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A Polaroid Guy in a Snapchat World
Fifty-something David Spade is letting it all hang out. Older (yes), wiser (debatable), in A Polaroid Guy in a Snapchat World, the actor, comedian and SNL alum reflects on his life then and now through a series of candid and hysterical (and occasionally cringe-worthy) takes on everything from why it's getting harder to date younger women, to what it's like being a dad now, to suddenly being the "old guy" on set.
Whether he's musing on the alarming ease of breaking up over text (he's done it), feuding with a teenage internet celebrity (spoiler alert, he lost), or dealing with the friend from high school who became his full-time plus-one, when the star of Joe Dirt and Just Shoot Me unleashes his biting wit and dirty mind on the general freakiness of middle-age, he's in a league of his own (not to be confused with A League of Their Own).
Written and performed for the Audible experience, Spade's new comic memoir takes listeners along for the sometimes embarrassing and always hilarious ride of getting older in our fleeting "Snapchat World."
Whether he's musing on the alarming ease of breaking up over text (he's done it), feuding with a teenage internet celebrity (spoiler alert, he lost), or dealing with the friend from high school who became his full-time plus-one, when the star of Joe Dirt and Just Shoot Me unleashes his biting wit and dirty mind on the general freakiness of middle-age, he's in a league of his own (not to be confused with A League of Their Own).
Written and performed for the Audible experience, Spade's new comic memoir takes listeners along for the sometimes embarrassing and always hilarious ride of getting older in our fleeting "Snapchat World."
Audiobook
Published July 19, 2018
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920 people want to read
About the author
David Spade
5 books95 followersBorn in Michigan and raised in Arizona, David Spade is a stand up comedian, actor, and writer. He rose to fame in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 315 reviews
August 19, 2018
I really liked David Spade until I read this book. Seems like he never grew up out of that 90s era dude-bro culture. This is a book about an older dude trying to score with a bunch of hot young women and making fun of how clueless they are. Also, a lot of penis and sex jokes.
Buh Bye!
Buh Bye!
July 23, 2018
Well what to say about this one? This book was straight to audiobook, which I think was a fantastic idea. All the jokes are current and relevant which helps. Also hearing everything the way that David Spade intended it to be said was a big help too, as any fan of his knows, David has a particular way of saying his jokes that really add to the comedy of them.
This book was just over 6 hours long, and I listened to it at 1.20x speed, which was perfect. The chapters are short and quippy, making it very easy for me to fly though this book in a day while I was cleaning my house.
So the rating. This book had me laughing so hard that I physically couldn’t breathe at times, and as my partner was working in another room whilst I was listening to the audiobook on a speaker he too was laughing very hard at certain points in the book (mind you this is a man that doesn’t even know who David Spade is).
Were there some less funny parts? Yes. But you can’t have a laugh a minute for 6 hours straight, in our nature It just won’t happen. But when I wasn’t laughing incredibly hard the book was like listening to a interesting man talk, still very captivating.
I highly recommend this book to any David Spade fan (and maybe even if you’re not one!)
This book was just over 6 hours long, and I listened to it at 1.20x speed, which was perfect. The chapters are short and quippy, making it very easy for me to fly though this book in a day while I was cleaning my house.
So the rating. This book had me laughing so hard that I physically couldn’t breathe at times, and as my partner was working in another room whilst I was listening to the audiobook on a speaker he too was laughing very hard at certain points in the book (mind you this is a man that doesn’t even know who David Spade is).
Were there some less funny parts? Yes. But you can’t have a laugh a minute for 6 hours straight, in our nature It just won’t happen. But when I wasn’t laughing incredibly hard the book was like listening to a interesting man talk, still very captivating.
I highly recommend this book to any David Spade fan (and maybe even if you’re not one!)
August 16, 2018
3.5
Hoped for more belly laughs, but I enjoyed it and love DS all the same!
Hoped for more belly laughs, but I enjoyed it and love DS all the same!
August 27, 2018
There are two Davids I love - David Sedaris and David Spade.
December 6, 2018
This was my first David Spade book and I loved it. It was full of hilarious goodness. David did a fantastic job narrating so that made the experience that much more enjoyable!! I’m a recent Audible listener so this is a whole new experience for me. So far I am really enjoying it when I can’t actually sit down and read a book myself.
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December 11, 2018the worst part about this truly terrible book is that the author thinks he's a nice guy and keeps saying that. i wonder what it's like to completely lack self awareness.
January 10, 2022
WRAPPED PRESENTS WHILE LISTENING TO DAVID SPADE TALK ABOUT HIS SMALL PENIS AND HIS CODEINE ADDICTION SO MERRY CHRISTMAS
June 28, 2019
I remember enjoying Spade's memoir "Almost Interesting" from a few years ago and it being a great audiobook listen. Thus, I was looking forward to reading this newer audiobook only work. I usually don't read book reviews before starting a book, but did peek at a few and was slightly dismayed by the pattern of PGSW reviews saying he/it was not very modern/PC/woke. I'm glad I listened and am happy to give this 5 stars (although it would be 4.5 if I could).
I think Mr Spade hits a generation gap. I graduated high school in the mid 90's and thus grew up immersed in the SNL fandom and ancillary movies of the time. This also puts Mr Spade older than I, but not by too much. I was a bit dismayed to hear David say he is still a fan of the late 80's type hair/rock bands and never grew beyond that. Also I came away with a strong feeling that Joe Dirt is less parody and contains more David Spade than I previously thought. Like the movie character, David enjoys (exclusively?) the music of his childhood, and gives the impression of a simple person with simple desires and an aversion to tackling deep issues. Not a very in vogue personality in modern times and strikes me as out-of-touch. Yet I get it. In some ways I can relate to his feelings, however I also have done some of the work of trying to understand the way in which the world has changed since then and adjusting to it and the millennial generation. His deficiency here is what I think turns many younger ppl off.
Okay so that's my theory and impression. Now the review.
This book is a great audio performance of memoir and stories from his past. They are great stories about encounters with fans and performers. Also recounts great moments with friends and staff. Throughout, David keeps a light touch (with a few exceptions) and has some great comedic/witty asides. It is however unapologetic and describes events that happened in the 80's and 90's through the lens of still being in those times. I'm happy it is an unfiltered, not re-written look; but I feel some reviewers would have preferred these parts come with some soul searching or a look for deep meaning. It doesn't and that's ok to me. YMMV
Overall I would recommend the previous work "Almost Interesting" over this, as this book seems to be the B-sides/bonus-content to that book. They are both high quality works, but I think AI has more "meat" than this one. If you enjoyed AI I would almost guarantee you would like this just as much.
I think Mr Spade hits a generation gap. I graduated high school in the mid 90's and thus grew up immersed in the SNL fandom and ancillary movies of the time. This also puts Mr Spade older than I, but not by too much. I was a bit dismayed to hear David say he is still a fan of the late 80's type hair/rock bands and never grew beyond that. Also I came away with a strong feeling that Joe Dirt is less parody and contains more David Spade than I previously thought. Like the movie character, David enjoys (exclusively?) the music of his childhood, and gives the impression of a simple person with simple desires and an aversion to tackling deep issues. Not a very in vogue personality in modern times and strikes me as out-of-touch. Yet I get it. In some ways I can relate to his feelings, however I also have done some of the work of trying to understand the way in which the world has changed since then and adjusting to it and the millennial generation. His deficiency here is what I think turns many younger ppl off.
Okay so that's my theory and impression. Now the review.
This book is a great audio performance of memoir and stories from his past. They are great stories about encounters with fans and performers. Also recounts great moments with friends and staff. Throughout, David keeps a light touch (with a few exceptions) and has some great comedic/witty asides. It is however unapologetic and describes events that happened in the 80's and 90's through the lens of still being in those times. I'm happy it is an unfiltered, not re-written look; but I feel some reviewers would have preferred these parts come with some soul searching or a look for deep meaning. It doesn't and that's ok to me. YMMV
Overall I would recommend the previous work "Almost Interesting" over this, as this book seems to be the B-sides/bonus-content to that book. They are both high quality works, but I think AI has more "meat" than this one. If you enjoyed AI I would almost guarantee you would like this just as much.
December 6, 2018
It turned out that I like David Spade in small portions. Like in 10-minute talkshow-clips. In a book he was rather annoying. Not even sure if it was his voice or the stories I didn’t particularly enjoy. On the brighter side - it’s a short book. And I really liked how he covered some themes.
Like race. He mostly joked about how he as a rich white guy has no right to do race jokes. He also said that they won’t do ad of burglar systems with two black guys or two Mexicans playing burglars - it always has to be white guys nowadays or some ethnic groups will be mad.
“It always has to be mixed bag to represent todays America. Friends today would be:
One white guy
One Asian girl
One Latino
One Pakistani transgender
And one so fucking blended you wouldn’t know what was going on so you wouldn’t even bother to complain. You would be like: aaand this person represents all the other races in the world jammed in the one character. Enjoy!”
Or internet celebrities:
“Not everyone used to be famous. There used to be two ways person could become famous. One - you’re a movie star, rockstar, president or an athlete. Or you had to assassinate one of the above.”
Like race. He mostly joked about how he as a rich white guy has no right to do race jokes. He also said that they won’t do ad of burglar systems with two black guys or two Mexicans playing burglars - it always has to be white guys nowadays or some ethnic groups will be mad.
“It always has to be mixed bag to represent todays America. Friends today would be:
One white guy
One Asian girl
One Latino
One Pakistani transgender
And one so fucking blended you wouldn’t know what was going on so you wouldn’t even bother to complain. You would be like: aaand this person represents all the other races in the world jammed in the one character. Enjoy!”
Or internet celebrities:
“Not everyone used to be famous. There used to be two ways person could become famous. One - you’re a movie star, rockstar, president or an athlete. Or you had to assassinate one of the above.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2025
Very typical David Spade stuff. Edgy humor covering for self-deprecation. It was funny enough to pass the time while I did other things but it wasn’t groundbreaking or enthralling. Then again I don’t expect it was supposed to be.
July 19, 2018
Honest, somewhat off-color, hilarious.
April 2, 2020
An Audible exclusive. I’m happy I spent a credit on it. You have to know what you’re getting into; you have to be familiar with Spade’s humour to really enjoy this book. You know it’s going to be rough and potentially offensive. I loved it, because I love David Spade. It was refreshing to hear him talk about getting older and all the associated problems; how everything has changed since he was young and how he just doesn’t enjoy the changes or understand them. Wow, he’s relatable! Just the audiobook I needed in these COVID-19 days.
April 7, 2021
Great book. Definitely worth the purchase and I definitely loved it.
June 16, 2025
Not a book. Just a typical, raunchy stand up routine by the author. Don’t waste your time.
May 6, 2019
so I was a fan of him as a kid and this book went exactly how I expected it to based on the persona of him I have built over the years. his sense of humor is basically the same tho a little mellower which tends to happen. overall enjoyed it might listen to another one by him at some point.
August 11, 2018
David's talk show appearances used to make me laugh and cry like crazy. I know some of his stories by heart and I didn't mind watching them over and over. I really thought that he could do no wrong in my book of laughs. Still, this was so disappointing. Although this book exists only in audio form, so it had an advantage of his personal delivery, I was bored. I feel guilty because it's David Spade - Emperor Kuzco!
The main premise is how he, an old-school guy, sees everything that happens right now. He mentions how pointless Instagram is, how girls know nothing about classic rock and so on. But instead of making these comparisons, he just tells random stories from his life. So random that I think that these are the stories he practices for his routines. Maybe even the ones that he had to cut from his usual stand up set.
On the other hand, I loved his honesty, he touched on some pretty heavy subjects that could easily earn him a 'what a scumbag!' reputation. He mentions how disgusting his fans can be, how he doesn't like to give money to homeless people, how lazy he is to participate in charity events if they are not in his neighborhood. He even talks about Nicole Kidman and her hairy legs! No matter how many aspects of this book I didn't love, I still think that David Spade is such a good guy. How many people can pull that off after they ramble about gruesome details of unsuccessful erection?
The main premise is how he, an old-school guy, sees everything that happens right now. He mentions how pointless Instagram is, how girls know nothing about classic rock and so on. But instead of making these comparisons, he just tells random stories from his life. So random that I think that these are the stories he practices for his routines. Maybe even the ones that he had to cut from his usual stand up set.
On the other hand, I loved his honesty, he touched on some pretty heavy subjects that could easily earn him a 'what a scumbag!' reputation. He mentions how disgusting his fans can be, how he doesn't like to give money to homeless people, how lazy he is to participate in charity events if they are not in his neighborhood. He even talks about Nicole Kidman and her hairy legs! No matter how many aspects of this book I didn't love, I still think that David Spade is such a good guy. How many people can pull that off after they ramble about gruesome details of unsuccessful erection?
