Alan Zweibel
Author of Our Tree Named Steve
About the Author
Alan Zweibel is a writer for television, film, theatre, and of books, and a winner of the Emmy, Tony, Writers Guild of America, TV Critics Association, and Thurber Prize.
Image credit: Alan Zweibel publicity photo. Credit: Wikimedia author Alanzweibel.
Series
Works by Alan Zweibel
A Field Guide to the Jewish People: Who They Are, Where They Come From, What to Feed Them…and Much More. Maybe Too Much More (2019) 73 copies, 3 reviews
4 Movie Marathon Comedy Favorites Collection — Writer — 10 copies
Nuestro Árbol Aldo 1 copy
Associated Works
There's No Toilet Paper on the Road Less Traveled: The Best of Travel Humor and Misadventure (1998) — Contributor — 217 copies, 5 reviews
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1950-05-20
- Gender
- male
- Education
- University of Buffalo
- Occupations
- writer
producer
director
comedian
actor - Awards and honors
- Emmy Award, Outstanding Writing Achievement in a Comedy, Variety, or Music Series (1975/1976)
Emmy Award, Outstanding Writing Achievement in a Comedy, Variety, or Music Series (1976/1977)
Emmy Award, Outstanding Writing Achievement in a Comedy, Variety, or Music Series (1977/1978)
CableACE Award, Best Writing in a Comedy Series (1989)
Tony Award, Best Special Theatrical Event (2005)
Thurber Prize for American Humor (2006) (show all 7)
Ian McLellan Hunter Award, Lifetime Achievement in Writing (2010) - Short biography
- [from dust jacket of Our Tree Named Steve]
An original Saturday Night Live writer, Alan Zweibel has won numerous Emmy and Writers Guild awards for his work in television, which also includes It's Garry Shandling's Show (which he cocreated and produced), PBS's Great Performances, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Among his movie credits are the screenplays for Dragnet and The Story of Us. His many critically acclaimed theater credits include Bunny Bunny: Gilda Radner, A Sort of Romantic Comedy, which he adapted from his own book, as well as Billy Crystal's one-man Broadway show 700 Sundays. His fiction has appeared in such diverse publications as Esquire, The Atlantic Monthly, and Mad Magazine. Alan and his wife, Robin, live in Los Angeles and New Jersey and have three children, Adam, Lindsay, and Sari. - Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Brooklyn, New York, New York, USA
- Places of residence
- Wantagh, New York, USA
Woodmere, New York, USA - Associated Place (for map)
- New York, USA
Members
Discussions
Found: Children’s book - boy tries out new parents in Name that Book (June 2023)
Reviews
Using the framing device of a father's letter to his children, this sweet, goodhearted picture-book chronicles the relationship between one very special tree and the family who build their home right beside him. Unable to say "tree," the youngest child of the family christens the arboreal giant Steve, a name adopted by the entire clan, who come to love the towering tree, sparing it during the construction of their house, and making it the center of their outdoor lives once they move in. show more Providing everything from shelter and shade to a place to hangs hammocks and a clothesline, Steve is an integral part of the family's life, a strong and silent witness to the children growing up, until the day of a big storm...
I'm so very glad that a friend alerted me to this little gem - thanks, Crystal! - as I hadn't even heard of it before. I found myself with a bit of a lump in my throat, as I read Our Tree Named Steve, and was reminded of my own love for the two trees that stood near my childhood home - the red maple in the front yard, from which I liked to hang upside down by the knees, swinging back and forth; and the "tulip tree" in the rear, whose beautiful branches provided a fairyland of enchantment, when in bloom - and of my sorrow at having to leave them behind, when we eventually moved away. Kudos to Alan Zweibel for penning this tale of the important, and sometimes very emotional role that trees can play in our lives, and kudos also to David Catrow, who captures Steve's charm with his colorful and quirky artwork. Recommended to young tree lovers, perhaps in conjunction with Andrea Spalding's Solomon's Tree, which also examines the special relationship between a tree and a child. show less
I'm so very glad that a friend alerted me to this little gem - thanks, Crystal! - as I hadn't even heard of it before. I found myself with a bit of a lump in my throat, as I read Our Tree Named Steve, and was reminded of my own love for the two trees that stood near my childhood home - the red maple in the front yard, from which I liked to hang upside down by the knees, swinging back and forth; and the "tulip tree" in the rear, whose beautiful branches provided a fairyland of enchantment, when in bloom - and of my sorrow at having to leave them behind, when we eventually moved away. Kudos to Alan Zweibel for penning this tale of the important, and sometimes very emotional role that trees can play in our lives, and kudos also to David Catrow, who captures Steve's charm with his colorful and quirky artwork. Recommended to young tree lovers, perhaps in conjunction with Andrea Spalding's Solomon's Tree, which also examines the special relationship between a tree and a child. show less
This book is laugh out loud hilarious--another masterpiece of hyperbolic humor in Barry's inimitable style.I would love to know whether Barry and Zweibel each wrote one character, took turns putting the characters in impossible situations, or worked together on each chapter. Whatever the technique, it produced a very entertaining book in which two average suburban householders, one fairly nice and one a jerk, fall into a series of adventures that have world changing effects. Read it; but do show more not, under any circumstances tell anyone about Coast Guard Salamander Unit 9. Warning--there is considerable toilet humor, so you may not want to give this to any straitlaced aunts.
http://ritasreviewsandruminations.blogspot.com/ show less
http://ritasreviewsandruminations.blogspot.com/ show less
This book was hysterically funny. It is soundly rooted in contemporary pop culture, so I expect it won't have a terribly long shelf life, but @ the present time, the pop references work and this was one of the funniest books I've read in ages. Indeed, although I am generally a slow reader, I could hardly put this one down. The juxtaposition of the horribly offensive Jeffrey Peckerman & the mold-manered do-good Philip Herman, is hilarous as we watch these two erstwhile 'terrorists' bumble show more into bring peace & democracy to a troubled world. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Lunatics is a very appropriate title for this crazy novel as are the names of the two main characters, Jeffrey Peckerman, who is a real peckerhead, and Phillip Horkman, who is like something bad you horked up. Though of the two, I prefer Phillip, but that isn't saying much. These two are a pair of walking dominoes or dynamite, who touch things and set them in motion in a big way while still being the biggest idiots ever.
It starts with Horkman making a possible bad call at a soccer game show more against Peckerman's daughter. The two believe that they'll never see each other again, but fate has plans for them. Peckerman, a forensic plumber by trade, is out on a job when his wife calls and asks him to pick up a bottle of wine for her Oprah book club. He stops at the business called The Wine Store which is owned by Horkman. Only Horkman doesn't sell wine there, he sells pets. Wine is his in-law's last name and they insisted when they loaned him the money to open the store that he use their name for the store. Peckerman, of course, blows his lid at not finding wine there and Horkman reacts to that and pretty soon you have Peckerman beating a hasty retreat with a lemur.
Horkman, desperate to get his lemur, and pissed off that Peckerman ran over his foot, finds his address and goes over there to get his lemur back. Inside the house, the lemur gets loose during the book club right when Debbie is showing off her insulin pump, which the lemur snatches and takes off with right out the front door where Horkman grabs him and takes off. The lemur jumps out of the window, however, without the pump. Later, Debbie shows up at Horkman's children's concert with the lemur and threatens to throw it off the George Washington Bridge if he doesn't give her back her insulin pump. A chase ensues between Peckerman, Horkman, and Debbie. Peckerman's wife has made him go after Debbie and try to help her get her pump back.
While at the toll booth, Horkman finally sees the pump in his car and gets out to give it to her as she is just two cars ahead of him, but she drives away before he can. Desperate to catch her he drives through the toll without paying. He's out of gas in his Prius so he's only able to go 35mph and the cops are chasing him with a helicopter above him. He has no idea what's going on so he pulls over and they grab the pump and blow it up thinking it was a bomb. Peckerman was ahead of him and rear-ended Debbie who is passed out in her car. Peckerman goes to the cops to try to get medical help for Debbie and the cops believe that Peckerman is with Horkman and try to arrest him too. The lemur appears and jumps on the cops causing one of them to fire off a shot into the helicopter hitting the cop in the helicopter in the scrotum.
In the chaos, Peckerman and Horkman both leave but wind up meeting up together again, but fate will not keep these two men apart for long. On the run, as they are now being called terrorists, but not everyone who is hunting them down wants to turn them into the cops. This book is hilarious, which is nothing less than what you'd expect from a Dave Barry book. Zweibel wrote for Saturday Night Live, Gary Shandling's Show, Monk, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, winning Emmy's for his work. As you read it you cannot imagine what can possibly happen next, but you do know it will be laugh-your-ass-off funny.
Quotes
She said this with that voice women develop at a very early age, the one where whatever happens—the cable goes out, they have a headache, a lemur is shitting on the bed—it’s your fault.
-Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel (Lunatics p 23)
“She’s hot for you.” “Oh, that’s just the diabetes talking,” I told him. “Diabetes doesn’t’ talk. High fevers talk. Alzheimer’s talks. Certain infectious diseases don’t shut up for a second. But diabetes? NO. Diabetes comes stag and pretty much sucks the air out of the party.” “Okay, then it’s the insulin that’s talking!” I shouted back. “I’m telling you , she has no idea what she’s saying.” “Insulin doesn’t talk either. Serotonin talks Dopamine talks. Ultracet. A lot of your ADD and ADHD medications can be quite chatty. As can certain kinds of marijuana, cocaine and other street drugs. Bu insulin? Hell no. As boring as diabetes is, it’s a veritable one-man band compared to insulin.”
-Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel (Lunatics p 50)
There are precious few activities that grown men should do while naked. Showering. Swimming when no one else is around. Sex, whether someone else is around or not. And anything that takes place in front of blind people. Beyond that, all unclothed activities performed in the presence of those who’re sighted should be filed under the heading “Dear Lord, If He Bends Over One More Time I’m Going to Hang Myself.”
-Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel (Lunatics p 93)
“Fuck her yet?” “Excuse me?” “The nun. A word to the wise, Horkman. Nuns consider themselves married to God, so I’d watch my step if I were you, “he said, pointing skyward. “That is one jealous husband you don’t want to piss off. He’s God, for God’s sake! Fucking guy can turn your dick into a fried wonton just like that,” he said while snapping he stubby little fingers.
-Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel (Lunatics p 145) show less
It starts with Horkman making a possible bad call at a soccer game show more against Peckerman's daughter. The two believe that they'll never see each other again, but fate has plans for them. Peckerman, a forensic plumber by trade, is out on a job when his wife calls and asks him to pick up a bottle of wine for her Oprah book club. He stops at the business called The Wine Store which is owned by Horkman. Only Horkman doesn't sell wine there, he sells pets. Wine is his in-law's last name and they insisted when they loaned him the money to open the store that he use their name for the store. Peckerman, of course, blows his lid at not finding wine there and Horkman reacts to that and pretty soon you have Peckerman beating a hasty retreat with a lemur.
Horkman, desperate to get his lemur, and pissed off that Peckerman ran over his foot, finds his address and goes over there to get his lemur back. Inside the house, the lemur gets loose during the book club right when Debbie is showing off her insulin pump, which the lemur snatches and takes off with right out the front door where Horkman grabs him and takes off. The lemur jumps out of the window, however, without the pump. Later, Debbie shows up at Horkman's children's concert with the lemur and threatens to throw it off the George Washington Bridge if he doesn't give her back her insulin pump. A chase ensues between Peckerman, Horkman, and Debbie. Peckerman's wife has made him go after Debbie and try to help her get her pump back.
While at the toll booth, Horkman finally sees the pump in his car and gets out to give it to her as she is just two cars ahead of him, but she drives away before he can. Desperate to catch her he drives through the toll without paying. He's out of gas in his Prius so he's only able to go 35mph and the cops are chasing him with a helicopter above him. He has no idea what's going on so he pulls over and they grab the pump and blow it up thinking it was a bomb. Peckerman was ahead of him and rear-ended Debbie who is passed out in her car. Peckerman goes to the cops to try to get medical help for Debbie and the cops believe that Peckerman is with Horkman and try to arrest him too. The lemur appears and jumps on the cops causing one of them to fire off a shot into the helicopter hitting the cop in the helicopter in the scrotum.
In the chaos, Peckerman and Horkman both leave but wind up meeting up together again, but fate will not keep these two men apart for long. On the run, as they are now being called terrorists, but not everyone who is hunting them down wants to turn them into the cops. This book is hilarious, which is nothing less than what you'd expect from a Dave Barry book. Zweibel wrote for Saturday Night Live, Gary Shandling's Show, Monk, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, winning Emmy's for his work. As you read it you cannot imagine what can possibly happen next, but you do know it will be laugh-your-ass-off funny.
Quotes
She said this with that voice women develop at a very early age, the one where whatever happens—the cable goes out, they have a headache, a lemur is shitting on the bed—it’s your fault.
-Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel (Lunatics p 23)
“She’s hot for you.” “Oh, that’s just the diabetes talking,” I told him. “Diabetes doesn’t’ talk. High fevers talk. Alzheimer’s talks. Certain infectious diseases don’t shut up for a second. But diabetes? NO. Diabetes comes stag and pretty much sucks the air out of the party.” “Okay, then it’s the insulin that’s talking!” I shouted back. “I’m telling you , she has no idea what she’s saying.” “Insulin doesn’t talk either. Serotonin talks Dopamine talks. Ultracet. A lot of your ADD and ADHD medications can be quite chatty. As can certain kinds of marijuana, cocaine and other street drugs. Bu insulin? Hell no. As boring as diabetes is, it’s a veritable one-man band compared to insulin.”
-Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel (Lunatics p 50)
There are precious few activities that grown men should do while naked. Showering. Swimming when no one else is around. Sex, whether someone else is around or not. And anything that takes place in front of blind people. Beyond that, all unclothed activities performed in the presence of those who’re sighted should be filed under the heading “Dear Lord, If He Bends Over One More Time I’m Going to Hang Myself.”
-Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel (Lunatics p 93)
“Fuck her yet?” “Excuse me?” “The nun. A word to the wise, Horkman. Nuns consider themselves married to God, so I’d watch my step if I were you, “he said, pointing skyward. “That is one jealous husband you don’t want to piss off. He’s God, for God’s sake! Fucking guy can turn your dick into a fried wonton just like that,” he said while snapping he stubby little fingers.
-Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel (Lunatics p 145) show less
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 15
- Also by
- 2
- Members
- 1,968
- Popularity
- #13,063
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 91
- ISBNs
- 68
- Languages
- 7
