"Not Funny" is, in fact, incredibly funny and a worthwhile read.

Thank you NetGalley for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

This essay collection totally took me off guard. Jena is not someone I knew anything about. She is unapologetically anti-Trump and pro-choice and it’s endearing just how unwilling she is to pretend to be anyone else. I really enjoyed learning about what it’s like working in comedy, and considering what it actually is like working in a field where there is no HR. I loved the audiobook and would recommend it!

I was not familiar with this author prior to this book but I adore memoirs and especially those done in essay format. The idea of political and social commentary from a comedic standpoint always draws me in and this one did not let me down! Friedman offers well0-thought out discussions on topics like privilege, misogyny, discrimination, and so much more throughout her collection of essays. Each essay was so compelling that I found myself vying to get back to this collection any time I was forces to put it down. Friedman is clever and laugh-out-loud funny. I would recommend this to ANYONE whether you usually enjoy comedy, essays, non-fiction or none of the above because it's excellent!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

I was really excited to get a copy of this book from netgalley.com. I hadn't heard of Jena Friedman prior to this book, but I enjoyed reading these essays about her experiences as a stand-up comic and comedy writer for shows and movies. It made me interested in watching her show "Soft Focus" that was on Adult Swim as well as try ad find comedy specials. I really enjoyed the chapter on "Making it" and how that needle of how we define success for ourselves is always changing.

Not Funny by Jena Friedman was a candid novel about challenges of being a woman in the comedy industry as well as her political views and concerns. I appreciated her openness and criticism about issues which need addressing, however, the undercurrent of negativity with little to balance it off left me a bit uneasy. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Not Funny by Jena Friedman is a moving and thought provoking collection of essays about the life of a female comic. They are very of this moment in time and generally straightforward. Overall, a miss for me but a good read overall.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I'll start by saying I laughed at the dead baby joke.

These essays by Jena Friedman bring out a all the emotions, so if you're looking for a joke book this is not for you. If you want a book written by a strong funny female trying to no let her dreams end up in a cemetery, you found it.

I really was expecting every chapter to be full of laughter, but I got real which is so much better. It makes the laughter more enjoyable I think.

I don’t know. I’m in a bit of a book slump and feeling like the world’s grouchiest reviewer these days but this one wasn’t for me. Maybe Jena and I don’t have the same sense of humor. But whatever the reason, I am dnfing at 20% because this isn’t the right match for me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reading copy.

For this ARC, Simon and Schuster asked not to quote the book because it’s not the final version and it’s unfortunate because I would like to quote the sh*t out of this! I will say this book is not “laugh-out-loud” funny but it’s brilliant, it's political, and full of dark witty humor. As someone who is a huge fan of late-night comedy (Daily Show included), it was great to hear about her work on those shows and her experience in the field. And as someone who has found success (and failure) in the entertainment industry, it was comforting to hear someone else go through the same ups and downs.

I wish there was a video playlist or something to see all the content Jena refers to so I could have watched as I read. I hope there’s more from her in the future!

Happy pub day to “Not Funny: Essays on Life, Comedy, Culture, Et Cetera!”

As you can see by this photo, Roxy and I really enjoyed this book. Tracing her comedic roots back to Chicago comedy clubs (and an anthropology thesis gone wrong), Friedman shows that you can find humor in just about anything. This isn’t just a collection of humorous anecdotes. Instead, it’s part memoir, part political/societal commentary, fully honest and illuminating.

Friedman is just as talented in the pages of this book as she has been, and is, in the various stages of her career. There were sections of this book that had me laughing out loud while I was reading. Want to know what it feels like to be a women in comedy? Then this one is for you. (Friedman peppering male comedians - I make that distinction for a reason 😉 - with the types of inane questions female comedians receive is 🤌.)

“Not Funny” is a quick and engaging read. I’m excited to see what Friedman has on deck next; she’s gained a new follower in me. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.

Years ago I used to do copy-edit and retyping for people who could afford to have that grinding work done for them. Mostly non-writers. Two of these projects were memoirs by male comedians. They ended up being far less funny than angry. When this came up at NetGalley I thought, ooh, that rare bird, a female comedian. This should be interesting, and light-hearted reading late at night. I should have known better!

There's a lot of anger underneath these various essays, which are less funny than enlightening about the tough uphill climb for women in comedy. Enlightening and hard-hitting as Friedman tackles not only the unfunny questions female comedians get, but she takes on the tough road for female actors being cast in male-gazey films by male filmmakers (sex scenes, skin scenes). She gets into #MeToo, a subject that no one articulated during the years I worked under the glass ceiling in the film industry, but wow did that subject saturate the air. And there are women-adjacent subjects such as dead baby jokes, and suchlike, which I don't find even remotely funny.

These essays are unflinching, very political, and convey a straightforward view of what it was like for this woman to make her way into the strange world of comedy. Funny? Look at the title; though she snaps off the occasional great line, you're not going to chuckle your way through this book.

