That's Not Funny, That's Sick

Entertainment writer Ellin Stein showcases the history of what has become America's most well-known comedic magazine, The National Lampoon. Being both informational and humorous, Stein interviews those who developed the signature comedic tone of the Lampoon franchise and explains the fascinating way the legacy grew to its success. Narrator Jim Meskimen re-creates the candid stories of Lampoon's familiar figures and clearly presents the facts. When the personalities of those behind the comedy are described, he adds emphasis to their points of view and strengthens the dialogue and quotes. The history of the magazine and its creators will be both familiar and inviting to fans. D.Z. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine

April 15, 2013
The story of the National Lampoon begins with a group of disaffected Harvard boys in the late 1960s who decide to produce a satire magazine. Journalist Stein leaves no tangent unexplored and no petty grievance unaired as she traces the magazine’s evolution and growing fame; forays into radio, stage, television, and movies; and its inevitable decay. The tumultuous 1970s provided innumerable subjects for mockery on both sides of the political spectrum, though the Lampoon didn’t pretend to have a loftier social goal than to garner some crude laughs—and some paychecks. Despite Stein’s detailed chronicles of the writing and business evolution of the magazine, the book itself isn’t particularly funny. Jokes that worked 40 years ago have been removed both from the immediate context of the magazine and from the social context of the period. Stein’s explanations of visual gags are even more problematic. She takes her subject seriously, when any of the people interviewed would be the first to point out how absurd it was. Though the book succeeds as journalism, and Stein shapes the magazine’s uneven history into a coherent narrative, readers shouldn’t expect many laughs. Agent: Chris Parris-Lamb, the Gernet Company.

September 1, 2013

When National Lampoon debuted in 1969, the magazine and its eventual radio and film spin-offs birthed a generation of comics and influenced the makers of properties such as Saturday Night Live and South Park. Stein's firsthand interviews and attention to detail make for an absorbing albeit joke-free account. Jim Meskimen, a comedic video sensation, has the narrative brio to make this a thoroughly enjoyable listen. VERDICT Recommended for all but will be of particular interest to boomer generation patrons. ["The author also describes the magazine's 28-year history in the context of its time period and provides insights into the people who worked on the print magazine and related Lampoon media. For fans of the magazine and pop culture enthusiasts," read the review of the Norton hc, LJ 3/15/13.--Ed.]--Kelly Sinclair, Temple P.L., TX

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