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It Only Hurts When I Laugh
Traces the long and distinguished career of Stan Freberg, from his beginnings on radio doing animal impressions to his Clio award-winning advertising efforts that have turned Madison Avenue on its head
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First published November 28, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 9, 2019
8 Aug. 2019 - I was reminded of reading this book after reading a review of a bio of Mel Brooks. The reason is Brooks and Freberg were/are great humorists, in addition to their other talents.
I read this book probably a year or two (or three?) after it came out in 1988, since I was a Freberg fan.
It was cool to read about his early career and his classic TV ads - for Gino's Pizza Rolls, La Choi's Chop Suey and others too. I bet the younger generation would be amazed at how creative these were, despite being very "low tech."
He also did a musical TV special with Bob Chitester (of Free To Choose fame): The Federal Budget Review. Bob told me personally what it was like to work with Freberg, which I can't repeat. That may well have coe after this book.
But what really endeared me to Freberg was his amazing vinyl album "Stan Freberg Presents... These United States of America" an unbelievably wacky set of "historical" sketches, with a few classic voice actors such as John Goodman, Jesse White & Tyne Daly and some with music, of various scenes he made up:
- Columbus "Discovering" America - or was it the Indians/Native Americans discovering him?
- The First Thanksgiving
- Betsy Ross making the first American flag & Washington's comments
- Battle of Yorktown" with Washington (& Norman Rockwell, wait, WHAT?) and Cornwallis surrendering
etc.
Wow, do these bring back memories! Treat yourself. Or at least check out some of the album cuts or old TV ads on YouTube! They have held up VERY well.
I recommend the book based on my 30 some year old memory of reading it.
I read this book probably a year or two (or three?) after it came out in 1988, since I was a Freberg fan.
It was cool to read about his early career and his classic TV ads - for Gino's Pizza Rolls, La Choi's Chop Suey and others too. I bet the younger generation would be amazed at how creative these were, despite being very "low tech."
He also did a musical TV special with Bob Chitester (of Free To Choose fame): The Federal Budget Review. Bob told me personally what it was like to work with Freberg, which I can't repeat. That may well have coe after this book.
But what really endeared me to Freberg was his amazing vinyl album "Stan Freberg Presents... These United States of America" an unbelievably wacky set of "historical" sketches, with a few classic voice actors such as John Goodman, Jesse White & Tyne Daly and some with music, of various scenes he made up:
- Columbus "Discovering" America - or was it the Indians/Native Americans discovering him?
- The First Thanksgiving
- Betsy Ross making the first American flag & Washington's comments
- Battle of Yorktown" with Washington (& Norman Rockwell, wait, WHAT?) and Cornwallis surrendering
etc.
Wow, do these bring back memories! Treat yourself. Or at least check out some of the album cuts or old TV ads on YouTube! They have held up VERY well.
I recommend the book based on my 30 some year old memory of reading it.
August 10, 2019
I first encountered Freberg on the radio talking about his United States of America album. It was so clever that I subsequently got a hold of his Greatest Hits album and radio show album. The book is just as entertaining as it reveals good stories on how he came to be an advertising man and revolutionize television commercials.
He spends a great deal of the book discussing his plans with David Merrick to put United States of America on Broadway. The delay stopped what would have been a series of comedy history albums. Unfortunately the book ends in the 1960s, before his biggest ad campaigns even started. I bought this book in a bargain bin and I fear we may never see volume 2.
This was a well-written and fast paced book. One of the better entertainment autobiographies I have ever read.
He spends a great deal of the book discussing his plans with David Merrick to put United States of America on Broadway. The delay stopped what would have been a series of comedy history albums. Unfortunately the book ends in the 1960s, before his biggest ad campaigns even started. I bought this book in a bargain bin and I fear we may never see volume 2.
This was a well-written and fast paced book. One of the better entertainment autobiographies I have ever read.
June 7, 2008
Freberg has led me through his work all my adult life...actually since my early teens. I guess my earliest memory of his satirical work was "St. George and the Dragonet," his ripoff of "Dragnet," back in the early 50s and his "United States of America, Vol. 1, The Early Years," did more to get me into theatre and a life in radio broadcasting than any other factor.
His autobiography is a wonderful read. He is a funny man and, like most humorists, a very serious man as regards his lifework. Laughter is a very serious business and Freberg, one of the very best in the field, brings lucidity to his hilarity.
I mean, could there have ever been a better bumper sticker than this: "Keep Honking! I'm Reloading!!!"
His autobiography is a wonderful read. He is a funny man and, like most humorists, a very serious man as regards his lifework. Laughter is a very serious business and Freberg, one of the very best in the field, brings lucidity to his hilarity.
I mean, could there have ever been a better bumper sticker than this: "Keep Honking! I'm Reloading!!!"
September 29, 2019
I've read and studied humor since I was in junior high school. I discovered Freberg sometime after that. His success as a humorist in advertising is simply amazing and would be impossible to do today due to the effort to micro-manage and not be creative but let uncreative numbers-people to rule...well, just about everything. As Freberg notes in this book, he ran into all of this in the late '50s. Glad he's not around to day to see how much worse it's all become.
Watching, hearing and reading Feberg humor, his start in the world is rather surprising. His sudden bump inot the professional world is even more surprising. It is still another example of youth and energy- and brilliance - can lead to great success.
That last is the interesting aspect of Freberg's career that is never examined in this book. The book of Freberg's life ends in the mid 1960s. Freberg cut it off there with an intent of another book. That book never happened. Much like a second album of his history of the US never happened. In this book he explains why the second album never happened, which tend to give a bit of light why a second book never happened.
But I wonder why Freberg sputtered as he entered the 1970s. I know he still did a few commercials. But the albums, writing, etc primarily stopped. He mostly did voice overs and radio spots, like 'Stan Freberg Here' in the late '80s and early '90s. What happened? I hoped to learn that from this book. I wonder if it was something medical or mental or banishment from the Media? A mystery unsolved here.
This is a Partial book of Freberg's life. Despite that, it is very full. Freberg details much of his professional life. Lots of explanation of how his creative approach to advertising was successful, not successful, encouraged and stopped. His tale of the interruption of continuing 'Stan Freberg Presents The United States Of America Vol. 1: The Early Years' is hilarious and frustrating that such interference can occur.
I recommend this book for those want to learn more about business and, specifically, the entertainment business. I speak to WAY too many young people who think the entertainment world is a cake walk and they have some odd concept of freedom to do whatever they want. This book can help understanding the mine field of entertainment, which is much, much more loaded with mines these days.
Bottom line: I recommend this book. 8 out of ten points.
Watching, hearing and reading Feberg humor, his start in the world is rather surprising. His sudden bump inot the professional world is even more surprising. It is still another example of youth and energy- and brilliance - can lead to great success.
That last is the interesting aspect of Freberg's career that is never examined in this book. The book of Freberg's life ends in the mid 1960s. Freberg cut it off there with an intent of another book. That book never happened. Much like a second album of his history of the US never happened. In this book he explains why the second album never happened, which tend to give a bit of light why a second book never happened.
But I wonder why Freberg sputtered as he entered the 1970s. I know he still did a few commercials. But the albums, writing, etc primarily stopped. He mostly did voice overs and radio spots, like 'Stan Freberg Here' in the late '80s and early '90s. What happened? I hoped to learn that from this book. I wonder if it was something medical or mental or banishment from the Media? A mystery unsolved here.
This is a Partial book of Freberg's life. Despite that, it is very full. Freberg details much of his professional life. Lots of explanation of how his creative approach to advertising was successful, not successful, encouraged and stopped. His tale of the interruption of continuing 'Stan Freberg Presents The United States Of America Vol. 1: The Early Years' is hilarious and frustrating that such interference can occur.
I recommend this book for those want to learn more about business and, specifically, the entertainment business. I speak to WAY too many young people who think the entertainment world is a cake walk and they have some odd concept of freedom to do whatever they want. This book can help understanding the mine field of entertainment, which is much, much more loaded with mines these days.
Bottom line: I recommend this book. 8 out of ten points.
May 19, 2017
Freberg was one of my girlhood heroes, a happy influence on my sense of humor and my sense of how to write lyrics. In a way, he has touched everyone's life-- whether they know it or not-- because of his genius as an advertising man, which brought us "Eight Great Tomatoes in One Ittybitty Can" and a whole genre of clever and delightful ads. (And NOT ads that are just silly for no particular reason-- I'm looking at YOU, gecko!) This book includes Freberg's theories about how a good advert works and for that reason may be of interest to anyone who works with influencing and engaging others.
If you already had a reason to like Freberg's humor, it's a pleasure to read about the many happy turns his career took.. If you like backstage gossip-- or if you have ever wondered why his WONDERFUL "United States of America Part I" never made it from audible tapdancing to an actual stage production, the lengthy section about working with David Merrick will be satisfying.
Is this whole production just an ittybitty bit smug now and then? It struck me that way upon this latest re-reading. But hey, if I had achieved any of the creations Freberg achieved, I'd be smug too. He deserved it.
If you already had a reason to like Freberg's humor, it's a pleasure to read about the many happy turns his career took.. If you like backstage gossip-- or if you have ever wondered why his WONDERFUL "United States of America Part I" never made it from audible tapdancing to an actual stage production, the lengthy section about working with David Merrick will be satisfying.
Is this whole production just an ittybitty bit smug now and then? It struck me that way upon this latest re-reading. But hey, if I had achieved any of the creations Freberg achieved, I'd be smug too. He deserved it.
September 11, 2019
A funny book
May 20, 2025
A fascinating memoir by one of the greatest all-around comedians (records, radio, advertising, historical overviews).
December 24, 2023
I loved Stan Freberg's shows. I discovered them on a Library of Congress web site and listened to them and just laughed and laughed till my stomach hurt. What a incredible talent he had in advertising that I was not aware of.
It was a wonderful read and he was a true genius!
It was a wonderful read and he was a true genius!
March 13, 2016
This memoir, which describes Stan Freberg's childhood and early career, was just a delight. I had always known him as a comedian and wasn't aware that he was behind a number of very funny advertising campaigns and other work. Reading this book also made us (my husband and me) go to the Internet to find many of his skits available online. What an inventive mind he had!
I'm sorry that we only read this book upon hearing of his death earlier this year--and sorry that he's not still around. In this book, he mentions that he was working on a second volume of his memoirs but we can't find any indication that he published a second book. That's a shame because there were scenes in this first one that had us laughing out loud.
Stan, we miss you!
I'm sorry that we only read this book upon hearing of his death earlier this year--and sorry that he's not still around. In this book, he mentions that he was working on a second volume of his memoirs but we can't find any indication that he published a second book. That's a shame because there were scenes in this first one that had us laughing out loud.
Stan, we miss you!
December 2, 2023
The life and career of the legendary musical satirist, in his own words
How one of America's true comic treasures rose from obscurity in the depths of the ad game to national semi-fame as a demented comedian and musical satirist. "Weird Al" Yankovic claims Stan as one of his greatest influences, and so do a number of today's performers of satire and comedy music. If this book doesn't make you want to go to a record store or online and listen to such classics as "Green Chri$tma$," "Elderly Man River" or Stan's hilarious sendups of pop hits such as "Heartbreak Hotel," "Banana Boat Song" and "The Great Pretender," I don't know what will.
How one of America's true comic treasures rose from obscurity in the depths of the ad game to national semi-fame as a demented comedian and musical satirist. "Weird Al" Yankovic claims Stan as one of his greatest influences, and so do a number of today's performers of satire and comedy music. If this book doesn't make you want to go to a record store or online and listen to such classics as "Green Chri$tma$," "Elderly Man River" or Stan's hilarious sendups of pop hits such as "Heartbreak Hotel," "Banana Boat Song" and "The Great Pretender," I don't know what will.
June 25, 2015
I had to read this autobiography because I love the talent of this man. He was not only a pioneer but a genius in multiple realms: Comedy, Performance and Marketing. As with most of us he lost a bit with age, not so much talent, but a bit of bitterness creeps in. That is only natural as he felt that some of his best efforts were not accepted commercially. He may be right, but what the world embraced was more than the body of work of most mortals. He could make us laugh, cry, roll-over and beg. No one who hasn't witnessed his work or known of his writing will read this book and be converted to his genius, but anyone who reads this book will be astounded by his reach.
December 6, 2010
Buy some of him today.
February 1, 2015
some fun sections, but the book gets old fast. perhaps better to read in short bursts.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews