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Kicking Through the Ashes: My Life as a Stand-up in the 1980s Comedy Boom
Comedian Ritch Shydner is one of America's funniest and most enduring stand-up comics, a wry observer of life around him and a survivor of the 1980s comedy boom.
Besides becoming a comic's comic over the decades, he has starred on television's "Married With Children" and won awards for his writing as a member of the "Roseanne" staff.
The book's introduction is by Bill Maher, host of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher."
Dozens of photos and index!
In "Kicking Through the Ashes," Shydner collects all of his 1980s life experiences -- the good, the bad, and El Brookman's -- in one hard to put down memoir. He tells stories about Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Tim Allen, Carol Leifer, Richard Belzer, Johnny Carson, Andrew Dice Clay, Rodney Dangerfield, Tom Dreesen, Budd Friedman, Gilbert Gottfried, Bill Hicks, Sam Kinison, David Letterman, Bill Maher, Steve Martin, Jackie "The Jokeman" Martling, Rick Overton, Phyllis Diller, Kevin Rooney, Robin Williams, Richard Pryor and more!
But don't believe his publisher; consider what some of the world's funniest people think of Shydner:
"Ritch Shydner is one of the best comedians I've ever seen. He is Seinfeld good, Kinison good, Pryor good. Ok, maybe not Pryor good, but still an absolute killer. Every time I've seen Ritch on stage, he always took the audience to a place where all the other comics in the room had no idea they could go. I'm sure this book is in a section of the bookstore with books written by other famous comedians; well, Ritch might not be the most famous but he's definitely one of the funniest." -- Chris Rock
"Ritch Shydner is one of my comedy heroes. I remember watching him kill in the '80s and thinking that he is one of the greatest comics ever. Though the years we have written and worked together many times. He is a fabulous writer. Ritch's journey as a stand-up is a fascinating story. I know, I was there for a lot of it!" -- Jeff Foxworthy, "Blue Collar Comedy Tour," host, "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader"
"I don't think 'Comedy Veteran' really describes what Ritch Shydner is. He was a Comedy Warrior. He's been through all the battles in all the trenches of the comedy boom. Now Ritch is an aging sage, spinning his Homeric tale and the tales of others in this personal history of the job and the art of stand-up." -- Marc Maron, host/creator, "WTF with Marc Maron" podcast
"This book is hilarious and heartbreaking, packed with stories that move and shake, much like the author." -- Margaret Cho, Comedian!
"Ritch is one of the best comics I've ever seen. His descriptive gift for storytelling is what made him great onstage and now in print." -- Billy Gardell, star, "Mike & Molly"
"My favorite period of stand up comedy is the '70s and '80s. So many comics broke out during this time that had a tremendous influence on my love of the art and my dream to do it. Ritch Shydner is one of the comics I watched before I became a comedian, and I'm so glad he took the time to share his stories and insights in this amazing new book!" -- Bill Burr, writer/co-creator, "F Is for Family"
"Kicking Through the Ashes is surely one of the best books ever written about the experience of becoming a stand-up comic and an artist. Each chapter is better than the last. Personal and provocative. A thrilling memoir." -- Mike Binder, writer/director
"Ritch Shydner's dad told his friends that Ritch had joined a religious cult rather than have to admit that his son was pursuing a career as a stand-up. Though an argument could be made that the two things have more in common than his dad could have imagined. Ritch tells the story of the millions of small battles and ground skirmishes he fought as he morphed from law student into real live working comedian in a compelling way. I enjoyed reading it." -- Merrill Markoe, author/humorist
Besides becoming a comic's comic over the decades, he has starred on television's "Married With Children" and won awards for his writing as a member of the "Roseanne" staff.
The book's introduction is by Bill Maher, host of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher."
Dozens of photos and index!
In "Kicking Through the Ashes," Shydner collects all of his 1980s life experiences -- the good, the bad, and El Brookman's -- in one hard to put down memoir. He tells stories about Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Tim Allen, Carol Leifer, Richard Belzer, Johnny Carson, Andrew Dice Clay, Rodney Dangerfield, Tom Dreesen, Budd Friedman, Gilbert Gottfried, Bill Hicks, Sam Kinison, David Letterman, Bill Maher, Steve Martin, Jackie "The Jokeman" Martling, Rick Overton, Phyllis Diller, Kevin Rooney, Robin Williams, Richard Pryor and more!
But don't believe his publisher; consider what some of the world's funniest people think of Shydner:
"Ritch Shydner is one of the best comedians I've ever seen. He is Seinfeld good, Kinison good, Pryor good. Ok, maybe not Pryor good, but still an absolute killer. Every time I've seen Ritch on stage, he always took the audience to a place where all the other comics in the room had no idea they could go. I'm sure this book is in a section of the bookstore with books written by other famous comedians; well, Ritch might not be the most famous but he's definitely one of the funniest." -- Chris Rock
"Ritch Shydner is one of my comedy heroes. I remember watching him kill in the '80s and thinking that he is one of the greatest comics ever. Though the years we have written and worked together many times. He is a fabulous writer. Ritch's journey as a stand-up is a fascinating story. I know, I was there for a lot of it!" -- Jeff Foxworthy, "Blue Collar Comedy Tour," host, "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader"
"I don't think 'Comedy Veteran' really describes what Ritch Shydner is. He was a Comedy Warrior. He's been through all the battles in all the trenches of the comedy boom. Now Ritch is an aging sage, spinning his Homeric tale and the tales of others in this personal history of the job and the art of stand-up." -- Marc Maron, host/creator, "WTF with Marc Maron" podcast
"This book is hilarious and heartbreaking, packed with stories that move and shake, much like the author." -- Margaret Cho, Comedian!
"Ritch is one of the best comics I've ever seen. His descriptive gift for storytelling is what made him great onstage and now in print." -- Billy Gardell, star, "Mike & Molly"
"My favorite period of stand up comedy is the '70s and '80s. So many comics broke out during this time that had a tremendous influence on my love of the art and my dream to do it. Ritch Shydner is one of the comics I watched before I became a comedian, and I'm so glad he took the time to share his stories and insights in this amazing new book!" -- Bill Burr, writer/co-creator, "F Is for Family"
"Kicking Through the Ashes is surely one of the best books ever written about the experience of becoming a stand-up comic and an artist. Each chapter is better than the last. Personal and provocative. A thrilling memoir." -- Mike Binder, writer/director
"Ritch Shydner's dad told his friends that Ritch had joined a religious cult rather than have to admit that his son was pursuing a career as a stand-up. Though an argument could be made that the two things have more in common than his dad could have imagined. Ritch tells the story of the millions of small battles and ground skirmishes he fought as he morphed from law student into real live working comedian in a compelling way. I enjoyed reading it." -- Merrill Markoe, author/humorist
398 pages, Paperback
Published July 27, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 5, 2024
An Excellent Chronicle Of The 1980’s Comedy Boom
Ritch Shydner is the perfect person to tell the story of the 1980’s comedy boom because he was in the thick of it, performing in New York, LA, and at clubs in cities and towns across America throughout that era. But more importantly, he’s a student of comedy - its history, how it’s done, what works and why, etc. - and he brings that expertise to this tale of his own development and career as a stand-up. It’s a fascinating and very raw portrait of a man finding himself, losing himself, finding himself again and then finally realizing that he’d need to start over. The stories are sometimes funny and sometimes sad, but they all ring true. Anyone with an interest in comedy or show business will enjoy this book. I’m glad he wrote it and I’m really glad I read it.
Ritch Shydner is the perfect person to tell the story of the 1980’s comedy boom because he was in the thick of it, performing in New York, LA, and at clubs in cities and towns across America throughout that era. But more importantly, he’s a student of comedy - its history, how it’s done, what works and why, etc. - and he brings that expertise to this tale of his own development and career as a stand-up. It’s a fascinating and very raw portrait of a man finding himself, losing himself, finding himself again and then finally realizing that he’d need to start over. The stories are sometimes funny and sometimes sad, but they all ring true. Anyone with an interest in comedy or show business will enjoy this book. I’m glad he wrote it and I’m really glad I read it.
March 5, 2017
Comedian Ritch Shydner made a career onstage painting pictures with words, so it should be no surprise that he transitioned easily to doing the same in book form.
What might be surprising is that more comics haven’t told their stories in this way.
Shydner’s tale, Kicking Through the Ashes: My Life as a Stand-up in the 1980s Comedy Boom – includes years of drug and alcohol abuse, women, and repeated attempts to earn his father’s respect – gives comedy fans an unprecedented look at his id and ego.
We also get a front row seat at life on the road and the friends he made, including Jay Leno, David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, Sam Kinson, Gilbert Gottfried, Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Hicks and many more.
Speaking of behind the scenes, I must disclose I have an extra interest in Shydner’s book: it was published by Mr. Media Books, which is an extension of this podcast. Ritch and I have gotten to know each other this past year and I asked to read his manuscript. Being a comedy fan, I loved Kicking Through the Ashes and offered to publish it myself.
If you love comedy, you gotta have this book in your life.
What might be surprising is that more comics haven’t told their stories in this way.
Shydner’s tale, Kicking Through the Ashes: My Life as a Stand-up in the 1980s Comedy Boom – includes years of drug and alcohol abuse, women, and repeated attempts to earn his father’s respect – gives comedy fans an unprecedented look at his id and ego.
We also get a front row seat at life on the road and the friends he made, including Jay Leno, David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, Sam Kinson, Gilbert Gottfried, Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Hicks and many more.
Speaking of behind the scenes, I must disclose I have an extra interest in Shydner’s book: it was published by Mr. Media Books, which is an extension of this podcast. Ritch and I have gotten to know each other this past year and I asked to read his manuscript. Being a comedy fan, I loved Kicking Through the Ashes and offered to publish it myself.
If you love comedy, you gotta have this book in your life.
September 13, 2016
A well written mixture of stand-up comedy history mixed with personal anecdotes makes this book a quick read. Very entertaining!
December 7, 2016
A Funny, Brilliant, and Binge-worthy read! Ritch is "My Mutineer." Not only does Ritch Shydner capture this wild time in comedy history with the humorous, surreal, and gorgeous prose it deserves but he shares his emotional ride along with the laughter, no small feat. Ritch is and was one of the strongest stand-ups ever, and his writing is just as power-packed. When I finished this great read, the words of Warren Zevon's song, Mutineer came to mind: "I was born to rock the boat. Some may sink but we will float. Grab your coat, let's get out of here. You're my witness. I'm your mutineer."
December 16, 2016
interesting stories of becoming and succeeding as a comedian. covers everything from hecklers to joke thieves and includes stories of his experience with famous comedians. a highlight is a heckler exchange that ended up being Sean Penn. a couple little bits were repeated though.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews