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I Found This Funny: My Favorite Pieces of Humor and Some That May Not Be Funny At All
I Found This Funny is a compilation of work by some of Judd Apatow's favorite authors. The book showcases many different styles of writing, from fiction to short humor to essays to comedy sketches to poetry. Featured writers include F. Scott Fitzgerald, Conan O'Brien, Lorrie Moore, Paul Feig, Jonathan Franzen, Alice Munro, and many more. Proceeds from the book will go to 826 National, a nonprofit tutoring, writing, and publishing organization with locations in eight cities across the country.
480 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2010
52 people are currently reading
1214 people want to read
About the author
Judd Apatow
22 books285 followersJudd Apatow is an Emmy Award-winning American film producer, screenwriter, director and former stand-up comedian. He is best known for producing a distinct series of critically and commercially successful comedy-style films, including Anchorman, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Talladega Nights, Knocked Up, Superbad, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Step Brothers, Pineapple Express, and Funny People. He is the founder of Apatow Productions, a film production company that also developed the critically acclaimed cult television series Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
March 30, 2012
Dear Judd,
You've certainly got a deliciously dark side to you, don't you? Tell your critics who complain that your title is deceiving that perhaps they should actually read the entire title, especially the ...and Some That May Not Be Funny At All part. However, considering you're one of the men behind some of the laugh-out-loud movies of our day, just putting your name on the book would probably be considered "deceiving" and "false advertising."
That being said, I think your book probably could have done with some more editing. I loved a few of the stories, and really didn't care for some of them (most notably most of the Funny stories). For almost 500 pages of short stories that I did overall like, there were quite a few that seemed to meander in unnecessary places - short stories that didn't fit like the rest of them.
My Favorite Parts?
A Mother's Tale, by James Agee: Hell, there's even a warning in your introduction:
Even though I knew exactly where this story was going from the first few lines, sometimes it's nice to read a story that reacts and flows in just the way that you expect it to. I'm not saying it was boring, but that it went in such a way that stories as such go. It was certainly not funny, and I can see how you consider it "the hard stuff," but for people that have been reading for as long as I have, the issues addressed have all already been addressed. It felt like I'd already read the story before - again, not in a boring way - in a comforting, homecoming sort of way (for all its disturbing aspects).
I Demand To Know Where You're Taking Me, by Dan Chaon: I was honestly surprised that this was written by a man. I felt as though everything going on in the mind of the main character (mother/wife/sister-in-law) was true. I'm not saying that men can't write women, but that I can usually tell the difference, and this felt more like it was written by a mother. Again, this was perhaps one of the more disturbing stories. With the main character's brother-in-law in prison, and his stuff being stored indefinitely at her house, she and her family have also inherited his pet bird. The foul mouthed bird with an attitude becomes her nemesis and a catch all for all her bad feelings towards her husband and her brother-in-law. The story ends with a strong finality that so many short stories seem to be missing.
Selected Drawings, by Hugleikur Dagsson: Now see, these had me rolling. I have a very dry sense of humor, and frankly, Judd, most of your movies are not my cup of tea, but these comics? Fucking Hilarious.
Six Selected Pieces, by Simon Rich: With stories a page or less in length, these all packed a powerful punch. They were funny, but they weren't crass.
Overall, Good book, but dear Gods, did it really need to have so many stories? Sometimes, less is more.
You've certainly got a deliciously dark side to you, don't you? Tell your critics who complain that your title is deceiving that perhaps they should actually read the entire title, especially the ...and Some That May Not Be Funny At All part. However, considering you're one of the men behind some of the laugh-out-loud movies of our day, just putting your name on the book would probably be considered "deceiving" and "false advertising."
That being said, I think your book probably could have done with some more editing. I loved a few of the stories, and really didn't care for some of them (most notably most of the Funny stories). For almost 500 pages of short stories that I did overall like, there were quite a few that seemed to meander in unnecessary places - short stories that didn't fit like the rest of them.
My Favorite Parts?
