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Taking a Stand: Contemporary US Stand-Up Comedians as Public Intellectuals
by Jared N. Champion and Peter C. KunzeContributions by Jared N. Champion, Miriam M. Chirico, Thomas Clark, David R. Dewberry, Christopher J. Gilbert, David Gillota, Kathryn Kein, Rob King, Rebecca Krefting, Peter C. Kunze, Linda Mizejewski, Aviva Orenstein, Raúl Pérez, Philip Scepanski, Susan Seizer, Monique Taylor, Ila Tyagi, and Timothy J. Viator Stand-up comedians have a long history of walking a careful line between serious and playful engagement with social issues: Lenny Bruce questioned the symbolic valence of racial slurs, Dick Gregory took time away from the stage to speak alongside Martin Luther King Jr., and—more recently—Tig Notaro challenged popular notions of damaged or abject bodies. Stand-up comedians deploy humor to open up difficult topics for broader examination, which only underscores the social and cultural importance of their work. Taking a Stand: Contemporary US Stand-Up Comedians as Public Intellectuals draws together essays that contribute to the analysis of the stand-up comedian as public intellectual since the 1980s. The chapters explore stand-up comedians as contributors to and shapers of public discourse via their live performances, podcasts, social media presence, and political activism. Each chapter highlights a stand-up comedian and their ongoing discussion of a cultural issue or expression of a political ideology/standpoint: Lisa Lampanelli’s use of problematic postracial humor, Aziz Ansari’s merging of sociology and technology, or Maria Bamford’s emphasis on mental health, to name just a few. Taking a Stand offers a starting point for understanding the work stand-up comedians do as well as its reach beyond the stage. Comedians influence discourse, perspectives, even public policy on myriad issues, and this book sets out to take those jokes seriously.
Taking the Lead: Lessons from a Life in Motion
by Derek HoughThe Emmy Award winner and only five-time champion of the hit ABC reality show Dancing with the Stars tells the inspiring story of his life and career.For eleven seasons, millions of people have tuned in to Dancing with the Stars to watch Derek Hough, the talented, consummate competitor whose skill and commitment have made him the show’s all-time champion. Whether he’s dancing with an Olympic gold medalist, an internationally renowned recording star, or a celebrated actress, Derek instills in each of his celebrity partners a deep passion, respect for hard work, and an irrepressible joie de vie spirit.Now, for the first time ever, Derek opens up about his life and the lessons he’s learned on and off the dance floor, revealing how he went from bullied boy to ballroom boss. He details how his experiences have taught him to embrace a positive outlook, and shares the insights he’s gained working with celebrity partners, along with never-before-told, behind-the-scenes stories from the show.Throughout, Derek spills the real secrets of learning to dance—connection, respect, and cooperative commitment—and demonstrates how he draws on the lessons of dance and competition to embrace and overcome the daily challenges we all face.
Tala Learns to Siva
by Kealani NetaneA lovingly empowering story about finding courage and strength in your family, history, and community through a traditional and cherished Samoan dance, taualuga. Written by debut author, Kealani Netane, and illustrated by New York Times bestselling illustrator, Dung Ho. <P><P> Tala wishes that she could dance the traditional Samoan dance, the taualuga, just like her Aunty Sina. But Tala's legs are too bouncy, her arms are too stiff, and she doesn't have Aunty's 'glow' when she dances. When Tala prepares to perform at her Grandma's birthday, she freezes on the stage. Will she find the strength and inspiration to help her dance? <P><P> Newcomer Kealani Netane crafts a heartwarming story about finding your inner strength through the love and guidance of your family. New York Times bestselling illustrator Dung Ho's cheerful colors and sweet characters bring this loving story to life, making this the perfect gift for little ones who are learning how to follow their hearts and make their own paths. <P><P><i>Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.</i>
Talent (A Talent Novel)
by Zoey DeanWhen thirteen-year-old Mac Armstrong witnesses newcomer Emily Mungler's stellar lying-to-gain-entry performance during a movie premiere party at the Roosevelt in Hollywood, it dawns on her that her own talent is to discover it in others! So Mac and her BFFs set out to prove it by turning fresh-from- Cedartown-Iowa Emily into a box office bombshell. They'll make deals, throw parties, crush on boys, all on the way to discovering that no matter how famous or important you are, friendship always comes first. Well, almost always.
Tales From Margaritaville: Fictional Facts and Factual Fictions
by Jimmy BuffettCollection of bizarre tales and essays from singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett
Tales From the Job Site
by Michael A. PesolaThese stories are not meant to offend anyone. They are written merely to enlighten the reader to the intricacies of remodel work. Remodeling has long since overtaken new construction in dollars spent; therefore, it stands to reason that many contractors and homeowners out there have a story to tell. These stories can take many forms, from horror, to comedy, to yes, even success stories. My father taught my brothers and me most of what we know. He instilled in us a moral code that helped us to distinguish right from wrong and he taught us how to do things right the first time. God bless him, he is still with us teaching and guiding, albeit more now by example and nuance. Remodeling is like a chess game. Anyone can move, it's finishing that counts. If you're going to do something--anything--do it right. In the end, if these stories entertain you or provoke some thought during your remodel project, or if you can find some humor in the whole process, then I guess the book was worth it.
Tales From the Job Site
by Michael A. PesolaThese stories are not meant to offend anyone. They are written merely to enlighten the reader to the intricacies of remodel work. Remodeling has long since overtaken new construction in dollars spent; therefore, it stands to reason that many contractors and homeowners out there have a story to tell. These stories can take many forms, from horror, to comedy, to yes, even success stories. My father taught my brothers and me most of what we know. He instilled in us a moral code that helped us to distinguish right from wrong and he taught us how to do things right the first time. God bless him, he is still with us teaching and guiding, albeit more now by example and nuance. Remodeling is like a chess game. Anyone can move, it's finishing that counts. If you're going to do something--anything--do it right. In the end, if these stories entertain you or provoke some thought during your remodel project, or if you can find some humor in the whole process, then I guess the book was worth it.
Tales from the Casting Couch: An Unprecedented Candid Collection of Stories, Essays, and Anecdotes by and about Legendary Hollywood Stars, Starlets, and Wanna-Bes
by Michael Viner Terrie Maxine FrankelIn Hollywood, securing a coveted role in a big-budget film or landing a part in a prestigious feature sometimes doesn' t come down to who or what you know— but how far you' re willing to go. Tales from the Casting Couch is an anthology of little-known stories and anecdotes about actual casting sessions that propelled then-unknown actors to fame or established stars who secured themselves second acts. Learn how Dustin Hoffman mumbled his way out of the wrong job, why Orson Welles got a second chance from Lucy and Desi, and much more. This collection of stories features many Hollywood' s stars and legends, such as Sally Field, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Martin, Robert Redford, Sylvester Stallone, John Travolta, and many, many others. In chapters like “ Chutzpah,” “ Size Is Everything,” “ Date with Destiny,” and “ Sex, Sex, Sex,” everyone from actors and actresses to producers and casting directors share some of the most outrageous stories about life behind the scenes in Tinseltown.
Tales from the Left Coast: True Stories of Hollywood Stars and Their Outrageous Politics
by James HirsenWhen Barbra Streisand sends Dick Gephardt a personal fax, it makes headline news. When international relations expert Sean Penn leads his own "tour of peace" in Baghdad, every news desk across the country reports it. It's no secret that Hollywood has a leftward tilt when it comes to politics. But what the celebrity-fawning media fail to show is how Hollywood's liberal bias affects actors, movies, and even public policy. In Tales from the Left Coast, author and political commentator James Hirsen digs deep into the liberal underbelly of Hollywood to reveal how biased politics have corrupted the entire entertainment industry. Through extensive research and scores of interviews, Hirsen uncovers some of the most ridiculous, infuriating, and damning political stunts pulled by celebrities of yesterday and today, and he traces the tangled web of influence the Hollywood elite have over politicians in Washington, D.C.
Tales from the Script: 50 Hollywood Screenwriters Share Their Stories
by Peter Hanson and Paul Robert HermanDiscover the secrets of Hollywood storytelling in this fascinating collection, in which fifty screenwriters share the inside scoop about how they surmounted incredible odds to break into the business, how they transformed their ideas into box-office blockbusters, how their words helped launch the careers of major stars, and how they earned accolades and Academy Awards. Entertaining, informative, and sometimes startling, Tales from the Script features exclusive interviews with film's top wordsmiths, including John Carpenter (Halloween), Nora Ephron (Julie & Julia), John August (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), and David hayter (Watchmen). Read along as:Frank Darabont explains why he sacrificed his salary to preserve the integrity of his hard-hitting adapta-tion of Stephen King's novella The Mist.William Goldman reveals why he's never had any interest in directing movies, despite having won Oscars for writing All the President's Men and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.Ron Shelton explains why he nearly cut the spectacular speech that helped cement Kevin Costner's stardom in Bull Durham.Josh Friedman describes the bizarre experience of getting hired by Steven Spielberg to adapt H. G. Wells's classic novel War of the Worlds—even though Spielberg hated Friedman's take on the material.Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver) analyzes his legendary relationship with Martin Scorsese.Shane Black (Lethal Weapon) reveals why the unrelenting hype around his multimillion-dollar script sales caused him to retreat from public life for several years.Tales from the Script is a must for movie buffs who savor behind-the-scenes stories—and a master class for all those who dream of writing the Great American Screenplay, taught by those who made that dream come true.
Tales from the Tail End: Adventures of a Vet in Practice
by Emma MilneIn 1996, Emma Milne started her first job as a newly qualified vet, a career captured on camera for television’s Vets in Practice. Now she tells the full story. They say that truth is stranger than fiction, and these Tales from the Tail End turn out to be stranger – and funnier – than you could ever have imagined…
Tales from the Tail End: Adventures of a Vet in Practice
by Emma MilneIn 1996, Emma Milne started her first job as a newly qualified vet, a career captured on camera for television’s Vets in Practice. Now she tells the full story. They say that truth is stranger than fiction, and these Tales from the Tail End turn out to be stranger – and funnier – than you could ever have imagined…
Talk
by Kathe KojaKit Webster is hiding a secret. Carma, his best friend, has already figured it out, and pushes him to audition for the high school play, Talk. When he's cast as the male lead, he expects to escape his own life for a while and become a different person. What he gets instead is the role of a lifetime: Kit Webster. In the play, Kit's thrown together with Lindsay Walsh, the female lead and the school's teen queen. Lindsay, tired of the shallow and selfish boys from her usual circle of friends, sees something real in Kit -- and wants it. But Kit's attention is focused on Pablo, another boy in school. The play is controversial; the parents put pressure on the school to shut it down. And when Kit and Lindsay rally to save "Talk", they find themselves deep into a battle for the truth: onstage, and inside themselves.
Talk Radio (TCG Edition)
by Eric Bogosian"Your fear, your own lives, have become your entertainment."--Talk Radio"More timely today than it was twenty years ago . . . Radio crackles with intensity."--Joe Dziemianowicz, New York Daily News"The most lacerating portrait of a human meltdown this side of a Francis Bacon painting. . . . This revival, like the original production, allows its star to grab an audience by the lapels and shake it into submission."--Ben Brantley, The New York TimesEric Bogosian's Talk Radio--his breakthrough 1987 Public Theater hit that was made into a film by Oliver Stone--has been revived in a "mesmerizing" (Newsday) production on Broadway, with Liev Schreiber playing the role of the late-night shock jock that Bogosian himself originated. The drama is set in the studio of Cleveland's WTLK Radio over the course of Barry Champlain's two-hour broadcast, being scrutinized that night by producers with an interest in taking the show national, and fueled as always by coffee, cocaine, and Jack Daniel's. Barry's jousts with his unseen callers--ranging from a white supremacist to a woman obsessed with her garbage disposal--are peppered with insights into his character from his ex-deejay pal and his sometime girlfriend/producer, and punctuated with a transformative visit from an embodied voice. Eric Bogosian is a writer and actor who over the last twenty years has authored five full-length plays and created six full-length solos for himself, including subUrbia; Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll; Pounding Nails in the Floor with My Forehead;and Drinking in America. He is the recipient of three OBIE Awards and a Drama Desk Award, and has toured throughout the United States and Europe.
Talk Show: Confrontations, Pointed Commentary, and Off-Screen Secrets
by Dick CavettThe legendary talk show host’s humorous reminiscences and pointed commentary on the great figures he has known, and culture and politics today.For years, Dick Cavett played host to the nation’s most famous personalities on his late-night talk show. In this humorous and evocative book, we get to hear Cavett’s best tales, as he recounts great moments with the legendary entertainers who crossed his path and offers his own trenchant commentary on contemporary American culture and politics.Pull up a chair and listen to Cavett’s stories about one-upping Bette Davis, testifying on behalf of John Lennon, confronting Richard Nixon, scheming with John Updike, befriending William F. Buckley, and palling around with Groucho Marx. Sprinkled in are tales of his childhood in Nebraska in the 1940s and 1950s, where he honed his sense of comic timing and his love of magic.Cavett is also a wry cultural observer, looking at America today and pointing out the foibles that we so often fail to notice about ourselves. And don’t even get him started on politicians. A generation of Americans ended their evenings in Dick Cavett’s company; Talk Show is a way to welcome him back.“Do you know that age-old question, If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, living or dead, who would it be? Well, assuming Santa Claus is unavailable, my answer would be Dick Cavett. After reading Talk Show, you could just imagine what a conversation with him would be like: pleasant, insightful, and oddly erotic. Dick Cavett is a legend and an inspiration to me.” —Jimmy Fallon
Talk to Her (Philosophers on Film)
by A. W. EatonPedro Almodóvar is one of the most renowned film directors of recent years. Talk to Her is one of the most discussed and controversial of all his films. Dealing principally with the issue of rape, it also offers profound insights into the nature of love and friendship whilst raising important philosophical and moral questions in unsettling and often paradoxical ways. This is the first book to explore and address the philosophical aspects of Almodóvar’s film. Opening with a helpful introduction by Noël Carroll that places the film in context, specially commissioned chapters examine the following topics: The relationship between art and morality and the problem of 'immoralism' Moral injury and its role in the way we form moral judgments, including the ethics of love and friendship The nature of dialogue, sexual objectification and what 'listening to' means in the context of gender Almodóvar's use of allusion and the unmasking of appearances to explore hidden themes in human nature. Including a biography of Almodóvar, Talk to Her is essential reading for students interested in philosophy and film as well as ethics and gender. It is also provides an accessible and informative insight into philosophy for those in related disciplines such as film studies, literature and religion. Contributors: Noël Carroll, A. W. Eaton, Cynthia Freeland, Robert B. Pippin, C.D.C. Reeve, and George M. Wilson
Talk to Me
by Anna Deavere SmithAnna Deavere Smith, the award-winning playwright and actor, has spent a lifetime listening--really listening--to the people around her. As a child in the segregated Baltimore of the early 1960s, Smith absorbed the words of her parents, teachers, neighbors--even train conductors--and realized that there was something more being communicated than the actual words: The conductor's voice had a mild kind of grandeur that was a cousin to the vocal tones I had heard at funerals--"Ashes-to-ashes"--and at christenings and weddings. These are words that have been said many times, but the person who speaks them understands that each time it must be said as if it matters, because it does matter. We never know what lies ahead, and we never know what just happened, and all words must house respect of those two unknowns. In Talk to Me, Smith looks back at a singular career as a seeker and interpreter of language in America, revealing the methodology behind her extraordinary search for the truth and nuances of verbal communication. For thirty years, the defining thesis of Smith's work has been that how we speak is just as important in communicating truth and identity as what we say. Everything from individual vocal tone to grammar, Smith demonstrates, can be as identifiable and revealing as a fingerprint. Her journey has taken her from the rarefied bastions of academia to riot-torn streets; she has conducted hundreds of interviews with subjects ranging from women prisoners to presidents of the United States. In 1995, her ongoing investigation led her to Washington, D. C. After all, what better place to wage an inquiry into the power of language and the language of power than in the city where "message" is a manufactured product? What happens when we as citizens accept--which we seem to be doing more and more--our chosen leaders' failure to tell the truth? And how can we know that we are hearing what Washington really has to say when everything we receive is filtered through the media? Armed with a blazing intellect and a tape recorder, Smith tackled these questions head-on, conducting more than four hundred interviews with people both inside and outside the power structure of Washington. She recorded these sessions in her trademark verbatim transcripts, which include every tic and verbal utterance of her subjects. More than thirty of these remarkable documents appear in this book, including interviews with Bill Clinton, Anita Hill, Studs Terkel, George Bush, Mike McCurry, and Helen Thomas. After five years of searing investigation into the world of the politicians, spin doctors, and power brokers who are steering the course of our country from inside the beltway, Smith has come away with a revelatory assessment--by turns devastating and hopeful--of the lexicon of power and politics in America. Talk to Me is a landmark contribution from a woman whose pioneering insights into language speak volumes.
Talked to Death
by Louise ShafferTV producer/amateur sleuth Angie DaVito returns in Emmy-winning Louise Shaffer's second daytime crime mystery--this one set against the backdrop of a megapopular talk show. Talked to Death finds Angie DaVito back in business--first as a producer, then again as a sleuth--having found employ (nearly over her own dead body) working for TV diva Cee Gee, hostess of her eponymous program, daytime's highest-rated talk show. When one of her inner circle is murdered, Cee Gee is among the chief suspects, as are others on her staff. Drawn into the intrigue by her own curiosity and by a plea from Cee Gee's precocious teenage daughter to solve the behind-the-scenes crime, Angie begins to probe. When Detective Teresa O'Hanlon is put in charge of the case, Angie renews her uneasy alliance with the straight-arrow cop. A budding romance with Teresa's younger brother, Patrick, baffles Angie nearly as much as the murder. With a flair for character as well as an insider's savvy for the telling detail, Louise Shaffer has crafted an intriguing mystery whose pace is as lively as Angie DaVito herself.
Talkin' Guitar: A Story of Young Doc Watson
by Robbin GourleyArthel "Doc" Watson (1923–2012) was a Grammy-winning guitarist, singer, and songwriter, high in the pantheon of bluegrass and country music greats. This picture book tells the story of a country boy, born blind, who found music in the sounds around him and learned to play that music on his guitar. Minimal text and breathtaking illustrations pay tribute to Doc's early determination, imagination, and musicianship. Includes additional biographical information.
Talking As Fast As I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between
by Lauren GrahamA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERIn this collection of personal essays, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood reveals stories about life, love, and working as a woman in Hollywood, along with behind-the-scenes dispatches from the set of the new Gilmore Girls, where she plays the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore once again.In Talking As Fast As I Can, Lauren Graham hits pause for a moment and looks back on her life, sharing laugh-out-loud stories about growing up, starting out as an actress, and, years later, sitting in her trailer on the Parenthood set and asking herself, "Did you, um, make it?" She opens up about the challenges of being single in Hollywood ("Strangers were worried about me; that's how long I was single!"), the time she was asked to audition her butt for a role, and her experience being a judge onProject Runway ("It's like I had a fashion-induced blackout").In "What It Was Like, Part One," Graham sits down for an epic Gilmore Girls marathon and reflects on being cast as the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore. The essay "What It Was Like, Part Two" reveals how it felt to pick up the role again nine years later, and what doing so has meant to her.Some more things you will learn about Lauren: She once tried to go vegan just to bond with Ellen DeGeneres, she's aware that meeting guys at awards shows has its pitfalls ("If you're meeting someone for the first time after three hours of hair, makeup, and styling, you've already set the bar too high"), and she's a card-carrying REI shopper ("My bungee cords now earn points!").Including photos and excerpts from the diary Graham kept during the filming of the recent Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, this book is like a cozy night in, catching up with your best friend, laughing and swapping stories, and-of course-talking as fast as you can.Don't miss Lauren Graham's book of advice for graduates and reflections on staying true to yourself , IN CONCLUSION, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
Talking As Fast As I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between
by Lauren GrahamA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERWINNER of the GoodReads Choice Awards 2017 for HumourIn this collection of personal essays, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood reveals stories about life, love, and working as a woman in Hollywood, along with behind-the-scenes dispatches from the set of the new Gilmore Girls, where she plays the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore once again.In Talking as Fast as I Can, Lauren Graham hits pause for a moment and looks back on her life, sharing laugh-out-loud stories about growing up, starting out as an actress, and, years later, sitting in her trailer on the Parenthood set and asking herself, "Did you, um, make it?" She opens up about the challenges of being single in Hollywood ("Strangers were worried about me; that's how long I was single!"), the time she was asked to audition her butt for a role, and her experience being a judge onProject Runway ("It's like I had a fashion-induced blackout").In "What It Was Like, Part One," Graham sits down for an epic Gilmore Girls marathon and reflects on being cast as the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore. The essay "What It Was Like, Part Two" reveals how it felt to pick up the role again nine years later, and what doing so has meant to her.Some more things you will learn about Lauren: She once tried to go vegan just to bond with Ellen DeGeneres, she's aware that meeting guys at awards shows has its pitfalls ("If you're meeting someone for the first time after three hours of hair, makeup, and styling, you've already set the bar too high"), and she's a card-carrying REI shopper ("My bungee cords now earn points!").Including photos and excerpts from the diary Graham kept during the filming of the recent Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, this book is like a cozy night in, catching up with your best friend, laughing and swapping stories, and-of course-talking as fast as you can.
Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies
by Ann HornadayWhether we are trying to impress a date after an art-house film screening or discussing Oscar nominations with friends, we all need ways to watch and talk about movies. But with so much variety between an Alfred Hitchcock thriller and a Nora Ephron romantic comedy, how can everyday viewers determine what makes a good movie?In Talking Pictures, veteran film critic Ann Hornaday walks us through the production of a typical movie-from writing the script and casting to the final sound edit-and explains how to evaluate each piece of the process. How do we know if a film is well-written, above and beyond snappy dialogue? What constitutes a great screen performance? What goes into praiseworthy cinematography, editing, and sound design? And what does a director really do? Full of engaging anecdotes and interviews with actors and filmmakers, Talking Pictures will help us see movies in a whole new light-not just as fans, but as film critics in our own right.
Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and Everything in Between)
by Lauren Graham<P>In this collection of personal essays, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood reveals stories about life, love, and working as a woman in Hollywood--along with behind-the-scenes dispatches from the set of the new Gilmore Girls, where she plays the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore once again. <P> In Talking as Fast as I Can, Lauren Graham hits pause for a moment and looks back on her life, sharing laugh-out-loud stories about growing up, starting out as an actress, and, years later, sitting in her trailer on the Parenthood set and asking herself, "Did you, um, make it?" She opens up about the challenges of being single in Hollywood ("Strangers were worried about me; that's how long I was single!"), the time she was asked to audition her butt for a role, and her experience being a judge on Project Runway ("It's like I had a fashion-induced blackout"). <P>In "What It Was Like, Part One," Graham sits down for an epic Gilmore Girls marathon and reflects on being cast as the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore. The essay "What It Was Like, Part Two" reveals how it felt to pick up the role again nine years later, and what doing so has meant to her. Some more things you will learn about Lauren: She once tried to go vegan just to bond with Ellen DeGeneres, she's aware that meeting guys at awards shows has its pitfalls ("If you're meeting someone for the first time after three hours of hair, makeup, and styling, you've already set the bar too high"), and she's a card-carrying REI shopper ("My bungee cords now earn points!"). Including photos and excerpts from the diary Graham kept during the filming of the recent Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, this book is like a cozy night in, catching up with your best friend, laughing and swapping stories, and--of course--talking as fast as you can. <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
Talking to Canadians: A Memoir
by Rick MercerCanada's beloved comic genius tells his own story for the first time. What is Rick Mercer going to do now? That was the question on everyone's lips when the beloved comedian retired his hugely successful TV show after 15 seasons—and at the peak of its popularity. The answer came not long after, when he roared back in a new role as stand-up-comedian, playing to sold-out houses wherever he appeared. And then Covid-19 struck. And his legions of fans began asking again: What is Rick Mercer going to do now? Well, for one thing, he's been writing a comic masterpiece. For the first time, this most private of public figures has turned the spotlight on himself, in a memoir that's as revealing as it is hilarious. In riveting anecdotal style, Rick charts his rise from highly unpromising schoolboy ("Rick still owes 15 dollars to the chocolate bar fundraiser" was one of the less brutal items on a typical report) to heights of TV fame, by way of an amazing break as a teenager when his one-man show, "Show Me the Button, I'll Push It. Or, Charles Lynch Must Die," became an overnight sensation—thanks in part to a bizarre ambush by its target, Charles Lynch himself. That's one story you won't soon forget, and this book is full of them. There's the tale of how little Rick stole a tree from the neighbours that's set to become a new Christmas classic. There's Rick the aspiring actor—hitting the road as a new young punk in a vanload of hippies and appearing on stage in Shakespeare—and a wealth of behind-scenes revelations about This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Made in Canada, Talking to Americans and the coming of the mega-hit Rick Mercer Report. It's a life so packed with incident and laughter we can only hope that a future answer to "What is Rick Mercer going to do now?" is: "Write volume two."
Talking to the Audience: Shakespeare, Performance, Self
by Bridget EscolmeThis unique study investigates the ways in which the staging convention of direct address - talking to the audience - can construct selfhood, for Shakespeare's characters. By focusing specifically on the relationship between performer and audience, Talking to the Audience examines what happens when the audience are in the presence of a dramatic figure who knows they are there. It is a book concerned with theatrical illusion; with the pleasures and disturbances of seeing 'characters' produced in the moment of performance.Through analysis of contemporary productions Talking to the Audience serves to demonstrate how the study of recent performance helps us to understand both Shakespeare's cultural moment and our own. Its exploration of how theory and practice can inform each other make this essential reading for all those studying Shakespeare in either a literary or theatrical context.