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Crash and Burn
Veteran comedian and radio personality Artie Lange turns an unflinching eye and his signature wit on his perilous descent through drugs and depression and ultimately, his recovery, in the follow-up to his hilarious debut memoir, #1 New York Times bestseller Too Fat to Fish.At a high point in his career, Artie Lange performed a sold-out show in Carnegie Hall—and he did it with a pocketful of heroin. In the midst of a deep, self-destructive depression, addicted to heroin, cocaine, and prescription drugs, he lashed out at everyone around him—from his cohosts on The Howard Stern Show to celebrity guests and even his longtime friends. Then came his legendary meltdown on-air, with 6 million people listening, after which Lange pulled himself together enough to go to a buddy’s bachelor party in Amsterdam. He never made the party, but instead used the trip as an opportunity to hole up in his hotel room with a prostitute and do drugs.
By turns dark and harrowing, hilarious and poignant, and always drop-dead honest, Crash and Burn is a blow-by-blow account of Lange’s years of addiction, a suicide attempt (which he relates in terrifying detail), hitting rock bottom, stints in rehab, and painful relapses. With the help and support of friends and family, Lange manages to recover and get his life and career back on track. And despite his slip-ups, backslides, and permanent losses, Artie Lange forges on.
From drugs to sports to falling in love, Lange tells all in Crash and Burn, the story of his life that is as shocking as it is funny, ever tempered by his characteristic humor, self-awareness, and inimitable way with words.
By turns dark and harrowing, hilarious and poignant, and always drop-dead honest, Crash and Burn is a blow-by-blow account of Lange’s years of addiction, a suicide attempt (which he relates in terrifying detail), hitting rock bottom, stints in rehab, and painful relapses. With the help and support of friends and family, Lange manages to recover and get his life and career back on track. And despite his slip-ups, backslides, and permanent losses, Artie Lange forges on.
From drugs to sports to falling in love, Lange tells all in Crash and Burn, the story of his life that is as shocking as it is funny, ever tempered by his characteristic humor, self-awareness, and inimitable way with words.
302 pages, Hardcover
First published October 29, 2013
78 people are currently reading
805 people want to read
About the author
Artie Lange
8 books78 followersArthur Steven Lange, Jr. is an American stand-up comedian, radio personality, and actor. Lange is most notable for replacing Jackie Martling on The Howard Stern Show, and as a member of the original cast of the sketch comedy series MADtv. Lange's first book Too Fat to Fish was released on November 11, 2008 and was named a New York Times best seller on November 21st, 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
January 19, 2014
i used to be a fan. this book cured me of that. his first book was an extended suicide note. this one is just full of posturing bullshit about how badly he treated anyone who ever cared about him. there is no sense of real remorse or understanding how truly awful he was to those who love him. he strives to be self deprecating and amusing, but simply comes across as a self involved ass.
July 27, 2014
I have been a loyal Howard Stern Show listener since 1998 and the Artie Lange years were, in my opinion, the best there were. Artie was a great addition to the show but hearing his downward spiral play out on air was so sad. I was upset when he disappeared from the show and when I heard that he had attempted suicide, my heart dropped. I read this book because I wanted to know what happened to him. What I got was a trip into the mind of an addict, which is not an easy thing to step into. But I was grateful, because there is an addict in my life, and Artie's stories confirmed so many things for me—mostly the extent to which an addict will lie.
It's hard to say that I enjoyed this book—you'd have to be really messed up to say that. But I learned what happened to him, from his perspective, and gained some insight along the way. It's not an award-winning piece of literature and literary snobs could tear it apart—but it was written in the same way Artie would tell a story. So if you are familiar with hearing Artie tell stories, you should be ok with reading this. I did find it hard to follow at times. The timeline jumps around and there is some redundancy in the information, and there were occasions when I zoned out. The last leg of the book was particularly rough to get through. I hadn't expected it to go on for as long as it did after the suicide attempt. However, I was glad I stuck with it to the end.
Artie has a lot of amazing stories. His life is a mess, and this book throws you right into it. I won't criticize the writing because I didn't read it expecting great literature. I read it expecting to find out his side of the story, and that's what I got.
It's hard to say that I enjoyed this book—you'd have to be really messed up to say that. But I learned what happened to him, from his perspective, and gained some insight along the way. It's not an award-winning piece of literature and literary snobs could tear it apart—but it was written in the same way Artie would tell a story. So if you are familiar with hearing Artie tell stories, you should be ok with reading this. I did find it hard to follow at times. The timeline jumps around and there is some redundancy in the information, and there were occasions when I zoned out. The last leg of the book was particularly rough to get through. I hadn't expected it to go on for as long as it did after the suicide attempt. However, I was glad I stuck with it to the end.
Artie has a lot of amazing stories. His life is a mess, and this book throws you right into it. I won't criticize the writing because I didn't read it expecting great literature. I read it expecting to find out his side of the story, and that's what I got.
April 2, 2015
Andrew Hicks
You might remember Artie Lange from "The Howard Stern Show," Dirty Work with Norm Macdonald, very early "Mad TV" or his 2008 smash hit memoir Too Fat To Fish . This follow-up memoir skips most of the universal life lessons in favor of story after story of excessive drug and alcohol abuse.
Philip Gibbons
Essentially, Crash and Burn is the story of an addict who takes unbelievable luck and nice people (especially cops) for granted.
Andrew Hicks
This book was exhausting. The last half became an endurance challenge for me. So much play by play of so much bad behavior. At least TFTF 's timeline bounced around decades rather than 3 chronological years of concentrated abuse.
Philip Gibbons
It was a rough read. I remember his attempted suicide in the news but being that up close and personal was different. The part where he chugged straight bleach was icing on the fucked cake.
Andrew Hicks
Chugged straight bleach then chased it by gutting his belly with a knife nine times straight. Holy crap. Low point of low points.
Philip Gibbons
Then the blood and vomit and broken glass. Artie is seriously fucked up. And a bit scary. I was hoping those last chapters would be about permanent sobriety and happiness. Then the hotel rage chapter happened.
Andrew Hicks
Yeah, that part where "sober" Artie dips deep into the hotel mini-bar. That reminded me of the old cliche where the horror movie killer comes back for one last big scare. I had an epiphany. A breakthrough. I didn’t need heroin. But when I got angry I needed two fifths of Jack Daniels.
Philip Gibbons
This is a romantic lovey dovey pussy story about how much I love Adrienne. I don’t care what you sa--SMASH SMASH DRINK DRINK RAGE SMASH PARANOIA DRINK TERRIFIED GIRLFRIEND.
Andrew Hicks
And this is the part where I attack my co-writer, Rolling Stone's Anthony Bozza, verbally and physically on the streets of Paris. But I eventually apologized, he’s a nice guy, he actually wrote this sentence.
Philip Gibbons
Intern Teddy fucked up again. I yelled and screamed at him. But, come on, he made me really angry. He’d make you angry too. Teddy was a fuckup. He was annoying. Teddy’s a nice kid.
Andrew Hicks
Any boss in the world would fire Teddy on sight. Horrible employee. I’d take a bullet for him.
Philip Gibbons
Who calls Bloomingdale's "Bloomie's"? What are you, gay, Teddy? I love you.
Andrew Hicks
Artie Lange does not like gay people, says Artie Lange about a hundred times in this book. This is a 300-page anti-resume that screams, "Don’t hire me!" and a personals ad that screams, "I'm gonna shoot up and hit ya, bitch!"
Philip Gibbons
So many of his jokes and similes fell flat, too. A lot of the humor fizzled.
Andrew Hicks
The tone kept shifting back and forth, and some jokes I skipped right over, not even acknowledging them as jokes in my head cuz they sucked. Other times I found myself snickering out loud. The similes were 50/50. I liked all the ‘70s pop culture references.
Philip Gibbons
It's hard to sympathize with him, too. At his worst, he keeps lucking out with friendly cops and traffic accident plaintiffs. He can get out of any situation by signing autographs.
Andrew Hicks
Yeah, didn’t he ever nod out on heroin and rear end a vehicle whose driver thought Dirty Work was a waste of $8.50?
Philip Gibbons
Who'd have thought Colin Quinn would be the guy to finally muscle Artie into rehab? Everyone else in the world was an enabler.
Andrew Hicks
It is amazing but at the same time I’m amazed by how much I got away with as an out of control drinker. And everybody is right about, the person will stop at nothing until they’re ready. Nothing you can do there except maybe manipulate their livelihood and access. Still, that's why I read books like this, to give myself that feeling of:
1) THIS is why you stay sober
2) You could've got in a lot deeper and did shit that was a whole lot worse.
Philip Gibbons
Crash and Burn is like being trapped in a fucked-up person’s head for 300 pages. I kept rooting for him to get better, but he ended the book just as bad off. He has the potential to be a sweet guy, but it’s like there’s no winning for him.
--
NOTE: This is the second Andrew Hicks/Philip Gibbons review collaboration. For further reading, check out their take on Corey Feldman's Coreyography.
You might remember Artie Lange from "The Howard Stern Show," Dirty Work with Norm Macdonald, very early "Mad TV" or his 2008 smash hit memoir Too Fat To Fish . This follow-up memoir skips most of the universal life lessons in favor of story after story of excessive drug and alcohol abuse.
Philip Gibbons
Essentially, Crash and Burn is the story of an addict who takes unbelievable luck and nice people (especially cops) for granted.
Andrew Hicks
This book was exhausting. The last half became an endurance challenge for me. So much play by play of so much bad behavior. At least TFTF 's timeline bounced around decades rather than 3 chronological years of concentrated abuse.
Philip Gibbons
It was a rough read. I remember his attempted suicide in the news but being that up close and personal was different. The part where he chugged straight bleach was icing on the fucked cake.
Andrew Hicks
Chugged straight bleach then chased it by gutting his belly with a knife nine times straight. Holy crap. Low point of low points.
Philip Gibbons
Then the blood and vomit and broken glass. Artie is seriously fucked up. And a bit scary. I was hoping those last chapters would be about permanent sobriety and happiness. Then the hotel rage chapter happened.
Andrew Hicks
Yeah, that part where "sober" Artie dips deep into the hotel mini-bar. That reminded me of the old cliche where the horror movie killer comes back for one last big scare. I had an epiphany. A breakthrough. I didn’t need heroin. But when I got angry I needed two fifths of Jack Daniels.
Philip Gibbons
This is a romantic lovey dovey pussy story about how much I love Adrienne. I don’t care what you sa--SMASH SMASH DRINK DRINK RAGE SMASH PARANOIA DRINK TERRIFIED GIRLFRIEND.
Andrew Hicks
And this is the part where I attack my co-writer, Rolling Stone's Anthony Bozza, verbally and physically on the streets of Paris. But I eventually apologized, he’s a nice guy, he actually wrote this sentence.
Philip Gibbons
Intern Teddy fucked up again. I yelled and screamed at him. But, come on, he made me really angry. He’d make you angry too. Teddy was a fuckup. He was annoying. Teddy’s a nice kid.
Andrew Hicks
Any boss in the world would fire Teddy on sight. Horrible employee. I’d take a bullet for him.
Philip Gibbons
Who calls Bloomingdale's "Bloomie's"? What are you, gay, Teddy? I love you.
Andrew Hicks
Artie Lange does not like gay people, says Artie Lange about a hundred times in this book. This is a 300-page anti-resume that screams, "Don’t hire me!" and a personals ad that screams, "I'm gonna shoot up and hit ya, bitch!"
Philip Gibbons
So many of his jokes and similes fell flat, too. A lot of the humor fizzled.
Andrew Hicks
The tone kept shifting back and forth, and some jokes I skipped right over, not even acknowledging them as jokes in my head cuz they sucked. Other times I found myself snickering out loud. The similes were 50/50. I liked all the ‘70s pop culture references.
Philip Gibbons
It's hard to sympathize with him, too. At his worst, he keeps lucking out with friendly cops and traffic accident plaintiffs. He can get out of any situation by signing autographs.
Andrew Hicks
Yeah, didn’t he ever nod out on heroin and rear end a vehicle whose driver thought Dirty Work was a waste of $8.50?
Philip Gibbons
Who'd have thought Colin Quinn would be the guy to finally muscle Artie into rehab? Everyone else in the world was an enabler.
Andrew Hicks
It is amazing but at the same time I’m amazed by how much I got away with as an out of control drinker. And everybody is right about, the person will stop at nothing until they’re ready. Nothing you can do there except maybe manipulate their livelihood and access. Still, that's why I read books like this, to give myself that feeling of:
1) THIS is why you stay sober
2) You could've got in a lot deeper and did shit that was a whole lot worse.
Philip Gibbons
Crash and Burn is like being trapped in a fucked-up person’s head for 300 pages. I kept rooting for him to get better, but he ended the book just as bad off. He has the potential to be a sweet guy, but it’s like there’s no winning for him.
--
NOTE: This is the second Andrew Hicks/Philip Gibbons review collaboration. For further reading, check out their take on Corey Feldman's Coreyography.
September 30, 2014
"Crash and Burn" is the best book I've ever read, by a drug addict, about being a drug addict.
We all know that addicts are liars. Artie Lange admits it. And he even admits, toward the end of the book, that he lied in the middle of the book! So I'm not sure I buy the "everything's starting to turn around for me now" ending. But, still, some truth seeps out. I've never heard this quote before, but it really gave me a sad chuckle:
When a normal person falls in a hole, he calls for a ladder. When an addict falls in a hole, he calls for an interior decorator, because he knows he's going to be down there for a while.
Artie really relates to his fellow comedians, such as Greg Giraldo and Mitch Hedberg, who died either through overdose or suicide. He doesn't mention Richard Jeni or Robin Williams, but the thought does occur: Are comedians prone to depression and suicide? Who knows? But I do have to agree with some of the other reviewers that Lange has, by his own admission, taken out his anger inappropriately on his assistants, managers of small comedy clubs out in the hinterlands, callers to the Stern show, and others of little consequence, while he is careful not to deliberately offend people in power positions, like Howard Stern, Robin Quivers and his agent. So maybe the problem isn't drugs, maybe Lange just doesn't like himself.
