Too Fat to Fish
Nov 2008 · Sold by Random House
4.2star
82 reviews
Ebook
320
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
About this ebook
Outrageous, raw, and painfully funny true stories straight from the life of the actor, comedian, and much-loved cast member of The Howard Stern Show—with a foreword by Howard Stern.
When Artie Lange joined the permanent cast of The Howard Stern Show in 2001, it was possibly the greatest thing ever to happen in the Stern universe, second only to the show’s move to the wild, uncensored frontier of satellite radio. Lange provided what Stern had yet to find all in the same place: a wit quick enough to keep pace with his own, a pathetic self-image to dwarf his own, a personal history both heartbreaking and hilarious, and an ingrained sense of self-sabotage that continually keeps things interesting.
A natural storyteller with a bottomless pit of material, Lange grew up in a close-knit, working-class Italian family in Union, New Jersey, a maniacal Yankees fan who pursued the two things his father said he was cut out for—sports and comedy. Tragically, Artie Lange Sr. never saw the truth in that prediction: He became a quadriplegic in an accident when Artie was eighteen and died soon after. But as with every trial in his life, from his drug addiction to his obesity to his fights with his mother, Artie mines the humor, pathos, and humanity in these events and turns them into comedy classics.
True fans of the Stern Show will find Artie gold in these pages: hilarious tales that couldn’t have happened to anyone else. There are stories from his days driving a Jersey cab, working as a longshoreman in Port Newark, and navigating the dark circuit of stand-up comedy. There are outrageous episodes from the frenzied heights of his coked-up days at MADtv, surprisingly moving stories from his childhood, and an account of his recent U.S.O. tour that is equally stirring and irreverent. But also in this volume are stories Artie’s never told before, including some that he deemed too revealing for radio.
Wild, shocking, and drop-dead hilarious, Too Fat to Fish is Artie Lange giving everything he’s got to give. And like a true pro, the man never disappoints.
When Artie Lange joined the permanent cast of The Howard Stern Show in 2001, it was possibly the greatest thing ever to happen in the Stern universe, second only to the show’s move to the wild, uncensored frontier of satellite radio. Lange provided what Stern had yet to find all in the same place: a wit quick enough to keep pace with his own, a pathetic self-image to dwarf his own, a personal history both heartbreaking and hilarious, and an ingrained sense of self-sabotage that continually keeps things interesting.
A natural storyteller with a bottomless pit of material, Lange grew up in a close-knit, working-class Italian family in Union, New Jersey, a maniacal Yankees fan who pursued the two things his father said he was cut out for—sports and comedy. Tragically, Artie Lange Sr. never saw the truth in that prediction: He became a quadriplegic in an accident when Artie was eighteen and died soon after. But as with every trial in his life, from his drug addiction to his obesity to his fights with his mother, Artie mines the humor, pathos, and humanity in these events and turns them into comedy classics.
True fans of the Stern Show will find Artie gold in these pages: hilarious tales that couldn’t have happened to anyone else. There are stories from his days driving a Jersey cab, working as a longshoreman in Port Newark, and navigating the dark circuit of stand-up comedy. There are outrageous episodes from the frenzied heights of his coked-up days at MADtv, surprisingly moving stories from his childhood, and an account of his recent U.S.O. tour that is equally stirring and irreverent. But also in this volume are stories Artie’s never told before, including some that he deemed too revealing for radio.
Wild, shocking, and drop-dead hilarious, Too Fat to Fish is Artie Lange giving everything he’s got to give. And like a true pro, the man never disappoints.
Ratings and reviews
4.2
82 reviews
A Google user
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February 7, 2010
it's a sad thing, that we celebrate and enable someone who will most certainly be dead in five years. Artie's story isn't funny, it's pathetic. Instead of buying his book, maybe everyone who reads it could write him a letter, telling him how funny he is, and how sad it would be to lose him to addiction.
that said, the book has some funny anecdotes, but it's publishing is surprising when one considers that its material is of the caliber and class of writing found on any subway station bathroom wall. I don't doubt that Artie wrote it himself, which isn't much of a compliment. A tragedy dressed up as a comedy, i found myself laughing occasionally, which is to say, laughing uncomfortably.
Susie Q
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August 12, 2014
His debilitating insecurity and low self esteem often make the deliberate "funny parts" hard to laugh at. The man is a horribly destructive, if fascinating, train wreck.
A Google user
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May 1, 2010
I think Artie is really funny, but this book was just his comedy rehatched. He writes like an annoying jersey guy, and he isnt as funny in print.
About the author
Artie Lange is a comedian, actor, and cast member of The Howard Stern Show. A former star of the cult television show MADtv, he’s also appeared in the movies Dirty Work, Elf, Old School, and Beer League, which he also co-wrote and produced. Artie lives in New Jersey.
Anthony Bozza is a former Rolling Stone staff writer and the author of the New York Times bestsellers Whatever You Say I Am: The Life and Times of Eminem; Tommyland with Tommy Lee; and Slash with Slash. He lives in New York City.
Anthony Bozza is a former Rolling Stone staff writer and the author of the New York Times bestsellers Whatever You Say I Am: The Life and Times of Eminem; Tommyland with Tommy Lee; and Slash with Slash. He lives in New York City.
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