NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE A.V. CLUB • Includes new interviews!From the writer and director of Knocked Up and the producer of Freaks and Geeks comes a collection of intimate, hilarious conversations with the biggest names in comedy from the past thirty years—including Mel Brooks, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Sarah Silverman, Harold Ramis, Seth … Jon Stewart, Sarah Silverman, Harold Ramis, Seth Rogen, Chris Rock, and Lena Dunham.
Before becoming one of the most successful filmmakers in Hollywood, Judd Apatow was the original comedy nerd. At fifteen, he took a job washing dishes in a local comedy club—just so he could watch endless stand-up for free. At sixteen, he was hosting a show for his local high school radio station in Syosset, Long Island—a show that consisted of Q&As with his comedy heroes, from Garry Shandling to Jerry Seinfeld. They talked about their careers, the science of a good joke, and their dreams of future glory (turns out, Shandling was interested in having his own TV show one day and Steve Allen had already invented everything).
Thirty years later, Apatow is still that same comedy nerd—and he’s still interviewing funny people about why they do what they do.
Sick in the Head gathers Apatow’s most memorable and revealing conversations into one hilarious, wide-ranging, and incredibly candid collection that spans not only his career but his entire adult life. Here are the comedy legends who inspired and shaped him, from Mel Brooks to Steve Martin. Here are the contemporaries he grew up with in Hollywood, from Spike Jonze to Sarah Silverman. And here, finally, are the brightest stars in comedy today, many of whom Apatow has been fortunate to work with, from Seth Rogen to Amy Schumer. And along the way, something kind of magical happens: What started as a lifetime’s worth of conversations about comedy becomes something else entirely. It becomes an exploration of creativity, ambition, neediness, generosity, spirituality, and the joy that comes from making people laugh.
Loaded with the kind of back-of-the-club stories that comics tell one another when no one else is watching, this fascinating, personal (and borderline-obsessive) book is Judd Apatow’s gift to comedy nerds everywhere.
Praise for Sick in the Head
“I can’t stop reading it. . . . I don’t want this book to end.”—Jimmy Fallon
“An essential for any comedy geek.”—Entertainment Weekly
“Fascinating . . . a collection of interviews with many of the great figures of comedy in the latter half of the twentieth century.”—The Washington Post
“Open this book anywhere, and you’re bound to find some interesting nugget from someone who has had you in stitches many, many times.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times
“An amazing read, full of insights and connections both creative and interpersonal.”—The New Yorker
“Fascinating and revelatory.”—Chicago Tribune
“Anyone even remotely interested in comedy or humanity should own this book.”—Will Ferrell
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From Judd Apatow’s series of personal interviews with a wonderfully diverse list of successful creative people in _Sick In the Head_ you can derive simple entertainment or read between the lines and between the years and generations of Mel Brooks and Amy Schumer, and learn great lessons in organizing a 3 inch by 5 inch card as a single, funny joke, or a series of them as a wonderful, and potentially priceless gift of story in film. (I may have learned it before, but until he reminds Judd, I forgot that Mel Brooks partnered with Richard Pryor to write “Blazing Saddles” (and Mel Brooks not too long after produced the film “The Elephant Man” with David Lynch directing).
I only discovered this gem of a book accidentally as a discard in my local library (I was encouraged to see they still retain several copies in circulation. Judd Apatow is a super successful film maker; this book documents his path focused on becoming a comedian, but walks readers along a life of valuable lessons and unexpected successes.
For anyone interested in the art and science of comedy, this collection of interviews should be required reading! The subjects would rank high on almost anyone’s list of top comedic performers. Their insights into the process of being “funny”, regardless of how one defines that state, adds a dimension to the appreciation of their work, be it stand-up, on film, or via the written word. This was an enjoyable read, and one that will likely be revisited as time goes on. Very highly recommended.
I enjoy him, and he didn’t dissapoint.
This book is so important in comedy history. Young Apatow interviewing every huge comedian of today is hilarious and inspiring.
Informative but not my type of read.
Great interviews with comedians. Well written.
Eh. Did not finish it. Boring.
Marginally interesting.
Too many interviews turned into a “your the best”, “no your the best” type conversations.
Judd Apatow interviewing comedians, since he was in High School. What’s not t love. Chuckles smiles, grins, and some belly laughs in this tome. If you have any interest in the comedy of the last 20/30 years, this s for you.
Interesting interviews, many done before author was famous.
Boring to me!
I love Apatows films and TV shows and was expecting a pleasurable read where I could learn more about what made this comic genius tick. I was sorely disappointed. It was dull and lacked the spark of wit I expected. I didn’t even finish the book.
I realize that sometimes it just isn’t the right time to appreciate a book – you may not be in sync with the vibe, if you get my drift. I will give it another try. Maybe then it will speak to me.
He asks questions about things I want to know. The interviews are about the interviewed, not the interviewer. I felt as if I were a part of the conversations.
I’m enjoying the book; well written and informative. I’ve always admired the comics that he’s interviewing and am enjoying getting their perspectives on life and their work.