Brad Garrett

I understand when celebrities write stories of other more famous celebrities they meet and/or work with. But Brad Garrett’s book is more than that. I don’t if it is because I am also a fifty-something man myself, but I found this book to be laugh-out-loud hilarious. He hits topics like religion, growing up, relationships, working, flying, politics, children and so much more. There is some slight serious tones but he always ends it with a comedic flair that had me rolling most of the show more time. I understand where he is coming from and wish I was that funny! show less

When The Balls Drop is the collected life experience of Brad Garret, most known as Ray Romano’s sidekick brother on Everybody Loves Raymond for nine years. It is largely autobiography, interspersed and followed by a lot of politically incorrect views on pretty much everything, from sex to race to politics to religion to divorce to aging. Lots on aging. And alcohol, his near downfall. At the age of 55 he sounds like he’s 85.

He starts off easygoing and easy to get along with, and morphs show more into anger and sarcasm and becomes curmudgeonly. Most of the self criticism is sexual and scatological. Of particular note is his penis, which has not assumed the proportions expected by his otherwise gigantic (6’ 8”) stature. It’s not really what I wanted to know about him, but he’s amusing about it, so it’s okay.

The good news Brad Garret can be enormously funny. His decades as a standup have taught him terrific pacing, fabulous timing, and excellent technique. It’s an easy read, with smiles and chuckles throughout. The punchlines come at you like an AK47. He mixes it up and keeps you reading on. The bad news is he is top line, superficial and ignorant of the facts. He’s all about impression. Depth makes brief appearances in cameo roles. And he loves four letter words. I would normally collect my favorite lines and bullet them here for posterity, but this is a g rated review that I’d like to see displayed.

You can’t tell whether he’s like this for real or if this part of the act. He’s a comic, after all. That he proves it definitely should be sufficient.

David Wineberg show less

In a collection of personal essays, the sitcom star and standup comic takes a humorous look at middle age and touches on such topics as genetics, genitals, weight, and women.

In addition to talking about middle age, he discusses his childhood, being Jewish, celebrities he worked with along the way, and becoming a comic. I laughed at some parts but other parts were too crude or too mean for my taste. I loved him in Everybody Loves Raymond. I listened to the audio, which he read, and overall it show more was entertaining enough. show less

Hilarious!! Not a self help book, but helpful because it lets us old farts laugh at our troubles instead of crying. Easy, fun read as I knew it would be. Great stories! Hopefully somebody will let Brad know that 55 is beyond midlife (I doubt he'll live to 110)... oh never mind, don't spoil his delusion.