Laugh Lines: Forty Years Trying to Make Funny People Funnier

by Alan Zweibel

WITH THIS TENDER, FUNNY MEMOIR OF FOUR DECADES IN THE BUSINESS ALAN ZWEIBEL TRACES THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN COMEDY.

Alan Zweibel started his comedy career selling jokes for seven dollars apiece to the last of the Borscht Belt stand-ups. Then one night, despite bombing on stage, he caught the attention of Lorne Michaels and became one the first writers at 'Saturday Night Live', where he penned classic material for Gilda Radner, John Belushi, and all of the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players. From 'SNL', he went on to have a hand in a series of landmark shows - from 'It's Garry Shandling's Show' to 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'.

Throughout 'LAUGH LINES', Zweibel weaves together his own stories and interviews with his friends and contemporaries, including Richard Lewis, Eric Idle, Bob Sagat, Mike Birbiglia, Sarah Silverman, Judd Apatow, Dave Barry, Carl Reiner, and more. The book also features a charming foreword from his friend of 45 years, Billy Crystal, with whom he cowrote and coproduced the film 'Here Today' starring Crystal and Tiffany Haddish. 'LAUGH LINES' is a warmhearted cultural memoir of American comedy.

PLEASE NOTE:
If you purchase this title in Audible format the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.




RUNNING TIME ⇒ 8hrs. and 5mins.

©2020 Alan Zweibel (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing

Genres: Memoir, Humor, Biography, Comedy, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Tv

251 pages, Hardcover

First published April 14, 2020

Reviews

[Bob Nebel]

One of the benefits of having two older siblings when growing up is that they had the opportunity to “babysit” me, their younger brother. Oftentimes those nights fell on a Saturday which meant that I was treated to some fare on television that many other kids my age didn’t have the chance to enjoy in those days. On those Saturday nights, I watched the CBS-TV lineup which consisted of Mary Tyler Moore, All In The Family, The Carol Burnett Show and MASH. Legendary shows that, overall at the time, went over my head. Yes, I loved laughing at Ted Baxter’s and Major Frank Burns’ buffoonery on those shows, but viewing those same episodes years later makes me realize how many of the references and the context that I clearly missed as a kid.

It didn’t take long for my sisters to introduce me to NBC’s Saturday Night Live, which aired at 11:30p Eastern, beyond late for a kid in those days. I loved laughing at a guy named Chevy Chase who made falling down an art, but I wondered to myself, “Can he get away with this? He’s making fun of the president? Can they jail him for that?” As it turned out, Chevy and scores of others “got away with it” for now, almost one half century! Well, these days, I do wonder if a certain actor, who plays the current president, is okay. Let’s hope he’s not getting “wiretapped.” Still, the ‘SNL’ political implications and current event references went well over my head, especially on the “Weekend Update” segments in which Mr. Chase “anchored.” But, on “Weekend Update,” I loved the News for the Hard of Hearing and Emily Litella. On one segment, Mr. Chase did a bit with a man named Alan Zweibel. Perhaps it was the guy’s name or maybe just his huge head that made Mr. Zweibel’s appearance memorable to me.

As those first five years of ‘SNL’ went on, I noticed Alan Zweibel’s name in the credits as a writer. LIttle did I realize at the time that Mr. Zweibel was beyond instrumental to that show/franchise’s success. Mr. Zweibel worked with and wrote for comedy legends including Gilda Radner, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and far too many to count in this space.

Years later, I stumbled on Zweibel through social media where he has been posting about his myriad accomplishments in show business. From the sketches that he wrote for SNL to the many books that he wrote. Those successes are better collated in Zweibel’s latest book, Laugh Lines: My Life Making Funny People Be Funnier. Part autobiography/part career “greatest hits,” Zweibel writes about crafting jokes for Borscht Belt comedians and making ends meet at a New York deli. While it all sounds exhausting to go through that just to work in the world of comedy, Zweibel shows that perseverance more than pays off. Zweibel vividly writes about painstakingly writing jokes for comedians who were part of a scene that was becoming extinct. To say that this guy paid his dues would be more than an understatement.

It took a while for Zweibel, like so many after him, to get that legendary offer from Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels. Zweibel must have felt “10 feet tall” after getting that offer to join the fledgling show. Wait a minute, make that feeling about “14 feet tall,” the guy is already like seven feet tall. Who knows, maybe he is eight feet tall these days.