But unlike most autobiographies, Lange doesn't portray himself as a hero, or let himself off easy. In the end, he blames no one but himself. And for that unique perspective alone, this book is worth reading.
We all know that addicts are liars. Artie Lange admits it. And he even admits, toward the end of the book, that he lied in the middle of the book! So I'm not sure I buy the "everything's starting to turn around for me now" ending. But, still, some truth seeps out. I've never heard this quote before, but it really gave me a sad chuckle:
When a normal person falls in a hole, he calls for a ladder. When an addict falls in a hole, he calls for an interior decorator, because he knows he's going to be down there for a while.
Artie really relates to his fellow comedians, such as Greg Giraldo and Mitch Hedberg, who died either through overdose or suicide. He doesn't mention Richard Jeni or Robin Williams, but the thought does occur: Are comedians prone to depression and suicide? Who knows? But I do have to agree with some of the other reviewers that Lange has, by his own admission, taken out his anger inappropriately on his assistants, managers of small comedy clubs out in the hinterlands, callers to the Stern show, and others of little consequence, while he is careful not to deliberately offend people in power positions, like Howard Stern, Robin Quivers and his agent. So maybe the problem isn't drugs, maybe Lange just doesn't like himself.
But unlike most autobiographies, Lange doesn't portray himself as a hero, or let himself off easy. In the end, he blames no one but himself. And for that unique perspective alone, this book is worth reading.
May 26, 2014
An account of Artie Lange's addiction and struggle with alcohol and heroin; truly a self made hell that he was in. I'd like to wish Artie, along with his friends and fans the best of luck and a full recovery.
March 27, 2014
One Day at a Time
I'm not sure what to think about this book. I enjoyed Artie Lange’s first book "Too Fat to Fish," and this has some of the same elements, but it then dives into Artie's dark self-destructive side and his struggle to recover from alcoholism and heroin addiction. It is a very admirable effort and it takes a special person to strip away all his defenses for us to see into the mind and behavior of an addict. The thing that bothers me about this book though are the layers of lies he repeatedly tells his family and friends about his addiction, while expecting us as readers to believe that now he really is telling the truth. *SPOILER ALERT* I became skeptical during his description of his now famous self-stabbing incident, which he says merely was his attempt to find sleep. Then at the end Artie tells us he really didn't come clean with us as readers either, and that he really did try to kill himself (his second suicide attempt). *END SPOILER ALERT* I appreciate how hard it must have been for him to go public with such a revelation, but it made me wonder what else in the book he wasn't telling the truth about.
The book does have some humorous moments. One particularly funny episode involves what Artie calls one of the worst gigs of his career, at the Playboy Mansion. He rips his slacks during the set, and gets angry with his assistant for being distracted by Sarah Silverman. When he finally finds him, Artie berates his assistant and says, “I need drugs and pants!” As you can imagine, the night at that point goes from bad to worse.
We follow Artie through four rehabs, where he repeatedly checks himself out and starts using again almost immediately. We see him throw away relationship after relationship only to hear him say how he regretted it, got it back, and threw it away again. We see him abuse the love and trust of his family and friends only to say how sorry he is and then we see him do it to them again. And again. In many ways it is a very difficult book to read and to get through, and then our reward at the end is to be told that he has been lying to us too?
Again, it is hard to know what to think of this book, other than to view it as a glimpse into the chaotic, conflicted mind of an addict. He knows the right things to say, but meaning to do something and actually doing it are two separate things. He says he regrets his actions, but it just doesn't ring true, coming across more as self-absorbed and somewhat mean-spirited. I wish him luck, and in the words of Bruce Springsteen "Great good fortune," but he is a master manipulator and I get the feeling that we should proceed with caution, one day at a time.
I'm not sure what to think about this book. I enjoyed Artie Lange’s first book "Too Fat to Fish," and this has some of the same elements, but it then dives into Artie's dark self-destructive side and his struggle to recover from alcoholism and heroin addiction. It is a very admirable effort and it takes a special person to strip away all his defenses for us to see into the mind and behavior of an addict. The thing that bothers me about this book though are the layers of lies he repeatedly tells his family and friends about his addiction, while expecting us as readers to believe that now he really is telling the truth. *SPOILER ALERT* I became skeptical during his description of his now famous self-stabbing incident, which he says merely was his attempt to find sleep. Then at the end Artie tells us he really didn't come clean with us as readers either, and that he really did try to kill himself (his second suicide attempt). *END SPOILER ALERT* I appreciate how hard it must have been for him to go public with such a revelation, but it made me wonder what else in the book he wasn't telling the truth about.
The book does have some humorous moments. One particularly funny episode involves what Artie calls one of the worst gigs of his career, at the Playboy Mansion. He rips his slacks during the set, and gets angry with his assistant for being distracted by Sarah Silverman. When he finally finds him, Artie berates his assistant and says, “I need drugs and pants!” As you can imagine, the night at that point goes from bad to worse.
We follow Artie through four rehabs, where he repeatedly checks himself out and starts using again almost immediately. We see him throw away relationship after relationship only to hear him say how he regretted it, got it back, and threw it away again. We see him abuse the love and trust of his family and friends only to say how sorry he is and then we see him do it to them again. And again. In many ways it is a very difficult book to read and to get through, and then our reward at the end is to be told that he has been lying to us too?
Again, it is hard to know what to think of this book, other than to view it as a glimpse into the chaotic, conflicted mind of an addict. He knows the right things to say, but meaning to do something and actually doing it are two separate things. He says he regrets his actions, but it just doesn't ring true, coming across more as self-absorbed and somewhat mean-spirited. I wish him luck, and in the words of Bruce Springsteen "Great good fortune," but he is a master manipulator and I get the feeling that we should proceed with caution, one day at a time.
April 22, 2014
I'm amazed I finished the book. The man does have some severely deep rooted psychological issues, but the entire time I'm reading, I'm just angry. I can't believe I ever found him empathetic, or funny. I don't understand how he keeps getting offered such amazing opportunities in life while being such a prick. Its show-boating at its grandest. I kept feeling like he was writing what we-as readers/fans- would expect him to say, but his sincerity fell flat, his jokes just mean-spirited.
January 16, 2018
I found this book at a library sale for $1. I have listened to Howard Stern since April 1, 1983 and so I was familiar with Artie Lange from his days as a semi-sidekick to Stern. I appreciated Lange’s interest in sports, as Howard prefers “The Bachelor” to any sporting event. 90% of the show is tedious, locker room banter, and so I look forward to the interviews. Lange begins the story with a sold out show at Carnegie Hall in 2006 and a $50,000 for one night’s work. He celebrated with heroin. He took a trip to Amsterdam and found the opiates easy to buy. He also hired a hooker who he named Whoreguide. The “lady” had an intricate knowledge of the city. The modern day Lenny Bruce was a mess; heroin, coke, assorted pills, and whiskey, with nothing left off of the daily menu. He bombed at the Playboy Mansion, resorting to a bad Elvis impression. The only thing he scored there were 12 Percocets for $240 and a gaggle of Compton crack whores arrived, demanding $1,000 for a sex act. I’ll term it a “Monica Lewinsky.” Artie was as celibate as an R.C Bishop that night. By 2008, the comedian was making $3 million a year. Stern put up with his passing out during the show and hooked him up with a shrink. His sister Stacey knocked on his door accompanied by Colin Quinn, to beg him to enter rehab; surprise, surprise, the clinic in Florida with daily colonics and vegan diet failed miserably as Artie continued popping Subutex during his $5,000 a week stay. Grandma Caprio prayed to St. Jude for him and Artie linked the saint to the Beatle’s song “Hey Jude,” not realizing that Jude is the patron of lost causes. Arthur recounts a trip to Detroit with some very wealthy hedge fund types on a small charter plane. Too much heroin and a tiny bathroom leads to a disgusting and odorous anecdote. Jesus wept, and so did his fellow passengers. In addition to drugs, Lange was addicted to gambling. Two ex-cops handcuffed him to a bed for a week, away from any drugs or bookies. Sobriety lasted for five months. I don’t drink and have never done drugs, and so this type of behavior is beyond my comprehension. My addictions (Green Bay, Howard Stern, and movies) are harmless. Artie seemed to be a combination of Cheech and Chong, with a drug habit which would have killed a horse. He must be related to Keith Richards. During a live interview with Kathy Griffin, Artie passed out and snored into the mike. Stern sent him to the green room to take a nap; classic Howard 100 radio; at least for us listeners. It may have been funny to the audience, but by 2009, Artie passed the point of no return by doing the show completely drunk. That was the end of his tenure on the Stern show. His mother and sister dragged him back to rehab. At this point, I had lost count. The newest cure took eight days and the first priority when he arrived home was Jack Daniel’s and Vicodin, and when those ran out, 23 Lexapro (an anti-depressant), followed by Clorox. In a delusional state, he cut himself with a kitchen knife. His mother and a 911 call saved his life. The next yellow brick road ended at a psych ward in New Jersey. Lange’s play by play is frightening, sounding like Jack Nicholson in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. After three days at the snake pit, Artie moved to a $1,500 a day nut house where he received a phone call from Howard Stern lending his emotional support. A month later, rehab was over and his mother took him to her house. He spent the majority of time sleeping in bed, venturing out occasionally for more drugs. He watched his 69 year-old mother shovel a foot and a half of snow in order to drive to Walgreen’s for his prescription. I almost quit reading, as I realized that the man is a worthless, selfish bastard who should have died in the first chapter; a quick and happy ending. Colin Quinn showed up with two big Irish guys who dragged Lange to yet another rehab in Florida; success at last. He returned to radio by co-hosting a sports call in show with Nick DiPaolo. The book was published in 2013 and Artie was sober and in AA. He was arrested in 2017 for heroin possession. His third book will be published soon and I will not be buying it. I want my $1 back for this one.
November 25, 2013
This is like A Million Little Pieces if it were actually true. Howard Stern Show listeners, such as myself, were of course dying to know what happened when Artie left the show in a swirl of suicide stories and mystery back in 2009 (!--four years ago). This tells all, and it's pretty brutal.
My only concern is the huge amount of anger Artie still carries around. When he recounts the Teddy story (he got into a on-air fight with his assistant and stormed out of the studio), he still has to take as many cheap shots at Teddy as he can work in (and more, when he tells an awful story of doing stand-up at the Playboy Mansion). At the end of the book, he goes off on a tirade about the "one percent" of his so-called friends who, according to him, went beyond abandoning him to screwing him over when he was in the depths of his addiction and depression, saying more than once that he'd kill them if it were legal. Anyone filled with this much rage is not healed of his demons, and I worry about his continued sobriety.
Ah, what do I know? But like most Stern fans, I have listened for so long that I feel like I have a personal stake in their stories. So I'll end it the way Crazy Alice would: Fuck you, Artie. With love.
My only concern is the huge amount of anger Artie still carries around. When he recounts the Teddy story (he got into a on-air fight with his assistant and stormed out of the studio), he still has to take as many cheap shots at Teddy as he can work in (and more, when he tells an awful story of doing stand-up at the Playboy Mansion). At the end of the book, he goes off on a tirade about the "one percent" of his so-called friends who, according to him, went beyond abandoning him to screwing him over when he was in the depths of his addiction and depression, saying more than once that he'd kill them if it were legal. Anyone filled with this much rage is not healed of his demons, and I worry about his continued sobriety.
Ah, what do I know? But like most Stern fans, I have listened for so long that I feel like I have a personal stake in their stories. So I'll end it the way Crazy Alice would: Fuck you, Artie. With love.
November 17, 2013
I'm a big Artie fan and I loved Too Fat to Fish, so I jumped into his new one here, face first. I feel sorry for Artie, he suffers from acute procrastination, addiction and rage. Some of the stories here confirm that he is his own worst enemy. You would think that his suicide attempt early in 2010 was his wake-up call, his rock bottom moment, but he's relapsed a time or two since. I want to say that by the end, Artie has closure, but he acknowledged that his demons are much too strong. He's engaged now and has a hit radio/TV show--but I can't help but notice that the things that make most people happy--success, money, a true love, family, good friends, a satisfying career--these things will always be minimized by Artie's addicted brain. He knows how to say the right things, but believing them is another story. I hope in the next book, Artie will find the peace he deserves. But for now, it's one day at a time.
August 14, 2017
Amazing story of addiction and relapse and recovery from one of the great comedians or our time
October 20, 2014
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
Full disclosure: I am a person in recovery, so my views correlate to Artie's.
Artie Lange is a comedian from New Jersey, who has appeared in a few films, but is mostly known as one of the sidekicks of radio personality Howard Stern. Artie is also a drug addict, and this volume recounts the last few years of his life as an active addict.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a hard to put down read, a very compelling story of Artie's last years of drug use. I remember in school learning about Greek tragedies. The professor said that those old stories are always about kings or royalty as opposed to "blue collar" folk because people "up high" always have a greater height to fall. Artie Lange had everything -- a good career in show business, a job on a much beloved (and, by some, much reviled) radio comedy show, the love of a good woman, a loving family, an apartment overlooking the Manhattan skyline, and millions of dollars. From all appearances, Mr. Lange was a successful entertainer.
When this book starts, Artie is sort of in the middle of his descent. He was snorting heroin and snorting opiates, plus drinking mass quantities. He started acting as an out of control narcissist, fueled by his addiction, and he couldn't (or wouldn't) see how his actions were hurting the people in his life. His drug use make him act in ways that were not in his best interest, such as nodding off on the air on the Howard Stern show.
