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Sitcom: A Memoir
A memoir from Chuck Lorre--one of the most prolific television writers and showrunners in TV history (The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Mom, The Kominsky Method, Young Sheldon), on his life, career, and the deal with all those vanity cards.
Ever wonder what it’s like to spend decades making millions of strangers laugh — while trying not to lose your mind in the process?
As the creator of The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Young Sheldon, Bookie, Dharma & Greg, Mom, and more, Lorre has racked up almost two thousand half-hours of comedy. But his own story is just as outrageous, awkward, and surprisingly touching as the shows he built.
In this memoir on his life and career in comedy, Lorre trades punchlines for real talk: the messy, very human truth behind Hollywood’s glossy façade, addiction, his own and that of his famous colleagues, his failed marriages, disastrous life choices, and chronic illness—all of which somehow became the ingredients for comedy. One chapter may leave you doubled over, the next might sneak in a lump in your throat — but that’s Chuck. That’s sitcoms. That’s also real life.
If you’ve ever binged The Big Bang Theory, argued over your favorite Two and a Half Men character, or wondered how TV comedy gets made, this is your all-access pass. Spoiler: it involves failure, low-self-esteem, and an unshakable love for laughter.
Ever wonder what it’s like to spend decades making millions of strangers laugh — while trying not to lose your mind in the process?
As the creator of The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Young Sheldon, Bookie, Dharma & Greg, Mom, and more, Lorre has racked up almost two thousand half-hours of comedy. But his own story is just as outrageous, awkward, and surprisingly touching as the shows he built.
In this memoir on his life and career in comedy, Lorre trades punchlines for real talk: the messy, very human truth behind Hollywood’s glossy façade, addiction, his own and that of his famous colleagues, his failed marriages, disastrous life choices, and chronic illness—all of which somehow became the ingredients for comedy. One chapter may leave you doubled over, the next might sneak in a lump in your throat — but that’s Chuck. That’s sitcoms. That’s also real life.
If you’ve ever binged The Big Bang Theory, argued over your favorite Two and a Half Men character, or wondered how TV comedy gets made, this is your all-access pass. Spoiler: it involves failure, low-self-esteem, and an unshakable love for laughter.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
October 31, 2026
Very surface-y. Other than briefly touching opon his childhood, there was nothing about Lorre and his shows that couldn’t be learned from entertainment news, Wikipedia, and book critiques. Because I was never a big fan of his sitcoms, I was constantly googling each chapter for clarification on dates and actors (pretty sure there’s a nearby data center that put two and two together and clocked my searches as having read “Sitcom”).
No. Just No.
📺 Out of 368 pages, only 52% was Lorre’s “memoir” (”It’s how I remember it.”). The balance was devoted to pilot scripts for “Two and a Half Men,” “The Kominsky Method,” and “The Big Bang Theory.” BTW, along with photos they were hard to see on my Kindle. They were easier on my phone.
📺 Contradictory statements. Lorre criticized producers, Tom Werner and Marcy Carcey, for ignoring his complaints when he worked on “Grace Under Fire.” Then, at the end of his book, without the ghost of a sly wink he boasted how he kept a happy set by doing the same.
📺 Lorre claimed he didn’t have a hand in firing Charlie Sheen. Maybe he did or maybe he didn’t, but his defense was that he was only a humble writer. He didn’t have clout. Bet his showrunner title and salary said otherwise.
🤨Muddled narrative. In chapter five, Lorre was struggling to get a job as a scriptwriter. Suddenly, his reason was to feed his children. What?! I flipped back through previous chapters because I didn’t even know he was dating. Chapter six confirmed his marriage.
👩👩👩 Chapter Six. Like a sitcom Bluebeard, Lorre married and laid to rest wives One, Two, and Three within the tight confines of twelve pages.
Lorre wasn’t easy on himself either, but his “memoir” didn’t come across as honest.
No. Just No.
📺 Out of 368 pages, only 52% was Lorre’s “memoir” (”It’s how I remember it.”). The balance was devoted to pilot scripts for “Two and a Half Men,” “The Kominsky Method,” and “The Big Bang Theory.” BTW, along with photos they were hard to see on my Kindle. They were easier on my phone.
📺 Contradictory statements. Lorre criticized producers, Tom Werner and Marcy Carcey, for ignoring his complaints when he worked on “Grace Under Fire.” Then, at the end of his book, without the ghost of a sly wink he boasted how he kept a happy set by doing the same.
📺 Lorre claimed he didn’t have a hand in firing Charlie Sheen. Maybe he did or maybe he didn’t, but his defense was that he was only a humble writer. He didn’t have clout. Bet his showrunner title and salary said otherwise.
🤨Muddled narrative. In chapter five, Lorre was struggling to get a job as a scriptwriter. Suddenly, his reason was to feed his children. What?! I flipped back through previous chapters because I didn’t even know he was dating. Chapter six confirmed his marriage.
👩👩👩 Chapter Six. Like a sitcom Bluebeard, Lorre married and laid to rest wives One, Two, and Three within the tight confines of twelve pages.
Lorre wasn’t easy on himself either, but his “memoir” didn’t come across as honest.
November 4, 2026
A very slight look into Chuck Lorre's life and brief looks into his shows. This thing is REALLY short. It's about 180 pages interspersed with the title cards he liked to slip in at the end of each show. If you didn't freeze frame it at the time, you weren't reading them. Those I think are genious and I'd read an entire book of all of them. This is barely a glimpse into many of the shows he worked on and oversaw. Some shows barely get a page. Half of the book is the 3 pilot scripts for Two and a Half Men, The Commiskey Method and The Big Bang Theory with new notes from Chuck. I read the notes but not the scripts because I don't work in Hollywood and really don't care about reading them.
This is the triple spaced version of a a high school book report about Chuck Lorre's life.
This is the triple spaced version of a a high school book report about Chuck Lorre's life.
October 16, 2026
There’s a scene in The Office where Dunder Mifflin employees eagerly gather around as Michael Scott recounts his dramatic resignation to David Wallace at the company’s NYC headquarters. Michael, enjoying the rare opportunity to have everyone hanging on his every word, takes his sweet time getting to the point.
“He finally has a story we really want to hear. And he knows it,” says Pam, recognizing his stall tactic.
This is precisely how I felt listening to Chuck Lorre’s memoir. In fairness to Chuck, I don’t know why I shouldn’t have expected him to cover his entire life in a story about him, but it made me realize pretty early on how little I give a shit about Chuck Lorre. If you find yourself in the same camp, I’d recommend skipping the first 2/5 of the book (or 5/5 to really save time) and jumping past his personal life if you want to get straight to the sitcom gossip.
There’s an occasional “Oh, I didn’t know that” moment involving a washed-up star of yesteryear like Brett Butler or Jenna Elfman, but it’s mostly trivial, and you’ll forget whatever it was by the time he moves on to the next show.
By the time he finally gets to Two and a Half Men—the reason I imagine 99.9% of us are here—we’re in the final 10% of the book. He knows what we came for, and he punishes us by making us wait for it. By then, I was already thinking, “This better be worth having to endure this narcissistic, unreliable Hollywood douche of a narrator talking about his colostomy bags, failed music career, and clear axe-to-grind whining about all the people he claims did him dirty over the years.”
Welp, it was not worth it. Not even slightly.
There is no “holy shit” moment, no new information, no funny anecdotes. This whole memoir was Chuck’s way of playing Chuck’s Greatest Hits so Chuck could finally feel proud of Chuck, since it sounds like his mother never was.
And we all suffered for it.
“He finally has a story we really want to hear. And he knows it,” says Pam, recognizing his stall tactic.
This is precisely how I felt listening to Chuck Lorre’s memoir. In fairness to Chuck, I don’t know why I shouldn’t have expected him to cover his entire life in a story about him, but it made me realize pretty early on how little I give a shit about Chuck Lorre. If you find yourself in the same camp, I’d recommend skipping the first 2/5 of the book (or 5/5 to really save time) and jumping past his personal life if you want to get straight to the sitcom gossip.
There’s an occasional “Oh, I didn’t know that” moment involving a washed-up star of yesteryear like Brett Butler or Jenna Elfman, but it’s mostly trivial, and you’ll forget whatever it was by the time he moves on to the next show.
By the time he finally gets to Two and a Half Men—the reason I imagine 99.9% of us are here—we’re in the final 10% of the book. He knows what we came for, and he punishes us by making us wait for it. By then, I was already thinking, “This better be worth having to endure this narcissistic, unreliable Hollywood douche of a narrator talking about his colostomy bags, failed music career, and clear axe-to-grind whining about all the people he claims did him dirty over the years.”
Welp, it was not worth it. Not even slightly.
There is no “holy shit” moment, no new information, no funny anecdotes. This whole memoir was Chuck’s way of playing Chuck’s Greatest Hits so Chuck could finally feel proud of Chuck, since it sounds like his mother never was.
And we all suffered for it.
October 17, 2026
I am a fan of quite a few of Chuck Lorre's shows so I was intrigued by this memoir. I knew nothing about him personally and honestly that is not really what I cared about. I wanted more dirt on the shows. He did deliver some of that but I wish he would have gone into more depth.
Funny though sometimes harsh of the people he has worked with over the years I still enjoyed it and now want to do some further research. Especially regarding Anna Ferris.
Very quick and to the point but a good read.
Funny though sometimes harsh of the people he has worked with over the years I still enjoyed it and now want to do some further research. Especially regarding Anna Ferris.
Very quick and to the point but a good read.
October 18, 2026
On the personal side, Chuck Lorre's brief memoir bulges with self-abasement. With all its score-settling and gossip, the writer is harder on himself than anyone. He notes many personal failures, but he's not humbled. This is, after all, the inventor of the vanity frame. Sorry for offering a drink to the kids and failing at three marriages, but pity the poor oppressed showrunner of last resort, pummelled into soundstage subservience by the infamous Roseanne Barr, Brett Butler, Cybill Shepherd, and Charlie Sheen. Actually that sequence is more or less the '27 Yankees line-up of reputed tempermental Hollywood head cases. The guy did work his way up from door-to-door sales to non-union cartoons, a detour through Scientology and thence rapidly up the Hollywood food chain to the very top of profitability and broad audience appeal. He must have some serious writing chops, right? So -- examples, please?
If you're a fan of his The Kominsky Method, a fine three year long Netflix series about the acting profession itself starring Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin, you won't get much about it in this book. The memoir isn't really about quality television. You'll find even less about technique, how Lorre and his writing staff broke stories and tweaked character arcs so as to create hit shows. Apparently the editors noticed the missing "how to" element and obliged the author to add a final chapter with advice to writers. It's sketchy. Read, he says. He started with comic books and Mad magazine, then worked his way up to classics. A brief list of impressive authors follows. Still, it's hard to see how Lorre found time to read between decades of heavy drinking, wrangling power-mad stars, and playing Hollywood mind games.
Chuck Lorre is a proudly collaborative writer, and lavishes praise on several colleagues. He does not, however, give examples, jokes even, about the specific contributions each made. In contrast, Garry Marshall's hilarious memoir "Wake Me When It's Funny" is packed with top tier knowledge. I'm certain Mr. Lorre understands what makes comedy work, why certain kinds of human flaws are always funny, etc. Why not share more tricks of his trade? It is something of a dying art.
Lorre's shows connected with comedy's last mass audience. Maybe he has some thoughts about his social impact? Instead of the obligatory political potshots, he might have given us a few pages on how his sex-based humor on "Two and a Half Men" pushed the ever-moving line of social acceptibility. Did the changing status of nerds among men in the tech era lift the popularity of "Big Bang Theory" and "Young Sheldon"? And what about the culture of Hollywood? The disfunctional upbringing that Lorre credits with shaping his comedic attitude -- any concerns about passing that forward in society?
If you're a fan of his The Kominsky Method, a fine three year long Netflix series about the acting profession itself starring Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin, you won't get much about it in this book. The memoir isn't really about quality television. You'll find even less about technique, how Lorre and his writing staff broke stories and tweaked character arcs so as to create hit shows. Apparently the editors noticed the missing "how to" element and obliged the author to add a final chapter with advice to writers. It's sketchy. Read, he says. He started with comic books and Mad magazine, then worked his way up to classics. A brief list of impressive authors follows. Still, it's hard to see how Lorre found time to read between decades of heavy drinking, wrangling power-mad stars, and playing Hollywood mind games.
Chuck Lorre is a proudly collaborative writer, and lavishes praise on several colleagues. He does not, however, give examples, jokes even, about the specific contributions each made. In contrast, Garry Marshall's hilarious memoir "Wake Me When It's Funny" is packed with top tier knowledge. I'm certain Mr. Lorre understands what makes comedy work, why certain kinds of human flaws are always funny, etc. Why not share more tricks of his trade? It is something of a dying art.
Lorre's shows connected with comedy's last mass audience. Maybe he has some thoughts about his social impact? Instead of the obligatory political potshots, he might have given us a few pages on how his sex-based humor on "Two and a Half Men" pushed the ever-moving line of social acceptibility. Did the changing status of nerds among men in the tech era lift the popularity of "Big Bang Theory" and "Young Sheldon"? And what about the culture of Hollywood? The disfunctional upbringing that Lorre credits with shaping his comedic attitude -- any concerns about passing that forward in society?
October 17, 2026
A book which reminded me that Chuck is an a.hole in real life too. What a selfish man!
October 19, 2026
Chuck Lorre’s memoir is barely a book and even less of a memoir. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so disappointed by a book. Keep in mind, in order to be disappointed by a book, you have to have enjoyed it for a period of time. Chuck Lorre has been the brains behind some of the most successful sitcoms of all time (Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, and Mom, to name a few). He has worked with Charlie Sheen, Anna Faris, Allison Janney, John Goodman, Melissa McCarthy, and many, many more). From the moment I started reading his book, I was captivated by his journey and his brutal honesty regarding the highs and lows of creating sitcoms. However, after 184 pages, the book then decides to just include a bunch of scripts from sitcoms he worked on. This is in addition to all of the vanity cards that are included throughout the book. While I wouldn’t call the book a complete waste of time, I don’t quite understand why he wrote it if he wasn’t going to fully commit to discussing his career more in depth. It was almost like he started writing the book, got bored, and then just filled in the rest of the book with scripts to turn it in and complete it.
If you look up the highlights of the book (His Anna Faris thoughts, the Charlie Sheen feud, and the Big Bang Theory cast initially refusing to take pay cuts to help out their co-stars), you pretty much discover all of the interesting stuff that Chuck is willing to cover in this book. This book was a complete money grab. The whole thing felt like a sick practical joke. The abrupt ending of the book caught me completely off guard. What a rip-off.
If you look up the highlights of the book (His Anna Faris thoughts, the Charlie Sheen feud, and the Big Bang Theory cast initially refusing to take pay cuts to help out their co-stars), you pretty much discover all of the interesting stuff that Chuck is willing to cover in this book. This book was a complete money grab. The whole thing felt like a sick practical joke. The abrupt ending of the book caught me completely off guard. What a rip-off.
October 25, 2026
Taking into account all the Hollywood bios and memoirs I’ve read over the years, I get the impression that it’s not a healthy environment in which to work. Why must the fantasy factory which brings joy to millions be so very toxic?
Money and power, of course. But that’s not why we’re here.
This is a short book. Weird, considering Chuck has had a very long career, and been a showrunner on several blockbuster series. He accomplishes this by cutting out almost the entirety of his personal life. He acknowledges that he had parents, that he disappointed them, that he liked his dad and not so much his mom, mentions the ex-wives, and that he liked being a dad. (I left the book unsure of how many kids he has.) He mentions his struggles with alcohol, with one or two pertinent stories. Other than that, it’s all about the job(s).
The one story that really caught my attention was that his first show-biz writing gig-- for the cartoon series Heathcliff-- was given to him at least partly on the basis of his lie that of course he had writing experience. This is another common thread running through Hollywood memoirs: lying to get the job. This probably doesn’t help with the toxicity thing.
He lobs what I considered to be an unnecessary grenade at some of the Big Bang Theory cast for not being willing to lower their own salaries to give two co-workers a raise. Is that how raises work? Was there not a corporation (or two, or several) in there somewhere, raking in hundreds of millions of dollars in ad revenue, syndication/streaming/dvd deals, and what-have-you, who paid the salaries of the cast, and could, if they chose, have paid the underpaid cast members what they deserved to start with, instead of turning it into a battle?
Chuck saves the whole Charlie Sheen debacle for the end, like it’s a treat. Lorre was eager to share that he and Sheen have since made amends, and there are no hard feelings. What a relief?
In general, this book is like a rock skipping across the lake of Lorre’s life. It hits the surface many times, but bounces onto the opposite shore without sinking below the surface. Always leave them wanting more, eh Chuck?
October 19, 2026
(Audio Book / Kindle) I get the feeling Lorre wasn’t fully committed to this memoir. There are some interesting parts but I never felt invested, like I was mirroring his lead. The memories are there but some lack context, others stay at first names, and some refer to events as if we should know already. It’s strangely detached, some chapters just start with a “they wanted me to talk about this” type of prompt. His sitcom resume is stellar but maybe this whole self-reflection exercise turned out to be not as pleasant as he thought it would be. The book covers his beginnings, his shows, his marriages, in short condensed bursts.
I listened to the audio book and concurrently followed along on Kindle. The audio book adds some fun footnotes that are not in the ebook. Conversely the ebook drops in some of his show-ending Vanity Cards and ends with a sampling of show scripts. All of these adds, along with lots of white space between short chapters, work as fillers. The audio book clocks in under 4 hours, the book at 368 pages.
I listened to the audio book and concurrently followed along on Kindle. The audio book adds some fun footnotes that are not in the ebook. Conversely the ebook drops in some of his show-ending Vanity Cards and ends with a sampling of show scripts. All of these adds, along with lots of white space between short chapters, work as fillers. The audio book clocks in under 4 hours, the book at 368 pages.
October 26, 2026
I loved this book. But I love TV and People magazine so keep that in mind….
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received an early uncorrected proof. I enjoyed the many anecdotes and would have enjoyed deeper versions of them.
November 6, 2026
2026 reads, #77. The most fascinating thing about Sitcom, the new memoir by Chuck Lorre, aka “King of the Crap TV Show” (including The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, Mike and Molly, and that nadir of contemporary television, Two and a Half Men) is that it paints almost a cartoon parody portrait of the kind of milksop we always think of when we think of the worst Hollywood has to offer -- a former child of a poverty-striken family who’s been singularly focused since then on becoming rich and famous, no matter what he had to do to achieve it; who spent his youth bouncing from one gimmicky, cheesy thing to another (a terrible psychedelic band in the 1960s, a terrible Saturday-morning cartoon in the 1970s); who seemingly doesn’t have even a trace of what the rest of us call morality or a sense of right and wrong, happily confessing that he’s spent his career doing exactly what any clueless network executive has told him to do, no matter how inane or what kind of damage it might do to others; who has a dismal 20/80 percent success/failure rate with his projects, which people forget about because the 20 percent of the hits have somehow massively caught on with the geriatric crowd; who’s an open asshole who also doesn’t understand he’s an open asshole, filling his book with stories about all the ungrateful toadies who took advantage of his kindness and then eventually stopped talking to him “for some mysterious reason;” and on top of all the other stereotypes, is an eastern-European Jew who’s extra whiny and used to be a Scientologist. If you were writing a novel about an intolerable sad sack who fell ass-backwards into success within a morality-free industry like Hollywood, you literally couldn’t come up with a fictional character for that novel that beats Lorre’s real story. Riveting like a trainwreck, it should only be read with this attitude in mind, that you’re mostly there to gawk at the damage as you slowly drive by.
November 2, 2026
I was surprised to discover that the author and I have 2 things in common. We both lived in Bethpage and have (had) ulcerative colitis. If I had the opportunity to speak with him, I’d tell him we both probably got it from living in Bethpage, with all the illegal chemical dumping that Grumman did for many years.
I found the book very entertaining overall. I love the Big Bang Theory. I find it extremely well done, the characters are fully developed, my favorite is Howard. It’s amazing how much he’s grown over the years. It was a little hard to watch him in the early seasons. I wish this book covered that show more in detail, I actually learned so many things from the show.
I recommend this book, it was very entertaining and funny too!
I found the book very entertaining overall. I love the Big Bang Theory. I find it extremely well done, the characters are fully developed, my favorite is Howard. It’s amazing how much he’s grown over the years. It was a little hard to watch him in the early seasons. I wish this book covered that show more in detail, I actually learned so many things from the show.
I recommend this book, it was very entertaining and funny too!
October 15, 2026
Chuck Lorre has been responsible for making millions of people laugh for over 30 years, so it was pretty neat to learn more about the man behind so many successful television shows.
From Roseanne and Two and a Half Men to The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, and several others, it’s pretty incredible how much of an impact he’s had on television comedy.
There are some interesting stories about his life, how he got started in the business, and what went on behind the scenes of some of these shows. It’s easy to watch a sitcom and never really think about the people responsible for creating it, writing it, and keeping it entertaining year after year.
I came away knowing a lot more about someone whose work I’ve been familiar with for decades but knew very little about personally. Good book and a pretty interesting look at the man behind so much laughter.
From Roseanne and Two and a Half Men to The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, and several others, it’s pretty incredible how much of an impact he’s had on television comedy.
There are some interesting stories about his life, how he got started in the business, and what went on behind the scenes of some of these shows. It’s easy to watch a sitcom and never really think about the people responsible for creating it, writing it, and keeping it entertaining year after year.
I came away knowing a lot more about someone whose work I’ve been familiar with for decades but knew very little about personally. Good book and a pretty interesting look at the man behind so much laughter.
November 11, 2026
well i liked it. lots of people seem to be hypercritical (of a memoir lol ?????) and then you read their reviews only to find out they hated lorre before they started reading this lol
short, doesn't dive too far into the weeds, but i found it entertaining and informative. i didn't realize his primary thing was writing (and for a bunch of shows, many i had never heard of). loved all the inflammatory remarks especially about our current pos president.
short, doesn't dive too far into the weeds, but i found it entertaining and informative. i didn't realize his primary thing was writing (and for a bunch of shows, many i had never heard of). loved all the inflammatory remarks especially about our current pos president.
October 14, 2026
It's hard to make me laugh out loud while reading a book. This paragraph
This alone was worth the price of admission for Sitcom: A Memoir.
Other times — a couple times — I found myself tearing up. Maybe that's just a product of getting older. I've been told. The book is short (would that it were longer) and written by someone who understands writing, not always a given in celebrity memoirs. I did sense that Lorre was pulling his punches from time to time, also a product of age I suspect.
What more need be said?
Brett [Butler] invited Roseanne [Barr] out to lunch to compare notes regarding their status as the all-powerful queens of comedy. Roseanne returned from the lunch and loudly announced, “That bitch is crazy!”
This alone was worth the price of admission for Sitcom: A Memoir.
Other times — a couple times — I found myself tearing up. Maybe that's just a product of getting older. I've been told. The book is short (would that it were longer) and written by someone who understands writing, not always a given in celebrity memoirs. I did sense that Lorre was pulling his punches from time to time, also a product of age I suspect.
What more need be said?
October 27, 2026
Not really what I thought it was going to be. I honestly didn’t know anything about this man but thought he might be an interesting read. My first thought? He’s a bit of an a$$.
October 31, 2026
This is one of the biggest disappointments in the recent history of Hollywood memoirs or books about the TV industry. It is only 120 pages of narrative--with another 60+ of photos, annoying vanity cards, unnecessary footnotes, and lots of white space--followed by the entire last half of the text being a script from Two and a Half Men! Lorre just skims the surface of his career, skipping over all sorts of major life events and rushing through encounters with people, many of whom he snidely hates (some for good reason--I'm looking at you Les Moonves, Cybil Shepherd and Brett Butler!). And while there are a few intriguing (and short) insights, there's just not enough content here for this poorly-written career overview to be worth reading.
Obviously the editor agreed, since Lorre was admittedly forced to tack on a final chapter with advice to others going into the business and "the art of the sitcom." That's hard for him to do since he doesn't seem to know much about the history of situation comedies and tries to claim his shows aren't sitcoms!
You know you've got problems when this supposedly intelligent guy writes on page 17, "Somewhere in Iowa, I had to pull my car over when I saw what real mountains looked like." WTF? Iowa doesn't have mountains. It barely has hills. Is he talking about Idaho? Don't trust a writer that confuses the two.
This is the same knucklehead that says a "violent streak could be genetic" and tries to blame all his addictions on his genes. So he doesn't believe the environment you live in or people you choose to hang around with or drugs/alcohol you consume have any major impact on you, but your DNA is to blame for your bad choices?
Lorre thinks very highly of himself, while constantly using self-effacing put-downs. His ego is gigantic and his talents minimal, but his struggles with alcohol and attending AA meetings have made him the type of "humble brag" non-drinker that can be difficult to swallow. I understand he's rich and famous for some of the major comedy TV hits of the past couple decades, but that doesn't mean they're good or entertaining or anywhere near as successful as shows from the early days of television.
This book has a number of errors and inaccurate representations of truth. He claims that Grace Under Fire, one of the worst sitcoms of the 1990s, "was the number two show in the country." Nope--the highest it ranked in season ratings was #4 in 1994-95, though there were a few individual weeks when it did hit #1. His "memory" is also shaky on Big Bang Theory, where he claims the show's ratings grew fast during the writers strike that occurred six weeks after the sitcom premiered, but in reality the show ranked 68th out of all prime time shows in its first season.
At one point he actually writes that Big Bang Theory had "become the most successful live audience series in the history of television." HUH? On what facts does he base that absurd opinion? Certainly not audience because even though it was number one for some years its viewership was lower than I Love Lucy and All in the Family and Cosby Show and others (look it up, it's true). There's also Seinfeld, but that of course didn't have as many seasons as Big Bang Theory. if Lorre bases his hyperbole on number of episodes then that's not a quite fair statement as well, since different shows had different lengths and number of seasons.
In other words, no one should legitimately place any Chuck Lorre show on the list of most successful sitcoms of all time based on most measurements.
Lorre is notorious for being difficult to work with and he diverts attention away from his anger issues by pointing out the flaws of others. It would be interesting to get the views of the many people he slams on these pages, since he fails to provide enough specifics to justify his hatred. There's also no reason for him to insert idiotic leftist diatribes against Donald Trump and Republicans when this author was dumb enough to join Scientology and stay with it for almost a decade (though it's nice to see him spew vile at the fraudulent cult). This idiot thinks conservatives are anti-immigrant, when in truth they're simply against criminals who enter the country illegally and want laws enforced fairly and equally, unlike people like Lorre.
Yet some aspects of his life are actually very conservative. He writes, "If you need a reason to improve your living standards, consider having children." He said births were "like motivational rocket fuel" to work harder to support them, which is a very old-fashioned pro-life way of looking at things from a proud left-winger who supports taking money from middle class taxpayers to pay for the lifestyles of lazy moochers and illegal criminals.
This could have been filled with amazing insights into the business, details about his hit shows, and openness about his complex private life that suffered due to his addictions. But it's way too short (it should have had a couple hundred more narrative pages!), then he underplays most of his faults and mocks his failures, sure signs that this self-centered jerk has never truly recovered from the multimillions he has made on the tube by producing a simple dumb sitcom.
Obviously the editor agreed, since Lorre was admittedly forced to tack on a final chapter with advice to others going into the business and "the art of the sitcom." That's hard for him to do since he doesn't seem to know much about the history of situation comedies and tries to claim his shows aren't sitcoms!
You know you've got problems when this supposedly intelligent guy writes on page 17, "Somewhere in Iowa, I had to pull my car over when I saw what real mountains looked like." WTF? Iowa doesn't have mountains. It barely has hills. Is he talking about Idaho? Don't trust a writer that confuses the two.
This is the same knucklehead that says a "violent streak could be genetic" and tries to blame all his addictions on his genes. So he doesn't believe the environment you live in or people you choose to hang around with or drugs/alcohol you consume have any major impact on you, but your DNA is to blame for your bad choices?
Lorre thinks very highly of himself, while constantly using self-effacing put-downs. His ego is gigantic and his talents minimal, but his struggles with alcohol and attending AA meetings have made him the type of "humble brag" non-drinker that can be difficult to swallow. I understand he's rich and famous for some of the major comedy TV hits of the past couple decades, but that doesn't mean they're good or entertaining or anywhere near as successful as shows from the early days of television.
This book has a number of errors and inaccurate representations of truth. He claims that Grace Under Fire, one of the worst sitcoms of the 1990s, "was the number two show in the country." Nope--the highest it ranked in season ratings was #4 in 1994-95, though there were a few individual weeks when it did hit #1. His "memory" is also shaky on Big Bang Theory, where he claims the show's ratings grew fast during the writers strike that occurred six weeks after the sitcom premiered, but in reality the show ranked 68th out of all prime time shows in its first season.
At one point he actually writes that Big Bang Theory had "become the most successful live audience series in the history of television." HUH? On what facts does he base that absurd opinion? Certainly not audience because even though it was number one for some years its viewership was lower than I Love Lucy and All in the Family and Cosby Show and others (look it up, it's true). There's also Seinfeld, but that of course didn't have as many seasons as Big Bang Theory. if Lorre bases his hyperbole on number of episodes then that's not a quite fair statement as well, since different shows had different lengths and number of seasons.
In other words, no one should legitimately place any Chuck Lorre show on the list of most successful sitcoms of all time based on most measurements.
Lorre is notorious for being difficult to work with and he diverts attention away from his anger issues by pointing out the flaws of others. It would be interesting to get the views of the many people he slams on these pages, since he fails to provide enough specifics to justify his hatred. There's also no reason for him to insert idiotic leftist diatribes against Donald Trump and Republicans when this author was dumb enough to join Scientology and stay with it for almost a decade (though it's nice to see him spew vile at the fraudulent cult). This idiot thinks conservatives are anti-immigrant, when in truth they're simply against criminals who enter the country illegally and want laws enforced fairly and equally, unlike people like Lorre.
Yet some aspects of his life are actually very conservative. He writes, "If you need a reason to improve your living standards, consider having children." He said births were "like motivational rocket fuel" to work harder to support them, which is a very old-fashioned pro-life way of looking at things from a proud left-winger who supports taking money from middle class taxpayers to pay for the lifestyles of lazy moochers and illegal criminals.
This could have been filled with amazing insights into the business, details about his hit shows, and openness about his complex private life that suffered due to his addictions. But it's way too short (it should have had a couple hundred more narrative pages!), then he underplays most of his faults and mocks his failures, sure signs that this self-centered jerk has never truly recovered from the multimillions he has made on the tube by producing a simple dumb sitcom.
November 9, 2026
Let me start by saying that I’m not particularly a fan of Chuck Lorre’s sitcoms. I don’t live under a rock, of course, and I’m familiar with his work. I’ve seen episodes of most of his shows, and I do appreciate some of the series he’s been involved with, like ROSEANNE. But I can’t say that any of his sitcoms have ever been among my favorites or that I’ve felt compelled to follow them religiously. Before picking up this memoir, I knew very little about the man himself, aside from the infamous Charlie Sheen and TWO AND A HALF MEN debacle.
So, what did I think?
Well, I found SITCOM to be a thoroughly entertaining read. I listened to the audiobook, and it moves along quickly, with plenty of humor, behind-the-scenes stories, industry gossip, and interesting glimpses into the business of making television.
Lorre himself comes across as something of a dynamo: quick-witted, funny, occasionally crude, and seemingly incapable of taking anything too seriously for too long. Much like the sitcoms associated with his name, there’s plenty of comedy here, although I suspect the man himself has considerably more depth than his television work might suggest. There are moments of genuine reflection, too, and perhaps a little wisdom that only comes with looking back at a career filled with successes, disasters, and more than a few colorful personalities.
I did find myself wishing he had gone a little further with certain stories and explored some of the relationships and behind-the-scenes dynamics in greater detail. But that’s part of the bargain with a memoir. You’re getting his perspective, his recollections, and his version of events. Take it at face value, enjoy the ride, and don’t expect every backstage door to swing wide open.
One of the more interesting aspects is the glimpse into the television business itself. There’s plenty here for anyone curious about how shows are developed, written, produced, and kept running. It’s a reminder that behind those familiar faces and laugh tracks is an enormous amount of work, negotiation, creative friction, and occasionally spectacular dysfunction.
The book is admittedly a little surface-level in places. We don’t learn all that much about his childhood or younger years, which, frankly, I didn’t particularly mind. Not every autobiography needs to become an excavation of childhood wounds. This isn’t a therapy session.
In fact, the book feels rather like Lorre’s sitcoms and writing: entertaining, familiar, full of jokes and fairly straightforward, until an unexpected moment of drama, vulnerability, or even death comes along and catches you off guard. Those moments give the book a little more weight and make you appreciate the man behind the comedy.
By the end, I was left thinking that Chuck Lorre is a fascinating personality with plenty more stories to tell, both personally and creatively. He’s someone I’d imagine would be interesting to sit down with over coffee. You get the feeling the conversation would rarely be dull, and there would probably be a few inappropriate jokes along the way.
Is SITCOM the greatest memoir I’ve ever read? No. Does it need to be? Absolutely not.
It’s a fun, breezy, occasionally revealing account of a man who has spent decades making people laugh, whether they particularly like his shows or not. And sometimes that’s all a book needs to do.
A quick, entertaining read. Recommended, especially for television enthusiasts and anyone who enjoys a little Hollywood gossip with their coffee. As well as writing tips with life lessons of sorts
October 23, 2026
I've been a fan of Chuck Lorre's sitcoms for years, so I was looking forward to reading *Sitcom*, his memoir about his decades in television. He takes us through his career, from his early days as a struggling writer to creating some of the most successful sitcoms in television history. Along the way, he shares plenty of behind-the-scenes stories about the shows, the actors, and the sometimes messy business of making television.
The book is chock-full of humor, self-deprecation, and some fascinating insights into his creative process. Lorre doesn't seem particularly interested in making himself look good, which is part of what makes the book so entertaining. He's quite willing to admit when he screwed up, and some of those stories are among the funniest in the book.
My one complaint is that some of his shows get a little shortchanged. *The Big Bang Theory* and *Two and a Half Men*, arguably his biggest hits, understandably get a lot of attention. But I would have loved to hear more about some of his other shows, especially the wonderful *Mom*, which I think is one of the best sitcoms he's ever created. I was disappointed that it didn't get more attention.
I listened to the audiobook, and I'm so glad I did. Hearing Lorre tell these stories in his own voice was a real treat. His dry humor and delivery add so much to the experience, especially when he's poking fun at himself.
All in all, a really enjoyable book about a man who has made millions of people laugh over the years. I came away with a greater appreciation for just how much work goes into making something look effortlessly funny. And I wouldn't have minded another few hours of stories!
The book is chock-full of humor, self-deprecation, and some fascinating insights into his creative process. Lorre doesn't seem particularly interested in making himself look good, which is part of what makes the book so entertaining. He's quite willing to admit when he screwed up, and some of those stories are among the funniest in the book.
My one complaint is that some of his shows get a little shortchanged. *The Big Bang Theory* and *Two and a Half Men*, arguably his biggest hits, understandably get a lot of attention. But I would have loved to hear more about some of his other shows, especially the wonderful *Mom*, which I think is one of the best sitcoms he's ever created. I was disappointed that it didn't get more attention.
I listened to the audiobook, and I'm so glad I did. Hearing Lorre tell these stories in his own voice was a real treat. His dry humor and delivery add so much to the experience, especially when he's poking fun at himself.
All in all, a really enjoyable book about a man who has made millions of people laugh over the years. I came away with a greater appreciation for just how much work goes into making something look effortlessly funny. And I wouldn't have minded another few hours of stories!
November 3, 2026
I didn't know what to expect when I picked up this book, but I’m so glad I did. It held my interest from start to finish. I gave this book a 4 as the first half is a great memoir, but the second half (100+ pages) is just copies of scripts. There was obviously a lot more story to tell, but for some reason they excessively padded the book with scripts. If you're paying for this book (I didn't), be forewarned. Although some may want the scripts.
You might notice a few low reviews floating around. Don't be fooled—it has nothing to do with the quality of the book. Chuck makes a couple of quick comments making it clear he’s no fan of the narcissist currently sitting in the White House and how he came to be. The silver lining? Most of that base can’t read anyway, which is why the book still maintains its high rating here.
Back to the content itself: the book covers a vast span of Chuck's fascinating life and career, though naturally, many readers will be drawn to the Two and a Half Men era. One major revelation for me was learning that BOTH Charlie and Chuck fought dependency issues throughout their lives—a side of the story you rarely hear, as public coverage almost exclusively focused on Charlie. Another thing I was suprrised to see is how many people Chuck trashes in the book. Roseanne Barr, Cybil Shepard, etc. He doesn't hold back. While the public sees Chuck as a calm writer, he paints himself in the book as a self-hating, anxious and neurotic person who struggled with alcohol and drug issues.
If you appreciate great TV history and honest storytelling, you’ll really enjoy this read. I certainly did.
You might notice a few low reviews floating around. Don't be fooled—it has nothing to do with the quality of the book. Chuck makes a couple of quick comments making it clear he’s no fan of the narcissist currently sitting in the White House and how he came to be. The silver lining? Most of that base can’t read anyway, which is why the book still maintains its high rating here.
Back to the content itself: the book covers a vast span of Chuck's fascinating life and career, though naturally, many readers will be drawn to the Two and a Half Men era. One major revelation for me was learning that BOTH Charlie and Chuck fought dependency issues throughout their lives—a side of the story you rarely hear, as public coverage almost exclusively focused on Charlie. Another thing I was suprrised to see is how many people Chuck trashes in the book. Roseanne Barr, Cybil Shepard, etc. He doesn't hold back. While the public sees Chuck as a calm writer, he paints himself in the book as a self-hating, anxious and neurotic person who struggled with alcohol and drug issues.
If you appreciate great TV history and honest storytelling, you’ll really enjoy this read. I certainly did.
November 7, 2026
Getting to Know Chuck Lorre
If you're a fan of Chuck Lorre's Vanity Cards like me and want to know more about his personal journey, both in life and in showbiz, this book is well worth your time.
I've always felt personally connected to Lorre through those cards, where he pours his heart out, shares his innermost thoughts, and comments on everything from politics to health, effortlessly blending comedy with sharp social commentary. Although we live in two entirely different worlds, thousands of miles away, and my life looks nothing like his, I've found myself relating to many of his personal revelations. And that's the genius of good writing. Lorre understands that making people laugh creates an emotional connection. The Vanity Cards deepen it, and this memoir takes it a step further. Beyond getting to know the creative mind behind some of the most successful sitcoms, we get an honest glimpse into the personal and professional costs of building that kind of career.
I strongly recommend listening to the audiobook narrated by Lorre himself. Authenticity and vulnerability at their best! His timing makes the funny observations even funnier, while his personal delivery makes the vulnerable moments even more intimate. His ability to laugh at experiences that once caused him tremendous pain speaks to the perspective and grace that come with making peace with one's past.
I started this book as a fan of his work. I finished it with even greater admiration for the man behind it.
If you're a fan of Chuck Lorre's Vanity Cards like me and want to know more about his personal journey, both in life and in showbiz, this book is well worth your time.
I've always felt personally connected to Lorre through those cards, where he pours his heart out, shares his innermost thoughts, and comments on everything from politics to health, effortlessly blending comedy with sharp social commentary. Although we live in two entirely different worlds, thousands of miles away, and my life looks nothing like his, I've found myself relating to many of his personal revelations. And that's the genius of good writing. Lorre understands that making people laugh creates an emotional connection. The Vanity Cards deepen it, and this memoir takes it a step further. Beyond getting to know the creative mind behind some of the most successful sitcoms, we get an honest glimpse into the personal and professional costs of building that kind of career.
I strongly recommend listening to the audiobook narrated by Lorre himself. Authenticity and vulnerability at their best! His timing makes the funny observations even funnier, while his personal delivery makes the vulnerable moments even more intimate. His ability to laugh at experiences that once caused him tremendous pain speaks to the perspective and grace that come with making peace with one's past.
I started this book as a fan of his work. I finished it with even greater admiration for the man behind it.
November 5, 2026
Honestly hard to rate
I love sitcoms, and I love books about sitcoms more than anything other than a podcast about sitcoms (S1E1 if you're interested) so I was pretty excited to read this. As a discerning television viewer I understood that Chuck Lorre fare gets a lot of hate, but I also find it genuinely funny. Unfortunately I found the first 75% of the book really bitter and hard to swallow. Lorre writes as if he understands his flaws as a human being and is trying to atone for them, while taking a lot of cheap shots at those he feels wronged him with very little to no context, and giving paltry recognition to those that certainly helped him along the way. I'm sure Roseanne Barr is somewhat despicable, that Anna Faris and Cybill Shepherd had their problems and that the cast of the Big Bang Theory were not card carrying socialists, but their treatments were unnecessarily harsh. These are also the parts of the book that have garnered significant press which is enough to make anyone cynical. That being said, the final 25% makes for a much more enjoyable read, especially Lorre's take on the ending of Two and a Half Men, where he gives Charlie Sheen and the situation itself the grace he's unwilling to grant to any of the others he felt did him wrong. The scripts with his updated notes are by far the best part, as they show him as a real human being and not (no offense) as the pompous ass he portrays in the early sections.
I love sitcoms, and I love books about sitcoms more than anything other than a podcast about sitcoms (S1E1 if you're interested) so I was pretty excited to read this. As a discerning television viewer I understood that Chuck Lorre fare gets a lot of hate, but I also find it genuinely funny. Unfortunately I found the first 75% of the book really bitter and hard to swallow. Lorre writes as if he understands his flaws as a human being and is trying to atone for them, while taking a lot of cheap shots at those he feels wronged him with very little to no context, and giving paltry recognition to those that certainly helped him along the way. I'm sure Roseanne Barr is somewhat despicable, that Anna Faris and Cybill Shepherd had their problems and that the cast of the Big Bang Theory were not card carrying socialists, but their treatments were unnecessarily harsh. These are also the parts of the book that have garnered significant press which is enough to make anyone cynical. That being said, the final 25% makes for a much more enjoyable read, especially Lorre's take on the ending of Two and a Half Men, where he gives Charlie Sheen and the situation itself the grace he's unwilling to grant to any of the others he felt did him wrong. The scripts with his updated notes are by far the best part, as they show him as a real human being and not (no offense) as the pompous ass he portrays in the early sections.
October 31, 2026
Chuck Lorre is an alumni of SUNY Potsdam and visited campus during my first year there. At the time, I had no idea who he was, and it was only after his visit I realized he was the creator of Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory, and wished I had gone to his talks. After reading this book, I’m glad I didn’t waste my time.
What a truly unlikeable person. I don’t know if he was trying to be funny throughout the book, but he really just came off as a giant dbag. Purposefully skipping over stuff about Charlie Sheen and TahM until the last 10% of the book was also annoying. The production of the audiobook also really didn’t help — the way he read the footnotes and then would say “and now back to my memoir!” after every one was so grating.
The only upside was that it was short and over quickly.
What a truly unlikeable person. I don’t know if he was trying to be funny throughout the book, but he really just came off as a giant dbag. Purposefully skipping over stuff about Charlie Sheen and TahM until the last 10% of the book was also annoying. The production of the audiobook also really didn’t help — the way he read the footnotes and then would say “and now back to my memoir!” after every one was so grating.
The only upside was that it was short and over quickly.
October 23, 2026
The media had already squeezed every droplet of juicy gossip from this underbaked volume by the time it hit the shelves. Anyone hoping to glean some insight into Chuck Lorre's process or in the development and continued production of his many, many television entertainments will be guaranteed disappointment.
Lorre rarely talks about his shows in more detail than a general, hand-waved "I had the idea for the premise in the shower, the studio heads loved it, then six years later we filmed the finale." Despite his general lack of empathy or his admitted substance abuse issues, he seems convinced throughout that in a studio full of egos, his isn't one of the biggest or loudest; he constantly shrugs at any suggestion he might be responsible for his some of his own messes.
Worst of all, the book itself is almost more composed of the vanity cards that have appeared after his shows than any new text—and haven't those cards already had their own book? As much as I've enjoyed a couple of his sitcoms and the Deborah Harry song French Kissing in the USA, which Lorre penned in his musician days, Sitcom: A Memoir was a drag to read.
Lorre rarely talks about his shows in more detail than a general, hand-waved "I had the idea for the premise in the shower, the studio heads loved it, then six years later we filmed the finale." Despite his general lack of empathy or his admitted substance abuse issues, he seems convinced throughout that in a studio full of egos, his isn't one of the biggest or loudest; he constantly shrugs at any suggestion he might be responsible for his some of his own messes.
Worst of all, the book itself is almost more composed of the vanity cards that have appeared after his shows than any new text—and haven't those cards already had their own book? As much as I've enjoyed a couple of his sitcoms and the Deborah Harry song French Kissing in the USA, which Lorre penned in his musician days, Sitcom: A Memoir was a drag to read.
November 3, 2026
Sitcom: A Memoir shares a taste of Chuck Lorre's experiences. I thought it was interesting how Chuck Lorre fell into TV writing. He didn't study writing or screenwriting in school. Chuck Lorre doesn't go into too much detail about his life or his experiences, but he gives you a taste of some of the headaches, losses and wins that happened in his life. The end reflections and advice were also really made the book. I really liked that he included a few of the scripts that he wrote. You can see a few of the edits done. It gives you a feel of how the script writers set up their writing. Overall, it was a quick interesting read.
Please note that I received a free book to review, however, this is my honest review.
Please note that
Please note that I received a free book to review, however, this is my honest review.
Please note that
October 15, 2026
Excellent Book…While It Lasts
I loved this book, especially as an Audio Book read by Chuck Lorre. The reason it’s only getting 3.5 stars is because I wanted more of it. It’s actually quite short, and I would’ve liked more behind-the-scenes “meat” to the book. What Lorre does write is very funny and insightful…I just wanted more.
Post-Script: I dropped the star rating another half star because after finishing it, I began to wonder if Lorre was telling the whole story (hence the reason it was so short). The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like he was playing the victim who was “wronged” by all these actors, writers, directors and producers, when there could’ve been more to the story he was leaving.
I loved this book, especially as an Audio Book read by Chuck Lorre. The reason it’s only getting 3.5 stars is because I wanted more of it. It’s actually quite short, and I would’ve liked more behind-the-scenes “meat” to the book. What Lorre does write is very funny and insightful…I just wanted more.
Post-Script: I dropped the star rating another half star because after finishing it, I began to wonder if Lorre was telling the whole story (hence the reason it was so short). The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like he was playing the victim who was “wronged” by all these actors, writers, directors and producers, when there could’ve been more to the story he was leaving.
November 2, 2026
I had a great time listening to this audiobook. My only issue is that it is way too short! Chuck has had a career that spanned decades and could have expounded on just about every sitcom he worked on. Some didn't get more than a sentence or two. This could have been - should have been - much more in depth. But what is in the book is very entertaining and interesting. Not all of it was about his time on sitcoms. The first third of this book is not about sitcoms at all but it was still entertaining. Chuck is a good storyteller. In other words, I enjoyed it very much but wish there was more of it! Thumbs up!
October 14, 2026
I've never watched Chuck Lorre's sitcoms, but I catching his vanity cards at the end of them, before the program I was waiting for aired. (I even bought his huge book of vanity cards: What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Bitter. Five stars.)
Today was a sick day and listening to Chuck read his memoir made for perfect company. Sitcom was historic for me. It's the first time I was able to use the new Goodreads half and quarter stars rating feature.I only took off 1/4 star because I wanted it to be longer than four hours.
Today was a sick day and listening to Chuck read his memoir made for perfect company. Sitcom was historic for me. It's the first time I was able to use the new Goodreads half and quarter stars rating feature.I only took off 1/4 star because I wanted it to be longer than four hours.
October 19, 2026
Found on Libby & interested in learning more about the man behind Dharma & Greg, Big Bang Theory, etc. I’m also a listener of his ex-wife’s podcast and he seemed to be a pretty private person from her perspective. 3 stars - interesting read but all over the place, not in chronological order & you can tell he held back. He shares his alcoholism, drugs, wives, etc but really doesn’t share the details on his insane net worth. He just says all of a sudden he was paid the big bucks but not specifics and he skates over it and then pivots back to Charlie Sheen and it’s over?
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