by Bob Newhart
First published 2006
Bob Newhart opens his comedic memoir by reflecting on decades spent making America laugh through his distinctive stammering delivery and deadpan style. The veteran performer recounts his unexpected journey from accountant to comedy album sensation, then to television star with The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart, which kept him on primetime for fifteen years. Newhart weaves together backstage anecdotes with his signature wry commentary on everyday subjects like golf, drinking, and family gatherings. He shares behind-the-scenes moments from his career while offering the same observational humor that made his comedy albums bestsellers and inspired a drinking game bearing his name. The book captures Newhart's storytelling approach rather than traditional punch-line comedy, giving readers access to the perspective that has sustained his popularity through recent roles in Elf and Desperate Housewives. This marks the first time the comedy icon has brought his distinctive voice to print, complete with excerpts from his classic routines.
Genres: humor, 20th-century, autobiography, biography-memoir, comedy, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, observational
Tropes: memoir, wry-commentary
Period: 20th-Century, 21st-Century
257 pages · Kindle Edition · Grand Central Publishing