In December 2009, Artie hit bottom, and the next month he attempted suicide. Unfortunately for Mr. Lange, he stayed at the bottom for about two years, until he slowly started the uphill climb of his recovery.
Most of this book was very readable, and written in an easy, conversational style. Some of his jokes are very good (if that humor is to your taste), and his accounts are sometimes harrowing, sort of like a modern day "Lost Weekend".
Unfortunately, the last two or three chapters stopped the narrative cold. They became a drag to read. Artie goes into an overlong description of his trip to Paris where he started drinking again, and how he met his music hero Bruce Springsteen. I think these last chapters could have used less detail.
This memoir also reminded me that not all addiction stories have an happy ending. Artie was certainly close to being remembered in the same vein as John Belushi and Chris Farley. Sadly, the list of famous, talented, rich, and intelligent alcoholics and drug addicts who died from their addictions extends infinitely.
I give this book four stars, but it doesn't get the fifth star because of the last few chapters.
I wish Mr. Lange wellness, health, love, kindness, compassion and grace and thank him for his searing honesty.
Full disclosure: I am a person in recovery, so my views correlate to Artie's.
Artie Lange is a comedian from New Jersey, who has appeared in a few films, but is mostly known as one of the sidekicks of radio personality Howard Stern. Artie is also a drug addict, and this volume recounts the last few years of his life as an active addict.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a hard to put down read, a very compelling story of Artie's last years of drug use. I remember in school learning about Greek tragedies. The professor said that those old stories are always about kings or royalty as opposed to "blue collar" folk because people "up high" always have a greater height to fall. Artie Lange had everything -- a good career in show business, a job on a much beloved (and, by some, much reviled) radio comedy show, the love of a good woman, a loving family, an apartment overlooking the Manhattan skyline, and millions of dollars. From all appearances, Mr. Lange was a successful entertainer.
When this book starts, Artie is sort of in the middle of his descent. He was snorting heroin and snorting opiates, plus drinking mass quantities. He started acting as an out of control narcissist, fueled by his addiction, and he couldn't (or wouldn't) see how his actions were hurting the people in his life. His drug use make him act in ways that were not in his best interest, such as nodding off on the air on the Howard Stern show.
In December 2009, Artie hit bottom, and the next month he attempted suicide. Unfortunately for Mr. Lange, he stayed at the bottom for about two years, until he slowly started the uphill climb of his recovery.
Most of this book was very readable, and written in an easy, conversational style. Some of his jokes are very good (if that humor is to your taste), and his accounts are sometimes harrowing, sort of like a modern day "Lost Weekend".
Unfortunately, the last two or three chapters stopped the narrative cold. They became a drag to read. Artie goes into an overlong description of his trip to Paris where he started drinking again, and how he met his music hero Bruce Springsteen. I think these last chapters could have used less detail.
This memoir also reminded me that not all addiction stories have an happy ending. Artie was certainly close to being remembered in the same vein as John Belushi and Chris Farley. Sadly, the list of famous, talented, rich, and intelligent alcoholics and drug addicts who died from their addictions extends infinitely.
I give this book four stars, but it doesn't get the fifth star because of the last few chapters.
I wish Mr. Lange wellness, health, love, kindness, compassion and grace and thank him for his searing honesty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2014
Listening to Artie over the years on the Howard Stern Show was an exercise in contradictions. His 8-year tenure as sidekick on one of the most raw and open daily broadcasts of comedy was a constant reminder to me of how little real, unfiltered comedy there was in most of contemporary American media.
Then, in December 2009, Artie disappeared from the show with little explanation. I remember listening to the Stern show when it returned from holiday in January 2010, and the crew totally acted like Artie didn't exist. It was so strange to hear, especially for a show that was so honest.
Now, we finally have the full understanding as to why that was. In 300 fast-moving, emotional and angst-filled pages, Artie Lange bears all to those superfans among us who have been waiting for a breakdown of what really happened. The book unfolds with Artie's attempted suicide near the middle of the book, with the previous pages explaining what led to his heart-wrenching drug-induced meltdown as he careened toward his abrupt departure from the Stern show, and the pages after illustrating his slow but steady climb out of this destructive time. The book reads with the same pseudo-illiterateism and frankness that made Artie so endearing. His trademark photographic memory lends plenty of great stories about those in his life, from his bumbling assistant (and Stern show staffer) Teddy, to his close friends, to his mother and sister, for whom his life became a cause as much as an element of their own, to Stern and fellow sidekick Robin Quivers, who acted as much as close friends as associates.
Those of us who are fans of the Stern show know that the show has not been the same since Lange left, with many of us feeling as though there was a soul in the dialogue that has been absent for several years now. "Crash and Burn" reminds us of the depth that Lange brought, his comedy as creative conveyance of the flawed humanity that we all carry but seldom articulate. I'll tell you this much: I'm going to find his new radio show and try again to listen to it. I realize after finishing this book what a unique and wonderful entertainer and person Artie is, and how much I miss listening to him. I cannot wait for the third book in this epoch.
Then, in December 2009, Artie disappeared from the show with little explanation. I remember listening to the Stern show when it returned from holiday in January 2010, and the crew totally acted like Artie didn't exist. It was so strange to hear, especially for a show that was so honest.
Now, we finally have the full understanding as to why that was. In 300 fast-moving, emotional and angst-filled pages, Artie Lange bears all to those superfans among us who have been waiting for a breakdown of what really happened. The book unfolds with Artie's attempted suicide near the middle of the book, with the previous pages explaining what led to his heart-wrenching drug-induced meltdown as he careened toward his abrupt departure from the Stern show, and the pages after illustrating his slow but steady climb out of this destructive time. The book reads with the same pseudo-illiterateism and frankness that made Artie so endearing. His trademark photographic memory lends plenty of great stories about those in his life, from his bumbling assistant (and Stern show staffer) Teddy, to his close friends, to his mother and sister, for whom his life became a cause as much as an element of their own, to Stern and fellow sidekick Robin Quivers, who acted as much as close friends as associates.
Those of us who are fans of the Stern show know that the show has not been the same since Lange left, with many of us feeling as though there was a soul in the dialogue that has been absent for several years now. "Crash and Burn" reminds us of the depth that Lange brought, his comedy as creative conveyance of the flawed humanity that we all carry but seldom articulate. I'll tell you this much: I'm going to find his new radio show and try again to listen to it. I realize after finishing this book what a unique and wonderful entertainer and person Artie is, and how much I miss listening to him. I cannot wait for the third book in this epoch.
January 20, 2014
Artie Lange has supplied me with over 500 hours of entertainment when I'd tune in to Howard Stern's show. I remembered him from his short stint on Mad TV and the legendary 'pig suit incident' in which he left the set to snort cocaine off of his car keys. Still, it was Stern's show where I discovered Artie Lange's existence.
His first biography, Too Fat To Fish, is the only autobiography to date that I have ever reread. Let's be honest. Every account of drug addiction is a 'harrowing odyssey' and a 'journey into one man's personal hell', but I liked that Artie never lost the ability to laugh at himself. He shouldn't, being a comedian.
Crash and Burn picks up at the height of Lange's success on the Stern show, where he frequently fell asleep on the air, got into fist fights with everyone from High Pitched Mike to his personal assistant, Teddy, and he was taking so much Subutex to cancel out a Fentanyl IV drip. He takes us through all the mechanics of giving up, the lost soul thoughts which permeated his every waking endeavor.
I remember the exact passage where this memoir turned a corner. It was when Artie Lange elaborated on the stereotype many have of comedians, the 'tears of a clown' cliche. For many comedians, he attests, that's the truth. Look at Mitch Hedberg, Lenny Bruce, John Belushi, Chris Farley, Sam Kinison, George Carlin, all dark, depressed, morbid, macabre, smug, dour, chain smoking, shadowy figures full of existential despair and hubris. Everyone loved Artie and wanted him to defeat his demons, but I know from experience it's difficult when you think the demons are your best friends.
My favorite part of the book is when Artie recounts his adventures doing standup at the Playboy Mansion. He slipped and fell, tearing the ass crack of his jeans so he could feel the cold night air on them. He bought forty percocets in a ziploc bag and proceeded to munch down on them, chase them with scotch, and tap into Sarah Silverman's inner bitch over at the monkey cages. Truly a memorable relaying here of Artie's soaring highs and bass-note lows.
His first biography, Too Fat To Fish, is the only autobiography to date that I have ever reread. Let's be honest. Every account of drug addiction is a 'harrowing odyssey' and a 'journey into one man's personal hell', but I liked that Artie never lost the ability to laugh at himself. He shouldn't, being a comedian.
Crash and Burn picks up at the height of Lange's success on the Stern show, where he frequently fell asleep on the air, got into fist fights with everyone from High Pitched Mike to his personal assistant, Teddy, and he was taking so much Subutex to cancel out a Fentanyl IV drip. He takes us through all the mechanics of giving up, the lost soul thoughts which permeated his every waking endeavor.
I remember the exact passage where this memoir turned a corner. It was when Artie Lange elaborated on the stereotype many have of comedians, the 'tears of a clown' cliche. For many comedians, he attests, that's the truth. Look at Mitch Hedberg, Lenny Bruce, John Belushi, Chris Farley, Sam Kinison, George Carlin, all dark, depressed, morbid, macabre, smug, dour, chain smoking, shadowy figures full of existential despair and hubris. Everyone loved Artie and wanted him to defeat his demons, but I know from experience it's difficult when you think the demons are your best friends.
My favorite part of the book is when Artie recounts his adventures doing standup at the Playboy Mansion. He slipped and fell, tearing the ass crack of his jeans so he could feel the cold night air on them. He bought forty percocets in a ziploc bag and proceeded to munch down on them, chase them with scotch, and tap into Sarah Silverman's inner bitch over at the monkey cages. Truly a memorable relaying here of Artie's soaring highs and bass-note lows.
June 10, 2014
I liked Artie Lange on the Howard Stern show. He was funny and brought a “regular guy” persona to the show that worked well with Howard’s neurotic narcissist and Robin’s self-important blowhard personalities. Being a fan of the show, I knew about his drug issues, and when I read his first autobiography, you got to know where he came from and how he became the guy we got to know on the show, both good and bad.
When he left the show after a suicide attempt, it put into stark highlight that no, this wasn’t a “regular guy.” It was a guy who, like many other comedians and comedy actors, loved John Belushi and followed him down that same self-destructive path. “Too Fat To Fish” told the story of Artie drug use, but mixed it in with funny stories and the type of asides that he used to pepper the Stern show with. Crash and Burt, doesn’t. It tells the story of his fall into drugs, how he lost everything and his slow, halting recovery.
There’s aren’t any funny anecdotes. Oh, there are stories that might appear funny if not for the fact that the situation all stemmed from his drug abuse and his spiral into depression. This is a DARK book, and the few glimmers of light are tentative as Artie goes through in detail the depths he went through to feed his addiction, how his attempts to climb out of the hole he created fell apart and even the end is a plea for help and understanding. This is not a book for someone looking for a “feel good” recovery story.
The writing style betrays how the book came about: It reads just like Artie telling stories to a ghostwriter, and then as he goes over the manuscript, adding apologies and regrets after each one. It’s a hard read, but I am glad I read it, even if just to find out what happened to this man who I was and am a fan of.
More of an interview than a book, this one is pretty much a “fans only” book, as there is no real resolution. There is a section at the end about how Artie was able to get back one of the parts of his life he lost during his addiction and some stories about his career after coming back, but it’s clear that it’s all very tentative and his demons are still present.
When he left the show after a suicide attempt, it put into stark highlight that no, this wasn’t a “regular guy.” It was a guy who, like many other comedians and comedy actors, loved John Belushi and followed him down that same self-destructive path. “Too Fat To Fish” told the story of Artie drug use, but mixed it in with funny stories and the type of asides that he used to pepper the Stern show with. Crash and Burt, doesn’t. It tells the story of his fall into drugs, how he lost everything and his slow, halting recovery.
There’s aren’t any funny anecdotes. Oh, there are stories that might appear funny if not for the fact that the situation all stemmed from his drug abuse and his spiral into depression. This is a DARK book, and the few glimmers of light are tentative as Artie goes through in detail the depths he went through to feed his addiction, how his attempts to climb out of the hole he created fell apart and even the end is a plea for help and understanding. This is not a book for someone looking for a “feel good” recovery story.
The writing style betrays how the book came about: It reads just like Artie telling stories to a ghostwriter, and then as he goes over the manuscript, adding apologies and regrets after each one. It’s a hard read, but I am glad I read it, even if just to find out what happened to this man who I was and am a fan of.
More of an interview than a book, this one is pretty much a “fans only” book, as there is no real resolution. There is a section at the end about how Artie was able to get back one of the parts of his life he lost during his addiction and some stories about his career after coming back, but it’s clear that it’s all very tentative and his demons are still present.
November 22, 2013
Wow! This book was honest and intense!!
I'll start by saying that if you are not a fan of Artie Lange from his time on The Howard Stern Show I'm not sure this book is for you. If you haven't read his first book Too Fat to Fish or did and didn't like it this book may not be for you. The only "unless" I'll put on that is, unless you have had your own struggles with addiction and depression. I fall into the category of all three so this book pretty much blew my mind.
I said before that it was honest but I don't know if that even begins to cover it. I can not even imagine the strength it took Artie to put some of this stuff down on paper. From his drug struggles, work struggles, relationship issues and eventual suicide attempt he pulls no punches in giving you all the gory details about just what was going on in his head. Through it all the guy will absolutely make you laugh.
Again I'll state that if you are not already and Artie fan than I don't think this book is for you. He is a pretty outspoken and harsh dude and if you are not prepared for that then there is a lot in the book that may outwrite offend you.
I for one continue to route for Artie. It sounds like he is on a better path now and I hope he stays on it!
