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I'd Rather We Got Casinos: And Other Black Thoughts
"The Daily Show's" Emmy and Peabody Award-winning Senior Black Correspondent shares his provocative, timely, and--above all--hilarious views on race in America.
Hardcover, 224 pages
Published
January 20th 2009
by Hyperion
(first published 2009)
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There are some books that do more than just occupy space on a shelf--there are a precious few--The Wealth of Nations, the Federalist Papers, Uncle Tom's Cabin, among others--that transform the times in which they appear.
This is destined to be one of those books. "I'd Rather We Got Casinos" presents the thoughts of Larry Wilmore. These are not just thoughts. They are profound thoughts. And they are black thoughts--presented by the Senior Black Correspondent for The Daily Sho...more
This is destined to be one of those books. "I'd Rather We Got Casinos" presents the thoughts of Larry Wilmore. These are not just thoughts. They are profound thoughts. And they are black thoughts--presented by the Senior Black Correspondent for The Daily Sho...more
Not familiar with author previously, as we don't have cable TV, but the couple times I've seen Jon Stewart's show I thought it was funny, so when I saw this in library I decided to give it a try.
It was ok. Format is like standup comedy skits/riffs transcribed. Very very light reading -- maybe an hour for the whole book. Emphasis on wordplay. A couple things that seemed (to me) funny such as the list of reasons you can tell Jesus was a black guy, and the series of chapters consist...more
It was ok. Format is like standup comedy skits/riffs transcribed. Very very light reading -- maybe an hour for the whole book. Emphasis on wordplay. A couple things that seemed (to me) funny such as the list of reasons you can tell Jesus was a black guy, and the series of chapters consist...more
This quick read mostly concerns itself with what I'll call meta-racist humor. It's not racist, but it's about racist humor almost exclusively.
Some of it is great, some of it so-so. That's what you get with comedy. If some of it didn't miss, it's probably because the person wasn't trying anything new.
Particular highlights included the trial for the "n" word (Wilmore felt that the metaphorical burial of the "n" word a few years ago was premature without...more
Some of it is great, some of it so-so. That's what you get with comedy. If some of it didn't miss, it's probably because the person wasn't trying anything new.
Particular highlights included the trial for the "n" word (Wilmore felt that the metaphorical burial of the "n" word a few years ago was premature without...more
Helga
added it
I'd Rather We Got Casinos and Other Black Thoughts, by the Daily Show's Chief Black Correspondent Larry Wilmore, isn't something that I would have spent money on, but I did check it out from the library and got a few hearty chuckles. The book is a collection of essays, (completely fake) interviews, and random thoughts on race, some of which are amusing, some of which are a little head-scratching, and most of which go on a little too long. However, there are some hilarious moments, such as Wilmor...more
It's interesting that the library shelves this book in the 305s (social science) not the 817 (humor) as I feel it is a work of comedy (social satire) more than a documentary. The chapters on black Jesus and angry black churches were the funniest. The most wildly humorous section was the mock letter-writing campaign to the NAACP to change the term African-American to chocolate. A friend laughed when I told him about this. D. will be the first to correct you if you call him black instead of Af...more
Mildly amusing at best -- he's funnier on the Jon Stewart show.
The only two sketches that really show potential here are the one about UFO's -- and why black people don't see them -- and an interview with "the Man," the shadowy authority figure who always keeps black people down.
What Larry Wilmore really needs is more edge -- much more edge. I was looking for an interview with Nat Turner, for example. Or a list of white women in Hollywood most desired by black...more
The only two sketches that really show potential here are the one about UFO's -- and why black people don't see them -- and an interview with "the Man," the shadowy authority figure who always keeps black people down.
What Larry Wilmore really needs is more edge -- much more edge. I was looking for an interview with Nat Turner, for example. Or a list of white women in Hollywood most desired by black...more
Like the books of other Daily Show alumni that I've read, Wilmore's is a little hit-and-miss, and I think I would have preferred to hear him say the material rather than read it on the page—his delivery adds a lot of punch to his material. As it is, it can be a little bland and static at times, and that's a shame, because when Wilmore's satire works, it works very well indeed. 'Bring Back the Shetland Negro' and 'It's Okay to Hate Black People Who Work at McDonald's at the Airport (It Doesn't Ma...more
I didn't have any laugh out loud moments, but that might be because I head Wilmore interviewed about the book and in the interview he discussed what I thought were some of the funniest essays. I may not have laughed out loud, but I was bother entertained and amused.
I like the idea of going from African-American to "chocolate" and white/Caucasian to "vanilla," with modifiers as needed. I also like the idea of reparations appropriate to the thing they're for.
...more
I like the idea of going from African-American to "chocolate" and white/Caucasian to "vanilla," with modifiers as needed. I also like the idea of reparations appropriate to the thing they're for.
...more
Larry Wilmore is currently the senior black correspondent to The Daily Show. He has written for The Office, The Bernie Mac Show and a bunch of other things I haven't watched except for clips here and there. I read his book, I'd Rather We Got Casinos because it was offered at a recent Bookcrossing meeting and I liked the title.
The book contains a collection of his "Black Thoughts" essays. They discuss important things (race, discrimination, profiling etc) and silly things (w...more
The book contains a collection of his "Black Thoughts" essays. They discuss important things (race, discrimination, profiling etc) and silly things (w...more
A humorous, candid, and surprising look at how blacks see themselves, and in some ways, how he asserts they keep discrimination alive themselves.
I especially appreciated his powers of observation and willingness to speak the unspoken: Intro xi,"The Man" Talk p15 and interspersed, street cred p 53, chocolate p 76 and interspersed to p 174, In Search of Black Jesus p 93-98.
He did a nice job with the acknowledgements, too. Note: some raunchy language.
I especially appreciated his powers of observation and willingness to speak the unspoken: Intro xi,"The Man" Talk p15 and interspersed, street cred p 53, chocolate p 76 and interspersed to p 174, In Search of Black Jesus p 93-98.
He did a nice job with the acknowledgements, too. Note: some raunchy language.
I almost don't want to believe this was written by Larry Wilmore, because I know that he is a hilariously funny man and this book just wasn't up to par. There were parts where I definitely had a good laugh, or even read aloud to my friend, but those parts were few, and mostly in the first half of the book. The title is so very promising...sigh. And I can't say that the book was highly offensive. It just wasn't funny.
I do want to say that I REALLY enjoyed his interview with The Man.
I do want to say that I REALLY enjoyed his interview with The Man.
At times, it's a little one note, but when it's good, it's really good. The recounted excerpts from his radio show are the low points, the letters trying to convince the NAACP to officially adopt the word "Chocolate" instead of African-American or Black are the high points, and his delivery makes the whole thing entertaining even on the chapters that aren't as solid.
Kristal Cooper
added it
You may know Larry Wilmore from The Daily Show where he often appears as the Senior Black Correspondent. His bits funny and insightful -- and loaded with truth. This book is a little straighter version of that character. The third-person perspective threw me off for a little while, but it was pretty good overall. I particularly liked the interview with the movie characters.
I normally love Larry Wilmore's often hilarious narrations on the black experience in the Daily Show (as their senior black correspondant), and while many of the skits and stories were really funny, taken as a whole, it was a bit much and lacked the much needed punch. Certainly worth listening to, but not nearly as funny as I hoped. 2 1/2 stars
I definitely enjoyed reading this one. Wilmore brings some pretty good insights about Black people and race in general. But he adds a strong dose of humor to keep things light. He also makes you think. The book is a pretty quick read. I would definitely recommend it. If you know Wilmore from his work with The Daily Show, then you will likely enjoy the book too.
Like most humor writing, this quick read (mostly unrelated bits,) is rather hit-or-miss. Wilmore is my favorite semi-regular on the Daily Show [Lewis Black's angry shtick is wearing thin,] but that is related to comedy (timing, interaction with the straight man,) which is missing in a humor book.
Some great laugh out loud funny moments ("Queen Latifah has officially become Pearl Bailey") and chapter headings ("Why Brothas Never See UFOs") and it really helps if you've watched Larry Wilmore on "The Daily Show." What I liked was that the humor was not the same familiar jokes other comedians have trotted out for years; instead, his humor is more off-kilter and unexpected. A quick read, and good brain candy between other books.
Kell and I saw LArry Wilmore live at the Wortham, and he was absolutely hilarious. I bought his book at the show and he signed it. Nice guy, super funny, and a very enjoyable read, especially after having herd him speak about his career and his thoughts on race in America.
One of the better books by a comedian out there. His repeated letters to the N.A.A.C.P. asking them to encourage the adoption of Chocolate in lieu of African-American or Black are hilarious. "Everybody loves chocolate and you don't even have to change your initials!"
I read this book during the fall of 2010. Larry Wilmore is an occasional correspondent on the Daily Show, one of my faves. This book is totally worth it just for Wilmore's essay on how an American president can *best* apologize for slavery.
The Daily Show's Chief Black Correspondent considers such concepts as racist vs. brotha friendly, starting an initiative to call African Americans chocolate (because who doesn't like chocolate?), and why it's okay to hate black people who work at the airport McDonalds. Funny stuff.
I'm a fan of Wilmore's scripted comedy and a lot of his other work, so I thought this book had a chance to be good. It isn't. It's shockingly bad. It's mindless, predictable racial humor with very little in the way of actual wit.
quick, uneven- some very funny, some not so. But the chapter on how we can tell jesus was black was a hoot, as was the different varieties of angry black churches and the radio talk show interview with "The Man."
While it’s certainly short, Larry Wilmore’s I’d Rather We Got Casinos absolutely delivers- plenty of wry and occasionally laugh out loud racial satire in the age of Obama.
There were a few amusing observations in here, but overall the structure felt cobbled-together, as if Wilmore needed to hurry to capitalize on his Daily Show fame.
A funny, witty and intersting look at Race in America. For fans of the Daily Show they may be surprised at the sharpness. Thank you my Chocolate brother!
Like many stand-ups Larry Wilmore can't write a book and be funny.
If these had been performed then they would have been better, but on the page they're flat and lifeless.
And he does fall into the cliche that being black the only thing he can writer about is being black. Gets pretty monotonous.
If these had been performed then they would have been better, but on the page they're flat and lifeless.
And he does fall into the cliche that being black the only thing he can writer about is being black. Gets pretty monotonous.
Excellently performed by Wilmore. Was quite impressed with all the voices he does. Content-wise, wasn't his best writing but had its moments.
I saw Larry in person at U of M and he read from this book. I enjoyed the book, but I think I liked hearing him in person more. :)
Actually didn't finish reading (got halfway and expected more of same).The pieces were humorous, but I like him better on the "Daily Show."
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Wilmore is a television producer and writer. He is currently a writer and recurring correspondent on The Daily Show.
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