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Everybody Is Awful:
A rant-ish memoir by the veteran stand-up comedian and former cohost of That Metal Show , with a foreword by Jim Norton.
Twitter Trolls. Facebook Freaks. Instagram Exhibitionists. These are just a few of the creatures our technology-obsessed culture has spawned in its quest to simplify our lives. The madness is so universal now that everyone has dealt with it. You log in to Facebook, read a stupid post, and immediately want to tell your "friend" to go have relations with himself. Sure, social media may keep us connected, but it is a breeding ground for idiots, and these idiots have crowd-sourced a storm of useless information, corny jokes, and douchebag drama that's wasting our time and screwing with our peace of mind.
Thankfully, popular comedian and television host Jim Florentine has a solution for those of us on the verge of bashing our iPhones to bits. In Everybody Is Awful , Florentine attacks awful people and awful situations with the same biting satire and cringe-worthy humor that made him famous on television shows like Crank Yankers , Meet the Creeps , and That Metal Show .
Along the way, Everybody Is Awful takes readers through the author's formative years, a time filled with rebellion and horrible behavior, to the crazy early days of his career as a stand-up comedian. Florentine also recounts how he developed an obsession with pranks that morphed into his uniquely vigilante style of comedy and made him one of the most legendary prank callers of all time.
Florentine excels at channeling the core rage we all feel at the seemingly small annoyances of life, and his fans love the cathartic experience of his hilarious ranting and raving, a tradition continued in Everybody Is Awful . Acting as a de facto therapist, Florentine diagnoses awful behavior, shames awful people, and offers comedic takes on how to reclaim our lives from it all.
Twitter Trolls. Facebook Freaks. Instagram Exhibitionists. These are just a few of the creatures our technology-obsessed culture has spawned in its quest to simplify our lives. The madness is so universal now that everyone has dealt with it. You log in to Facebook, read a stupid post, and immediately want to tell your "friend" to go have relations with himself. Sure, social media may keep us connected, but it is a breeding ground for idiots, and these idiots have crowd-sourced a storm of useless information, corny jokes, and douchebag drama that's wasting our time and screwing with our peace of mind.
Thankfully, popular comedian and television host Jim Florentine has a solution for those of us on the verge of bashing our iPhones to bits. In Everybody Is Awful , Florentine attacks awful people and awful situations with the same biting satire and cringe-worthy humor that made him famous on television shows like Crank Yankers , Meet the Creeps , and That Metal Show .
Along the way, Everybody Is Awful takes readers through the author's formative years, a time filled with rebellion and horrible behavior, to the crazy early days of his career as a stand-up comedian. Florentine also recounts how he developed an obsession with pranks that morphed into his uniquely vigilante style of comedy and made him one of the most legendary prank callers of all time.
Florentine excels at channeling the core rage we all feel at the seemingly small annoyances of life, and his fans love the cathartic experience of his hilarious ranting and raving, a tradition continued in Everybody Is Awful . Acting as a de facto therapist, Florentine diagnoses awful behavior, shames awful people, and offers comedic takes on how to reclaim our lives from it all.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published February 20, 2018
19 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 22, 2019
I listen to Jim Florentine's podcast, and he's a really funny guy. I had the opportunity to see Jim at a live comedy show a few weeks ago, so I bought his book to get an autograph after the show. The book is funny, but it's organized a little strangely. Having listened to the podcast for so long, I heard all of them before.
Still, it was a fun, quick read and Jim was a super cool guy when I met him.
Still, it was a fun, quick read and Jim was a super cool guy when I met him.
March 30, 2018
4.5 Stars. Loved this book! If you are a fan of Florentine, or Crank Yankers, then this book is a must read! It’s 254 hilarious pages of Jim ranting and raving, mostly ranting about things that are awful!
It’s starts with an awesome foreword from Jim Norton and Florentine finishes the book with the “Awful Afterword”.
If you are not an AWFUL person then you need to read this book!
It’s starts with an awesome foreword from Jim Norton and Florentine finishes the book with the “Awful Afterword”.
If you are not an AWFUL person then you need to read this book!
December 15, 2023
Foreword by Jim Norton (whose books are amazing though astonishingly light on his trans hooker obsession). Didn’t know Florentine was around before Norton and that they’d be close enough to run trains together. Also didn’t know Florentine grew up so religious that his parents sent him to school to become a priest. Showing his age, he does rant mostly about the Facebook things you’d expect. He’s obviously right that social media is just a brazen display of mental illness, but there are pretty basic observations/jokes. It’s more interesting to hear about how he’d prank his friends into talking dirty around their mom. It’s also nice to hear someone else say how dumb you have to be not to figure out cooking. The style of humor here is often to take things literally and then violently so this comes across like more of his standup or a podcast though in a little too readery voice on the audiobook. I have seen him live before and prefer that but the output and focus here is impressive.
I forgot Florentine made his bones Terrorizing Telemarketers on Stern and Crank Yankers when I mostly know him from frequenting Opie & Anthony and That Metal Show. Some of those prank calls resulted in cops coming to his house because his jokes involved murdering imaginary old people.
One of my fav sections is him ripping into insecure couples who broadcast their relationship across socials. Or how foods like ketchup and cake are for kids. It’s also nice to hear how he commiserates with old-fashion moms and modern girls dating in a too-effeminate pool. The second half of the book starts in about gross slang, mostly the kind that “hip” moms would say like brekkie instead of breakfast. Lots of these I never heard before and are puke-inducing. There’s also a lot of facts about how big box stores are scams. I didn’t know he used to be a driver for strippers and a curmudgeony wedding DJ. The end is cute, about how not to take anything seriously. One of the my fav lines: “When I think of Disney, I think of fat people in my way.”
