Hi Bob!

by Bob Newhart, Marc Maron (Contributor)

You heard 'Hi Bob!' 256 times as characters greeted him on The Bob Newhart Show. Get ready to hear it again- from real-life comedy all-stars! This Audible Original production pairs the paragon of comedy with six of the funniest famous people he's inspired: Will Ferrell, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow, Conan O'Brien, Judd Apatow, and Sarah Silverman. Bob Newhart matches wits with a handpicked cast of entertainment luminaries as they exchange never-before-heard personal anecdotes and, yes, jokes. Using his trademark deadpan and signature charm, Bob banters with his celebrated guests, drawing out their most interesting stories and telling his own. Listening is such a kick - you'll understand why Bob has been a wellspring for contemporary comedy talent.

Genres: Audiobook, Biography, Comedy, Nonfiction

Audible Audio

Published July 18, 2018

About the author

George Robert Newhart was an American comedian and actor. Newhart was known for his deadpan and stammering delivery style. Beginning his career as a stand-up comedian, he transitioned his career to acting in television. He received numerous accolades, including three Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2002.
Newhart came to prominence in 1960 when his record album of comedic monologues, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, became a bestseller and reached number one on the Billboard pop album chart and won two Grammy Awards for Album of the Year, and Best New Artist. That same year he released his follow-up album, The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back! (1960), which was also a success, and the two albums held the Billboard number one and number two spots simultaneously. He later released several additional comedy albums.
Newhart hosted a short-lived NBC variety show, The Bob Newhart Show (1961), before starring as Chicago psychologist Robert Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show from 1972 to 1978. For the latter, he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Male TV Star. He then starred as Vermont innkeeper Dick Loudon on the series Newhart from 1982 to 1990, where he received three nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. He also starred in two short-lived sitcoms, Bob (1992–1993) and George and Leo (1997–1998).
Newhart also acted in the films Hell Is for Heroes (1962), Hot Millions (1968), Catch-22 (1970), Cold Turkey (1971), In & Out (1997), and Elf (2003), and voiced Bernard in the Disney animated film The Rescuers (1977) and its sequel (1990). Newhart played Professor Proton on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory from 2013 to 2018, for which he received his first-ever career Emmy Award, for the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. He also reprised his role in The Big Bang Theory prequel spin-off series Young Sheldon (2017–2020).

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may be the only person to ever review this audible book. I had to create it on goodreads because it didn't exist, and when I tried to find it on audible to get some information for the goodreads profile I found that it was no longer sold. That's too bad, because this was a delightful audible experience. It is formatted like a book, but it is performed more like a podcast or a television interview. This is simply a short series of conversations between the amazing legend, Bob Newhart, and more current comedians ... Judd Apatow, Will Ferrell, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow, Conan O'Brien, and Sarah Silverman. They just talk about various aspects of comedy, and it was fun. It made me want to go back and watch old episodes of The Bob Newhart Show and some of Newhart's early comedy albums. I appreciated getting to hear some of the backstage life of a comedian. I especially loved Conan O'Brien's and Jimmy Kimmel's interactions with Bob on this audio production, but all of them were great. I'm not sure if I would have felt the same way if Newhart was not leading the conversations. He led things in his trademark style, keeping the tone fun and fascinating at the same time. It was a great, but short, audio experience. I'm sorry that few people will have the chance to hear it. Four stars. I really liked this.

[Margaret Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I’ve always been a fan of Bob Newhart, having grown up watching his show, but I never knew the full story behind his early days on the radio and his comedy career. While I knew he was a genuinely good person, reading this gave me an even deeper appreciation for his character and values. The book beautifully reveals the journey of his career and the kind-hearted person behind the humor, making me admire him even more.

[Diana Bustamante · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun! Bob Newhart in discussion with younger comedians. Interesting how things have changed.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun listen. The stories are great.