To-Do Lists of the Dead

by Jonathan Ned Katz

Ever wondered what George Washington put on his "To-Do" list? According to funnyman Jonathan Katz' book To-Do Lists of the Dead, it said check gums for termites and bury the hatchet.Katz has done it again. During a layover at LaGuardia Airport, Katz entertained himself with his PalmPilot digital organizer by creating "To-Do" lists of famous-and deceased-political figures, entertainers, and rock musicians. The result: the hilarious To-Do Lists of the Dead.

This wickedly clever compilation shows celebrities' tasks that were completed and those put off too long. For example: FDR

1. Come up with a more upbeat name for the "greatest depression" (not done)

2. Think of one more thing we have to fear for speech (not done)

3. Insist on twin beds (checked off)

Katz's creative comic ingenuity in To-Do Lists of the Dead illustrates why he's one of the few comics HBO has showcased in its stand-up series.

Genres: Humor

172 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2000

About the author

Jonathan Ned Katz (b. 1938) is a playwright, historian, teacher, gay rights advocate, and textile designer who has received the Publishing Triangle's Bill Whitehead Award for Lifetime Achievement in Lesbian and Gay Literature, and Yale University's Brudner Prize for a leading scholar in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender studies. Despite the lack of an advanced degree, he has taught at Yale University, Eugene Lang College, and New York University; has led a faculty seminar at Princeton University; and spoken on many campuses. His articles and reviews have appeared in the Village Voice, The Nation, and The Advocate.

His papers and numerous audio and video recordings are stored in the Manuscripts and Archives Division of The New York Public Library. He is the son of Bernard S. Katz.

Reviews

[Fred · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted this book to be funnier, but the concept did not hold up to book format. Jonathan Katz is a brilliant and understated comedian, and I can see this bit being a successful notion that he could deliver onstage. Filling an entire book with humorous to-do lists from historical figures, however, forces the joke beyond its capacity to surprise. Too often, in order to make the joke, only the most obvious and simplified event from a person's life is referenced. About half the time that works fine. The other half, I wished he might have kept brainstorming to find a worthier joke.

[Penni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute in concept, if not in execution. Read this in like 30 min.