A Mother's Tale, by James Agee: Hell, there's even a warning in your introduction:
And skip James Agee until you can handle the hard stuff
Even though I knew exactly where this story was going from the first few lines, sometimes it's nice to read a story that reacts and flows in just the way that you expect it to. I'm not saying it was boring, but that it went in such a way that stories as such go. It was certainly not funny, and I can see how you consider it "the hard stuff," but for people that have been reading for as long as I have, the issues addressed have all already been addressed. It felt like I'd already read the story before - again, not in a boring way - in a comforting, homecoming sort of way (for all its disturbing aspects).
I Demand To Know Where You're Taking Me, by Dan Chaon: I was honestly surprised that this was written by a man. I felt as though everything going on in the mind of the main character (mother/wife/sister-in-law) was true. I'm not saying that men can't write women, but that I can usually tell the difference, and this felt more like it was written by a mother. Again, this was perhaps one of the more disturbing stories. With the main character's brother-in-law in prison, and his stuff being stored indefinitely at her house, she and her family have also inherited his pet bird. The foul mouthed bird with an attitude becomes her nemesis and a catch all for all her bad feelings towards her husband and her brother-in-law. The story ends with a strong finality that so many short stories seem to be missing.
Selected Drawings, by Hugleikur Dagsson: Now see, these had me rolling. I have a very dry sense of humor, and frankly, Judd, most of your movies are not my cup of tea, but these comics? Fucking Hilarious.
Six Selected Pieces, by Simon Rich: With stories a page or less in length, these all packed a powerful punch. They were funny, but they weren't crass.
Overall, Good book, but dear Gods, did it really need to have so many stories? Sometimes, less is more.
January 20, 2011
I found this half-assed. I appreciate the fact that Judd Apatow has a finite amount of time, and that editing a charity project is not his first priority, but much of this felt like he just picked the top few stories off the pile his interns handed him and called it done (he nearly admits to this in the foreword). I think a little more in selection, and a lot more care in sequencing the pieces (they are currently, and eternally, for that matter, alphabetically by author) would have served this better.
That said, most of the selections were strong, once one picks up on the tone, which is not haha funny in most cases.
That said, most of the selections were strong, once one picks up on the tone, which is not haha funny in most cases.
January 16, 2011
I'm always unsure how to rate short story collections. Should I rate it on how many of the short stories I liked? Or how cohesive I found the collection? I liked most of the stories/poems/plays in this collection, though I can't say all were funny. Some, like Tony Hoagland's poetry or Nora Ephron's contribution, made me laugh out loud. Ernest Hemingway caused my lip to curl. One selection that I found particularly meaningful was Jonathan Franzen's excerpt, a meditation/memory of Charles Schulz's works. Being a huge Peanuts fan myself, I loved his philosophical take, as well as the acknowledgment that the truth of the Peanuts gang's sadness and trials were what made those paneled moments so funny. Some stories I liked, but did not find funny. I think that there are some true gems in this collection, which is the reason for my 4 stars. It's definitely worth your time to be exposed to some of these works that you would ordinarily never have come across. And what do I know? Perhaps you will find James Agee or Dave Eggers more interesting than I did.
January 2, 2022
I guess this wasn't for me. Either the stories were too highbrow, or my sense of humor is not sophisticated enough. Admittedly, I didn't really all of the selections, but the funniest was probably David Sedaris's, which I've previously read.
September 26, 2011
Nice collection of writings put together by Judd Apatow, the Freaks & Geeks guy. I would say some of these pieces are hilarious, but most of them are not funny but "funny," as in quirky, and some even a little creepy. A lot of my faves in here, from Dave Eggers, Conan O'Brien, Steve Martin, Miranda July, David Sedaris, Jonathan Franzen (great piece about Charles Schulz), Jon Stewart, etc., etc.
December 22, 2010
Some gems in here. Some eyebrow raisers.
