Born Standing Up
A Comic's Life
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Narrated by:
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Steve Martin
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Written by:
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Steve Martin
About this listen
At age 10 Martin started his career at Disneyland, selling guidebooks in the newly opened theme park. In the decade that followed, he worked in the Disney magic shop and the Bird Cage Theatre at Knott's Berry Farm, performing his first magic/comedy act a dozen times a week. The story of these years, during which he practiced and honed his craft, is moving and revelatory.
Martin illuminates the sacrifice, discipline, and originality that made him an icon and informs his work to this day. To be this good, to perform so frequently, was isolating and lonely. It took Martin decades to reconnect with his parents and sister, and he tells that story with great tenderness. Martin also paints a portrait of his times: the era of free love and protests against the war in Vietnam, the heady irreverence of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in the late 60s, and the transformative new voice of Saturday Night Live in the 70s.
©2007 Steve Martin (P)2007 Simon and Schuster Inc.You may also enjoy...
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I Must Say
- My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend
- Written by: Martin Short
- Narrated by: Martin Short
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Martin Short takes you on a rich, hilarious, and occasionally heartbreaking ride through his life and times, from his early years in Toronto as a member of the fabled improvisational troupe Second City to the all-American comic big time of Saturday Night Live and memorable roles in movies such as ¡Three Amigos! and Father of the Bride.
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Nothing Short of Spectacular!
- By Justin Lahey on 2020-01-27
Written by: Martin Short
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Still Foolin' 'Em
- Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys
- Written by: Billy Crystal
- Narrated by: Billy Crystal
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Billy Crystal is 65, and he's not happy about it. With his trademark wit and heart, he outlines the absurdities and challenges that come with growing old, from insomnia to memory loss to leaving dinners with half your meal on your shirt. In humorous chapters like "Buying the Plot" and "Nodding Off," Crystal not only catalogues his physical gripes, but offers a road map to his 77 million fellow baby boomers who are arriving at this milestone age with him. He also looks back at the most powerful and memorable moments of his long and storied life.
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The Best
- By Anonymous User on 2021-01-22
Written by: Billy Crystal
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So, Anyway...
- Written by: John Cleese
- Narrated by: John Cleese
- Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The legendary writer and performer of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame takes listeners on a grand tour of his ascent in the entertainment world John Cleese’s huge comedic influence has stretched across generations; his sharp irreverent eye and the unique brand of physical comedy he perfected now seem written into comedy’s DNA. In this rollicking memoir, Cleese recalls his humble beginnings in a sleepy English town, his early comedic days at Cambridge University (with future Python partner Graham Chapman), and the founding of the landmark comedy troupe.
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excellent, as expected.
- By Zenith VCR on 2019-11-13
Written by: John Cleese
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Is This Anything?
- Written by: Jerry Seinfeld
- Narrated by: Jerry Seinfeld
- Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Since his first performance at the legendary New York nightclub “Catch a Rising Star” as a 21-year-old college student in fall of 1975, Jerry Seinfeld has written his own material and saved everything. “Whenever I came up with a funny bit, whether it happened on a stage, in a conversation, or working it out on my preferred canvas, the big yellow legal pad, I kept it in one of those old school accordion folders,” Seinfeld writes. “So I have everything I thought was worth saving from 45 years of hacking away at this for all I was worth.”
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GENIUS...!!! TRUST ME...IT'S FOR YOU!!!!
- By SB The Student on 2020-10-09
Written by: Jerry Seinfeld
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Something Like an Autobiography
- Written by: Akira Kurosawa
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The distinguished filmmaker chronicles his life, from his birth in 1910 to the worldwide success in 1950 of his film Rashomon, and provides a provocative account of the Japanese film industry.
Written by: Akira Kurosawa
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Blowing the Bloody Doors Off
- And Other Lessons in Life
- Written by: Michael Caine
- Narrated by: Michael Caine
- Length: 6 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
One of our best-loved actors, Michael Caine has starred in over 100 films in his six-decade career, spanning classic movies like Alfie, Zulu, and The Italian Job (the inspiration for the book title) to playing Alfred opposite Christian Bale's Batman in Christopher Nolan's blockbuster Dark Knight trilogy. Caine has excelled in every kind of role - with a skill that's made it look easy. As he says, "Small parts can lead to big things. And if you keep doing things right, the stars will align when you least expect it."
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Wonderful
- By Lou on 2019-01-26
Written by: Michael Caine
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I Must Say
- My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend
- Written by: Martin Short
- Narrated by: Martin Short
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Martin Short takes you on a rich, hilarious, and occasionally heartbreaking ride through his life and times, from his early years in Toronto as a member of the fabled improvisational troupe Second City to the all-American comic big time of Saturday Night Live and memorable roles in movies such as ¡Three Amigos! and Father of the Bride.
-
-
Nothing Short of Spectacular!
- By Justin Lahey on 2020-01-27
Written by: Martin Short
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Still Foolin' 'Em
- Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys
- Written by: Billy Crystal
- Narrated by: Billy Crystal
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Billy Crystal is 65, and he's not happy about it. With his trademark wit and heart, he outlines the absurdities and challenges that come with growing old, from insomnia to memory loss to leaving dinners with half your meal on your shirt. In humorous chapters like "Buying the Plot" and "Nodding Off," Crystal not only catalogues his physical gripes, but offers a road map to his 77 million fellow baby boomers who are arriving at this milestone age with him. He also looks back at the most powerful and memorable moments of his long and storied life.
-
-
The Best
- By Anonymous User on 2021-01-22
Written by: Billy Crystal
-
So, Anyway...
- Written by: John Cleese
- Narrated by: John Cleese
- Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The legendary writer and performer of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame takes listeners on a grand tour of his ascent in the entertainment world John Cleese’s huge comedic influence has stretched across generations; his sharp irreverent eye and the unique brand of physical comedy he perfected now seem written into comedy’s DNA. In this rollicking memoir, Cleese recalls his humble beginnings in a sleepy English town, his early comedic days at Cambridge University (with future Python partner Graham Chapman), and the founding of the landmark comedy troupe.
-
-
excellent, as expected.
- By Zenith VCR on 2019-11-13
Written by: John Cleese
-
Is This Anything?
- Written by: Jerry Seinfeld
- Narrated by: Jerry Seinfeld
- Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Since his first performance at the legendary New York nightclub “Catch a Rising Star” as a 21-year-old college student in fall of 1975, Jerry Seinfeld has written his own material and saved everything. “Whenever I came up with a funny bit, whether it happened on a stage, in a conversation, or working it out on my preferred canvas, the big yellow legal pad, I kept it in one of those old school accordion folders,” Seinfeld writes. “So I have everything I thought was worth saving from 45 years of hacking away at this for all I was worth.”
-
-
GENIUS...!!! TRUST ME...IT'S FOR YOU!!!!
- By SB The Student on 2020-10-09
Written by: Jerry Seinfeld
-
Something Like an Autobiography
- Written by: Akira Kurosawa
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The distinguished filmmaker chronicles his life, from his birth in 1910 to the worldwide success in 1950 of his film Rashomon, and provides a provocative account of the Japanese film industry.
Written by: Akira Kurosawa
-
Blowing the Bloody Doors Off
- And Other Lessons in Life
- Written by: Michael Caine
- Narrated by: Michael Caine
- Length: 6 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of our best-loved actors, Michael Caine has starred in over 100 films in his six-decade career, spanning classic movies like Alfie, Zulu, and The Italian Job (the inspiration for the book title) to playing Alfred opposite Christian Bale's Batman in Christopher Nolan's blockbuster Dark Knight trilogy. Caine has excelled in every kind of role - with a skill that's made it look easy. As he says, "Small parts can lead to big things. And if you keep doing things right, the stars will align when you least expect it."
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Wonderful
- By Lou on 2019-01-26
Written by: Michael Caine
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So Many Steves
- Afternoons with Steve Martin
- Written by: Steve Martin, Adam Gopnik
- Narrated by: Steve Martin, Adam Gopnik
- Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Steve Martin met his good friend Adam Gopnik three decades ago, and in that time, Gopnik has always marveled at Martin’s ability to flourish in a wide variety of artforms: magic, comedy, art collecting, writing, and music. In So Many Steves: Afternoons with Steve Martin, New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik creates a new type of profile: a year’s worth of conversations with Martin where Gopnik pulls back the curtain on his friend’s illustrious career.
Written by: Steve Martin, and others
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Canada
- Written by: Mike Myers
- Narrated by: Mike Myers
- Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Comedy superstar Mike Myers writes from the (true patriot) heart about his 53-year relationship with his beloved Canada. Mike Myers is a world-renowned actor, director and writer and the man behind some of the most memorable comic characters of our time. But, as he says, "No description of me is truly complete without saying I'm a Canadian". He has often winked and nodded to Canada in his outrageously accomplished body of work, but now he turns the spotlight full-beam on his homeland.
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Love Mike Myers but...
- By Jardinpetitbasin on 2021-04-03
Written by: Mike Myers
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I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This!
- and Other Things That Strike Me as Funny
- Written by: Bob Newhart
- Narrated by: Bob Newhart
- Length: 3 hrs and 15 mins
- Abridged
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Performance
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Story
That stammer. Those basset-hound eyes. That bone-dry wit. There has never been another comedian like Bob Newhart. In this, his first audiobook ever, Newhart gives his brilliant and bemused twist on a multitude of topics, including flying, the trials of a family holiday in a Winnebago, and more serious subjects, such as golf. And, of course, there are side-splittingly funny stories from his life and career. Who else has a drinking game named after him? ("Hi, Bob!")
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Awesome audible book
- By carri suderman on 2023-11-07
Written by: Bob Newhart
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What's So Funny?
- My Hilarious Life
- Written by: Tim Conway, Jane Scovell, Carol Burnett - foreword
- Narrated by: Tim Conway, Carol Burnett, Dick Hill, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Six-time Emmy Award-winning funnyman Tim Conway, best known for his characters on The Carol Burnett Show, offers a straight-shooting and hilarious memoir about his life on stage and off as an actor and comedian. In television history, few entertainers have captured as many hearts and made as many people laugh as Tim Conway. There's nothing in the world that Tim Conway would rather do than entertain - and in his first-ever memoir, What's So Funny?, that's exactly what he does.
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“Tommy”Conway A most genuine human being turned funny man
- By Robert W. IRONSIDE on 2023-07-23
Written by: Tim Conway, and others
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Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama
- A Memoir
- Written by: Bob Odenkirk
- Narrated by: Bob Odenkirk, Steve Rudnick, Leo Benvenuti
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Bob Odenkirk’s career is inexplicable. And yet he will try like hell to explicate it for you. Charting a “Homeric” decades-long “odyssey” from his origins in the seedy comedy clubs of Chicago to a dramatic career full of award nominations - with a side trip into the action-man world that is baffling to all who know him - it’s almost like there are many Bob Odenkirks! But there is just one and one is plenty. Featuring humorous tangents, wild characters, and Bob’s trademark unflinching drive, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama is a classic tale told by a determined idiot.
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Perfect listen for any fan of alternative comedy
- By Adam on 2022-08-17
Written by: Bob Odenkirk
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A Polaroid Guy in a Snapchat World
- Written by: David Spade
- Narrated by: David Spade
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
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”.
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A tight 5 done in 6 hours
- By Mike Reiter on 2020-07-28
Written by: David Spade
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Inside Comedy
- The Soul, Wit, and Bite of Comedy and Comedians of the Last Five Decades
- Written by: David Steinberg
- Narrated by: David Steinberg
- Length: 13 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The world of comedy and comedians of the last five decades. By the man the New York Times calls "a comic institution himself", the only comedian (26 years in stand-up) to have made Elie Wiesel laugh, as well as having appeared on The Tonight Show (140 times, second only to Bob Hope, but who's counting). From the director of TV comedy series Mad About You, Seinfeld, Friends, Weeds, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Written by: David Steinberg
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Bossypants
- Written by: Tina Fey
- Narrated by: Tina Fey
- Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Before Liz Lemon, before Weekend Update, before Sarah Palin, Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: A recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV. She has seen both these dreams come true. At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live. Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've always suspected: You're no one until someone calls you bossy.
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funny!
- By Deanna La Jambe on 2019-06-07
Written by: Tina Fey
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On Writing
- A Memoir of the Craft
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Stephen King, Joe Hill, Owen King
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery.
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Packed with nothing
- By Amazon Customer on 2019-04-08
Written by: Stephen King
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Almost Interesting
- The Memoir
- Written by: David Spade
- Narrated by: David Spade
- Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
David Spade is best known for his harsh "Hollywood Minute" sketches on SNL, his starring roles in movies like Tommy Boy and Joe Dirt, and his seven-year stint as Dennis Finch on the series Just Shoot Me. Now, with a wit as dry as the weather in his home state of Arizona, the "comic brat extraordinaire" delivers a memoir.
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Hilarious!
- By Bianca on 2024-10-04
Written by: David Spade
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A Very Punchable Face
- A Memoir
- Written by: Colin Jost
- Narrated by: Colin Jost
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
If there’s one trait that makes someone well-suited to comedy, it’s being able to take a punch - metaphorically and, occasionally, physically. Told with a healthy dose of self-deprecation, A Very Punchable Face reveals the brilliant mind behind some of the dumbest sketches on television, and lays bare the heart and humor of a hardworking guy - with a face you can’t help but want to punch.
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So funny
- By KT on 2021-02-10
Written by: Colin Jost
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If You Ask Me
- (And of Course You Won't)
- Written by: Betty White
- Narrated by: Betty White
- Length: 2 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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It-girl Betty White delivers a hilarious, slyly profound take on love, life, celebrity, and everything in between. Drawing from a lifetime of lessons learned, seven-time Emmy winner Betty White's wit and wisdom take center stage as she tackles topics like friendship, romantic love, aging, television, fans, love for animals, and the brave new world of celebrity. If You Ask Me mixes her thoughtful observations with humorous stories from a seven- decade career in Hollywood. Longtime fans and new fans alike will relish Betty's candid take on everything....
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100% Authentic Betty White
- By Paula Allan on 2023-08-07
Written by: Betty White
What the critics say
"Absolutely magnificent. One of the best books about comedy and being a comedian ever written." (Jerry Seinfeld)
What listeners say about Born Standing Up
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Dylan Wilson
- 2023-02-20
Great for comedy nerds
I enjoyed learning about the struggle of an up and coming comic to find their voice and then success. Good listen short but sweet.
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- Anonymous User
- 2018-04-18
Steve Martin
Used to crack me up. Very nostalgic. Wish I had started listening to books earlier
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1 person found this helpful
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- Cameron
- 2022-04-02
Not necessarily what you might expect
Too short sadly :) It kind of ends where his wild success began. The artistic insights are profound, however, and I would recommend it to those who like Steve Martin. Lastly, I wouldn't have minded a bit more banjo. CS
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- Joelle
- 2018-01-27
Wonderful Memoir
Thoroughly enjoyed getting to know about the life of one of my favorite comedians.
I loved learning about how much thought he out in to creating a new kind of comedy.
The banjo in between sections was a lovely touch.
Solid memoir, would definitely recommend.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Shelby Ch'ng
- 2024-01-03
Great story but a little sad that SM seems...
I am a fan of Steve Martin's work. I grew up watching him. The book is well told and his standup stories are engaging. There is something about this story though that I find aloof. I can't quite put my finger on it though.
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- Will P
- 2019-12-24
Really enjoyable
Really enjoyable and Steve Martin as they narrator was a huge bonus. Wish it was longer and would love to hear about the rest of his life after stand up. Highly recommend this audiobook. Makes me want to go re-watch all his movies and concerts.
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- Arden Dunfield
- 2024-07-13
Great listen!
I totally enjoyed listening to the author reading his book. Such a great look at Steve Martin's journey in his stand up career.
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- Deena G.
- 2018-10-30
A raw and introspective novel
What a great autobiography by Steve Martin, exploring his rise to fame and shedding light on his anxieties and securities that came with that success.
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- Valerie Epp
- 2023-02-23
Honest and funny
I was sorry that the biography ended after 4 hours, I was enjoying it so much. I always liked Steve Martin and now I like him even more. Made me want to listen to his comedy albums. Thank you Steve Martin.
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- Anonymous User
- 2019-08-01
Brilliant!!!
Thank you Steve Martin for sharing your journey, struggles, and triumphs. Didn’t want the book to end.....
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