I forgot Florentine made his bones Terrorizing Telemarketers on Stern and Crank Yankers when I mostly know him from frequenting Opie & Anthony and That Metal Show. Some of those prank calls resulted in cops coming to his house because his jokes involved murdering imaginary old people.
One of my fav sections is him ripping into insecure couples who broadcast their relationship across socials. Or how foods like ketchup and cake are for kids. It’s also nice to hear how he commiserates with old-fashion moms and modern girls dating in a too-effeminate pool. The second half of the book starts in about gross slang, mostly the kind that “hip” moms would say like brekkie instead of breakfast. Lots of these I never heard before and are puke-inducing. There’s also a lot of facts about how big box stores are scams. I didn’t know he used to be a driver for strippers and a curmudgeony wedding DJ. The end is cute, about how not to take anything seriously. One of the my fav lines: “When I think of Disney, I think of fat people in my way.”
January 31, 2019
Basically, I have liked the guy as a stand up comedian when I have seen him on TV but this book, which my husband bought for me for Christmas 2 years ago, and I know he didn't read it first. This book just really wasn't all that funny. Mainly he rants about facebook posts for half the book, and some were amusing. (We have all seen posts like these). But the main problem was that the comic was so over the top crude 85% of the time - I really felt it was unnecessary. It took away from any possible enjoyment of commiserating with the guy. I gamely finished it anyway, but I will never do that again, gift or not. I am no prude, but I am telling you this was too much.
Only die hard fans of Jim Florentine would like this book.
Only die hard fans of Jim Florentine would like this book.
March 21, 2018
I had high hopes for this book - and although part of it was funny, I found myself skipping over the majority of Jim's ranting on Facebook. I kept thinking to myself 'why won't he just unfollow whoever is posting these stupid status updates or just unfriending people?' I also found myself passing over the Gary from Florida posts - maybe that's just not my humor, but I found it boring and predictable.
Fans of Jim Florentine will probably really enjoy this - I however am not a big fan of his comedy nor have I heard any of his podcasts. I enjoyed the interview on JRE which is why I wound up purchasing and forcing myself through this book.
Fans of Jim Florentine will probably really enjoy this - I however am not a big fan of his comedy nor have I heard any of his podcasts. I enjoyed the interview on JRE which is why I wound up purchasing and forcing myself through this book.
February 27, 2018
Add another star if you're not a regular listener of Florentine's podcast 'Comedy Metal Midgets', since the majority of this material is directly from the podcast.
For those of us that are fans it's still enjoyable to relive this stuff in written form, especially with Florentine's unmistakable growling drawl in your head while you read it.
For those of us that are fans it's still enjoyable to relive this stuff in written form, especially with Florentine's unmistakable growling drawl in your head while you read it.
April 16, 2018
The greatest part of Jim's comedy is you can laugh and not take him seriously. This book allows the reader to do just that. My only criticism, as a long-time fan, is that I have heard all of Jim's stories included in this book.
May 27, 2018
4.5/5 for this incredibly funny book. The audio version is an absolute must, as Jim’s voice adds the extra venom needed to really make one feel hilariously-uncomfortable.
September 8, 2018
maybe it's my current mood, but this book was too whiny and silly for me to continue past 30 pages. Hoped it would be good as I appreciate his talents, but just not good.
September 23, 2018
Funny
I love Florentine.... only reason for the four not five stars is the writing.
He is not a writer and it shows.
I love Florentine.... only reason for the four not five stars is the writing.
He is not a writer and it shows.
September 24, 2018
Very funny
December 28, 2020
I get his humor and sarcasm - enjoyed every page
February 1, 2022
Like him as a comedian a lot.This was not funny,but just a very bitter man. 1.99 you get what you pay for.
July 9, 2019
"July 7, 2019 –
100.0%
July 2, 2019 – page 156
57.35% "I haven't seen so much anger... pin pointed in a book... it's genius."
July 1, 2019 – page 116
42.65% "Hot Shot!"
June 25, 2019 – page 111
40.81% "The Rules are simple and easy... if you don't like something or something sucks... you skip it... you fucking skip it... it's a book
.. not a "Life Period"."
June 9, 2019 – page 90
33.09%
June 9, 2019 – page 63
23.16%
June 8, 2019 – page 35
12.87% "Genius and well written book...if you are curiou what next to read... what's fun and page turner book... it's this!"
June 7, 2019 – page 27
9.93%
June 7, 2019 – Shelved
June 7, 2019 – Started Reading"
100.0%
July 2, 2019 – page 156
57.35% "I haven't seen so much anger... pin pointed in a book... it's genius."
July 1, 2019 – page 116
42.65% "Hot Shot!"
June 25, 2019 – page 111
40.81% "The Rules are simple and easy... if you don't like something or something sucks... you skip it... you fucking skip it... it's a book
.. not a "Life Period"."
June 9, 2019 – page 90
33.09%
June 9, 2019 – page 63
23.16%
June 8, 2019 – page 35
12.87% "Genius and well written book...if you are curiou what next to read... what's fun and page turner book... it's this!"
June 7, 2019 – page 27
9.93%
June 7, 2019 – Shelved
June 7, 2019 – Started Reading"
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews