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Ghetto Klown: A Graphic Memoir
This graphic novel adaptation of the award-winning Broadway play Ghetto Klown “is autobiographical dynamite—this is Leguizamo at his scathing, honest, moving, comedic best. Among the finest portraits of an artist as a young wounded talented man as I’ve read” (Pulitzer Prize–winning author Junot Díaz).
Tony Award winner John Leguizamo lays bare his life story in this graphic novel illustrated by artists Christa Cassano and Shamus Beyale. He shares memories of his early years as an actor on stage, on television, and in major motion pictures opposite some of Hollywood’s biggest stars—including Al Pacino, Patrick Swayze, and Steven Seagal—and working for directors Baz Luhrmann and Brian De Palma. Leguizamo also opens up about his loves and marriages, while addressing self-doubt and melancholy in a way that enlightens and entertains.
“[John] is a pioneer in theater and comedy, not just for Latin people, but as much as any comic or playwright I’ve ever seen or read. No one makes me laugh louder than this man. We are better because of him.” —Sofía Vergara
“The graphic novel of Ghetto Klown captures the infectious spirit of John Leguizamo’s live performances with the same surprising humor and cultural insight. These pages make John seem like the coolest super hero in New York.” —Jesse Eisenberg
Tony Award winner John Leguizamo lays bare his life story in this graphic novel illustrated by artists Christa Cassano and Shamus Beyale. He shares memories of his early years as an actor on stage, on television, and in major motion pictures opposite some of Hollywood’s biggest stars—including Al Pacino, Patrick Swayze, and Steven Seagal—and working for directors Baz Luhrmann and Brian De Palma. Leguizamo also opens up about his loves and marriages, while addressing self-doubt and melancholy in a way that enlightens and entertains.
“[John] is a pioneer in theater and comedy, not just for Latin people, but as much as any comic or playwright I’ve ever seen or read. No one makes me laugh louder than this man. We are better because of him.” —Sofía Vergara
“The graphic novel of Ghetto Klown captures the infectious spirit of John Leguizamo’s live performances with the same surprising humor and cultural insight. These pages make John seem like the coolest super hero in New York.” —Jesse Eisenberg
192 pages, Hardcover
First published October 16, 2015
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1952 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
February 7, 2020
The drama's created with pictures more than with prose. And it fills the page! The actor is there with you--as a graphic & a voice--letting himself be exposed through his impulses and his good luck. Of course, his talent is discernible; the honesty and comedy is mingled in such heartwarming way. For instance: cat fight with the late Patrick Swayze! Yeah: Leguizamo deserves all the good stuff that's come his way. (My personal favorite: Moulin Rouge!)
August 30, 2023
I have been a big John Leguizamo fan ever since seeing him in Spun (2002). This GN is an honest and raw look and his life and the fine line he crossed over between creative genius and self destructive behavior. A very interesting autobiography - still believe JL has a lot more to give as far as his movie career.
July 9, 2018
Really enjoyed this, I got this thinking it was his autobiography and when I opened it and saw it was a graphic novel I was pretty shocked, a graphic novel for a autobiography? It feels really honest, especially the scenes with his dad, full of anger and moving. There are also some interesting behind the scenes gossip, I've no idea whether they were true or not.
The drawings themselves are pretty good, a few times though I wasn't sure if the person drawn was John or not, he doesn't always look the same. The best part of the book though was one of the pages showing the characters he has played in his career, to see Sid the sloth next to violator from Spawn is awesome, I demand a poster version of that be made available to me. :)
The autobiography/graphic novel method is a unique idea and I think it works well, a lot of autobiographies can get a bit tedious, especially with the setting of a scene, but with a drawing all the background is there for you to see.
Best line in the book "I stopped partying, 'cause I heard that coke and booze are gateway drugs to Christianity"
The drawings themselves are pretty good, a few times though I wasn't sure if the person drawn was John or not, he doesn't always look the same. The best part of the book though was one of the pages showing the characters he has played in his career, to see Sid the sloth next to violator from Spawn is awesome, I demand a poster version of that be made available to me. :)
The autobiography/graphic novel method is a unique idea and I think it works well, a lot of autobiographies can get a bit tedious, especially with the setting of a scene, but with a drawing all the background is there for you to see.
Best line in the book "I stopped partying, 'cause I heard that coke and booze are gateway drugs to Christianity"
August 31, 2023
Okay, this book made me laugh out loud, and these days that is an accomplishment. I can’t even remember now what it was, but I’m sure you’ll find your own moment.
(Full disclosure—as I typed the words “remember now” I actually did remember! It’s funny!!)
Entertaining look at the struggles, pitfalls, and dubious achievements of life in “entertainment”.
(Full disclosure—as I typed the words “remember now” I actually did remember! It’s funny!!)
Entertaining look at the struggles, pitfalls, and dubious achievements of life in “entertainment”.
Want to read
December 10, 2015Says one of the delightful booksellers at Greenlight (who sounds like a woman after my own heart):
I'm not much for celebrity memoirs... but a graphic novel adaptation of the one-man show by the brilliant (and chronically underutilized) John Leguizamo? That I am down for. Brooklyn artist Christa Cassano's freewheeling panels capture the performer's energy in a memoir perfect for the format, and Leguizamo's manic, hyperarticulate Spanglish is as compelling as Junot Diaz's narrator in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.
I'm not much for celebrity memoirs... but a graphic novel adaptation of the one-man show by the brilliant (and chronically underutilized) John Leguizamo? That I am down for. Brooklyn artist Christa Cassano's freewheeling panels capture the performer's energy in a memoir perfect for the format, and Leguizamo's manic, hyperarticulate Spanglish is as compelling as Junot Diaz's narrator in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.
October 17, 2020
In this adaptation of his autobiographical stage play, John Leguizamo paints himself as quite the ass. He does such a good job of making himself look so bad for so long in the book that I couldn't buy the speedy turnaround he claims in the end.
Anyhow, everything is just all exaggerated and hyper for comic effect, and it probably works well in a live format (I have not seen the show upon which this is based though I do enjoy Leguizamo as an actor), but it didn't do much for me on the page. There are lots of celebrity cameos at least, including Steven Seagal, Al Pacino, and Patrick Swayze.
Anyhow, everything is just all exaggerated and hyper for comic effect, and it probably works well in a live format (I have not seen the show upon which this is based though I do enjoy Leguizamo as an actor), but it didn't do much for me on the page. There are lots of celebrity cameos at least, including Steven Seagal, Al Pacino, and Patrick Swayze.
January 17, 2016
This is a graphic novel adaptation of Leguizamo's award-winning Broadway show. I've generally been aware of him for a while now. I was one of the few people I know who actually watched House of Buggin' on TV when it first aired. The man has some serious comedy skills. But I hadn't previously realized how well he can write. There is comedy in Ghetto Klown, yes, but also drama, anger, pride, love, the whole range of human emotion. He depicts his own life in frank and honest detail, and it makes for some compelling reading. After reading this, I have a newfound respect for his talents, and will be keeping an eye out for more of his work in whatever forms I happen to find it.
May 4, 2023
Graphic novel memoir. I'd like to see the play John wrote that this is based on, or any of his self-reflective plays. Text and graphics kept me engaged throughout, and wanting to learn more is a sign of an interesting subject / equally as interesting narrative.
(Note- I was looking for at least a mention of Moulin Rouge- but, no. ☹️ )
The intro was great. John explained how the graphic novel format will allow a better telling of his story because so many aspects can be addressed at once through the visual medium. Yes!
(Note- I was looking for at least a mention of Moulin Rouge- but, no. ☹️ )
The intro was great. John explained how the graphic novel format will allow a better telling of his story because so many aspects can be addressed at once through the visual medium. Yes!
November 19, 2017
I have always thought that John Leguizamo was a funny guy, he has started in some of my favorite movies so when I found saw, walking through the stacks of my library, I found his autobiography! Who knew? What I can say that I liked about it was the fact that it was John from John POV without it being too much of a joke which what, like I said, I liked most about it. This is John, you can tell at his most honest state about is life. When he was down, when he was out of work when his relationships with his family, friends and significant others weren't doing so well and how all these things turned into stand-up gold. And realizing what he had to do in this world to complete himself as a man. The style of drawing (done by Christa Cassano and Shamus Beyale) and the coloring that was used in this graphic novel were ver well done. The whole thing is done in these beautiful shades and hues of blue. If you're a fan of John Leguziamo and even want a bit of advice from a guy who felt lost at one point and watch the steps he took to "find himself" again I would suggest reading his autobiography.
July 12, 2018
An honest yet brief memoir of comedian and actor John Leguizamo's life and career. I appreciated the honesty and openness that Leguizamo offers the reader. you get an insight into his thinking, his emotions and his reactions to event in his life. You also get a good summary of his career. Some of the topics don't go into much detail, and will leave some readers wanting more of a typical text based memoir with more depth into the relationship with his father for example.
The graphics capture the energy of Leguizamo. If you know his voice and speaking style t all, you can hear him and see the images come to life. There is more darkness than I expected from someone who has such a funny public facade, but the graphics help give a sense of his inner demons and his position in the world.
If you like Leguizamo you'll like this book but may feel a little unsatisfied if you were looking for an in depth life story. But this is a good life story and it is not superficial at all.
The graphics capture the energy of Leguizamo. If you know his voice and speaking style t all, you can hear him and see the images come to life. There is more darkness than I expected from someone who has such a funny public facade, but the graphics help give a sense of his inner demons and his position in the world.
If you like Leguizamo you'll like this book but may feel a little unsatisfied if you were looking for an in depth life story. But this is a good life story and it is not superficial at all.
December 13, 2015
I really wanted to give this 5 stars. I really enjoyed the graphic novel format and always love John's format of storytelling. However, if you are a Leguizamo fan there will be no new information for you. He is one of those people though that just brings magic to whatever he is in. Looking forward to Season 2 of Bloodline!
January 23, 2017
divertidísimo!
I've always enjoyed John's roles/one-man shows. He's a very unique talent & I looked forward to this. I didn't care for the format. At all. I was disappointed....until the 'Curry in a Hurry' line that is. After that? I lol'd for a solid hour reading this book. And so will you!
I've always enjoyed John's roles/one-man shows. He's a very unique talent & I looked forward to this. I didn't care for the format. At all. I was disappointed....until the 'Curry in a Hurry' line that is. After that? I lol'd for a solid hour reading this book. And so will you!
January 5, 2016
This is a pretty funny book from a pretty funny guy. :D
April 18, 2019
Really personal experiences by John. I enjoyed it
May 24, 2020
As a fan of John's work, I was thrilled to see this as a graphic novel. I have seen most of his one man shows and have always appreciated the way he renders his life on the page. It's an inspiration to continue writing my stories too. Really good read!
September 30, 2023
What a raw brief look into his life… I’ve always lived him, especially after To Wong Foo… would have loved to see his plays
January 5, 2020
Did this as a read aloud with the teen, clearly we really have not been on the best roll for choosing the mother-son reads... Other than that awkwardness (which was easily resolved with giggles), it was a fun little memoir.
March 5, 2019
Ghetto Klown is an autobiography graphic novel written by John Leguizamo and penciled by Christa Cassano and Shamus Beyale. Based on the Broadway play of the same name, this memoir chronicles his journey warts from his beginnings and his struggle as a person of color in Hollywood.
John Alberto Leguizamo is an American actor, stand-up comedian, film producer, playwright, and screenwriter. He came to prominence with a co-starring role in the action comedy Super Mario Bros. as Luigi and a supporting role in the crime drama Carlito's Way.
Leguizamo has had a rocky road to success, and it has been a road filled with pitfalls and betrayals. Even after becoming established in Hollywood, Leguizamo has had a difficult time maintaining his success, and this was, and still is, due in large part to the dearth of roles for Latino men in feature films. However, Leguizamo never gives in to self-pity, nor does he play the race card. He just points out the problems he's had to surmount, and then he tells us how he met those challenges.
Ghetto Klown is written rather well. It is an inspiring tale and testament to hard work and tenacity in the pursuit of one’s dreams. The penciling is wonderfully depicted in shades of blue and their style seems to mesh well with each other and their distinctive style that feels right as a match for Leguizamo's narrative.
All in all, Ghetto Klown is wonderful account of a life of a person in color in Hollywood and in spite of the limitations became a great success. It is a wonderful story about determination and hard work.
John Alberto Leguizamo is an American actor, stand-up comedian, film producer, playwright, and screenwriter. He came to prominence with a co-starring role in the action comedy Super Mario Bros. as Luigi and a supporting role in the crime drama Carlito's Way.
Leguizamo has had a rocky road to success, and it has been a road filled with pitfalls and betrayals. Even after becoming established in Hollywood, Leguizamo has had a difficult time maintaining his success, and this was, and still is, due in large part to the dearth of roles for Latino men in feature films. However, Leguizamo never gives in to self-pity, nor does he play the race card. He just points out the problems he's had to surmount, and then he tells us how he met those challenges.
Ghetto Klown is written rather well. It is an inspiring tale and testament to hard work and tenacity in the pursuit of one’s dreams. The penciling is wonderfully depicted in shades of blue and their style seems to mesh well with each other and their distinctive style that feels right as a match for Leguizamo's narrative.
All in all, Ghetto Klown is wonderful account of a life of a person in color in Hollywood and in spite of the limitations became a great success. It is a wonderful story about determination and hard work.
January 20, 2020
I have maintained an intense fondness for Leguizamo ever since A Pyromaniac's Love Story -- a film that everyone else in the world seems to have forgotten, even as it is one of the top three movies I scour any sale of used dvds for. Still, I knew almost nothing about him personally until watching Latin History for Morons. This graphic novel had been calling to me from the library shelves for a while.
Of course, this isn't exactly a memoir, it's a graphic novelization of his Broadway show, Ghetto Klown. And it has all the strengths and weaknesses of such -- bumping and rocketing through some amazing anecdotes, even as I'd lie to occasionally pump the brakes and get some more context. Fair warning -- you'll probably want to at least gently strangle just about everyone in his life except his grandpa and Teeny. (And Wesley Snipes, I guess?) His humor really comes across throughout -- and the art (while sometimes a bit uneven) adds a gritty reality to everything.
Some interesting insights into a complicated person. Recommended to all Leguizamo fans.
Of course, this isn't exactly a memoir, it's a graphic novelization of his Broadway show, Ghetto Klown. And it has all the strengths and weaknesses of such -- bumping and rocketing through some amazing anecdotes, even as I'd lie to occasionally pump the brakes and get some more context. Fair warning -- you'll probably want to at least gently strangle just about everyone in his life except his grandpa and Teeny. (And Wesley Snipes, I guess?) His humor really comes across throughout -- and the art (while sometimes a bit uneven) adds a gritty reality to everything.
Some interesting insights into a complicated person. Recommended to all Leguizamo fans.
May 31, 2019
So, if anyone knows me, they know I truly love John Leguizamo, I have seen a few of his stand-up comedies & movies and grew up on him and truly just love his work. I saw his book in the library and realized it was a graphic novel, so I gave it a shot. And let me tell you I am so grateful that I did.
This book is nothing but amazing. Hands down funny as hell and awesome. I literally laughed reading this novel from cover to cover. I heard his voice in my head the entire time while reading this. I loved every page.
The creativity this man has is amazing not only with his own story but how he got it across to everyone. Every person can relate to something in this novel. The illustration is absolutely perfect. Everything flowed so well and matched perfectly.
I promise this book is well worth the read. It’s an easy quick read and you will love it. Give it a shot and support our Latin community.
This book is nothing but amazing. Hands down funny as hell and awesome. I literally laughed reading this novel from cover to cover. I heard his voice in my head the entire time while reading this. I loved every page.
The creativity this man has is amazing not only with his own story but how he got it across to everyone. Every person can relate to something in this novel. The illustration is absolutely perfect. Everything flowed so well and matched perfectly.
I promise this book is well worth the read. It’s an easy quick read and you will love it. Give it a shot and support our Latin community.
June 2, 2018
Most of my familiarity with John Leguizamo comes from a few hundred repeated viewings of To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar when I was between the ages of 14 and 22. Every once in a while he'll pop up in a cameo and I'll remember how much I liked that film and note just how talented he is. This graphic memoir was a really fascinating look into his life and career, especially the stage plays and one-man shows that I knew nothing about.
(Also worth reading solely for the section in which he throws up fried grasshoppers all over Patrick Swayze while shooting To Wong Foo. Oh, and if anyone would like further evidence that Sean Penn is a huge jackass, Leguizamo recounts Penn slapping him repeatedly on the set of Casualties of War, using "method acting" as an excuse.)
(Also worth reading solely for the section in which he throws up fried grasshoppers all over Patrick Swayze while shooting To Wong Foo. Oh, and if anyone would like further evidence that Sean Penn is a huge jackass, Leguizamo recounts Penn slapping him repeatedly on the set of Casualties of War, using "method acting" as an excuse.)
Read
December 28, 2022With this book, one can really see how John uses writing as a creative outlet to depict his life. It’s seen in this graphic novel as well as his various one man shows. Despite this being in a book format, the story, especially his humour, isn’t lost. As someone who doesn’t understand a lot of Spanish, the translations added to it at times, but a lot of the times it’s course worse or insults. Lastly, the illustrations added to the story since it’s like a bonus feature you can’t entirely get with the show.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. Almost as enjoyable as his HBO special of the same name. Though, I don’t remember it being as vulgar as the graphic novel is. With that said, I don’t think it took too much away since that’s part of John’s sense of humour.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. Almost as enjoyable as his HBO special of the same name. Though, I don’t remember it being as vulgar as the graphic novel is. With that said, I don’t think it took too much away since that’s part of John’s sense of humour.
November 28, 2018
A graphic memoir by John Leguizamo, this is an accompaniment to his one-man stage show of the same name and covers Leguizamo's childhood and his rise to fame on stage and as a movie actor. I knew some of the material already from having seen his plays "Mambo Mouth" and "Freak." (I also saw him give a lecture at Eastern Michigan University back in maybe 2001-2002). The book is funny and touching, and the illustrations are wonderful. I don't want to give any spoilers, but an awkward incident on the set of "To Wong Foo" is drawn in a truly epic style. I really loved it and recommend it. You can see a few panels from it here: https://www.cbr.com/exclusive-preview...
February 3, 2016
Ghetto Klown by John Leguizamo
189 pages
★★★★
I’m not a huge fan of John Leguizamo, but have nothing against him. When I saw this memoir at the library I thought the fact that it was in graphic novel form was fun so I checked it out. I’m glad I did. It was actually quite interesting. Leguizamo was open and raw about his experiences. It was a quick, yet informative read. There are a lot of expletives in this one, so if that isn’t your thing, probably best to stay away. But I found this book surprising, better than I had expected. The illustrations are also nice.
189 pages
★★★★
I’m not a huge fan of John Leguizamo, but have nothing against him. When I saw this memoir at the library I thought the fact that it was in graphic novel form was fun so I checked it out. I’m glad I did. It was actually quite interesting. Leguizamo was open and raw about his experiences. It was a quick, yet informative read. There are a lot of expletives in this one, so if that isn’t your thing, probably best to stay away. But I found this book surprising, better than I had expected. The illustrations are also nice.
July 8, 2016
This was a fun, inside look at one of my favorite actors/comedians. I grew up watching his films and stand-up, so I was shocked when I saw he had a graphic novel. It was interesting to learn about his life: family, friends and acting career. It just goes to show that everyone has ups and downs in their life. With any luck, we can persevere to a happy ending. 3.8* rounded up.
PS:
My all-time favorite is his portrayal of Tybalt in "Romeo + Juliet."
And he really was the hottest/best of the three in "To Wong Foo."
PS:
My all-time favorite is his portrayal of Tybalt in "Romeo + Juliet."
And he really was the hottest/best of the three in "To Wong Foo."
July 18, 2017
This book is practically an exact transcript of his one-man show of the same title. He does a brilliant performance through visual media, music, and many diverse interpretations of all the people in his life. I enjoyed having the advantage of both: while watching the show through HBO, I looked through the book to see Spanish translations, how something that was limited from the stage was visually represented in the graphic novel, etc. Both have their advantages and both have their drawbacks but together it made for a great reading experience!
April 24, 2018
Got the opportunity to meet Mr. Leguizamo a few weeks ago at Mocha Fest a comic book conference in Manhattan. I picked up the book because I've been a fan for years and I always found him hilarious. We had a pleasant conversation, he loves teachers. I wanted to know if my middle school students could read his book. There are a couple of pages I may have to rip out but the book is hilarious.
March 27, 2017
This was the first graphic novel I've read...if it was anybody but John Leguizamo, I wouldn't have enjoyed it so much. I just saw him a few months ago in a one man performance so as I was reading this I saw him on the pages which made it even more engaging. The only negative of the book was that I couldn't put it down
August 7, 2019
The author takes pieces of everything he has done, from the stage plays "freak" to his filmography and forms a short immediate commentary full of comedy and drama. An incredibly high recommendation to anyone who enjoy's John's stuff, a nice recommendation for anyone who enjoys a good behind the scenes look at an actors journey.
March 4, 2020
Nice quick read. Really enjoyed the audiobook. High production value, impressions were fun, funny stories that made me look crazy laughing while listening with headphones while grocery shopping, liked the Q&A at the end. Glad to see that Leguizamo was able to make changes in his life. Enjoyed the candor about mental health and depression.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews