After some time out of the spotlight, funnyman Phil Rosenthal, creator and executive producer of one of our favorite shows, "Everybody Loves Raymond," is back in action.
Last week, Rosenthal released a new book titled "You're Lucky You're Funny."
I saw the book at the bookstore and bought it because the back cover looked interesting and sounded good, but I didn't expect to start reading when I got home. After I paged through, I couldn't put it down.
In Rosenthal's first and smartly written book, he tells stories from the frontline of Hollywood and shares how he kept the show successful for nine consecutive seasons.
This book is a must have for fans of the sitcom as well as anyone who just wants a funny real-life read. In fact, this book is also great for anyone who is interested in the behind-the-scenes work of television production.
The book gives the feeling of a one-on-one conversation with Rosenthal while he gives the know-how of getting into and succeeding in the television production industry.
Readers will also get real-life tips on climbing the entertainment industry ladder without scandal, deceit or cruelty from his frank testimonials.
The author gives the basics on character development, script writing, casting calls, taping, dodging the red tape in the modern-day studio system and anything else you might wonder about the industry.
Rosenthal also openly explores and jokes about the candor and interesting reality of family relations. We learn in the book that the family featured in the sitcom is loosely based on Rosenthal's real-life family, which makes the book even funnier. Sometimes even the best comedians are funniest with real-life material.
There were times in the book when I laughed out loud. I do not usually become engaged in personal stories in books, but in this case, I could not help myself. Rosenthal tells of real issues within his family that are usually considered to be politically incorrect to speak of publicly; which makes this book even better, not to mention the stand-up comedy style of writing that jumps off the book's pages.
If you are going to travel to see family for the holidays, this is a great book to bring along when visiting your out-of-the-ordinary relatives. It will bring a special quality to your family; this book will show you the humor in any dysfunctional family situation.
Maybe, if you're lucky, you can imagine your own family starring in a sitcom and you can relax during the fun but often stressful holiday season. This book is great if you're still peddling lines from "Caddyshack" and looking for a new inventory of one-liners. Filled with jokes and teases, you're sure to get some new material.
If you like this book, you may also enjoy "The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer"; a book with psychological and philosophical insight into Homer Simpson's character in "The Simpsons." The book explores and argues how the character exudes Aristotle and Homer through action and dialogue.
If ASU comes up with a theater class on sitcoms, this would definitely be required reading.
'You're Lucky You're Funny'
Author: Phil Rosenthal
Publisher: Viking Adult
Price: Hardcover $25.95
Reach the reporter at: jessica.douglas@asu.edu.