May 27, 2017
Glad to be done with this one. I read this cover to cover in the hopes of discovering some authors. I would say I enjoyed 6 out of the 38 included works. (those from Amy Bloom, Dave Eggers, Ian Frazier, Jack Handey, Simon Rich, and Paul Simms). I'll look up a couple of those authors that I didn't already know about. Many of the other works I didn't like were pretty twisted for an edited book of humor. All in all, I wouldn't suggest a full read through of this book. My recommendation: cherry pick selections that appeal to you right from the get-go. Read a page or two from each and if it's not your cup of tea, keep on moving.
July 4, 2021
Just get through the first few stories. I started reading this with high hopes of very funny pieces. I’m a fan of Apatow and thought this should be a collection of the funniest writing out there. However, the first third of the book was not funny. Poignant, interesting, dark and thoughtful, yes. Funny, no.
Another however, the rest of the book is a great collection of funny writing. Just get through that first third. Or skip it, what do I care? Do what you want and leave me out of it.
Another however, the rest of the book is a great collection of funny writing. Just get through that first third. Or skip it, what do I care? Do what you want and leave me out of it.
July 13, 2022
This is a really good collection. The only odd part is that the title even mentions the idea that it should be considered a collection of comedy. Yes, I know the title goes on in small letters to explain this it really isn't, but it just feels odd, as if Apatow is afraid to be a part of something that isn't considered comedy. If that is the case, hopefully he gets away from that, because this collection shows he has good taste both in and outside the comedy genre.
August 14, 2017
Not exactly the laugh-til-it-hurts romp I was hoping for, but it's always fun to explore an anthology and this one is an interesting mixed bag from one of my favorite writer/directors. It was just sitting out on a table at my library so I grabbed it, apropos of nothing other than admiration for Apatow's sense of humor.
July 22, 2018
An interesting collection of stories, essays, and scripts. Very much enjoyed James Agee’s “A Mother’s Tale” and Jonathan Franzen’s “Two Ponies,” along with Judd Apatow’s essay on his struggle with Freaks & Geeks, and the drawings of Icelandic cartoonist Hugleikur Dagsson.
April 9, 2018
I did not.
Interesting, at times, but not funny.
Interesting, at times, but not funny.
May 1, 2018
I did not find this particularly funny or entertaining
June 16, 2019
Only got through 4 stories and only liked one of those so gave up on this book. Glad I got it from the library and didn't buy it.
January 23, 2021
Some stories were good. Some didn’t hold my interest. Others I skipped.
January 23, 2021
Not what I was expecting but, I did enjoy the selections...well not all of the selections. The best was Ian Frazier's Coyote v. Acme took me back to Saturday morning cartoons!
May 24, 2022
Loved a mothers tale best
September 5, 2022
Disappointing - so much shitty, lazy humor and also some good stories, the last 100 pages were mostly quality, first 300 had a lot of misses
January 23, 2025
I know my rating is totally impulsive and may not be fair but I was so appalled that Mr. Apatow would find “A Mother’s Tale” funny that I gave the rest of the book a miss.
November 15, 2025
More hits than misses in this short story collection but sense of humor leans pretty dark, which I enjoyed...
December 21, 2025
I found 80-90% not actually funny. I was warned, but didn't expect this.
August 5, 2013
Funny, but not funny in a way that you'd immediately expect from Judd Apatow. A good portion of these are deliciously dark. While I didn't love all of them, I was happy that they were all included. Sometimes you need a kick in the pants from someone else to read something you might not otherwise. I appreciated the variety of what was included - stories, poems, drawings, and scripts. Apatow does provide a disclaimer at the end of the introduction - "To be honest, one third of this book might be depressing" - the percentage isn't that far off!
LOVED the pieces about Freaks & Geeks, and about Bill Hicks.
From the introduction, by Apatow:
"Becoming even semiliterate had an immediate effect on my writing. The courage to dig deep and reveal inspired me to take chances and look at parts of myself I had tried to avoid through workaholism and masturbation." p. 9
"And if you are reading this on an iPad, you are a douchebag." p. 11
From "Ocean Avenue" by Michael Chabon
"If you can still see how you could have once loved a person, you are still in love; an extinct love is always wholly incredible." p. 81
From "And Now a Word from the Booth..." by Paul Feig
On sports: "I don't begrudge anybody for getting excited about the fortunes of the team they've decided to follow. It's just when it really seems to affect their happiness and satisfaction with their lives that it makes me nervous." p. 155-156
From "Jason the Real" by Tony Hoagland
"It is so human to turn a freedom into pain
and it is so sweet when life
comes to teach you suffering" p. 215-216
From "Majesty" by Miranda July
"This pain, this dying, this is just normal. This is how life is. In fact, I realize, there never was an earthquake. Life is just this way, broken, and I am crazy to hope for something else." p. 233
From "The Goat Boy Rises" by John Lahr (this is the piece about Bill Hicks)
"'To me, the comic is the guy who says 'Wait a minute' as the consensus forms,' Hicks told me as we climbed the stairs to his dressing room. 'He's the antithesis of the mob mentality. The comic is a flame - like Shiva the Destroyer, toppling idols no matter what they are. He keeps cutting everything back to the moment.'" p. 236
"Most TV comics trade in brand-name jokes or jokes that play off physical stereotypes. They don't question their culture so much as pander to its insatiable hunger for distraction." p. 241
From "Good Country People" by Flannery O'Connor (I remember reading her work in high school, too - twisted stuff!)
"She looked at nice young men as if she could smell their stupidity." p. 316
"True genius can get an idea across even to an inferior mind." p. 324
From "Hard Rain" by Tony Hoagland
"Even serenity can become something horrible
if you make a commercial about it
using smiling, white-haired people
quoting Thoreau to sell retirement homes
in the Everglades, where the swamp has been
drained and bulldozed into a nineteen-hole golf course
with electrified alligator barriers." p. 429
LOVED the pieces about Freaks & Geeks, and about Bill Hicks.
From the introduction, by Apatow:
"Becoming even semiliterate had an immediate effect on my writing. The courage to dig deep and reveal inspired me to take chances and look at parts of myself I had tried to avoid through workaholism and masturbation." p. 9
"And if you are reading this on an iPad, you are a douchebag." p. 11
From "Ocean Avenue" by Michael Chabon
"If you can still see how you could have once loved a person, you are still in love; an extinct love is always wholly incredible." p. 81
From "And Now a Word from the Booth..." by Paul Feig
On sports: "I don't begrudge anybody for getting excited about the fortunes of the team they've decided to follow. It's just when it really seems to affect their happiness and satisfaction with their lives that it makes me nervous." p. 155-156
From "Jason the Real" by Tony Hoagland
"It is so human to turn a freedom into pain
and it is so sweet when life
comes to teach you suffering" p. 215-216
From "Majesty" by Miranda July
"This pain, this dying, this is just normal. This is how life is. In fact, I realize, there never was an earthquake. Life is just this way, broken, and I am crazy to hope for something else." p. 233
From "The Goat Boy Rises" by John Lahr (this is the piece about Bill Hicks)
"'To me, the comic is the guy who says 'Wait a minute' as the consensus forms,' Hicks told me as we climbed the stairs to his dressing room. 'He's the antithesis of the mob mentality. The comic is a flame - like Shiva the Destroyer, toppling idols no matter what they are. He keeps cutting everything back to the moment.'" p. 236
"Most TV comics trade in brand-name jokes or jokes that play off physical stereotypes. They don't question their culture so much as pander to its insatiable hunger for distraction." p. 241
From "Good Country People" by Flannery O'Connor (I remember reading her work in high school, too - twisted stuff!)
"She looked at nice young men as if she could smell their stupidity." p. 316
"True genius can get an idea across even to an inferior mind." p. 324
From "Hard Rain" by Tony Hoagland
"Even serenity can become something horrible
if you make a commercial about it
using smiling, white-haired people
quoting Thoreau to sell retirement homes
in the Everglades, where the swamp has been
drained and bulldozed into a nineteen-hole golf course
with electrified alligator barriers." p. 429
August 20, 2013
My copy is ARC.
