Biography, Autobiography, Memoir discussion

Memoirs written by comedians seems common now. What ones have you read? Are they funny, or just sad?

Maybe because they already have an audience, they can easily get a book deal.

I haven't read any by comedians for a while, but I've read

What's So Funny?: My Hilarious Life by Tim Conway

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball

Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin

In Such Good Company: Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox by Carol Burnett

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future... by Michael J. Fox

Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated by Alison Arngrim

I've read the Alison Arngrim one, thought it was funny.

Also Instant Mom by Nia Vardalos

I think I'd like to read Untouchable Girls: The Topp Twins' Story by Jools Topp

Enter Whining by Fran Drescher was hilarious

But there's a lot of newer comedians that have books out like Ali Wong Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life

I've read Trevor Noah's Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood That was pretty funny, but also sad

We Killed: The Rise of Women in American Comedy
Thought would mention it. Koren can you give us some names so we can look their memoirs up. I want to know who the funniest ones are.
I think I'd like to read Bossy Pantsby Tina Fey
Unqualified by Anna Faris also might be good.

Matthew Perry aka Chandler Bing's memoir was disappointing. Not funny at all, actually rather tragic.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing

I don't think Robin Williams ever wrote a memoir, but there are plenty of bios about him. Very sad he had to end his life that way.

Selina wrote: "We Killed: The Rise of Women in American Comedy
Thought would mention it. Koren can you give us some names so we can look their memoirs up. I want to know who the funniest ones are...."

I forgot about this book, because I didn't shelve it under memoirs.

Selina wrote: "We Killed: The Rise of Women in American Comedy
Thought would mention it. Koren can you give us some names so we can look their memoirs up. I want to know who the funniest ones are...."

At the beginning of the book there is a 'cast of characters'. A lot of them are writers and producers so I will just mention the more well known comediennes:
Joy Behar
Sandra Bernhard
Carol Burnett
Margaret Cho
Ellen DeGeneres
Phyllis Diller
Janeane Garofalo
Whoopie Goldberg
Kathy Griffen
Chelsea Handler
Valerie Harper
Lisa Kudrow
Paula Poundstone
Joan Rivers
Roseanne Barr
Maya Rudolph

There's more. The book is about 15 years old so some of them have passed.

Koren wrote: "Selina wrote: "We Killed: The Rise of Women in American Comedy
Thought would mention it. Koren can you give us some names so we can look their memoirs up. I want to know who the fun..."

Thanks
I remember reading one written by Ellen DeGenere's mother. Love, Ellen: A Mother/Daughter Journey it was this one by Betty Degeneres

It was about how Ellen made her start in comedy clubs and how her mother felt when Ellen came out. I guess it makes you more empathetic to the different kind of loves out there.
I haven't read any books by Ellen, but one of her former partners I recall had written a book Call Me Crazy: A Memoir Anne Heche.
It might be interesting to read both and compare. I have heard that Ellen had a mean streak that wasn't always apparent on screen.

Selina wrote: "Koren wrote: "It might be interesting to read both and compare. I have heard that Ellen had a mean streak that wasn't always apparent on screen.."

I've heard that as well, but can't remember where. I also read a piece by an audience member who was invited onstage who wrote that she was told by someone not to make jokes because Ellen was the funny one. If Ellen every had comedians as guests I'm sure it was different.

Have picked up Bossypants by Tina Fey but I want to read Rememberings by Sinead O'Connor first.

I am a somewhat Mean Girls fan.

Selina wrote: "Have picked up Bossypants by Tina Fey but I want to read Rememberings by Sinead O'Connor first.

I am a somewhat Mean Girls fan."

I hope you like Bossypants better than I did :)

Finally read Bossypants. I read the book, so didn't listen to the audio as recommended by pages and pages of endorsement/reviews from famous people I don't know.

It was funny in parts but not all, and I have never seen 30 Rock, so it kind of went over my head. Plus only one mention of Mean Girls. I didn't know Tina had a scar on her face, or that she was Greek. Or had two kids in her 40s.

Not sure why it was called Bossypants? But kinda interesting about the Chicago school of comedy. Chicago is not often on the radar in terms of film and tv, so learned about that. She is right about posing for magazines, that is all photoshopped.

Selina wrote: "Finally read Bossypants. I read the book, so didn't listen to the audio as recommended by pages and pages of endorsement/reviews from famous people I don't know.

It was funny in par..."

I looked up your question about the title. Apparently she was fighting back against the stereotype that women can't be good bosses.