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A Futile and Stupid Gesture: How Doug Kenney and National Lampoon Changed Comedy Forever
Now a Netflix original film starring Will Forte, Domhnall Gleeson, and Emmy Rossum.
Comic genius Doug Kenney cofounded National Lampoon , cowrote Animal House and Caddyshack , and changed the face of American comedy before mysteriously falling to his death at the age of 33. This is the first-ever biography of Kenney--the heart and soul of National Lampoon —reconstructing the history of that magazine as it redefined American humor, complete with all its brilliant and eccentric characters. Filled with vivid stories from New York, Harvard Yard, Hollywood, and Middle America, this chronicle shares how the magazine spawned a comedy revolution with the radio shows, stage productions, and film projects that launched the careers of John Belushi, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Gilda Radner, while inspiring Saturday Night Live and everything else funny that's happened since 1970. Based on more than 130 interviews conducted with key players including Chevy Chase, Harold Ramis, P. J. O'Rourke, John Landis, and others and boasting behind-the-scenes stories of how Animal House and Caddyshack were made, this book helps capture the nostalgia, humor, and enduring legacy that Doug Kenney instilled in National Lampoon-- America's greatest humor magazine.
Comic genius Doug Kenney cofounded National Lampoon , cowrote Animal House and Caddyshack , and changed the face of American comedy before mysteriously falling to his death at the age of 33. This is the first-ever biography of Kenney--the heart and soul of National Lampoon —reconstructing the history of that magazine as it redefined American humor, complete with all its brilliant and eccentric characters. Filled with vivid stories from New York, Harvard Yard, Hollywood, and Middle America, this chronicle shares how the magazine spawned a comedy revolution with the radio shows, stage productions, and film projects that launched the careers of John Belushi, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Gilda Radner, while inspiring Saturday Night Live and everything else funny that's happened since 1970. Based on more than 130 interviews conducted with key players including Chevy Chase, Harold Ramis, P. J. O'Rourke, John Landis, and others and boasting behind-the-scenes stories of how Animal House and Caddyshack were made, this book helps capture the nostalgia, humor, and enduring legacy that Doug Kenney instilled in National Lampoon-- America's greatest humor magazine.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published September 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
February 14, 2018
At the root of modern American comedy lies the corpse of Doug Kenney. Without him, there would have been no National Lampoon, no Animal House and no Caddyshack. NL alumni went on to populate Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, Spinal Tap, SCTV, all of the John Hughes films, and many, many other pillars that hold up our comedy world, for better or worse.
This book captures Kenney's unusual genius and influence. A lifelong NL fan, I was shamefully unaware of Kenney's impact on my own sensibilities. I knew he'd written some funny things and was there at the genesis, but I was always drawn to the more colorful writers, editors and performers that flowed out of NL, including Hughes, Michael O'Donoghue, Anne Beatts, P.J. O'Rourke, Mike Reiss, Al Jean and the army of SNL cast members and movie stars. Kenney was the glue that held them all briefly together.
The book is unflinching about Kenney's flaws and those of my comedy heroes. It doesn't shy away from criticizing NL's fairly narrow worldview, either: Aside from Beatts and Shary Flenniken and some cartoonists, female influences were few and far between at NL, which often objectified women to sell magazines. POC were non-existent, meanwhile, except as fodder for some of the more reactionary comedy it ran circa 1979-80.
The book is exhaustively researched, and sometimes names, quotes and facts are awkwardly shoved into the narrative in a seeming effort to clean out Karp's notebook.
Still, if you love comedy and the history of comedy, it's worth a read -- and certainly better than the not-great Netflix movie they made of this.
This book captures Kenney's unusual genius and influence. A lifelong NL fan, I was shamefully unaware of Kenney's impact on my own sensibilities. I knew he'd written some funny things and was there at the genesis, but I was always drawn to the more colorful writers, editors and performers that flowed out of NL, including Hughes, Michael O'Donoghue, Anne Beatts, P.J. O'Rourke, Mike Reiss, Al Jean and the army of SNL cast members and movie stars. Kenney was the glue that held them all briefly together.
The book is unflinching about Kenney's flaws and those of my comedy heroes. It doesn't shy away from criticizing NL's fairly narrow worldview, either: Aside from Beatts and Shary Flenniken and some cartoonists, female influences were few and far between at NL, which often objectified women to sell magazines. POC were non-existent, meanwhile, except as fodder for some of the more reactionary comedy it ran circa 1979-80.
The book is exhaustively researched, and sometimes names, quotes and facts are awkwardly shoved into the narrative in a seeming effort to clean out Karp's notebook.
Still, if you love comedy and the history of comedy, it's worth a read -- and certainly better than the not-great Netflix movie they made of this.
July 1, 2020
I didn't expect this to be a detailed biography of one of the founders of National Lampoon. I now l know way more about Doug Kenney than I ever wanted to know. I grew up with National Lampoon. I was the perfect age when the magazine was in its prime. I had recently graduated from Mad Magazine, which was an excellent humor publication for young wise-asses, when National Lampoon broke on the scene.
Instead of this biography which is too, too long, I recommend watching the documentary film based on the story of National Lampoon. (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1674785/...). The best line was provided by Chris Miller. When he learned of Doug Kenney's suicide/fall (he fell/jumped off a cliff in Hawaii), Miller, "He was looking for a better place to jump when he slipped."
Instead of this biography which is too, too long, I recommend watching the documentary film based on the story of National Lampoon. (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1674785/...). The best line was provided by Chris Miller. When he learned of Doug Kenney's suicide/fall (he fell/jumped off a cliff in Hawaii), Miller, "He was looking for a better place to jump when he slipped."
March 20, 2014
After the sad death of Harold Ramis, I watched "Caddyshack" and was motivated to order and read this book on the co-writer of Animal House and Caddyshack, Doug Kenney. The book not only provided me with a lot of biographical information on Doug Kenney, but also was a great chronicling of the subversive humor Kenney established with The National Lampoon magazine, The 1964 Yearbook Parody, Lemmings, The National Lampoon Radio Hour, and Animal House and Caddyshack.
I enjoyed this book a great deal, and it's motivated me to haul out my collection of early 70's Lampoons, in particular that phenomenal 1964 Dacron High School yearbook parody. It was genius.
Rest in peace, Doug Kenney.
I enjoyed this book a great deal, and it's motivated me to haul out my collection of early 70's Lampoons, in particular that phenomenal 1964 Dacron High School yearbook parody. It was genius.
Rest in peace, Doug Kenney.
November 5, 2007
It was funny and entertaining even though I have like zero interest in Lampoon stuff and I dont just say that because my husband wrote it. Doug Kenney's life is a mysterious puzzle.
July 26, 2022
I've read a lot about this time and place in comedy, and this is a good addition that's been sitting on my shelf for a decade, glad I finally pulled it down. I have a soft spot for a lot of these psychos. If you've read the Mike O'Donoghue book and the Belushi book and Improv Nation by Sam Wasson and the SNL oral history, obviously you have to read this, what are you waiting for? The Netflix movie was surprisingly okay despite quite possibly the worst wigs in cinematic history.
August 29, 2021
An unpleasant story about unpleasant, privileged people who wasted their privilege on drugs and stupidity.
September 23, 2019
I wanted to read a bio of Doug Kenny. This is more a history of National Lampoon than it is a bio of Doug Kenney. Granted the book starts and ends with Doug Kenney but most of what's in between is mostly about Nat'l Lampoon. Of course, you can't write about one without writing about the other but there are parts where Kenney has virtually nothing to do with the magazine (he's moved on to other projects or he's taking giving himself a 'sabbatical' as it were). What's he doing then? Sometimes Mr. Karp tells us and sometimes not ... but he makes sure to tell us all about what's going on at the humor magazine. Sorry, but I really don't care to read a 2- or 3-page bio of each and every editor at the magazine especially if they had little more than a passing connection to Kenney.
In its own right, it's a good book. However, I wanted a bio of Doug Kenney and on that note I thought it came up a little short. Hence 3 stars.
In its own right, it's a good book. However, I wanted a bio of Doug Kenney and on that note I thought it came up a little short. Hence 3 stars.
November 14, 2015
When I was a junior and senior in high school there was nothing I loved more then National Lampoon magazine. I remember reading it by the exit doors of the Totowa Cinema while ushering for the Godfather. The Lampoon was crucial to the developement of my sense of humor (dark and twisted) and I can remember going to see Lemmings the National Lampoon review at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic the summer of 1973 and watching John Belushi contort himself in an impewrsonation of Joe Cocker. The highpoint of my colege life was interviewing and writing about the primary creator of the magazine Doug Kenney for the Villanovan.
Kenny's later monologue before a small group of students which he delivered standing in front of a giant Crucifix, which he acknowledged by saying "Hey he's got a sense of humor before falling to the ground flailing and saying "I'm Blind" remains etched in my memory.
Given all that I loved this book for bringing back my memories of the wild sick humor that National Lampoon gave me in my tortured awkward teen years. Kenney and his fellow writers and they are all refernced in the book created most of what modern comedy is all about. Karp isnot a terribly good writer but you can tell he loves the magazine and writes effectively about some of the greatest articles that were in the magazine. To this day I remember reading Kenney's story "First Blow Job"
in my topbunk in Villanova's Corr Hall. This funny dark parody is a masterpiece. There are plenty of others described in the book.
Karp's book goes on to describe the creation of Animal House. Written by Kenney and Chris Miller another stalwart of the Lampoon. Miller and Kenney were both in the movie with Kenney truly memorable as Stork "What are you a moron" leading the marching band into the alley. Kenney was one of the first famous cocaine casualties of the 80's falling or leaping
(I hope the former) off a cliff in Kauai. This was shortly after the release Caddy Shack a lesser film that Kenney wrote but hated after the movie's producer Jon Peters(hairdresser and Barbara Striesands lover imposed the mechanical gopher on the movie.
Caddyshack made Bill Murray a real star and needs me to mention another life highlight. That being the time I flew back from the Democratic Convention and found myself seated next to Bill Murray. Paralyzed with awe, I was grateful that he fell asleep for awhile. Later in the flight we had a great conversation spearked in part by my obsequious praise of his portrayal of Polonius in a modern filming of Hamlet(you should check it out). No overly obvious " Bark like a dog Mrs. Rabinowitz i'll show you the meaning of respect" references to the star. Murray was travelling with his family that day which thwarted my opportunity to offer to drive him home and insert myself in the role of Jilly Rizzo to his Frank Sinatra.
This is more autobiography then book review but I will close it by referencing my opportunity to sit with and talk to P.J. O'Rourke. The last great editor of the Lampoon O'Rourke wrote the most blistering politically incorrect satire imaginable. Nearly 30 years after collapsing in hysterics over O'Rourkes's savaging every ethnic group imaginable I had the opportuinty to introduce PJ as the after dinner commentator/speaker to a group of pharmaceutical lobbyists. I like to think we both got the joke.
Sorry for the lengthy digressions but Doug Kenney and his cohorts were and are my heroes
Kenny's later monologue before a small group of students which he delivered standing in front of a giant Crucifix, which he acknowledged by saying "Hey he's got a sense of humor before falling to the ground flailing and saying "I'm Blind" remains etched in my memory.
Given all that I loved this book for bringing back my memories of the wild sick humor that National Lampoon gave me in my tortured awkward teen years. Kenney and his fellow writers and they are all refernced in the book created most of what modern comedy is all about. Karp isnot a terribly good writer but you can tell he loves the magazine and writes effectively about some of the greatest articles that were in the magazine. To this day I remember reading Kenney's story "First Blow Job"
in my topbunk in Villanova's Corr Hall. This funny dark parody is a masterpiece. There are plenty of others described in the book.
Karp's book goes on to describe the creation of Animal House. Written by Kenney and Chris Miller another stalwart of the Lampoon. Miller and Kenney were both in the movie with Kenney truly memorable as Stork "What are you a moron" leading the marching band into the alley. Kenney was one of the first famous cocaine casualties of the 80's falling or leaping
(I hope the former) off a cliff in Kauai. This was shortly after the release Caddy Shack a lesser film that Kenney wrote but hated after the movie's producer Jon Peters(hairdresser and Barbara Striesands lover imposed the mechanical gopher on the movie.
Caddyshack made Bill Murray a real star and needs me to mention another life highlight. That being the time I flew back from the Democratic Convention and found myself seated next to Bill Murray. Paralyzed with awe, I was grateful that he fell asleep for awhile. Later in the flight we had a great conversation spearked in part by my obsequious praise of his portrayal of Polonius in a modern filming of Hamlet(you should check it out). No overly obvious " Bark like a dog Mrs. Rabinowitz i'll show you the meaning of respect" references to the star. Murray was travelling with his family that day which thwarted my opportunity to offer to drive him home and insert myself in the role of Jilly Rizzo to his Frank Sinatra.
This is more autobiography then book review but I will close it by referencing my opportunity to sit with and talk to P.J. O'Rourke. The last great editor of the Lampoon O'Rourke wrote the most blistering politically incorrect satire imaginable. Nearly 30 years after collapsing in hysterics over O'Rourkes's savaging every ethnic group imaginable I had the opportuinty to introduce PJ as the after dinner commentator/speaker to a group of pharmaceutical lobbyists. I like to think we both got the joke.
Sorry for the lengthy digressions but Doug Kenney and his cohorts were and are my heroes
December 31, 2017
In my younger days, I would go grocery shopping with my Mom, spending my time reading magazines. I usually would be able to talk her into getting me a copy of Cracked magazine. It was more my kind of humor at the time, perhaps a bit less topical than Mad. I recall going with my cousin one time and finding a new magazine on the shelf – National Lampoon. And somehow we convinced my Mom to buy a copy for us. I remember getting this issue home and reading it, and finding out it was a league apart from Cracked magazine. In our family’s parlance, it was a dirty magazine. Mom figured it out too, and this was the first thing that I ever had taken away from me. This was the “travel issue” of Lampoon, and I was a precocious 11. Years later I liberated this issue from Mom’s hiding place, and I can recall a number of the articles many decades later, as well as other issues and compilations I acquired over the years. I also recall around the same age I was staying up late listening to the National Lampoon Radio Hour by hiding my radio earphone under my pillow so I could fake being asleep if I was checked on. KIIK 104 in Davenport if I recall correctly. This was where I got my first taste of many of the Saturday Night Live cast before that show premiered. National Lampoon had a humor that stuck with me – it illustrated what being smart and funny was.
“A Futile and Stupid Gesture” was a joy to read. The author mostly told the story of the Lampoon and Doug Kenney in chronological order, bumping the changing years with news highlights of the year as well as bits from the magazine. Kenney’s story as a creative comic genius turned Hollywood drug fiend was quite interesting. The business history was also interesting, but was somewhat convoluted and involved a lot of numbers that weren’t necessary for the story. As the story moved beyond the magazine and to the broadway shows, the radio show, and the movies (and pitiful TV show), I found the book was adding a lot of interesting background to my memories of those shows, especially the radio show, Animal House, and Caddyshack. Overall, I found this a great combination including personal nostalgia, a business story, and the story of a true character, writer of many articles I’ve appreciated, who lived a truly interesting life.
“A Futile and Stupid Gesture” was a joy to read. The author mostly told the story of the Lampoon and Doug Kenney in chronological order, bumping the changing years with news highlights of the year as well as bits from the magazine. Kenney’s story as a creative comic genius turned Hollywood drug fiend was quite interesting. The business history was also interesting, but was somewhat convoluted and involved a lot of numbers that weren’t necessary for the story. As the story moved beyond the magazine and to the broadway shows, the radio show, and the movies (and pitiful TV show), I found the book was adding a lot of interesting background to my memories of those shows, especially the radio show, Animal House, and Caddyshack. Overall, I found this a great combination including personal nostalgia, a business story, and the story of a true character, writer of many articles I’ve appreciated, who lived a truly interesting life.
December 20, 2012
A unheralded, ill-fated Ohio slacker re-invented America satire and humor in the 1970s. That's they?re story and they?re sticking to it.
Biography of National Lampoon magazine co-founder Doug Kenney, a "hick kid from Ohio" raised primarily in a quaint small town outside Cleveland. Going onto Harvard, Kenney, according to author Karp and a small circle of admirers and survivors (while trying to kick cocaine, Kenney died in a freak fall off a cliff in Hawaii in 1980), became the most quintessentially American humorist since Mark Twain. It was Kenney's schizoid vision of midwestern life - affectionate nostalgia for the better days of the 1950s and early '60s, mixed with tart skepticism - that inspired Animal House, the classic National Lampoon 1964 High School Yearbook and fed into the Saturday Night Live school of comedy. When he died at 31, Kenney was a multi-millionaire from publishing and movie deals (but, at the same time, embittered by his negative experiences doing Caddyshack, a film he reviled). It is perhaps a consequence of the hero's demise that in a historical farce-scape dominated by vivid personalities - Chevy Chase, P.J. O'Rourke, Anne Beatts, John Belushi, Michael `Mr. Mike' O'Donoghue - Doug Kenney is hard to pin down. He was a hippie, a WASP Establishment wannabe, a wallflower, a force majeure, a Harvard man, a great guy, a petulant druggie - an outsider who seemed to be everyone's friend. During the 1970s glory days of the Lampoon (before it devolved, under O'Rourke's watch, into puerile stuff and cigarette ads), Kenney took a lengthy sabbatical to get stoned and work on Teenage Communists From Outer Space, a cherished but never-completed autobiographical comic novel (no details or excerpts of which are otherwise given, strange). Karp fills in the void with priceless tales of life in the Lampooniverse, year by year, but Kenney turns into a bit player in his own story, one that ends with a sad what-if-shrug more than anything conclusive. Verdict: Mainly for NatLamp addicts waxing nostalgic for the Nixon years.
Biography of National Lampoon magazine co-founder Doug Kenney, a "hick kid from Ohio" raised primarily in a quaint small town outside Cleveland. Going onto Harvard, Kenney, according to author Karp and a small circle of admirers and survivors (while trying to kick cocaine, Kenney died in a freak fall off a cliff in Hawaii in 1980), became the most quintessentially American humorist since Mark Twain. It was Kenney's schizoid vision of midwestern life - affectionate nostalgia for the better days of the 1950s and early '60s, mixed with tart skepticism - that inspired Animal House, the classic National Lampoon 1964 High School Yearbook and fed into the Saturday Night Live school of comedy. When he died at 31, Kenney was a multi-millionaire from publishing and movie deals (but, at the same time, embittered by his negative experiences doing Caddyshack, a film he reviled). It is perhaps a consequence of the hero's demise that in a historical farce-scape dominated by vivid personalities - Chevy Chase, P.J. O'Rourke, Anne Beatts, John Belushi, Michael `Mr. Mike' O'Donoghue - Doug Kenney is hard to pin down. He was a hippie, a WASP Establishment wannabe, a wallflower, a force majeure, a Harvard man, a great guy, a petulant druggie - an outsider who seemed to be everyone's friend. During the 1970s glory days of the Lampoon (before it devolved, under O'Rourke's watch, into puerile stuff and cigarette ads), Kenney took a lengthy sabbatical to get stoned and work on Teenage Communists From Outer Space, a cherished but never-completed autobiographical comic novel (no details or excerpts of which are otherwise given, strange). Karp fills in the void with priceless tales of life in the Lampooniverse, year by year, but Kenney turns into a bit player in his own story, one that ends with a sad what-if-shrug more than anything conclusive. Verdict: Mainly for NatLamp addicts waxing nostalgic for the Nixon years.
October 21, 2009
This is a biography of humorist Doug Kenney, but even more than that it's a biography of the National Lampoon in its heyday.
So... you'd think the book would be a bit funnier, is all I'm saying.
Oh, sure, a serious treatment of NatLamp's history couldn't possibly be entirely composed of Nixon-baiting, Foto Funnies and Bluto's acne impressions, especially since Kenney's mysterious and premature demise in Hawaii reverberates through the entire work, sending premonitory ripples back to the magazine's very inception. But this remarkably dry compendium of dates, print runs and circulation figures, revenue projections and other statistics of the publishing business is only occasionally leavened by reference to the biting humor that made NatLamp such an iconic part of the 1970s.
Doug Kenney himself could probably have made a funny routine out of that: "The Accountant's First Date," perhaps, in which the cost of dinner is divided to the penny based on the relative weights of food consumed, and the tip calculated with a slide rule... but not many real-life dates would sit through such treatment.
Writer Josh Karp has hold of a fascinating story here, and his research was patently deep and meticulous—he managed to interview an astonishing array of participants in, and devotees of, the magazine and of Kenney himself. It's by no means a bad job... the book was just a little too much work to read for me to be really enthusiastic about it.
So... you'd think the book would be a bit funnier, is all I'm saying.
Oh, sure, a serious treatment of NatLamp's history couldn't possibly be entirely composed of Nixon-baiting, Foto Funnies and Bluto's acne impressions, especially since Kenney's mysterious and premature demise in Hawaii reverberates through the entire work, sending premonitory ripples back to the magazine's very inception. But this remarkably dry compendium of dates, print runs and circulation figures, revenue projections and other statistics of the publishing business is only occasionally leavened by reference to the biting humor that made NatLamp such an iconic part of the 1970s.
Doug Kenney himself could probably have made a funny routine out of that: "The Accountant's First Date," perhaps, in which the cost of dinner is divided to the penny based on the relative weights of food consumed, and the tip calculated with a slide rule... but not many real-life dates would sit through such treatment.
Writer Josh Karp has hold of a fascinating story here, and his research was patently deep and meticulous—he managed to interview an astonishing array of participants in, and devotees of, the magazine and of Kenney himself. It's by no means a bad job... the book was just a little too much work to read for me to be really enthusiastic about it.
July 25, 2016
This book contains some horribly-written passages, and the author tends to make cosmic pronouncements about big topics like The 60s, American humor and the like. That said this a good biography of a central figure in American comic writing and editing. The reader learns about the founding of the National Lampoon, details about wild characters like Michael O'Donoghue and Bill Murray and the cocaine-driven Hollywood scene of the late 1970s. I especially enjoyed reading the summaries of pieces from the magazine which I recall reading in the original issues. This was a very enjoyable read and I'm sorry it's over.
I'll always remember this as the first ebook I ever read on my iPad! The future is now.
I'll always remember this as the first ebook I ever read on my iPad! The future is now.
July 2, 2009
I am one of those people who loved the pointless vulgarity and hilarious character assassination of the National Lampoon in the 70s. If you were too, I suspect you will find this biography of Doug Kenney. A sad story. A former colleague, who is one of the most dignified persons that I know, appears in a photograph in this book. Turns out he was Doug Kenney's roommate in college. As Steven Wright says, "It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to paint it".
June 28, 2017
Karp hits with Kenney and O'donoghue information. Wanted more about Anne Beattes and less p.j. the sellout o'rourke. Business bullshit needed editing as well as some of the other info.. He misses the importance of Paul Krassner (THE REALIST)and 'Sarah Silverman over- the- edge' political humor born Back in The Day. The end of the book was very well done. It moved me and stays with me. Doug Kenney...WOW.
August 29, 2018
Infinitely more satisfying than its film adaptation, it still ends up strangely divided between a personal story and a catalog of an important era in comedy. Karp spends a lot of time repeating the same handful of thoughts about Doug Kenney’s personality, humor, and outlook—searching in vain for an explanation that will never be certain. The decline of the magazine as it hired contributors who began as its fans is a fascinating element of the story, and familiar to any "Simpsons" fan.
May 6, 2019
A FUTILE AND STUPID GESTURE (How Doug Kenney And National Lampoon Changed Comedy Forever) was an amazing read and takes a very unique perspective on the events of the Seventies. This book is so good because it’s funny and captivating, covers a very interesting story, and because it looks at the events of the seventies in a way that I am pretty sure no book has ever done before. A FUTILE AND STUPID GESTURE is a culminating summary of the comedy revolution in the seventies and follows the one man who started it all. Doug Kenney, A quirky outsider who found his calling when he went to Harvard and convinced his friend to instead of going to law school, to start a humour magazine against all the odds. Starting with this magazine, A revolution took place that changed comedy forever. From the idea of a college movie, which is now one of the most profitable sub- genres of comedy movies, to Saturday Night Live. None of this would have been possible without Doug Kenney.
This book unlike many other nonfiction books, is very, very funny. It makes sense that it would be as it follows the lives of comedic geniuses. Throughout this book you find excerpts from the actual lampoon magazine, letters between some of the funniest people who ever lived, and conversations too. “ “We were tight like a family. And I mean that in the worst possible way”- P.J. O’Rourke”(Karp, 152) All of these along with giving you a good laugh, also vividly detail what life was like for these people, and you can see their outlooks on life and what they were doing. This is also captivating because it is a very nostalgic book for many people. Not only does the cover of the book take after one of the most famous magazine covers of all time. But as I was reading this book, I would carry it around with me, and many of my teachers would ask what I was reading, and when I told them, you could tell who grew up during the Lampoon- era because a smile would come across their face as the told me stories of their encounters with the magazine, or when they saw animal house in theaters. Both of my parents were teenagers during this time period and when I told them about the book I was reading my father’s face lit up as the stories about his encounters with the National Lampoon and its infamous content.
Not only is this a fun read but the story itself is very interesting. Most people have seen Saturday Night Live, but how did it start? “Saturday night Live, trading on the brand of humour created by the National Lampoon, was being written and performed each week by talent that had once been performed under the magazine’s banner”(Karp, 259). This book details the beginnings of the largest revolution in comedy history, but one of the largest revolutions in pop- culture of all time. Pop- culture is one of those things that affects us in our daily lives everyday. From what we watch, to how we dress, to informing us that everyone we know and love is actually a sex monster. For all of this to take place, a lot has to happen. Every hit song that is accredited to the singer, was probably written by somebody you have never heard of and never will hear of. This book is about the brains behind the laughs.
As this book follows a not-well known story, it does use reference points in history that are more well known. At the beginning of each chapter there is a list of all the notable historical events that were going on in the public eye during what was going on in the story. “The following happened in 1972: cigarette advertising was banned from television; Don Maclean’s American Pie topped the charts”(Karp 118).These contribute to the greater story and make the book better by giving a very unique perspective on the events that were happening in the seventies. It almost describes what is going on outside the Lampoon- world by asking how is this funny. From watergate, to vietnam, nothing was off limits to these men (and one woman). They were very anti- vietnam. One of the pieces that they produced that really showcased the bloodbath that was the Vietnam war was the Vietnam baby book. It included everything from baby’s first wound, to baby’s headstone. Along with this being funny, you can really tell how the writers at the lampoon felt about the war and this theme of satirizing what they didn’t like was a huge theme throughout the Lampoon’s entire life.
In conclusion A FUTILE AND STUPID GESTURE was an amazing read. It has everything that I look for when I read non-fiction, It is very interesting, it takes a very unique perspective on the events of the time, and it is very much applicable to the real world today. That is why this book should be on the top of the list for anybody who has any interest in the history of pop- culture and any sub- genre thereof.
This book unlike many other nonfiction books, is very, very funny. It makes sense that it would be as it follows the lives of comedic geniuses. Throughout this book you find excerpts from the actual lampoon magazine, letters between some of the funniest people who ever lived, and conversations too. “ “We were tight like a family. And I mean that in the worst possible way”- P.J. O’Rourke”(Karp, 152) All of these along with giving you a good laugh, also vividly detail what life was like for these people, and you can see their outlooks on life and what they were doing. This is also captivating because it is a very nostalgic book for many people. Not only does the cover of the book take after one of the most famous magazine covers of all time. But as I was reading this book, I would carry it around with me, and many of my teachers would ask what I was reading, and when I told them, you could tell who grew up during the Lampoon- era because a smile would come across their face as the told me stories of their encounters with the magazine, or when they saw animal house in theaters. Both of my parents were teenagers during this time period and when I told them about the book I was reading my father’s face lit up as the stories about his encounters with the National Lampoon and its infamous content.
Not only is this a fun read but the story itself is very interesting. Most people have seen Saturday Night Live, but how did it start? “Saturday night Live, trading on the brand of humour created by the National Lampoon, was being written and performed each week by talent that had once been performed under the magazine’s banner”(Karp, 259). This book details the beginnings of the largest revolution in comedy history, but one of the largest revolutions in pop- culture of all time. Pop- culture is one of those things that affects us in our daily lives everyday. From what we watch, to how we dress, to informing us that everyone we know and love is actually a sex monster. For all of this to take place, a lot has to happen. Every hit song that is accredited to the singer, was probably written by somebody you have never heard of and never will hear of. This book is about the brains behind the laughs.
As this book follows a not-well known story, it does use reference points in history that are more well known. At the beginning of each chapter there is a list of all the notable historical events that were going on in the public eye during what was going on in the story. “The following happened in 1972: cigarette advertising was banned from television; Don Maclean’s American Pie topped the charts”(Karp 118).These contribute to the greater story and make the book better by giving a very unique perspective on the events that were happening in the seventies. It almost describes what is going on outside the Lampoon- world by asking how is this funny. From watergate, to vietnam, nothing was off limits to these men (and one woman). They were very anti- vietnam. One of the pieces that they produced that really showcased the bloodbath that was the Vietnam war was the Vietnam baby book. It included everything from baby’s first wound, to baby’s headstone. Along with this being funny, you can really tell how the writers at the lampoon felt about the war and this theme of satirizing what they didn’t like was a huge theme throughout the Lampoon’s entire life.
In conclusion A FUTILE AND STUPID GESTURE was an amazing read. It has everything that I look for when I read non-fiction, It is very interesting, it takes a very unique perspective on the events of the time, and it is very much applicable to the real world today. That is why this book should be on the top of the list for anybody who has any interest in the history of pop- culture and any sub- genre thereof.
December 10, 2019
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A Futile and Stupid Gesture: How Doug Kenney and National Lampoon Changed Comedy Forever by Josh Karp is a biography of Doug Kenney, a comic genius who cofounded National Lampoon before his tragic and early death. Mr. Karp is a writer, journalist and film producer, this is his first book which won best biography at both the Independent Publisher Book Awards and Midwest Book Awards in 2006.
Whenever anyone is asked for examples, or an introduction, to American comedy, the name National Lampoon usually makes its way into the conversation at some point. Whether it’s the magazine, or the movies (usually Animal House and Caddyshack) Doug Kenney has managed to define American humor in his image.
A Futile and Stupid Gesture: How Doug Kenney and National Lampoon Changed Comedy Forever by Josh Karp attempts, and I believe succeeded, to capture the personality and intelligence of Mr. Kenney, even though, it seems, he was not aware of his own comedic brilliance. The book is not a love letter for Mr. Kenney, the author is unafraid about pointing out his subject’s flaws narcosis. I was surprised to read about the narrow world view that Mr. Kenney held, after all to write comedy is not easy and even, or especially, college humor needs to have a broader sense of to appeal to the few.
There is a lot of biographical information inside the book, the author makes a grand effort to use as many first hand resources as he can, which can sometimes grind the narrative to a halt with several misplaced quotes, but the effort is outstanding and appreciated. I did enjoy some of the behind the scenes stories of the magazine and the movies.
If you are interested in the history of comedy, not necessarily just National Lampoon, this books is a must. As a biography it tries to understand the puzzling personality of Doug Kenney, a complicated person which is probably laughing at us right now.
A Futile and Stupid Gesture: How Doug Kenney and National Lampoon Changed Comedy Forever by Josh Karp is a biography of Doug Kenney, a comic genius who cofounded National Lampoon before his tragic and early death. Mr. Karp is a writer, journalist and film producer, this is his first book which won best biography at both the Independent Publisher Book Awards and Midwest Book Awards in 2006.
Whenever anyone is asked for examples, or an introduction, to American comedy, the name National Lampoon usually makes its way into the conversation at some point. Whether it’s the magazine, or the movies (usually Animal House and Caddyshack) Doug Kenney has managed to define American humor in his image.
A Futile and Stupid Gesture: How Doug Kenney and National Lampoon Changed Comedy Forever by Josh Karp attempts, and I believe succeeded, to capture the personality and intelligence of Mr. Kenney, even though, it seems, he was not aware of his own comedic brilliance. The book is not a love letter for Mr. Kenney, the author is unafraid about pointing out his subject’s flaws narcosis. I was surprised to read about the narrow world view that Mr. Kenney held, after all to write comedy is not easy and even, or especially, college humor needs to have a broader sense of to appeal to the few.
There is a lot of biographical information inside the book, the author makes a grand effort to use as many first hand resources as he can, which can sometimes grind the narrative to a halt with several misplaced quotes, but the effort is outstanding and appreciated. I did enjoy some of the behind the scenes stories of the magazine and the movies.
If you are interested in the history of comedy, not necessarily just National Lampoon, this books is a must. As a biography it tries to understand the puzzling personality of Doug Kenney, a complicated person which is probably laughing at us right now.
June 6, 2022
This is a bipartite biography, as the title suggests. It's not only the story of the prematurely deceased Doug Kenney (the initiated will recognize him as "The Stork" in Animal House), it is also the biography of National Lampoon in all its incarnations, but mostly as a magazine.
If you grew up in the late 70s and early 80s, this book will serve as a kind of ancestral tree of much of the funny shit of the time and Kenney was a central figure in pretty much all of it, with lots of familiar names radiating outwards: Chevy Chase, Belushi, Bill Murray, PJ O'Rourke...just to name a few. His career was writer and co-founder of the National Lampoon magazine in the early 70s forms the backbone of Kenney's story, and there's tons of great bits culled from the magazine during its heyday as a pivotal part of American humor. Once SNL began, though, talent got drawn off into that next logical evolution, the magazine itself and its partner radio show began to decline. Kenney, though, made a go at Hollywood and if he hadn't died so young, who knows what might've happened. He was responsible for greats like Animal House and Caddyshack, although Karp suggests the latter experience of butting heads with the studio might've led him to an early death by his own hand. There are good sections on the making of both films.
Overall, this is a great look at a slice of American comedic history that you might not be too familiar with and remind you of some of the heritage of the funny crap around these days.
If you grew up in the late 70s and early 80s, this book will serve as a kind of ancestral tree of much of the funny shit of the time and Kenney was a central figure in pretty much all of it, with lots of familiar names radiating outwards: Chevy Chase, Belushi, Bill Murray, PJ O'Rourke...just to name a few. His career was writer and co-founder of the National Lampoon magazine in the early 70s forms the backbone of Kenney's story, and there's tons of great bits culled from the magazine during its heyday as a pivotal part of American humor. Once SNL began, though, talent got drawn off into that next logical evolution, the magazine itself and its partner radio show began to decline. Kenney, though, made a go at Hollywood and if he hadn't died so young, who knows what might've happened. He was responsible for greats like Animal House and Caddyshack, although Karp suggests the latter experience of butting heads with the studio might've led him to an early death by his own hand. There are good sections on the making of both films.
Overall, this is a great look at a slice of American comedic history that you might not be too familiar with and remind you of some of the heritage of the funny crap around these days.
September 14, 2018
I was drawn to this by the Netflix movie, which is a much more entertaining rundown of the rise and fall of Doug Kenney and the National Lampoon empire. Karp's book has much more detail and nuance, but gets bogged down in the effort to complete a well-rounded portrait rather than focus on Kenney's foibles and the wackiness that went on off the clock.
Reading like a textbook, albeit an often fascinating textbook stuffed with all sorts of inappropriate, cocaine-fueled 1970s mayhem, the book chronicles the origins of biting political satire that reshaped the whole of the entertainment medium, spawning the likes of "Animal House," "Caddyshack," the "Vacation" series, "Saturday Night Live" and the indomitable John Hughes.
Kenney emerges as a lost soul; a genius incapable of handling the success or especially the perceived failure that the highs and lows of life thrust upon him as he ran roughshod through the print world and Hollywood. The finest moments are those that get intimate with Kenney and his most meaningful relationships, particularly with Chevy Chase.
This is an instance in which you can get all the good stuff by watching the Netflix movie and save the book only to sate the need of fully nerding out.
Reading like a textbook, albeit an often fascinating textbook stuffed with all sorts of inappropriate, cocaine-fueled 1970s mayhem, the book chronicles the origins of biting political satire that reshaped the whole of the entertainment medium, spawning the likes of "Animal House," "Caddyshack," the "Vacation" series, "Saturday Night Live" and the indomitable John Hughes.
Kenney emerges as a lost soul; a genius incapable of handling the success or especially the perceived failure that the highs and lows of life thrust upon him as he ran roughshod through the print world and Hollywood. The finest moments are those that get intimate with Kenney and his most meaningful relationships, particularly with Chevy Chase.
This is an instance in which you can get all the good stuff by watching the Netflix movie and save the book only to sate the need of fully nerding out.
July 10, 2020
This book offers an interesting look at National Lampoon's from inception, its spinoffs and the death of cofounder Doug Kenny.
Overall it captures the chaotic nature of the magazine and those who inhabited, however at times it was difficult to keep up with as new people are introduced or after the split where the story goes back and forth between Doug and the magazines differing fortunes.
One disappointment is the lack of content from the magazine. There are small excerpts here and there but not enough to show the genius that the book refers to Doug Kenny and his work.
Further to this the book is the basis of the Netflix film however as more of a historical piece about the times lacks the laughs that the film in a meta way portrayed.
Overall it captures the chaotic nature of the magazine and those who inhabited, however at times it was difficult to keep up with as new people are introduced or after the split where the story goes back and forth between Doug and the magazines differing fortunes.
One disappointment is the lack of content from the magazine. There are small excerpts here and there but not enough to show the genius that the book refers to Doug Kenny and his work.
Further to this the book is the basis of the Netflix film however as more of a historical piece about the times lacks the laughs that the film in a meta way portrayed.
September 18, 2020
Well, I subscribed to the National Lampoon in the early 70s. A friend of mine was headed off to do the rich guy tour of Europe post graduation, and he gave me a lid, and 3 National Lampoons. I couldn't believe how weirdly funny those were. I kept them all- for decades- then got rid of them because they had become so dated. But I knew Doug Kenney had died in Hawaii, and I was shocked. Now I know what drove him to either deliberately or carelessly die. Again, a tragic book about a comedic writer and actor. And drugs. Lots of drugs. It seems that comedic talent often goes hand in hand with mental and emotional pain. The difference for Kenney was that he was also highly intelligent- which for him was its own kind of burden. I'm not sorry I read it, but it was sad.
April 2, 2021
This is mostly a biography of Doug Kenny from his early beginnings to his work with national Lampoon magazine to movies to his death. Everything seems to be covered. I thought there was an attempt to make him look better than he actually was when he was cheating on his wife... attempting to make her seem as if she didn't take the decision to marry too seriously. Perhaps that was so, but it was still a marriage with promises made.
Any modesty issues? The F-word was used. The whole point of National Lampoon was to lampoon everything that was acceptable in society and to present half naked women in pictures to college men.... all in good fun. (No sarcasm there. That did seem to be their goal.)
I might read this book again for research purposes.
Any modesty issues? The F-word was used. The whole point of National Lampoon was to lampoon everything that was acceptable in society and to present half naked women in pictures to college men.... all in good fun. (No sarcasm there. That did seem to be their goal.)
I might read this book again for research purposes.
July 29, 2017
National Lampoon is one of those things from a generation earlier and a different country that has long fascinated me but I never had the opportunity to experience as anything other than a slightly sad retrospective of former glories. Much of this sadness comes from the sad decline of Doug Kenney, a man fairly written out of the American comedy story due to his early death. This covers that incredibly mad period with almost painful detail and makes me wish I'd been around in a time where written humour could sell. Also: so very much cocaine. Recommended to anyone who was intrigued by the above really.
March 21, 2019
I put this book on my reading list after seeing the Netflix movie based on the book. I think seeing the movie first helped me follow the who's who of people that surrounded Doug Kenney, both well known and not. It amazes me all the SNL actors of which I was a fan that started out with National Lampoon, which I have never read, but recognize the more famous covers. My first experience with Lampoon was probably Vacation. I think this is a great book if you want to learn about a creative genius' life and the publishing world of National Lampoon, though it can get bogged down by the many people followed in the book.
October 20, 2019
Took longer than a year to get around to it but finished the book I decided to read after watching the Netflix film. It’s okay! I pretty much wanted the same story in higher definition and that’s what this was. A lot of National Lampoon’s humor doesn’t really do it for me but it seems clear Kenney and Beard were a cut above the rest. Getting back into it after around a year of not touching the book, it’s pretty clear how much of a love letter to Kenney it is. But that was probably obvious when I started it as well. Neat and detailed and not too blatantly biased, a good entertainment industry non-fiction book (or GEIN-FB for simplicity’s stupid sake)
August 23, 2020
Though centered on Kenney, this is really a deeply-researched and detailed history of the Lampoon, from its rise to its ultimate disintegration. So much history of comedy here, and I found myself Googling some of the names I didn't know as well and ordering copies of their work.
My only criticism is that this is so close to being an oral history that I wish it had been one. Would love to see the exact words of the many people consulted for this.
My only criticism is that this is so close to being an oral history that I wish it had been one. Would love to see the exact words of the many people consulted for this.
July 22, 2024
Meh. I don't often say this, but unless you're currently taking a college course about Doug Kenney and the National Lampoon's history, skip this book and watch the movie instead. There's just entirely too much information here, so much that the narrative bogs down to a standstill after the first 50 pages and you start losing your will to live. Biographies about Robert E Lee and Lincoln don't have this much detail, and frankly, Doug just wasn't that important in the grand scheme of things.
March 17, 2025
They made a movie of this book that zipped by. The book didn’t. It was too long and too many characters were chronicled. But then again it needed to chronicle National Lampoon’s history. It’s just that, when the focus comes off Kenney, there just becomes this redundant format of introducing the year, new characters, their backgrounds, new shenanigans and escapades, issues, magazine articles and how NL was doing. Over and over again to cover the decade.
May 9, 2020
I'm not really sold on this narrative. For sure, National Lampoon was smart and funny, but in many ways they achieved their status by bottling and sanitizing the counterculture world of underground comics and magazines and presenting it in a safe way for middle America. Is the 50s high school experience as universal as the author claims?
October 2, 2021
I didn’t anticipate my big takeaway from this to be “I hope Tony Hendra is miserable and burning for all of eternity” but wow how did I not know what he did? Even more shocking, as someone who usually hates Chevy Chase, this book gave his more humanity in a few brief passages than I’d ever expected with his reputation as it is now.
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