The most touching moment in the book is when Zweibel meets cast member Gilda Radner. I refuse to give away the details here, because well, you need to buy the f-ing book -- because Zweibel worked hard on it from writing a rough draft to dealing with editors. Anyway, it’s such an innocent, sweet memory. And that’s Zweibel’s style: going from absolutely hilarious anecdotes to diving into a heartfelt moment like when he writes about his sister Franny to what sounds like an awesome wife, Robin.

I’m sure a billion people have their own “SNL connection story,” so I don’t want to make this review about myself. So, I used to watch the show just about every Saturday night. I was a Belushi/Aykroyd fan while one of my sisters was a huge ‘Gilda fan.’ Actually she was more than a fan. She tape recorded Miss Radner’s Roseanne Roseannadanna and studied those bits, so much so she did an act at the local synagogue. Little did I know that Mr. Zweibel was behind those “Weekend Update” appearances. Now that ‘s what I call an impact on the culture.

So, now I didn’t become a comedy writer like Mr. Zweibel. I flirted with the idea for years and even took a comedy class and did a standup routine. The whole world didn’t appeal to me, but I came close to working in comedy: I have been in the news business for over 30 years. So, for me, the two worlds have been colliding since I joined the business and are now reaching a crescendo that I never predicted. Hmm, what goes around, comes around.

As usual, I digress. I mentioned earlier that a writer like Zweibel can go from the ultra-funny to poignant. That is beyond evident when watching 700 Sundays, the one-man Billy Crystal play in which Zweibel collaborated. Zweibel is right: so many connect with the Crystal performance because it’s based on family -- and we all come from families. In this play, Billy Crystal made me deeply laugh at one moment to cry the next. I know Zweibel is behind that! The same goes for how he writes about his relationship with Gilda Radner. So much of comedy is based in tragedy, but it’s true that it is a mechanism for dealing with life’s many unfortunate events.

A few years after Zweibel’s SNL tenure, I had the opportunity to see Mr. Chase live at a fundraiser along with Robin Williams and musical guests, Peter, Paul and Mary. One of my best pals Chuckie has been friends with PP&M’s Peter Yarrow. Somehow we got into that event. I got to see up close, Mr. Chase doing his pratfall. Well yeah, it hurt -- no wonder he went on pain meds. As a teen, some of Mr. Williams’ Reagan jokes went over my head, but wow, what a talent! I mention this because Zweibel was lucky enough to work with Mr. Chase as well as Dan Aykroyd, who I always admired. Here was a guy who reinvented himself after his close friend/comedy partner died at a very young age. I swear I’m not making this about myself. By the way, I got to see Dan Aykroyd here in Atlanta during the Olympics.

Anyway, go out and buy ‘Laugh Lines. Zweibel leaves you “wanting more,” more ice cream that is. Okay, that wasn’t at all funny. Seriously, Zweibel’s book is “to-the point,” unlike this review which is longer than the book.

[Josh Newhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong first half and uneven but intriguing second half

[Bill DeGenaro · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love SNL lore, so this book's definitely in my wheelhouse. The first half of "Laugh Lines" addresses how Zweibel straddled two generations of American comedy, starting out writing jokes for old-school Catskill comics and then getting his first big break writing for the first cast of SNL. Zweibel does a great job addressing a paradox: the sensibilities of these two generations/comedy communities were distinct (for one thing, the Catskill crew eschewed politics while the SNL crew engaged current events), yet were informed by the same irreverence. That paradox makes for a great story. Later chapters lag a bit, as Zweibel tells one too many stories about Beverly Hills lunches without going into much depth about himself, his colleagues, or the ever-shifting ethos of American comedy and pop culture.

Ultimately, this is an enjoyable show biz memoir. As the subtitle indicates, Zweibel's story is a story of being behind the scenes. Comedy depends on those who are okay being out of the spotlight. So do other fields. I was reminded of a great scene in "The West Wing" in which the fictional president bluntly tells one of his staffers, "You want to know the difference between you and me? I want to be the guy. You want to be the guy, the guy counts on." I always found this line of dialogue to be a little bit mean, something of a dressing down. But Zweibel's story sheds light on "the guy the guy counts on." That guy's essential too.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny Wonderful Breezy Book

Alan Zweibel is a funny man who began comedy writing in the early 70s and found success in Saturday Night Live heyday. He has written many books, none of which I’d heard of but snatched up my library’s copy of Bunny Bunny a memoir about his friendship with Gilda Radner. This is life with many famous friends and telling a lot of jokes. A great read.

