writer doing in a serious drama when he was not a serious actor. But he leaned that he was indeed a serious actor. He learned from his fellow actors how to read the lines as written with emotion, how to bring Saul alive into an character so unforgettable that Saul Goodman, and Bod Odenkirk deserved their own show.
All in all , Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama is good book that his fans will enjoy. It is also a good primer for young actors, and really, for for alll young people who have a drive to succeed at something , namely, that it is damn hard to win through adversity and that the goal may not be the one you thought.

I was so surprised and grateful to have had this 'wish for it' granted. I'm a more recent fan of Bob Odenkirk, since the Breaking Bad days. Reading about his earlier career in sketch comedy, and kind of hilarious light disdain for SNL, was great. I paused reading several times to search on YouTube for sketches he mentioned, laughing the whole way. Titannica was a great new find.

I did also notice the shallow acknowledgement of "white guys everywhere!!!" while reading; he himself points out how he should've used the funny, smart, talented women in his circle more than he did. I don't think this would've been as noticeable if the book was released a few years ago, and I do think that he sort of missed the point with the 'white privilege' comment that Naomi made. But I was happy with the overall focus of the book being singularly on Bob Odenkirk's career - not his politics, not his childhood, not his personal life.

I like the cover, I like the title, I like the book. It's one I'd pick up a printed copy of if given the opportunity. And I'll certainly be spending more time online searching for Mr. Show clips.

Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama is a fantastic memoir by Bob Odenkirk. It is funny as hell and really easy to read. I read the entire thing with his voice narrating because it is written so true to who he is. Just fantastic. I loved reading about his past and the old sketch shows. I had no idea of many of them and was pleasantly surprised to find them on YouTube. Great stuff. I am so glad he said yes to BB and BCS because they are the best shows out there. I highly recommend the book to anyone who is a fan or those looking to find out more about this super funny guy.

Whitty, honest, engaging, smart………. “Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama” is a well-written memoir by Bob Odenkirk on his life experience (up to this point!).

What I thoroughly enjoyed about his memoir is the way it read. Being able to “hear” the author’s voice/tone (while not listening to the audiobook of course!) is a whole new level of writing style and was done skillfully! The memoir felt he was being true to who he is, and he is not apologetic for it (and I mean this in the most positive way).

How he got to where he is today, challenges, roadblocks, opportunities, luck, and a lot of laughter along the way. It is about the journey not the destination, right?

A sincere thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me an advance copy (ARC) of this memoir in exchange for an honest review. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read this book and leave my review voluntarily.

Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama by Bob Odenkirk
Genre: Memoir | Humor
Pub Date: 01 Mar 2022
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Featuring humorous tangents, never-before-seen photos, wild characters, and Bob’s trademark unflinching drive, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama is a classic showbiz tale told by a determined idiot.”

In classic me fashion, I had to shove one more comedic memoir in before the close of 2021 and this was the PERFECT one for such cramming.

Bob is my hometown hero (shout out to Naperville!) and his voice echoes throughout these funny and sardonic pages as if you were listening to the man himself.

My favorite thing about a good memoir is you really feel like you're hanging out with a friend--hearing their secret musings and embarrassing inner dialogue and, in this case, the tea on what it's like to carve a serpentine path into NY/LA writers' rooms and eventually on camera.

I really appreciated that Odie, as his friends call him, didn't hold back when it came to how this industry expects artists to curate their voice to an audience--any fans of Mr. Show will know that wasn't gonna fly and so much for the better.

This short read was the perfect end cap to 2021: A year that needed more comedy and less drama.

Read if you:
🏡Love Saul Goodman
🏡Have thought about doing stand up
🏡Are from the Midwest
🏡Want a glimpse into Hollywood BTS

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#ComedyComedyComedyDrama #NetGalley #bookstagram #memoir #comedy #drama #book #review #humor #bookstagram #booklover #reading #ilovebooks #currentlyreading #bookreview #books #bookstagrammer #bookrecommendations #bookblog

Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama is a heartfelt and humorous memoir by Bob Odenkirk. Readers can expect the ups and downs of his career and get to know how he became the comedic and drama legend he is today.

Bob details his life and the start of his career in a genuine way. It's fun to read about the many memories and moments that helped shape his career. The book also feature some awesome photos with legends like Chris Farley and Bob Cranston.

I give Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama 4 stars. It's a really engaging memoir that you can laugh and smile at. This is perfect for fans of Bob Odenkirk!

Great insight into Odenkirk's acting life and a fascinating look at some of the most iconic entertainment scenes (SNL, Chicago stand-up, etc.) and creations (Mr. Show, Larry Sanders, Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul).
I could hear Odenkirk's voice throughout simply in reading it so I am especially intrigued to check out the audiobook when it releases. Thankfully, the content is worthy of a second read anyway.

ARC provided via NetGalley.

I’m a huge fan of Bob Odenkirk ,if he’s in a movie a tv series his performance is always entertaining a .Stand out performance.This was a fun read for me his career the shows he’s been on or written for.I really enjoyed his book.#netgalley #randomhouse

Bob Odenkirk - the collective we are all the richer since he decided to pursue a career in the public arena. I know that I’m not alone in this sentiment.

Did you too watch The Ben Stiller Show as it aired in the early ‘90’s?
Did you too develop a sincere appreciation for Odenkirk’s brand of comedy?
Are you David Cross?
Did you watch Breaking Bad and enjoy the character of Saul Goodman so much that you started watching Better Call Saul as well?
Are you a newer fan, familiar with the Odenkirk mostly due to Nobody?
Read this book. As a longtime fan, I’d definitely say this is a must read for other fans.

I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy and am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this. I do highly recommend this with one caveat; I wish I’d listened to this instead of reading it. Odenkirk’s experiences would have been, I feel, better listening with the exact nuances and inflections the author intended when writing.


Recommended.

am a huge fan of bob and could not believe all the shows and movies he has not only been in but he has been behind as a writer. Truly blown away. To read about his past and coming up as a actor and to see how close we were to potentially not having Saul Goodman in our life is just crazy!! This is a absolute must read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I went back and forth on whether to give this fun, light-hearted memoir 4 or 5 stars. I settled on 4, and will get into the reasons why. First, let me say if you are a Bob Odenkirk fan, you definitely need this memoir. It is sassy, conversational, and chock-full of fun and informative anecdotes about his many, many comedy and acting jobs, including writing for SNL during one of its most famous seasons (Sandler, Farley, Spade), heading up the cult favorite sketch comedy show Mr. Show, and then having later-in-life unexpected massive success with Breaking Bad and its spin-off, Better Call Saul. To be honest, I was blatantly unfamiliar with Odenkirk's oeuvre. I don't even watch Breaking Bad. But I love to read memoirs, especially of entertainers, and of comedians. I found myself looking up lots of videos as I read (thank god for YouTube) and laughed loudly at sketches like Manson and Change for a Dollar.

I shave off a star because there were quite a few times during the memoir where Bob appeared to be grappling with some "feelings" over not doing more to hire women and POC writers over the years. I'm not sure exactly what those feelings are- because he brings this up enough that you're aware that he thinks about it, but he doesn't dig deeper into it. For example, his former girlfriend tells him that he and his friends are cruel to female comedians - he seems to admit this is the case, but doesn't say in what way or how he feels about that now. He admits that the writers of Mr. Show were all white men, and that was a mistake. But that's as far as he goes with it. Why did he only hire men when he clearly was surrounded by lots of female talent, talent he calls out many times (Sarah Silverman, Jan Hooks, Janeane Garofolo, etc)? At one point, he backs a comedy troupe of seven white young men and tries to get them a TV deal. He then admits it failed because seven white men should never be in one place at the same time. But then he gets back all of the white men from Mr. Show for a revival. At the end of the book, his wife, Naomi, suggests he should mention "white privilege" in his memoir but he will only admit to feeling "privileged" for living life he's lived. Okay, that's not... exactly what she meant.

I'm not someone who needs virtue signaling or admissions of privilege in books. We all know it exists and unless you're going to tackle it in a meaningful way, I don't see the point of bringing it up to earn "woke points." That's what that felt like here.

That said, I read the book very quickly. It is an amusing and intelligent jaunt through a comedian and actor's career. Thank you to #NetGalley, Bob Odenkirk and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love Bob Odenkirk and thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It was so Bob Odenkirk! Highly recommend this to any Bob Odenkirk fan!!!

Man, I really wanted to LOVE this book. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it. But as a diehard Bob Odenkirk fan, I think I already knew too much about his career to really be blown away by this. The book I was hoping for was probably too in-depth for the broad audience this is aimed at. That being said, if you only know Bob from Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul or Nobody, this is a very good rundown of his career from the beginning. Bob is one of the greatest sketch writers and comedic minds to ever live, so any glimpse into his thought process is worth the price of admission.

I love autobiographies, and especially those written by people in the entertainment industry. I'm also a big fan of Bob Odenkirk. So I expected this book to be right up my alley, and it did not disappoint. I especially enjoyed the chatty, humorous writing style, which made it feel like I was having an intimate conversation with Bob about his life and experiences. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It appeared more in line with a textbook than anything else. I read a few chapters and put it down.
I'm sure others will love the book.

I had the pleasure of attending an in-person event in a San Francisco bookstore in which Bob Odenkirk and David Cross and other members were promoting a book they'd written about Mr. Show. Ashamed to say, this was my introduction to that work, and I'd been looking forward to seeing Saul, and David Cross's Never Nude from Arrested Development, in person. What struck me was how personable and friendly they were, and the event was a sheer delight. As is this book. Odenkirk reveals his love for sketch comedy and lays out his experiences, developments, personal histories, along with that of a very diverse group of friends, always giving credit where it's due (I loved reading about Janeane Garofolo, whose intelligence shines through with every performance). Thusly, the lengthy revelations regarding the years leading up to the "drama" section were informative and fun to read, but I must admit to paying closer attention to the chapters involving Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, two of my favorite shows. As there are several months before publication, I anticipate an update including his on-set heart attack and the effect it had on his co-workers and family, and hope that the audio version will be read in his warm, distinctive rasp.

This was just an ok read for me and I think that's because I read it immediately after Molly Shannon's book, which kept me more engaged. While I appreciated this one, I guess I had expected a little more joy at the SNL parts, pretty much the reason I wanted to read it - I didn't even know he was a writer at one time! All and all an interesting read.

Bob Odenkirk is a national treasure, and reading this book just made me love him so much more. I loved getting more in depth in his career and how he got started. I've followed him since his Mr. Show days, and it was an absolute delight to read this memoir. He's such a talented writer (read his fiction if you haven't already). LOVED.