Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld
(Format used for this read: Audiobook)
Yall are about to witness something that NEVER EVER HAPPENS on here.
I am giving a review on a book I DID NOT FINISH 😱
I got two hours into this one and just could NOT continue on, my friends.
Which was SO SO disappointing…and also irritating because I didn’t particularly enjoy the two hours I DID spend on it.
Here is the official summary:
“The first book in twenty-five years from Jerry Seinfeld features his best work across five decades in comedy.
Since his first performance at the legendary New York nightclub “Catch a Rising Star” as a twenty-one-year-old college student in fall of 1975, Jerry Seinfeld has written his own material and saved everything. “Whenever I came up with a funny bit, whether it happened on a stage, in a conversation, or working it out on my preferred canvas, the big yellow legal pad, I kept it in one of those old school accordion folders,” Seinfeld writes. “So I have everything I thought was worth saving from forty-five years of hacking away at this for all I was worth.”
For this book, Jerry Seinfeld has selected his favorite material, organized decade by decade. In page after hilarious page, one brilliantly crafted observation after another, readers will witness the evolution of one of the great comedians of our time and gain new insights into the thrilling but unforgiving art of writing stand-up comedy.”
I have been reading some HEAVY and DEEP stuff lately…one book right after the other ….and my brain and heart needed a break from learning, processing, thinking, and feeling all the feelings.
I decided I needed some laughter to lighten my spirit so TA-DAH…I thought this book would be the most PERFECT fit right now.
I used to be a BIG fan of “Seinfeld” back in the late 90’s, yall. I thought it was side splittingly hysterical, sarcastically ridiculous and I LIVED for the humor in that “show about nothing”.
In fact, it is one of the only shows my husband and I have ever both equally enjoyed at the same level. We are complete opposites so this fact right here is a HUUUUGE deal!
We used to watch reruns of episodes together whenever we came across them long ago in the pre-streaming, pre-DVR, cable subscription days.
That being said, I have not watched an episode of the show in YEARRRRRS…..so when I saw this book I got all nostalgic and thought “Some Jerry Seinfeld neurotic humor is JUST what I need right now.”
Except that it wasn’t.
I thought that listening to the audio would be perfect, because then it would be just like hearing him do stand up.
Except that it wasn’t.
Lemme tell yall a little bit about why…..
This book is basically just a collection of his jokes from across the decades…sounds fun and entertaining to hear Jerry just read you some jokes, right?
BUT each joke has a title/category before it….so Jerry reads his jokes, but then there is a woman with a very airy British accented voice that reads the title/category first….which made it just a very strange flow.
You’d hear her say something like “Lines At The Post Office”, then there’d be Jerry telling a joke about this for a minute or so, and then she’d say the topic of the next joke like “Problems with Luggage Tags”. (BTW these are just topics I made up off the top of my head…I couldn’t remember any specific title from jokes I listened to…but they do kinda sound like the genre of joke that you would hear from him so IDK….there COULD BE jokes in these categories further along in the book but they weren’t ones I heard😆)
This format just grated on my nerves after awhile and totally messed with my enjoyment. I didn’t really think it was necessary.
I think that reading this book in print would have been a very different experience with the whole title/category introduction thingy and maybe that part wouldn’t have bothered me so much….I could’ve just skimmed over them or something.
Also…surprisingly…..I only found SOME of the jokes funny. And some I just found downright cruel or offensive.
Maybe my sense of humor has changed over the years or maybe it is because my awareness level has changed or maybe I was just in a really bitchy mood the day I tried to listen….but whatever the reason, the fact remains that I can’t remember doing anything more than just lightly giggle at like three jokes ONLY in a two hour time span. And there was some jokes he said I was like “Ok. That is NOT something anyone should EVER make fun of…that is hella rude.”
It made me wonder if I went back now and rewatched episodes of “Seinfeld” if I would feel the same way.
I kinda think I would.
Because I started remembering some shit that happened in episodes that would NEVER EVER be allowed to air on ANY network today in regards to racism, sexism and ableism. And I DEFINITELY would not find humor in.
I think it would probably be what happens when I watch 80s movies I loved so much growing up….I get super disgusted most of the time at the negative stereotypes and prejudices portrayed and I just can’t enjoy it anymore.
Anyway.
Two hours into this book I looked down and saw I still had 5 hours to go.
I HATE quitting books. Like I will almost ALWAYS push thru and just get it done even if it is not that enjoyable. I have only ever quit two books in my entire life and that is because reading them was making me physically nauseated due to descriptions of abuse.
But the whole point of me listening to this one was to have something light and fun to entertain me.
This wasn’t cutting it.
So I just said “Done.” And moved on to a YA novel about fairytale magic instead.
That has been MUCH better 😊
My final thoughts on this unfinished book: if you are a die hard Jerry Seinfeld fan, you’ll probably love this book. If you are not, don’t even bother.
If you’re like me and USED to be a big ol’ fan BUT it has been a hot minute since you listened to his comedy, I say it’s a 50/50 shot that you’ll like it and a 50/50 shot that you’ll be “meh” about it.