I appreciate that all Apatow's proceeds from this book go to what sounds to be a very worthwhile charity promoting writing, so I will choose to forgive it. The book is maybe 1/3 humor (which I typically didn't find all that funny - lots of filler cartoons and one entire sitcom screenplay) and 2/3 short stories that Apatow likes...and that would be OK if most of them hadn't been lifted from a book called You've Got to Read This which I had already read (the book is, I believe, writers writing about their favorite short stories, and then the stories). Apatow is up front about that in his introduction, and also tells readers there is going to be a lot less humor than they might of thought, so there's that.
Anyway, as with most collections, a mixed bag. Most of the non-humor pieces are fairly famous short stories, including the heartbreaking "A Mother's Tale" which I refuse to ever let sear my eyeballs and heart again. It was nice to revisit a favorite O'Connor and to read an Alice Munro that I don't recall having read before. However, with all the retreads and the unfunny humor, it wasn't the book I was looking for right before surgery (um, thanks for cheering me up with multiple stories involving dead animals?!) and wasn't worth the time for me. However, if you don't read a lot of short stories and want to support a worthy cause by purchasing a copy, knock yourself out.
I appreciate that all Apatow's proceeds from this book go to what sounds to be a very worthwhile charity promoting writing, so I will choose to forgive it. The book is maybe 1/3 humor (which I typically didn't find all that funny - lots of filler cartoons and one entire sitcom screenplay) and 2/3 short stories that Apatow likes...and that would be OK if most of them hadn't been lifted from a book called You've Got to Read This which I had already read (the book is, I believe, writers writing about their favorite short stories, and then the stories). Apatow is up front about that in his introduction, and also tells readers there is going to be a lot less humor than they might of thought, so there's that.
Anyway, as with most collections, a mixed bag. Most of the non-humor pieces are fairly famous short stories, including the heartbreaking "A Mother's Tale" which I refuse to ever let sear my eyeballs and heart again. It was nice to revisit a favorite O'Connor and to read an Alice Munro that I don't recall having read before. However, with all the retreads and the unfunny humor, it wasn't the book I was looking for right before surgery (um, thanks for cheering me up with multiple stories involving dead animals?!) and wasn't worth the time for me. However, if you don't read a lot of short stories and want to support a worthy cause by purchasing a copy, knock yourself out.
March 2, 2025
Some good stories but inconsistent. Uncertain there was a flow to the different styles?
May 21, 2011
If you enjoy collections of short stories as well as contemporary comedic voices such as Conan O'Brian, Jon Stewart, and Bill Hicks, then this is a good read for you.
Important to note is that many of the stories are just good stories, and have little to do with an overarching comic theme. Too often we mistake books/collections on comedy to stay in the comic, but this collection explores the relation between the comic and non-comic.
Stories of note:
The stories of comedy insight, Apatow's diary on Freaks and Geeks, or the brief bio-sketch on Bill Hicks, were interesting and fun, but mostly surface level. They were great stories, but they do not typify the central character of the collection.
Personal Stories, like the one about the single woman trying to date or the one about Paul Fieg's football announcing experiences were interesting.
The comic strips and scripts were interesting.
But the best asset to the collection are the stories from Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and O'Conner. After the O'Conner piece I gasped aloud and had to take a break, because the end of the story was just so incredible.
Anyway, I do recommend this book if you are looking for laughter and something more.
Important to note is that many of the stories are just good stories, and have little to do with an overarching comic theme. Too often we mistake books/collections on comedy to stay in the comic, but this collection explores the relation between the comic and non-comic.
Stories of note:
The stories of comedy insight, Apatow's diary on Freaks and Geeks, or the brief bio-sketch on Bill Hicks, were interesting and fun, but mostly surface level. They were great stories, but they do not typify the central character of the collection.
Personal Stories, like the one about the single woman trying to date or the one about Paul Fieg's football announcing experiences were interesting.
The comic strips and scripts were interesting.
But the best asset to the collection are the stories from Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and O'Conner. After the O'Conner piece I gasped aloud and had to take a break, because the end of the story was just so incredible.
Anyway, I do recommend this book if you are looking for laughter and something more.
April 13, 2011
I am wondering, mid-way through the book, if the "I Found This Funny" title is actually referring to "I found it funny that I'm making you read such intense and dramatic works while you *thought* you'd be reading something funny."
(There is a spoiler of one of the stories below..)
There's no doubt that the works are fascinating and emotional, and it certainly is an interesting and wide-ranging collection, but after finishing Dan Chaon's "I demand to know where you're taking me" about a wife who's marriage is falling apart due to her brother in law being a convicted rapist and having to take care of his twisted parrot who ends up being beaten to death at the end... not funny! Just like the ten stories before this. And I seem to find humor in just about everything. I just about put down the book right there, sick to my stomach in a definitely not-funny way. Though Apatow may have found my response funny. So there you go.
(There is a spoiler of one of the stories below..)
There's no doubt that the works are fascinating and emotional, and it certainly is an interesting and wide-ranging collection, but after finishing Dan Chaon's "I demand to know where you're taking me" about a wife who's marriage is falling apart due to her brother in law being a convicted rapist and having to take care of his twisted parrot who ends up being beaten to death at the end... not funny! Just like the ten stories before this. And I seem to find humor in just about everything. I just about put down the book right there, sick to my stomach in a definitely not-funny way. Though Apatow may have found my response funny. So there you go.
September 3, 2011
Okay, I'll admit... I was expecting some laugh-out-loud hilarity when I first purchased this book (last Christmas, might I add...) Though, after reading Judd Apatow's introduction, it was very clear to me that this wasn't going to be HA HA funny. This novel is an anthology of short stories, sketches, poems and cartoons that Apatow put together when he decided that he needed to start reading more. Since I have never been very good at picking out short stories to read (but have enjoyed a LOT that others have told me about), I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There were some stories that I simply didn't get, but a lot that were so filled with irony that it was impossible not to think of them as funny. A slow read, maybe, but definitely good if short stories are your thing!
January 29, 2013
It's marketed as a humor anthology, but the selections are mostly appalling or depressing. I know he warned me in the second half of the title, but wow! There are a few gems in among the icky stuff, e.g. Ian Frazier's "Coyote v. Acme" and Jonathan Franzen's reminiscence of his relationship with Charles Schulz's "Peanuts" through Franzen's childhood, plus works by Philip Roth and Flannery O'Connor that have appeared in better company elsewhere.
I'm grateful to this book for including some authors I'd heard of and wondered if they were worth checking out ... bye-bye, Miranda July!
Just let me say this: if you find Hugleikur Dagsson's stick-figure cartoons marvelously witty, you and I are not from the same planet.
I'm grateful to this book for including some authors I'd heard of and wondered if they were worth checking out ... bye-bye, Miranda July!
Just let me say this: if you find Hugleikur Dagsson's stick-figure cartoons marvelously witty, you and I are not from the same planet.
July 28, 2019
This might be the only collection where writing from Adam Sandler is in the same anthology with fiction from F Scott Fitzgerald.
Despite the title of this book & reputation of the famed editor there's little humor compiled but there is however some terrific fiction from Raymond Carver, Andre Dubus & Tobias Wolf and there's some great non-fiction from Paul Feig, Jonathan Franzen, Steven Martin and a profile of Bill Hicks from the New Yorker magazine.
The best "funny" piece just might be the hilarious tv pilot "Lookwell" with Adam West and written by Conan O'Brien & Robert Smigel. Only 1 episode of the show was ever produced & its available to watch on YouTube.
Despite the title of this book & reputation of the famed editor there's little humor compiled but there is however some terrific fiction from Raymond Carver, Andre Dubus & Tobias Wolf and there's some great non-fiction from Paul Feig, Jonathan Franzen, Steven Martin and a profile of Bill Hicks from the New Yorker magazine.
The best "funny" piece just might be the hilarious tv pilot "Lookwell" with Adam West and written by Conan O'Brien & Robert Smigel. Only 1 episode of the show was ever produced & its available to watch on YouTube.
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