Below Average Genius

by Mike Buzzelli

I’m not smart enough to hang with the intellectuals, but stupid people annoy me mightily. I’d be a genius on Wheel of Fortune but a dummy on Jeopardy. Take this example from a Final Jeopardy “This cheese was created in 1892 by Emil Frey and named for a singing society whose members loved the cheese.” None of the contestants answered correctly, “What is Liederkranz?” That’s a pretty tough question. I don’t think I’ve ever spread a Liederkranz on a cracker. I can only name a few cheeses anyway and as far as I know Cheddar, Havarti, Swiss and Goat were never singing groups. Cheese maker Frey is also credited with creating Velveeta. Apparently, he was a real cheese whiz.

Below Average Genius is a collection of narrative essays culled from Michael Buzzelli’s weekly humor column the Observer-Reporter newspaper, Patch.com and a variety of other sources. Each essay is a brisk, humorous tale about ordinary, daily situations blown up ridiculously big. “It’s a Blurry, Blurry World” chronicles Buzzelli’s inability to snap a decent photograph at Disneyland. “Come On, Come on to My House” explores the dynamic of watching a movie or television show in someone else’s home. The titular essay explains why Buzzelli is considered by himself, and occasionally by others, a Below Average Genius.

148 pages, Paperback

First published July 11, 2012

About the author

Michael Buzzelli is a stand-up comedian and sit down writer. As a comedian, he has performed all around the country, most notably the Ice House, the Comedy Store, and the Improv in Los Angeles. As a writer, Michael has published in a variety of websites, magazines and newspapers.

Reviews

[Henry Senecal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of wonderful, humorous stories is a great read! One after another the short, sharp chapters keep you entertained and I was pleasantly surprised at how they just seemed to keep coming too! The subjects are varied and many! I am not an easy audience when it comes to comedy. I am a bit of a writer and comedian myself. However, when reading this book I can honestly say that there were times when I laughed so hard that I had to stop reading! I had such a great time that I wanted to share it with friends. I read passages aloud to them and we all laughed so hard that again I had to stop reading! The nice surprise here is that there is also some substance behind the humor. The stories are heartfelt and convey a sense of having a peek into someone else's unique perspective on things. Lucky for us that "someone else" happens to be a good writer and he reveals that perspective in a natural, easy-to-read style that keeps you turning the pages. It is as comfortable as a conversation with a good friend. It is fun, clever, witty, smart and "punny"! I have recommended this book to many people already and can wholeheartedly recommend it to you too!

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

reccomend...."things that make you go Hmmmm " and make you laugh out loud!

[Will Ashton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally had a chance to read Mike's book! It's an amusing one.