August 13, 2018
It started off interesting but seriously deteriorated at the end. I really enjoyed the beginning in which he gave some insights into the real person that David Spade is and what he really thinks about thins.. There are some really interesting thoughts from his perspective with respect to the ultra politically correct culture we live in today, how it affects his comedy and what it's like in Hollywood. He definitely captured my attention there. From there, it was hit and miss. Amusing at times, boring at others. What saddened me however, was that near the end he got into a good 30 to 45 minutes on porn that was both done distastefully and quite frankly, unnecessarily. So much so that it just wasn't funny. All it did was to reinforce for me the preconceived notion that he deserves the reputation he has gotten as being just like the characters he plays - pervs and womanizers. Mind you, he went to great lengths to dispel those preconceived notions earlier in the book only to end up making me think he might actually be that way. I want to believe differently, he just doesn't make a strong case to contrary.
March 20, 2020
Got 4/5 into it and just couldn’t handle it anymore. His attitude towards women was unbearable. I mean, it was naive to expect otherwise, but he implied in the preview that that was just the characters he played.
Wrong.
The last straw was his chapter on race. He was basically like ‘Sure, I get why white comics shouldn’t do this, but I’m just going to say that and then spend an entire chapter whining about the fact that I shouldn’t tell race jokes, making it clear that I really don’t understand privilege and why I shouldn’t tell race jokes.’ At that point I returned the book.
I can take his habit of talking about his own penis and the raunchy jokes, but that last chapter I listened to and his inability to say anything about women (aside from their value related to looks) other than that they are not all strong and smart (in his section about why women actors don’t have it all that bad?) totally turned me off.
The only positive thing I will take from this book is the 20 second clip of Chris Farley leaving a message on a dude’s answering machine as the motivational speaker.
Wrong.
The last straw was his chapter on race. He was basically like ‘Sure, I get why white comics shouldn’t do this, but I’m just going to say that and then spend an entire chapter whining about the fact that I shouldn’t tell race jokes, making it clear that I really don’t understand privilege and why I shouldn’t tell race jokes.’ At that point I returned the book.
I can take his habit of talking about his own penis and the raunchy jokes, but that last chapter I listened to and his inability to say anything about women (aside from their value related to looks) other than that they are not all strong and smart (in his section about why women actors don’t have it all that bad?) totally turned me off.
The only positive thing I will take from this book is the 20 second clip of Chris Farley leaving a message on a dude’s answering machine as the motivational speaker.
July 20, 2018
Well, this made for some interesting "listening"! I am glad I thought to grab my earbuds before my 12-year-old grandson and I hit the road this morning... this may have been just a bit "more" than I was prepared for him to deal with! *snort* LOL!!!
I will admit that I am not exactly familiar with David Spade's career as a comedian and an actor, but I found his stories in this book to be entertaining and in some cases... informative! I am sure that I now know way more about porn that I will ever have a need for! ;p
As a 50-something woman, I could actually relate to many of the author's past recollections and his observations of the differences between our generation and those of the 20 or even 30-something age group!
I may not jump on YouTube to check out Mr. Spade's past work, but I will probably see if I can get my hands on a copy of his first book... just for shits and giggles! *grin*
I will admit that I am not exactly familiar with David Spade's career as a comedian and an actor, but I found his stories in this book to be entertaining and in some cases... informative! I am sure that I now know way more about porn that I will ever have a need for! ;p
As a 50-something woman, I could actually relate to many of the author's past recollections and his observations of the differences between our generation and those of the 20 or even 30-something age group!
I may not jump on YouTube to check out Mr. Spade's past work, but I will probably see if I can get my hands on a copy of his first book... just for shits and giggles! *grin*
January 26, 2019
I really wanted to give Spade the benefit of the doubt, but he just seems to not have any (deep) self-awareness at all.
He laments how he’s perceived as a lothario type skirt chaser because of his roles. But then he only tells stories of dating younger women, and generalises them as bimbo air heads. Hot tip: If you date the same sort of person but expect a different outcome, you’re in for a bad time.
Also his “back in my day” spiels got so bloody tiring. Yes it’s the theme of the book (obviously from the title alone), but not having the depth of understanding that every generation feels that way of their upbringing being pure and unrivalled is so basic and immature.
He laments how he’s perceived as a lothario type skirt chaser because of his roles. But then he only tells stories of dating younger women, and generalises them as bimbo air heads. Hot tip: If you date the same sort of person but expect a different outcome, you’re in for a bad time.
Also his “back in my day” spiels got so bloody tiring. Yes it’s the theme of the book (obviously from the title alone), but not having the depth of understanding that every generation feels that way of their upbringing being pure and unrivalled is so basic and immature.
November 6, 2025
I loved this book. It had me laughing hysterically in the car as I drove to and from work. I loved his first book, Almost Interesting, but having him read the book made it so much better. Though he did write the book, it’s only available on audible so it’s an audiobook but also reads like a comedy album. I love his honesty, wit, and even his sound effects. I hope he keeps writing because I really enjoy his style. If you like David Spade you will love this book.
2025 Re-listen: still five stars. Just what I needed.
2025 Re-listen: still five stars. Just what I needed.
July 13, 2020
I want David Spade to do more of these kind of books. This was an absolute riot to read. I had to keep replaying certain chapters because I wanted to hear it again and laugh until my stomach hurt. I finished the entire thing in 2 days during a road trip.
December 17, 2018
Hilarious! Loved all the Chris Farley memories!
April 11, 2021
Mi først lydbok! Morsom, men hadde hørt han fortelle mange av historiane før og blei fort litt repetetiv boomer-stemning
November 29, 2018
3.75 stars
This book is 75% exactly what you expect from David Spade (crass humor, lots of sex/porno type talks) and 25% surprisingly insightful and Intelligent.
Not to say David is not Intelligent or insightful. I picked this up for the humor. I was expecting and wanting his type of humor. I was not disappointed.
But he also touches on topics that are sensitive, and he does it in a great way. For example, talking about women in Hollywood; the struggles they go through, and also the issues they CREATE themselves.
I felt like I was out to dinner with David and we were having a casual conversation. I listened on Audible (which is a great way to enjoy this book).
If you have a good sense of humor, aren't easily offended, and want a fun book to listen to....I HIGHLY suggest you get this.
After reading this, I feel that David is an Intelligent man who plays the role Hollywood has cast him in, even though there is more to him.
This book is 75% exactly what you expect from David Spade (crass humor, lots of sex/porno type talks) and 25% surprisingly insightful and Intelligent.
Not to say David is not Intelligent or insightful. I picked this up for the humor. I was expecting and wanting his type of humor. I was not disappointed.
But he also touches on topics that are sensitive, and he does it in a great way. For example, talking about women in Hollywood; the struggles they go through, and also the issues they CREATE themselves.
I felt like I was out to dinner with David and we were having a casual conversation. I listened on Audible (which is a great way to enjoy this book).
If you have a good sense of humor, aren't easily offended, and want a fun book to listen to....I HIGHLY suggest you get this.
After reading this, I feel that David is an Intelligent man who plays the role Hollywood has cast him in, even though there is more to him.
February 1, 2019
I was looking for something I could sort of half-listen to during my admin day at work, and this seemed like a good choice. But soon after starting it, I realized it was too good for a perfunctory listen, and that it required full attention. In the piece, David Spade riffs on a number of topics, from personal experiences growing up, to his celebrity status and interaction with his fans. He cleverly addresses a number of culturally significant issues, disguising them as comedy bits. But it's actually pretty hilarious. It takes a couple of chapters to get the feel for his narrative style, but once it clicks it becomes a funny and addictive comedic memoir. The best part for me was his Caitlin Jenner/transgender commentary; priceless. I'll be buying his other book soon.
April 16, 2020
David Spade er definitivt en av de morsomste gjestene du finner på talkshow-klipp på YouTube. Mest av alt på grunn av måten han leverer vitser på. Denne boka – egentlig en 6 timer lang podkast – og forgjengeren Almost Interesting er god underholdning som fyller et behov for mer Spade, men (det ikke overraskende) innholdet om livet i amerikansk underholdningsbransje interesserer meg bare sånn midt på treet, hvis jeg tar litt hardt i… ★★★
January 15, 2023
Richard Pryor on an album…now David Spade on audiobook. It’s essentially a stand up act with too many sound effects. This went straight to audiobook, which proves my point. Not as good as “Almost Interesting.” Wanted to rate it a 2 but there were some funny stories, although the end kind of ruined it for me. Perv.
September 26, 2018
Starts strong, somewhat crude then boring in the middle, and finishes with a great Epilogue. I love David Spade and this was basically like listening to a stand-up but no audience. Lots of laughs, just skip through the boring chapters since they don't need to be heard in a sequential order.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 315 reviews