[MaskedSanity­ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alan Zweibel knows how to make other people funny. That's obvious. It's also in the title. This book goes into his process of writing for some of the all-time greats and some of the not-so greats. His relationships with Gilda Radner and Garry Shandling (both fall into the "all-time great category, to be clear) are detailed in the book and the stories about them made me want to read and learn more about them.
This was a very good read. I was very entertained and I loved the stuff towards the end about hanging out in Rob Reiner's screening room. I would love to have been in the room during any of those times.
If you're a fan of comedy writing and well written stories, I highly recommend this book.

[Francis Lucey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. This is a memoir from comedy writer Alan Zweibel who wrote for Saturday Night Live when it first started and many other famous comedians. He did write some funny lines and there were laugh out loud parts in the book.

[Beth Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read 3/4 of this and it was interesting, particularly early SNL history. I lost interest but that is not the fault of the book, I'd blame spring.

[Matthew Ogborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars for this warm and often moving look back at the type of comedy writing career I dreamt of having as a kid growing up on the exploits of the Saturday Night Live crew and Garry Shandling. Zweibel is not a name many will know in the UK, but he was instrumental in the success of SNL as well as the early careers of Gilda Radner and Shandling. His friendship with both forms the backbone of both, while it was fun to read about the Catskills comics, Mel Brooks and Carl Reiners of this world. It also has a few gems about the craft of writing gags and sitcoms.

[Alex Decker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book and thought "Well, I know there has to be more to that story than that...", but weren't given the option of more? The stories were good, but very superficial. And please don't misunderstand me, I wasn't looking for "salacious" material or something like that. I just wanted more depth to the stories. We were kind of given this very whirlwind tour of some crucial relationships.

I enjoyed the book, but it felt short and lacking much depth.

[Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read. Lots of inside showbiz stuff. Not hilariously funny, but very honest and human.

[Boni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the short jokes that pepper this memoir of the semi-famous comedian Alan Zweibel. He was only semi-famous in my review because he is mainly a writer… a stand-up early in his career, but against such talents as Billy Crystal and Larry David, it didn’t pan out. Writers are just as important, maybe more so than the characters we know as ‘comedians’, as they are often the brains behind the real guffaws. But the immensely reduced fame is akin to a singer and a songwriter, unless you have a head of hair like art garfunkle… well… 😂.

Zweibel struck career gold in my era (1970’s) so the stories about the Catskills comedians like Alan King, Jerry Lewis, or Rodney Dangerfield and then Richard Lewis and David Bremner making hay on Carson’s Tonight Show all rang the memory bell for me and make sense more than they would for millennials. Funny people are great to be around, but as a writer, you seem to be under pressure to be smart all the time. Einstein could be smart some of the time, but Robin Williams… well…

Great stories and anecdotes… especially about the beloved SNL cast and his lifelong crush on Gilda Radner, who died at 42 years old, a not-ready-for-prime-timer and died-well-before-her-timer. Zweibel was the ultimate ‘brush with greatness’ person, with wonderful insights into the Larry Davids of the world. He makes them look like the geniuses that they are. I want to google his net worth,and I hope it’s surprisingly good. Google “Larry David’s Net Worth”… Dare you not to go 😳. (I kinda feel bad that I’m reading his book on Libby rather than buying it outright. Not bad enough to buy it outright, mind you , but still feel a little bad…. Like tipping 17.5% instead of the fully Monty of 20.🤷🏻‍♂️😂)

Lots of insider gossip too, like Raquel Welch being a bad host (she despised the male-dominated jokes about boobs). But the absolute worst host ever was ID’d as the old comic, Milton Berle, stuck in a prehistoric comedian era. Zweibel’s book reads like a diary or documentary, and the SNL stories are compelling. He’s honest about his dry patches covering his 5 years at SNL… He’s just not that top tier (in this book’s humor as well), but really, who can be. A couple of flops were documented and understood. The film “North” (directed by Rob Reiner but 14% on Rotten Tomatoes… BTW staring Bruce Willis, Scarlet Johansson, and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss) and the TV series “good Sports” (starring Ryan O’Neill and Farrah, Fawcett, seemingly good at 73% on Rotten Tomatoes) were both star-studded and backed by Hollywood wallets. Yet both didn’t crack any funny ones, let alone tickle them. A fickle world, yes? BUT on the amazing side, this guy got a movie AND a TV series produced! How many people can say that! And then he doesn’t do too much self-pitying over the catastrophe North, and becomes resilient and refocuses on his story about his eccentric friendship with Gilda Radner, who died three years earlier, but he hadn’t yet mourned. I will find that book “Bunny Bunny - Gilda Radner, A Sort of Love Story” soon enough and likely give that one a heart-felt 5 stars!

Five years on SNL, It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, and Curb Your Enthusiasm garnered fame for Zweibel, including 5 Emmys and the Thurber Prize for American Humor. Nice career, nice memoir! Not laugh out loud, but interesting.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read(listened to) this book compulsively and just finished it. Alan reads his own life story in this audiobook, I always seek these out. These autobiographies as told to me by the soul who lived them. 1, only the person who lived this particular life can put the exact right feeling and inflection into the people and moments that they experienced. 2, you know they’ll always pronounce the names right. 3, it feels very much like you have that person sitting next to you in the front seat of the car as you’re driving on a long road trip, telling you their life-story. That can’t help but feel warm and very human. At the end, you feel you’ve made a friend.
Alan Zweibel has spent his lifetime putting great words in funny people’s mouths so that they can spit them out at us and make us laugh. From the first seasons of SNL to the Garry Shandling show, to a beautiful film named ‘Here Today’, which is still in some now-waning-covid-19 reopening theaters. That movie tore me up inside, it’s 90 minutes and I was sitting there by myself crying in the dark through the entire last 2/3s of it. No movie has ever done that to me, ever. It wasn’t a miserable crying, it wasn’t out loud, nobody heard me, but my breathing was very jagged and the tears continued throughout that hour. It took me a couple of days to unravel why I reacted like that and it’s all good. I figured it out and I’m ok. It didn’t depress me, but it was sweetly honest and human. And I loved the characters so much.
I knew of Alan of course, I’m a lifelong comedy fan and I’ve still never missed an episode of Saturday Night Live since I watched the premiere show the first night it aired when I was 13 years old.
After leaving the movie ‘Here Today’, I thought that I just had to continue living inside this man’s voice. This Zweibel. I knew he had written a book because I heard him interviewed on Gilbert Gottfried’s podcast. So I sought it out and bought it.
I just finished the book, for me finishing a book in ten days is fast, even an audiobook. I wish it hadn’t ended, but that wish can’t happen so I’ll just wish Alan writes another one in a few years.
This book is so accessibly articulate and honest, and Alan’s huge heart is laid bare and sweetly infectious. After reading him, or listening, you feel more open to people you encounter during the day. You just care more about people and their feelings and how they are doing. Maybe it’s just me but I hope not.
Most endearing for me here are Alan’s stories about his deep friendship with Gilda Radner.
I felt like I were reading about myself at times, at one point late in the book he recalls after getting dumped by a girlfriend:
Alan: My heart is broken. I never want to feel like this again. I’ll never fall in love again!
Gilda: Zweibel, you’re an idiot. You don’t not get a dog because you know some day it’s going to die!

[Erik Bitsui · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a pleasure to read. I haven't laughed out loud reading a book this much since Ozzy Osbourne's autobiography.

As much as I know comedy, as much as I love it, I have read very little about it, and that's a shame because I am missing out on so much. So I gotta change that shit!

My wife and I were watching the Gene Wilder biopic on Netflix when Alan came up in an interview. I pointed at the TV and said, "That guy is my friend." I explained to my wife that I was being silly but I did, in fact, send a message to Alan and he messaged me back via Facebook a few years before. Zweibel was very nice and took the time to share his words with me. How cool is that?

Weeks later, I made a comment on a post by Alan that my wife and I liked the Gene Wilder documentary. Alan again replied to me, and we went back and forth. And, again, I felt like a good friend of Alan's.

Laugh Lines follows Alan from making family members laugh as a child to making people laugh on the big screen, small screen, the stage, and in print. I checked out this book from the Flagstaff Public Library but I soon realized I needed to buy this book so I could have it in my private collection mainly because it is full of so many damn good jokes! I haven't laughed this hard since reading Ozzy's book -- no joke -- and that was years ago!

And the laughs do stop. Life can be cruel and unfair, dude, and that just sucks. Alan recalls his close relationship with Gilda Radner and their spectacular collaboration on Saturday Night Live, and, yeah, we experience the heartbreak of having to let her go. But, in true comedic fashion, the laughs do carry on, and Gilda's spirit continues to inspire Alan and me!

I was especially knocked out by the Gary Shandling chapter. I texted a joke Gary told Alan to a few of my friends about Gary's dog. I found the joke incredibly funny but only two friends laughed. I thought more of them would. I think Gary, Alan, me and my two friends would all get along.

I really liked how Alan has continued to work at his craft -- and he doesn't look like he's slowing down. I wanna read more comedy. I wanna write more comedy. I wanna watch more comedy. Thanks, Alan, for inspiring me, your Facebook friend.

[Paul Sutter]

While some may not recognize the name of Alan Zweibel, if you grew up watching Saturday Night Live in its earlier days, you will be familiar with the man. He was one of the writers, and was also seen in many skits on the show. He left a lasting impression with his deadpan sort of humor.
The foreword to this book was written by fellow comedian and friend, Billy Crystal. Crystal ways, “I love working with Alan and watching his focused mania/glee in putting words in the right order. I think that is what makes him the happiest, and that is what this book is about.”
Zweibel began his career by selling jokes to comedians in what was called the “borscht belt.” He sold the jokes for $7 each. To Zweibel that was a big deal. He always loved comedy even though his parents preferred he be-come a lawyer, bringing more prestige to the family.
Comedy came calling. He heeded that call, making quite the career from it. It was after a performance at Catch A Rising Star, when he had an audience Zweibel says of six drunks, that life changed. Billy Crystal was waiting to give him a ride, when a man came up to him, asking if he wrote his own material.
The man added that Zweibel was one of the worst comics he had ever seen. The man was Lorne Michaels, who was looking for talent for a new show he was producing, called Saturday Night Live. Alan had a choice of joining it or writing for Hollywood Squares. He chose SNL, and as they say, the rest is history.
He talks of his friendship with Gilda Radner, and working with Gary Shandling, who at the time he had a bitter falling out with. It was never easy being totally funny, but it seemed a natural thing for Zweibel and his ability to tap into a comedy consciousness that others had missed.
Aspiring comedians will learn from this book, and may serve as inspiration. LAUGH LINES is line after line of great insight and wit.

[John MacDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author , Alan Zweibel , was one of the leading comedy writers in the seminal Saturday Night Live show , when it first aired back in the 1970’s
From there he went on to write jokes for ‘ The Gary Shandling Show ‘ , and eventually co- created the brilliant ‘ Curb Your Enthusiasm’ , alongside Larry David
Alan’s youthful grounding, writing material for journeyman comics , who played the Catskill mountain comedy circuit, is very American- centric, as was his emergence , as bright young thing , in SNL etc , but the odd ,very famous , name , would crop up , which tweaked this reader’s interest, when the book started flagging
There are many shows , and name checking , that didn’t always ring a bell , but as someone who loves quality TV , and movies , and enjoys , learning about the accompanying creative process, I found Laugh Lines, a decent read , to agreeably , pick up , and put down , on a regular basis
The author went on to , successfully write for Broadway, and Hollywood, over the years, while managing to keep a level head , and always putting his family , first at all times, which is very laudable, despite the fact he continues to rub shoulders with , some very famous people , in the entertainment world
There are some very moving , and emotional passages , in Laugh Lines , concerning Alan’s close friendships , with colleagues , and family members, some of which still survive, while others, came to a national end ,( both naturally, and career - wise)
Alan Zwiebel , is an American comedy legend, who has written a lovely memoir here , which I thoroughly enjoyed, despite the fact , there is many individuals , and shows, l’ve never heard of , but I would heartily recommend this book , to anyone interested in , the creative process ,in the entertainment industry, or who are fans of , any of Alan’s books , theatre/ TV shows , and movies

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like Steve Martin's BORN STANDING UP, Alan Zweibel's jaunty and laugh-out-loud funny LAUGH LINES serves as both a compelling memoir and an invaluable primer to anyone hoping to succeed writing comedy. Before he became an Emmy Award-winning writer ("Saturday Night Live"; "It's Garry Shandling's Show") and novelist ("The Other Shulman" won the Thurber Prize for American Humor), Zweibel was a college graduate living with his parents and selling jokes to Catskill comedians for $7 apiece. In 1975, Lorne Michaels hired him as one of the original writers for "Saturday Night Live."

At SNL, he enjoyed partnering with Gilda Radner ("Our chemistry was magical"); their friendship lasted until her early death in 1989. The TV series brought him acclaim, awards and long-lasting friendships with many top comedians of that time. After five seasons, he left the show and found even greater success co-creating Garry Shandling's innovative sitcom. There were a few career missteps, including a 1991 sitcom starring Ryan O'Neal and Farrah Fawcett ("a romantic comedy for a couple who are neither romantic nor comedic," he remembers) and the big-budget film adaptation of his novel "North" (film critic Roger Ebert famously wrote, "I hated this movie. Hated, hated, hated, hated, hated this movie"). He also co-authored Billy Crystal's one-man Broadway show, "700 Summers," which won the 2005 Tony Award for Special Theatrical Event.

LAUGH LINES is a delightful and moving memoir, filled with sweet and sour star-studded behind-the-scenes tales of dealing with egos and creating or polishing material to make other comedians even funnier.

This laugh-out-loud memoir of a career writing material for other comedians is also an encouraging and indispensable guide for budding comedy writers.

[Elizabeth Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published 2020–Alan Zweibel has been a comedy writer for 50 years. He wrote jokes for stand-up comics such as Rodney Dangerfield, was one of the original writers on Saturday Night Live, co-created and wrote It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, helped develop Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays, and is the author of 11 books. Most recently, he cowrote the film Here Today starring Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish.

The author describes his early days writing for club comics for $7 per joke while slicing meat at a deli for a steady paycheck. He is tapped to be part of the first group of writers for Saturday Night Live in 1975. He and Gilda Radner quickly become close friends and write sketches together. He also writes topically for Weekend Update and creates sketches, including the Samurai ones performed by John Belushi. In the 1980s, Mr. Zweibel, with Garry Shandling, wrote and produced the inventive It’s Garry Shandling’s Show.

Mr. Zweibel shares stories of the many comedy writers, producers, actors, agents and others with whom he has crossed paths in his long career. He sheds light on the workings of a live variety show, half-hour comedies and film production. Through failures and disappointments as well as successes, his love for the business remains strong. The book is structured chronologically; the writing is clear and engaging. Anyone interested in the history of Saturday Night Live or of American comedy generally will enjoy this read.

[Buddy Gott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I've been enjoying his writings since I was a little kid watching things that he wrote on the original Saturday Night Live, this is the first book I've read by Alan Zweibel.

When I saw that it was about his entire career as a comedy writer, I became excited to read it. In addition to SNL, I was also a huge fan of It's Gary Shandling's Show, which Alan co-created, produced and wrote for.

Because I was such a fan of those shows, I had a strong feeling I was going to enjoy this book. And I was right. In addition to learning a lot of things about those shows, I also loved reading stories about other very funny people that Alan has worked with or been friends with, including some of my personal favorites like Richard Lewis, Billy Crystal, and Larry Sanders. And there are a lot of other legendary comedians that Alan shares stories about. One of my favorites, without giving any of it away, involves an encounter that Alan had with Henny Youngman.

As I read the book, I found that I really enjoyed Alan Zweibel's voice as a storyteller, which inspired me to buy and start reading his novel, The Other Schulman, before I was even finished reading this book. I'm thoroughly enjoying that one too, but I'll save that for another review. As for this one, I thought it was very informative, entertaining, funny, and moving.

To say that I enjoyed Laugh Lines would be a very big understatement.

I loved this book. Loved, loved, loved, loved, loved this book.


*I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for a fair review.

[Noah Goats · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came to this book knowing nothing at all about Alan Zweibel. I only gave it a shot because as I write this it is free to listen to on Audible Plus. Zweibel hooked me right away with his engaging voice and his sense of humor, and he kept me interested with stories of his collaborations with comedy legends like Gilda Radner, Garry Shandling, and Billy Crystal. He went from slicing meat at a deli to writing for a show that became a massive hit and won him an Emmy, essentially overnight.

The catastrophes were as interesting as the triumphs and I enjoyed his accounts of making a disastrous sitcom with Farrah Fawcet and Ryan O'Neil as well as the legendarily awful film North. Here's what Roger Ebert said about North in his review: "I hated this movie. Hated hated hated hated hated this movie. Hated it. Hated every simpering stupid vacant audience-insulting moment of it. Hated the sensibility that thought anyone would like it. Hated the implied insult to the audience by its belief that anyone would be entertained by it." Brutal. Zweibel lets us know what it is like to work really hard on something only to have it be hated, and he tells us what he said to Ebert when he ran into him at a restaurant years later.

Lots of good stories. Lots of laughs. Some insights into showbusiness and creativity. I enjoyed this book.

[Melanie Chartoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

An imminent joke meister of the last and current centuries, Alan Zweibel takes us behind the scenes, between the lines, from between his ears right into your heart.

From struggling at standup to shining as a top writer at SNL, as enhancer of greats like Gilda Radner and Garry Shandling; from punching up the old boys of the Borcht Belt to co-writing Billy Crystal's "700 Sundays," his humility and vulnerability plus his protean talents and work ethic lead to countless triumphs. His labors of love for the late Gilda, and his wife Robin's loving encouragement that he perform them, moved me to tears. But this book also bats 98% on the laugh track (only 2% of his jokes went over my head) and laughter and tears are the marks of a great book in my world view.

My parallel reality on a late night comedy show, interfacing with the same faces and places might bias me, but I believe "Laugh Lines" is a candid time capsule of classic comedy of our era. And, despite Alan's hilarious recent humor book collaborations with Dave Barry, "Laugh Lines" may mark a whole new solo career as a serious author for Alan.

[Stacy Helton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alan Zweibel’s Laugh Lines is a lovely memoir from the comic writer best known for his work in the original incarnation of Saturday Night Live. Zweibel starts at the beginning, a young wannabe writer on Long Island who sees The Dick Van Dyke Show and determines to be a comedy writer. Early jobs include writing jokes for the Catskills comics (as depicted in Annie Hall); here, Zweibel's gentle nature shines through, as he talks about this group of tuxedo-wearing joke smiths who were already becoming passe in the age of Pryor and Carlin. Zweibel goes on to regale the reader with stories of SNL’s early days, his great friendship with Gilda Radner, which culminated in the book and play Bunny Bunny, as well as his brittle relationship with his co-writer of the popular 1980s cable TV hit It’s Garry Shandling’s Show. Also, Zweibel chronicles his failures, whether it is show running the Ryan O'Neal-Farrah Fawcett flop Good Sports or the production of his novel North in 1994. Along the journey, Zweibel drops excellent stories about the comedy scene in the last 50 years. If, like me, you have all the SNL books – make sure you add this one to the collection.

[C.G. Twiles · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amusing and irreverent look at comedy writer Alan Zweibel's life of writing for not only classic TV like SNL but forgotten failures like Good Sports (Ryan and Farrah... anyone? Bueller?). Zweibel has a nice way of being funny without being cruel and even though occasionally it's very clear he can't stand certain people he worked with (such as the aforementioned Ryan O'Neal and Farrah Fawcett) he manages to keep his dishing not too dirty.

The second half was less interesting for me as it descended into extended A-kissing a la "my brilliant friend Billy Crystal.... my immensely talented pal Larry David... etc." I know that Zweibel's entire career hinges on more famous comedians liking him but it got to be a bit much. Then there's that terrible screenplay that closes the book about an old geezer (with dementia no less) who falls in love with a much younger manic pixie dream girl... and who returns his feelings! And they sleep together! If MUST do this overused and gag-worthy premise at least cast Richard Gere or Alain Delon NOT Billy Crystal. Alan seems to have no clue why every actress they approached turned this sexist turd down.

On the whole, an amusing ride.

[Sean Brightman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find it's often better with an autobiography to listen to the author telling their story if possible and so glad I did. Alan Zweibel is a comedy, TV and film writer, having been around for the 'glory days' of Saturday Night Live, having a creative partnership most notably with Gilda Radner and Garry Shandling. It's a book for anyone interested in pop culture, comedy writing, television, film and the business of show. Thoroughly enjoyed listening to Alan take me through a history of his writing, from old school Borscht Belt Jewish Comedians, through a life in TV, film, theatre and books – celebrating his successes and breaking down the not-so-successful projects, such as the ill-fated movie adaption of North, helmed by Rob Reiner, right through to his latest project, Here Today, a movie helmed by Billy Crystal, that he was writing about in real time as the book closed – and wasn't released until last year, partly due to the pandemic. All in all, it's a book, or audiobook worthy of your time, if you have any interest in comedy writing, especially for the screen.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I finished reading this memoir, it prompted me to start a new shelf on here for WTFpod because it's yet another book I read because I heard the author on Marc Maron's podcast. I've been a faithful listener for 5 years and have read a number of books that he has featured the author on the air.

This one was fascinating, well-written (no big surprise since he's a writer!) and fast-paced. I don't know all of the comedians he refers to in this book but reading this filled in a lot of gaps about my knowledge of SNL. I've been watching that show for a long time and I do enjoy learning about its origins. Great book for summer reading despite the fact that there are ups and downs in Zweibel's life.

The most touching section is about his relationship with the late great Gilda Radner. I may even track down and read his earlier memoir about their relationship, "Bunny, Bunny" after this.

[Tom Stamper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alan Zweibel seemed like such a nice guy talking to Dana Carvey and David Spade on their podcast that I sought out this book. Luckily he reads his own audio book so it's a longer version of that interview. He's had almost 50 years at this and I have to think it's partly due to people who like working with him. So who is Zweibel? He was an original writer on Saturday Night Live and the chief writer on that show for Gilda Radner. He was also co-creator of Garry Shandling's first TV show, the classic where he breaks the 4th wall like Burns and Allen. Then he went to write movies for Rob Reiner and then Billy Crystal's one man Broadway show. The guy just knows everyone in the comedy business and even has a humorous story about meeting Roger Ebert who trashed one of his movies. I enjoyed this a great deal, but listen to him on Fly on the Wall podcast if you are unsure about this book. If you like that then you will like this.

[B.]

I received an ARC of this one. There's a reason that I'm not giving it a star rating - I immediately came to the conclusion that I wasn't the audience for this one. I have watched maybe four episodes of SNL, including the one that Rob Reiner hosted? ran? did lots of talking on. I know roughly what the show is, but it's never been something to catch my attention, so the first few chapters of this one felt like a lot of name dropping to me, and I gave up when Zweibel started talking about how cool it was to find himself peeing in a urinal between two football players before the 40th anniversary. I appreciate the idea of the show for its impact on the comedy world, but I just don't care about weird anecdotes for a show that I've no interest in. If you're super into the show, this might be one for you.

[Omri Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

The craft of writing is the art of writing lines that were never said by characters that never existed for an audience that might not show up. (Herb Sargent)

I just finished a hilarious and insightful book. Laugh Lines: My Life Helping Funny People Be Funnier by Alan Zweibel.
I don't usually find myself laughing out from a book, but Zweibel is a professional, one-liner guy. I listened to the book on Audible, Inc. and found myself stopping the car or stopping my jogging so I could write down his great the lines. Like: My Uncle was so irrelevant in the civil war he was fighting for the west.
Other stories included how he dealt with Milton Berle's private parts or met Rosa Parks, or was it the other way around?

[Beth Neu · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining read from one of comedy's greatest writers, Alan Zweibel. Alan is probably best know as one of the original writers for Saturday Night Live (SNL). He shares what inspired him to become a comedy writer (a young fan of "The Dick Van Dyke Show") and how he started writing jokes for the "borscht belt" comedians getting paid $5 per joke! Then he had an interview with Lorne Michaels and his big break in comedy writing was solidified. He became best friends with Gilda Radner and met his wife while working at SNL. While the book focuses mostly on his comedy writing career, he shares stories of his family and friendships along the way with several humorous and serious stories. If you enjoy hearing about some of comedy's legends, this is a book for you.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the end of this book more than I did the beginning. In the last few chapters, the author ponders (possibly for the first time in his life), the meaning of his career, friendships, idols, luck, and life itself. In contrast, most of the book traces the author’s career path chronologically, like a greatest hits collection that he has played before and stories that he has told before. Still, two stories that the author tells about very different (both clean) celebrity encounters in restrooms put smiles on my face. The style in which he writes is conversational, which shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows that he has written funny sketch comedies and screenplays. I once saw this author on a book tour and found him to be very amusing in person too.

[Rachel Prince · Rating 5 out of 5]

I collect and read any book on SNL and those who were on it/wrote for it. I was thrilled to dig into this one after reading Bunny Bunny.

Alan Zweibel is a fantastic writer and this memoir is such an easy read even if you aren’t into showbiz memoirs. Even in the dull parts it’s entertaining. His explanations and musings are so descriptive and humorous. His resume is impressive and he has the right to brag but he doesn’t. The man never stopped working.

I think this is the perfect book for anyone wanting to be a writer, or for anyone in a creative field. I underlined lines in the book I wanted to remember for later. Absolutely loved it!