I Drink for a Reason

August 3, 2009
Cross, a comedian best known for his role on TV's Arrested Development, is one of the few comedians working today with an easily identifiable comic voice, and his authorial debut ensures that his voice is heard on every page. Mixing bitterness and absurdity, the result is often piercing sarcasm, beginning with the preface (in which Cross imagines life as a famous author) and opener "Don't Abandon Your Baby"; though he may send up easy targets, Cross consistently hits his mark without sounding like a hack. Though largely irreverent, he often seems genuinely angry (even hurt) when responding to negative reviews or misquotes. Much of the book is devoted to getting even with his detractors, but they aren't all as good as the Pitchfork.com-skewering "Top Ten CDs to Listen to While Listening to Other CDs"; his response to a blogger who accused him of bigotry is strangely joke-free. Cross reserves his greatest vitriol for fellow entertainers Larry the Cable Guy and Jim Belushi, whom he accuses of, respectively, exploiting and outright disdaining their audiences. Though he admits inviting the charge of elitism with some of his material, Cross avoids condescending to his demographic while knocking out a steady stream of laugh-out-loud quips.

October 26, 2009
If Cross does drink too much, it would be helpful to know which sketches and essays he wrote under what conditions. Undoubtedly, this audiobook has some hilarious pieces that will leave listeners in stitches, but there are some that fall flat or simply drag on. His rants are a mixture of observations, self-revelations and hyperbolic suggestions about the way the world should be. With his comedic background, Cross does well with delivery and emphasis, never hesitating or faltering with the risks he takes. His most entertaining antics deviate from the unabridged text when Cross (rather delightfully) mocks or challenges the conventions of an audiobook, quixotically changing his mind about reading a list and enlisting a band to perform using the list as lyrics. A Grand Central hardcover (Reviews, July 20).