Jena has been all over my TikTok FYP, so when I saw that she had a book coming up, I jumped at the chance to read it and see if it would be a good fit for my wee store.

This book, despite the title, includes funny and frank discussions about comedy, the misogyny she's experienced, the infuriation of being asked about the bad behavior of men in her industry more than anything else, about privilege, and about using comedy in an overtly political way. She proves that comedy can be edge and actually not harmful or punching down. (For example, I used to think comedians should never have material about rape, but I just needed some women to add some material.) Not Funny is part memoir, part social commentary. She talks about her journey to now, with a background in improv, working on The Daily Show, working in standup. She also does some straightforward grappling with having had a good relationship with someone who later was fired for allegations against them (Jeff Garlin).

A great companion to the documentary Hysterical on Hulu, this is a must-read for anyone interested in comedy or supporting comedians.

cw: sexual assault/harassment, rape, abortion, racism, statutory/CSA, misogyny

Filled with acerbic wit, this is an intriguing read. It is an interesting approach for dealing with a sexist, misogynistic culture in the comedy world. Hopefully some improvement is being made there. This was a good read.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

Pretty much what it says on the tin. I didn't love any of these, nor did I particularly dislike them. They are not really funny in and of themselves, as the subject matter is serious/narrative, but she does insert humor into all of these situations. (Not really my style of humor, but your mileage may vary.) Some of the essays are interesting while reading, though a few days after finishing the book, I probably couldn't really tell you what it's about or details of what I read.

Although this book contains one essay on the demeaning, disrespectful, and ridiculous questions that women in comedy get – posing "gender-flipped" sexist questions to some of Friedman's male comedian friends to see how they feel responding to them – the majority of these essays are about being a woman in comedy. She talks about #MeToo, cancelled comedians, female likability, being cast in nude scenes and sex scenes, abortion, and dead baby jokes.

Overall, I thought this was a solid collection of essays, and I think you'll enjoy it if you like Jena Friedman's comedy style (you should probably check out her material on TikTok, Netflix, etc. first).

It wasn't super funny, so maybe the author nailed it?
That aside, I did appreciate the deep dive on just how misogynistic the US comedy industry is.

I think my favorite very niche genre of writing are essays by women comedy writers. LOVED Not Funny. Jena Friedman is such a gifted writer, and I just love her sense of humor. Candid look into her life and comedy career.

Jena Friedman is a comedy writer and comedian with many successes such as Borat Subsequent MovieFIlm,, the Daily Show, Soft Focus on Adult Swim, etc. While there is some humor in this book (some of which resonated with me and some which did not), there is a huge focus on the misogyny in the industry and the struggle women face in the writer's room or doing stand-up. These parts of the book were interesting to me. I appreciated her willingness to be candid and share her experiences.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really appreciated the insight Jena Friedman gives into the movie and comedy business in "Not Funny." The essays were well-done.

I have really enjoyed this comic for many years and was glad that her humor easily transfers to the written page. I was really saddened to see the level of misogyny that exists in her industry, but definitely not surprised. I loved that she shared so many different anecdotes and stories of her start in comedy and her experience through the years. I am glad that comics like her are challenging the status quo and persisting in the face of adversity. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley. This was truly an enjoyable read.

If you pick up Academy Award nominee Jena Friedman's "Not Funny: Essays on Life, Comedy, Culture, Et Cetera" solely because you expect the book to be yet another hilarious collection of essays written by an American comedian, there's a pretty good chance you'll be at least a little disappointed.

This isn't because "Not Funny" isn't funny. "Not Funny" is funny. However, if you know truly know Friedman's work then you already know that Friedman seldom stops at funny.

"Not Funny" definitely doesn't stop at funny as Friedman's essays on life, comedy, and culture tackle everything from reproductive rights to gender, privilege, class, #MeToo, and the world of celebrity culture. Hilarious, uncompromising, occasionally squirm-inducing, and remarkably honest, "Not Funny" is fierce, bold, and uniquely thought-provoking.

In 2020, Friedman picked up an Academy Award nomination for her screenplay work on Borat Subsequent MovieFilm. It's the latest accolade for the acclaimed standup comedian and writer who seems as much at ease whether working on or offstage. She appeared in the Sundance flick "Palm Springs," a must-see if you haven't, and her latest comedy special "Ladykiller" premiered on Peacock in September 2022 with the then pregnant Friedman delivering some of her finest, most pointed humor and insights to date with a relentless yet compelling fury that will likely offend those who deserve to be offended.

While "Not Funny" has its share of humor, Friedman is perhaps at her very best when sharing her experiences in the comedy world that range from inspirational to the downright misogynistic. Friedman's writing is often so introspective that "Not Funny" carries with it an emotional resonance that makes even her darkest humor land and her most biting commentary 100% penetrate. By the end of "Not Funny," I truthfully didn't know whether I should laugh or cry.

The truth is that I did both in abundance throughout "Not Funny."