The king of the humor column and our Lord and Savior with regards to booger jokes, Dave Barry has graced the shelves of whatever book stores are still open (along with the much more copiously stocked digital shelves) with a new humor book that is destined to take up residence right along with the other blorgteen books of his that make up the Dave Barry wing of your humor collection!

Live Right and Find Happiness (Although Beer is Much Faster) is a new collection of essays in which Dave shares his divine wisdom on all of the random nonsense that his brain has compiled since he last humor collection, touching on such topics as his teenage daughter preparing to take the wheel, the countries of Brazil and Russia (in no particular order), and even the bizarre technological miracle that is Google Glass.

One day we hope to live in a future where Dave Barry columns will just be streamed directly to our eyeballs via a complex array of wireless networking and dorky-looking glasses, but in the meantime this latest comedic endeavor will serve to fit the role just fine…

Order your copy of Dave Barry’s Live Right and Find Happiness today!

The post New from Dave Barry – Live Right and Find Happiness (Although Beer is Much Faster) appeared first on Just Laugh.

Comedian is a very personal documentary of Jerry Seinfeld’s comedy life after he threw away all his old material and started fresh. Insecurities, competitive edge, and good old fashioned Seinfeld humor is here. The camera follows Jerry back into the trenches of the New York City comedy clubs, where he tries to perfect his new bits. He kills. He bombs. Most of all, he’s human. He says repeatedly that “I had a show, I was larger than life! Now, here I am, back in a smoky comedy club in New York.” All he wants is to be “comfortable” on stage again. Comedian shows the rocky journey to gaining that comfort.

The majority of people who have seen this film gave it raving reviews. The only person who hasn’t is Roger Ebert who claims that there was no deep revelations (or something of that nature). I disagree. While it isn’t as deep as I would have liked to see it, the movie is still very revealing. You see Jerry’s struggles and you see his triumphs. This was an extremely personal story and he shines. Being a comedian/comedy writer myself, I know how difficult it is to show your audience exactly how vulnerable you are. That’s what this movie accomplished. Seinfeld pulled this off brilliantly, and I commend him for it. Great job, Jerry. I didn’t think it was possible that he could be higher on my list, but I was proven wrong.

Orny Adams was a great contrast to Jerry. Orny was a cocky, too-sure-of-himself young comedian. Jerry was a seasoned, insecure comedian. It was a great contrast. Coupled with the surprising cameos of Colin Quinn, Mario Joyner, Jay Leno, Bill Cosby, and others, this film is entertaining from beginning to end.

This movie touched me specifically because I know this business. This is my business. Comedian is the first movie about stand-up comedy that shows the business accurately, yet gives it an optimistic promise. It blows the optimistic love fest, Punch Line, out of the water. This is comedy for what it is. If you are a struggling comedian, or a performer in general, this is a must see. It will show you that even the biggest stars still deal with the same issues the younger ones do. This is an extraordinarily comforting notion. So, comedians of the world, take notice! This film was made for us, and we should bow to Seinfeld for making it.

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Why don’t you tell our readers how Lou hooked up with Bud Abbott?

Through burlesque – Bud was on the circuit for a long time. Dad had a straight man and Bud had a different comic. Basically, Dad’s straight man got sick. There was chemistry there. I think Dad wired Bud who was playing in a different theater, so they performed together and history was made!

Their first radio show was the Kate Smith Radio Show. How did they hook up with that?

Henny Youngman suggested them to the producer of the show. Basically, they were going to be a substitute for Henny, so the producer went down and saw Bud and Lou, and he was happy, not overly thrilled because they were pretty visual, but happy enough. He decided to try them out and they went over really good. That was the show that kind of pulled them to Hollywood because it was that show that Who’s on First? first aired.

So how did Abbott and Costello get into the film industry from there?

It was after they did Who’s on First? that Universal wired them and asked them to come out to Hollywood to do the film One Night in the Tropics, so that’s what launched them into Hollywood.

What was the most successful Abbott and Costello film?

Oh God! Probably their first starring film, Buck Privates and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.

I’m kind of wondering about Jack and the Beanstalk, as it seems so different than what they were used to doing. How were they approached for this?

Actually it was the other way around. Dad produced Jack and the Beanstalk and distributed through Warner Brothers. He always liked the story of Jack and the Beanstalk and it was their first color film. So, it was Dad that kind of initiated that one. He loved children and he loved the story.

How were they approached for the Colgate Comedy Hour?

Well, they hosted it. I think it was just the reputation and Bud and Lou loved being on the stage. I mean, that’s where they started from. Not to mention it gave them a chance to employ a lot of their old burlesque cronies. They got to do what they loved best. They got to do it in front of a live audience and it was televised, so it was kind of a natural re-transition for them.

Now, I heard that Lou used to take props from the set that he liked.

Oh yeah! Not in the malicious way, though. He saw something pretty and he couldn’t understand why he couldn’t have it, so the producers used to tell him that he has to wait until after the show before absconding any of the studio’s property. He was kind of like a little kid who was, as they claim, the “ex-bad boy” of Universal.

I also heard that the money that Bud and Lou split was 60-40, with the 60 going to Bud Abbott. Is this true?

That was only in burlesque. That was a standard split; the straight man always got 60 and the comic always got 40. I have no idea why that is. When they came out to Hollywood, though, they decided to make it a 50-50 split.

Did Lou have a particular favorite guest star on the Colgate Comedy Hour?

Oh, boy. I would be guessing. I truly don’t know to be honest with you. Probably anybody who worked in burlesque was a favorite of his.

Did you ever go to the television set with him?

If I did, I don’t remember. I was so young. A lot of people will ask me question, “Did Dad ever talk about burlesque with you?” And I’d say, “Yep, at the age of 6, I just happened to pop the question, ‘Dad, what was burlesque like?’” I couldn’t even PRONOUNCE burlesque at that age. Dad’s career was probably the last thing on my mind back then!

Right before Bud and Lou broke up, they appeared on The Steve Allen Show and were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Did they know that was going to happen before going on the show?

No, I think it was set up as a surprise. Then, of course, the gold record ofWho’s on First? was dedicated to the Baseball Hall of Fame by Bud and Lou. They were the first non-baseball player celebrities that were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Why don’t you tell us a little bit about the Lou Costello, Jr. Foundation?

That’s a good one. It opened its doors in May of 1947 and it was dedicated to Lou Costello Jr., who died tragically as an infant. Dad wanted to build it for the underprivileged kids of East Los Angeles – you know, to get them off the street and give them supervision. It ran about $80,000 to keep the place going a year and he would travel around the country getting donations and what not. He made a baseball field for the kids, day care center, Olympic swimming pool, basketball courts, and everything he could give to these kids. He had a soda fountain. He would go down there with Joe Besser and Joe would play Santa Claus. It was really his “baby.” Then, going into the 50’s, he couldn’t handle the upkeep and stars were reneging on donations, so he turned it over to the state under two provisions. One – that it remained the Lou Costello, Jr. Foundation; and two – the portrait of Baby Lou would remain in full view. It’s still operational today.

I’m not sure if you can answer this, but after Lou’s death, Bud did a voiceover for several Abbott and Costello cartoons in 1966. Do you know how he was approached for this?

Oh dear! I have absolutely no idea! I really wish I did. I’m sure his reaction was wonderful and something that he relished doing, but missing my dad.

Did Bud perform after that?

Very, very short term. He got another comic named Candy Candito. They did the fair circuit for awhile, but it never really flew, so he went into retirement.

Now you run the Abbott and Costello Collectibles website. Any new collectibles coming out for us fans?

We just sold out on the talking Who’s on First? Christmas ornaments. I think we have 6 left in stock, which will probably be out by tonight. We have some Who’s on First? Animatronics dolls coming out and there’s some really cute mouth action with them. We also have the CD Play Ball that features Abbott and Costello. It’s like a montage of scenes from a lot of famous baseball films. That will be on the site pretty soon. It’s updating constantly.

Why don’t you tell us a little bit about your book, Lou’s on First, which celebrated it’s 20th anniversary not so long ago.

It came out in the early 80’s. It shocked everyone. I didn’t think it would remain in print as long as it has. It was basically to counteract the book Bud and Lou, which is not a fair portrayal of my father at all. It was very scathing and untrue, especially as my father wasn’t here to defend himself. So I undertook it, not knowing it would take 4 years out of my life to do. I researched everyone I could get a hold of. It became a therapy, too, because I got to know my parents as an adult. It was a Labor of Love. I have it on the Lou’s On First website, and I do lectures about my dad’s life.

Is there anything else you’re working on now? I know that you’re so busy!

The collectible site is doing really well. I do PR. I represent a lot of makeup people in Hollywood. I do a slide show on my dad. I have to do a lot of Estate stuff. The collectible site has me really energized and it’s doing very well.

Just Laugh would like to thank Chris for doing the interview with me. She’s become a great friend of mine and is a wonderful, wonderful lady who is very passionate about her father. We wish you the best, Chris!

Check out Chris’ other website, Abbott and Costello Collectibles, for the latest souvenirs of yesterday and today…

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