The Cosmic Wisdom of Joe Bob Briggs

by Joe Bob Briggs

Offers an outpouring of wit and wisdom in outrageous and irreverent essays and observations covering everything from the "B" movies of the author's youth to "National Public Communist Radio"

Genres: Humor, Essays, Nonfiction, Media Tie In

270 pages, Hardcover

First published January 30, 1991

About the author

John Irving Bloom, known by the stage name Joe Bob Briggs, is a syndicated American film critic, writer, and comic performer.

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not all that long ago, Joe Bob Briggs was a prominent humorist; hosting a show on TNT, publishing books, having a couple of columns in newspapers and magazine, but he appears to have faded away.

In this 1990 book, Joe Bob decides to solve all the world's problems. It's topical humor that really isn't topical anymore, discussing Montgomery Wards and Johnny Carson. It's still funny, but isn't relevant anymore.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an odd thing, this business of inventing a persona to review movies. And yet it results in amazing work. I dearly love Joe Bob, he ranks right up there with Libby Gelman-Waxner If You Ask Me: The Collected Columns of America's Most Beloved and Irresponsible Critic

[Bryan Davenport · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read some reviews and I want to state that this book is still relevant. Saying it isn't is like saying history doesn't matter and why do we learn it, which yes people still say that. I also want to point out that Joe Bob mentions Donald Trump twice. After another reviewer mentioned he brings him up I kept a reminder to see what was said. I am not getting political. He is making fun of Trump both times. The first time he says that Trump is like Ramses by building pyramids and having everything in tacky gold. There was no priase here. It's a joke and a statement. Find me a room of Trump's that doesn't have gold all over it. The next other is how Trump purchased Plaza Hotel and kicked out everyone he didn't like because they were tacky. Then he explains in a smart way of so this is tacky but you buy up buildings and surround yourself in gold. Also, this was written in the early 90s.

So to say that this isn't relevant is also a joke. He has so many Joe Bob rants that they still hold up even IF the current world events are different. Sure some businesses are defunct, some people are unknown and need to be looked up, and a lot of these rants are interesting. How interesting, to show how even though the world is different its still the same.

Something to remember, jokes are a sentence or two, rants can be a few paragraphs that are either funny or somewhat truths, and stories can be entertaining, funny, and a rant. If you know what I mean, and I think you do

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Accidentally read this and Iron Joe Bob in reverse order, but no matter, they're functionally not much different. Iron Joe Bob has a more specifically parodic framing device, where this one is comprised more of a series of digressions than anything cohesive.

I haven't had much good to say about Joe Bob's old work in this vein, and I don't like to be so negative about it all the time, so I do need to add that it's impressive as hell he's managed to evolve this character into something endearing and maybe even a little bit vital in 2020.

Both of these non-film-related books (although this does feature a lengthy passage on The Last Temptation of Christ) are fairly dire, hopelessly dated windows onto a world that no longer exists. Although I was struck by how much this particular volume casually referenced Donald Trump (mercifully, never in laudatory fashion).

[Adam Armour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Joe Bob Briggsy.

[Sean Bills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joe Bob is my hero but this book is just okay. Interesting anecdotes and some funny moments but nothing revolutionary and I'd rather just listen to the man himself.

[Mark R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glad to see Joe Bob Briggs experiencing somewhat of a resurgence in attention lately. He’s hosted two, coming up on three, horror marathons for the Shudder network, and has been hitting conventions and making other appearances as well.

I hadn’t read any of his collected articles and essays, and started, randomly, with “Cosmic Wisdom.” The book contains 270 pages worth of Joe Bob’s writing from the eighties and maybe part of 1990. As is always the case with these kinds of collections, a lot of the material is based on dated events and people, in some cases things largely dropped from public awareness. But that’s what the Internet’s for! And anyway, Joe Bob’s humor shines through even stuff I’m not familiar with.

Some chapters are better than others, and a couple that made me laugh quite hard. A few are just amusing, and there are a couple that fell a little flat. But for the most part, if you’re looking for a good written introduction to Mr. Joe Bob Briggs, as far as I can tell, this one should do the job.

[Wes Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely likable for a regional humorist. I suspect not too many people know of Briggs who actually has a pretty significant pop-cultural career (movie reviewer, cameo-star, et.al.). His stories are hit and miss, but hit their target most of the time - keeping the aforementioned sentence in mind...

[Mark Dunn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was John Bloom writing to impress his New York City friends. John Bloom is; anti gun ,pro abortion ,and mocks faith or even absolute truth. I only like John Bloom when he is in character.