I've always been ambivalent with Sarah Silverman. She can be hilarious (THE standout in "The Aristocrats"), but she often pushes buttons that makes me...moreI've always been ambivalent with Sarah Silverman. She can be hilarious (THE standout in "The Aristocrats"), but she often pushes buttons that makes me uncomfortable. As, of course, she means to. But in my critical world, reader response is #1 and artistic intent is #2--I choose to consume, I am interested in its effect on me. It's ironic, of course, because my response to Silverman must be how other people respond to me: "aw, why did he have to say THAT?"
This book is different, though. It's not a joke, it's not written in character, it's her genuine attempt at autobiography. It's uneven, but I got a sense of who Silverman might be: the girl whose parents rewarded her for saying outrageous things, the bedwetter who was ostracised and nervous, the ambitious comedian, the hard-worker. She throws in the occasional bomb, a deliberately offensive line, but it's clearly to remind you she's the Silverman you've seen on TV, not because it's her everyday speaking voice.
Criticisms: I wearied during the sitcom-writing passages and the book lacked a satisfactory narrative climax--but what do you expect from someone who is only 41?
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