I'll start by saying that if you are not a fan of Artie Lange from his time on The Howard Stern Show I'm not sure this book is for you. If you haven't read his first book Too Fat to Fish or did and didn't like it this book may not be for you. The only "unless" I'll put on that is, unless you have had your own struggles with addiction and depression. I fall into the category of all three so this book pretty much blew my mind.
I said before that it was honest but I don't know if that even begins to cover it. I can not even imagine the strength it took Artie to put some of this stuff down on paper. From his drug struggles, work struggles, relationship issues and eventual suicide attempt he pulls no punches in giving you all the gory details about just what was going on in his head. Through it all the guy will absolutely make you laugh.
Again I'll state that if you are not already and Artie fan than I don't think this book is for you. He is a pretty outspoken and harsh dude and if you are not prepared for that then there is a lot in the book that may outwrite offend you.
I for one continue to route for Artie. It sounds like he is on a better path now and I hope he stays on it!
April 21, 2014
I have always been a fan of Artie on the Howard Stern Show. What I can say is that this book showed me the depths to which his addiction had taken him. As someone who has no idea how addiction can be hurtful personally (thank god), just seeing how bad his addiction took him and ruined his life and career was amazing. The one thing I didn't like about this book compared to his previous one was his previous book was about overcoming his demons and had a more hopeful tone (unfortunately, in that case it was mostly a lie). This book took on a more dark tone and seems to just be him recalling what he did to people as a way to make a mends in his life. It was someone recalling all the dark points in their life, and while he says he doesn't look back on them fondly, I don't think that is true. I got from his tone in the book that while he is truly sorry for what he did to his family and friends, he sort of looks back on his drug addicted time fondly, and that is sort of sad. All in all, a good look into Artie's mind, and while I miss him on the Stern Show, I don't think I will turn into his own radio show. This book seemed to tell us that he loved his fans and entertaining us, but it brought him to his dark place, and I cannot do that.
April 22, 2018
At the end of “Too Fat to Fish,” Artie Lange had fallen back into company with his demons. “Crash and Burn” is a follow-up where he miraculously charts his trip to the nuthouse, despite being blackout-drunk, stoned or in the middle of another four day-long heroin/painkiller/cocaine rager for most of the story. (We may assume his memories were reported back to him by an angel on his shoulder.)
In Lange’s first book, you’re (somewhat) rooting for an underdog who’s trying to control his addictions and make good on his blessings. With this book, you experience Lange’s long-winded, unfunny and falsely modest spiral to the depths of a suicide attempt. You get in the mind of someone who lives only for his next drug score, at the expense of family and friends who are trying to save him.
Since this book’s publication, Lange has been up to the same old shenanigans. This is a junkie who wants to fool his friends and family, who wants them to think he’s ok — but he’s really a walking, erupting volcano ... or, as he likes to call himself, “Hurricane Artie.”
If anything, “Crash and Burn” should be a cautionary tale and, ostensibly, read by those who are (or those who know someone) suffering addiction — but that would mean recommending a terrible book that shouldn’t be read by anyone.
In Lange’s first book, you’re (somewhat) rooting for an underdog who’s trying to control his addictions and make good on his blessings. With this book, you experience Lange’s long-winded, unfunny and falsely modest spiral to the depths of a suicide attempt. You get in the mind of someone who lives only for his next drug score, at the expense of family and friends who are trying to save him.
Since this book’s publication, Lange has been up to the same old shenanigans. This is a junkie who wants to fool his friends and family, who wants them to think he’s ok — but he’s really a walking, erupting volcano ... or, as he likes to call himself, “Hurricane Artie.”
If anything, “Crash and Burn” should be a cautionary tale and, ostensibly, read by those who are (or those who know someone) suffering addiction — but that would mean recommending a terrible book that shouldn’t be read by anyone.
December 15, 2013
This continuation of Lange's life after 2008's Too Fat to Fish provides an in depth look at how everyone's favourite "Baby Gorilla" hit complete rock bottom. For any fellow Stern fan this book is a must read as it fills in the gaps of what happened in Lange's life between his sudden leave from the Stern show and attempted suicide in 2009 to his return to radio on the Nick and Artie show a few years later.
This book is not for the weak as it goes into great detail about the dark depths of addiction and mental illness. But for anyone who can stomach Lange's incredible details, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. By the end, it is clear that Lange is only detailing this crash and resulting burn in order to provide a lesson to the reader. Anyone fighting mental illness -- or heaven forbid their own addictions and demons -- can look to Lange's book as inspiration. The lesson everyone can take from Lange's latest memoir is that no matter how terrible life may seem at the moment, it's always worth it to stick it out because things will get better. It's cliche, but as Crash and Burn will explain, it's damn true.
This book is not for the weak as it goes into great detail about the dark depths of addiction and mental illness. But for anyone who can stomach Lange's incredible details, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. By the end, it is clear that Lange is only detailing this crash and resulting burn in order to provide a lesson to the reader. Anyone fighting mental illness -- or heaven forbid their own addictions and demons -- can look to Lange's book as inspiration. The lesson everyone can take from Lange's latest memoir is that no matter how terrible life may seem at the moment, it's always worth it to stick it out because things will get better. It's cliche, but as Crash and Burn will explain, it's damn true.
August 8, 2018
If a cockroach could write an autobiography, I have a feeling it'd read something like Artie Lange. This man is an indestructible force field of fat, powered by self-hatred and heroin. He's the '82 Pontiac that coughs up chimney smoke and turns the parking lot into Auschwitz when you start it up. This book serves as his "comeback"--if only temporarily.
When you've fucked up as bad as Artie, pulling punches would equate to knocking yourself unconscious. This is embarrassing shit. Horrendous, shit-your-pants (literally) drug stories that make you wonder how does one live to tell the tale? And the answer is comedy. This book is a laugh riot from start to finish. It's episodic, almost like a Scorsese movie, only instead of coke binges on yachts it's diarrhea on private jets. My only complaint about the book is it does get a little hokey towards the end, but that's just Artie saying sorry for what he's gonna do next.
Very enjoyable read. Finished the whole thing in one sitting. No artifice in the writing, just a head-first dive into self-destruction. Who doesn't love watching a trainwreck?
When you've fucked up as bad as Artie, pulling punches would equate to knocking yourself unconscious. This is embarrassing shit. Horrendous, shit-your-pants (literally) drug stories that make you wonder how does one live to tell the tale? And the answer is comedy. This book is a laugh riot from start to finish. It's episodic, almost like a Scorsese movie, only instead of coke binges on yachts it's diarrhea on private jets. My only complaint about the book is it does get a little hokey towards the end, but that's just Artie saying sorry for what he's gonna do next.
Very enjoyable read. Finished the whole thing in one sitting. No artifice in the writing, just a head-first dive into self-destruction. Who doesn't love watching a trainwreck?
January 20, 2019
Given that our protagonist has once again gone off the deep end (as of 2019) and is facing jail and/or imminent death, I take this book as part two of a much larger tragedy. I love the guy, but I fear for him and I doubt we'll get a third part of this trilogy unless he gets clean. I have spent a good part of my life dealing with addicts and his story is familiar and searing. I send you my best Artie. You are a great talent and someone to root for.
August 16, 2014
This book is a memoir of the darkest years of Artie Lange. The first 7 chapters detail his struggles in graphic detail and are at times difficult to read. Chapters 8 until the end show the bright light of his story as he finally embraces recovery and succeeds with a brief relapse in chapter 9. Where Too Fat To Fish was a witty and funny biography told in an entertaining way that I couldn't put down. Crash and Burn and it's darkness was difficult for me to read and took me some time to complete this book. As a longtime Stern fan, to understand what happened was my motivation for reading this book. This book provided me the understanding I was looking for but is not a book I would re-read or recommend to others unless they are looking for the same understanding of what happened to Artie Lange.
April 12, 2018
I gave this book 3 stars because it's good, but for me it got a bit stale during the final third of the book. This is a great book for fans of Artie Lang, The Howard Stern Show, comedian tales of the road and the industry, and addicts in recovery who can relate to a lot of this book.
I really liked the book for the first 2/3 and would have given it 4 stars, but the last 3rd of the book felt like a bit of the drag. It was entertaining hearing about all Artie's stories and his life while stuck on the bowels of addiction, but after his recovery (which he is and should be very proud of) the book just wasn't as interesting.
Artie can come off as a bit sexist and stuck in some old world views, so if you are easily offended it's best to stay away.
Overall is was a good read. I finished the book relatively quickly and I enjoyed the majority of it. It was good, but not great.
I really liked the book for the first 2/3 and would have given it 4 stars, but the last 3rd of the book felt like a bit of the drag. It was entertaining hearing about all Artie's stories and his life while stuck on the bowels of addiction, but after his recovery (which he is and should be very proud of) the book just wasn't as interesting.
Artie can come off as a bit sexist and stuck in some old world views, so if you are easily offended it's best to stay away.
Overall is was a good read. I finished the book relatively quickly and I enjoyed the majority of it. It was good, but not great.
November 21, 2013
Wow this is a wild ride into excess, drug and alcohol addiction with some self loathing and self destruction thrown in, it is not a book for the faint of heart this book is very open and honest sometimes maybe too honest. If you are not a fan of the Howard Stern Show you can still enjoy this book since everything talked about is on YouTube.
I am a huge fan of Artie and to be quite frank I was upset that he had it all and threw it all away by his actions, the same way as I felt with Farley, and Kennison. Even though I was friends with Sam when he was nobody he kept in check until he melted down, same with Artie but at least this had a happy ending or so we will see
A good read it will make you laugh cry, and hope
I am a huge fan of Artie and to be quite frank I was upset that he had it all and threw it all away by his actions, the same way as I felt with Farley, and Kennison. Even though I was friends with Sam when he was nobody he kept in check until he melted down, same with Artie but at least this had a happy ending or so we will see
A good read it will make you laugh cry, and hope
April 4, 2014
I'm probably not the market for this. I've never used drugs, was out of the country and didn't hear him on Stern, and not a fan of his lifestyle. But I can forgive almost anything that is funny, which is a weakness, and I think he is funny. Amazing how honest he is about the depths to which he dug himself. Hope for the best for him. Horrifying picture of addiction. Was it worth the read? When my gym used to play Stern, when I'd listen I would laugh until it just too far, and then I felt like I needed to stop because it would coarsen me. I think this book is an honest attempt to help people on the sad road he was on, but I'm not sure I profited from reading it. God bless him on his new journey.
July 10, 2014
This is a good book and fits into the themes that I have read in the past. I do have to say Artie Lange is very self destructive and, most likely, enjoys falling hard and getting material for stand up as he recovers. He has made a lot of money along the way but has wasted most of it by being dunk or high on drugs. He's 48 years old but has the mentality of an 18 year old and that's being generous. Don't get me wrong, I like the guy and his sense of humor is off the wall but the continued crazy behavior is hard to ignore. I feel bad for his mom, sister and close family members that he hurt so bad. The book is a bit repetitive but I guess that's what addicts do. Insanity at its best. Read only if you are in that type of mood.
October 6, 2014
I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
This was a hard book to get through, not because of the writing, but the subject matter. Artie didn't just lay bare his soul, he cut it open so we could all get a really good look inside. An absolutely ugly thing to behold.
It was worth it though. The guy who came out of the other end is still the rude, acerbic, nut-buster he's always been, but he's sober and trying to be a good man in spite of himself.
Artie's co-writer, Anthony Bozza, did a great job of bringing Artie's fall into something that made you want to laugh and gasp at the same time. Excellent job Anthony! Now keep poking that ugly b@st@rd until he coughs up another book.
This was a hard book to get through, not because of the writing, but the subject matter. Artie didn't just lay bare his soul, he cut it open so we could all get a really good look inside. An absolutely ugly thing to behold.
It was worth it though. The guy who came out of the other end is still the rude, acerbic, nut-buster he's always been, but he's sober and trying to be a good man in spite of himself.
Artie's co-writer, Anthony Bozza, did a great job of bringing Artie's fall into something that made you want to laugh and gasp at the same time. Excellent job Anthony! Now keep poking that ugly b@st@rd until he coughs up another book.
December 30, 2015
A guide on what is like to be a functional and successful addict, or what happens when the money doesn't run out and you don't have to commit crimes to get it. It's a long audiobook, a long list of excuses and dodging getting clean, as every concern gets dismissed. Sometimes it gets silly when the author beats himself up about missing out on making ever more money, "fuck me, right?". Still if one remembers the news, there's some self stabbing coming, and it levels things up. What follows is a very interesting chapter, as not many get to know what is like to be depressed and in bed for months, with such crescendo and explanation.
It was nice to hear talking about Greg Giraldo, and Nick DiPaolo.
It was nice to hear talking about Greg Giraldo, and Nick DiPaolo.
August 26, 2015
I am half way through. Not liking it much at all. I enjoyed his first book very much and am generally a fan, so it's a surprise to hate the voice in this book. Update: the second half is a little better. It at least fills in some gaps about what happened immediately before and after his suicide attempt. And covers his recovery journey. There are a few places where it seems honest, but it's so hard to tell what is honest and what is BS. There are inconsistencies throughout. I gave the book two stars, but maybe it deserves more than that. I'm not sure. I no longer think it would be fun to hang with Artie, clean and sober or not. But I did stay up until 3:30 a.m. to finish the damn book.
February 17, 2016
On occasion, I used to listen to Stern before he left for satellite radio. This book was recommended (and given to me to borrow) by a friend, who is a fan. I'm not s huge fan, but I was curious to see if he really was the mess he portrayed on the Stern show. How this man is still alive is beyond me. Not the best biography, and there were many times I had to put it down because it felt like I was reading the same chapter over and over (IE getting drunk/getting high/screwing up/rinse and repeat.) It is eye opening to see how far someone can fall and still be functional. It's also scary to see how people can enable others who so clearly need major help. If you are an Artie fan, I'd imagine this would be a good read. It was OK for me.
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