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The Funny Thing Is...
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An indispensable reference for anyone who knows how to read—or wants to fool people into thinking they do—The Funny Thing Is... is sure to make you laugh.
Ellen DeGeneres published her first book of comic essays, the #1 bestselling My Point...And I Do Have One, way back in 1996. Not one to rest on her laurels, the witty star of stage and screen has since dedicated her life ...more
Ellen DeGeneres published her first book of comic essays, the #1 bestselling My Point...And I Do Have One, way back in 1996. Not one to rest on her laurels, the witty star of stage and screen has since dedicated her life ...more
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Paperback, 179 pages
Published
October 1st 2004
by Simon Schuster
(first published October 28th 2003)
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This book is, as the title says, funny. It is not intended for deep life lessons or to change lives.
The Funny Thing Is... is a brief collection of Ellen DeGeneres`s thoughts, musings and experiences on various subjects. It will make you smile, have little bit of fun and remind to floss. ...more
The Funny Thing Is... is a brief collection of Ellen DeGeneres`s thoughts, musings and experiences on various subjects. It will make you smile, have little bit of fun and remind to floss. ...more

I love Ellen (who doesn’t?!). I think that she’s funny, insightful, and incredibly wise. While I enjoy watching her show, I also loved her before she became the dancing, housewife heartthrob. It is for this reason that I picked up her book. More specifically, I got a copy of her audiobook so that I could listen to her read her book to me. I thought it would be like a private stand-up show with Ellen in my car. Sadly, it missed the most important ingredient...laughter.
In this book, Ellen has comp ...more
In this book, Ellen has comp ...more

I love Ellen DeGeneres show because who doesn't?
I read this quite quickly because it is very easy to read book. I don't know whether to call this memoir because there are some life events included...anyways it was light hearted and fun book. ...more
I read this quite quickly because it is very easy to read book. I don't know whether to call this memoir because there are some life events included...anyways it was light hearted and fun book. ...more

I love Ellen. I think she is a genuinely funny and kind person. However, I think that a lot of her humor is due to her timing and presentation. I don't find that it comes across as well in her written work. It helps to imagine the book being told in her voice, but not enough to make me love it.
...more

I saw many bad reviews about this one, and was not too sure I'd like it. But it made me laugh - be it the brunch, the conversation with God, or the random ramblings! Ellen is always a delight. (I did prefer Seriously, I'm Kidding, though).
...more

The Funny Thing Is...as I was listening to this audiobook:
1-Suddenly the thought of cleaning my room sounded appealing.
2-I watched the whole season of the cancelled CBC show Friends With Better Lives, 12 full episodes.
3-I organized my ebook library, shelving is as important as reading!
4-I decided to learn and make all kinds of breakfast eggs:scrambled, poached eggs, cheese omelet, and basically anything I could do with a 30 egg carton.
ANYTHING not to listen to this audiobook!! I appreciated that ...more
1-Suddenly the thought of cleaning my room sounded appealing.
2-I watched the whole season of the cancelled CBC show Friends With Better Lives, 12 full episodes.
3-I organized my ebook library, shelving is as important as reading!
4-I decided to learn and make all kinds of breakfast eggs:scrambled, poached eggs, cheese omelet, and basically anything I could do with a 30 egg carton.
ANYTHING not to listen to this audiobook!! I appreciated that ...more

Meh...O-kay..
The problem with this one is that it's kind of old and I probably have heard most of these jokes or antidotes in some of her old stand up. Don't get me wrong, it was "chucklesome". (Like that word do you? Lol) But I wasn't laughing hard. This book didn't really tell much about her per se. I don't know if it was supposed to? It was a lot of randomness put into a book. When at the beginning she said she thought she'd fill the time prior to her show starting (her current talk show) ...more
The problem with this one is that it's kind of old and I probably have heard most of these jokes or antidotes in some of her old stand up. Don't get me wrong, it was "chucklesome". (Like that word do you? Lol) But I wasn't laughing hard. This book didn't really tell much about her per se. I don't know if it was supposed to? It was a lot of randomness put into a book. When at the beginning she said she thought she'd fill the time prior to her show starting (her current talk show) ...more

I LOVE Ellen, but I don't love this book.
It's not funny! I'll admit I chuckled a couple times,but I actually fell asleep.
I still love her, though. ♡ ...more
It's not funny! I'll admit I chuckled a couple times,but I actually fell asleep.
I still love her, though. ♡ ...more

Humorous
But if you're a lifelong fan you'll recognize some old school skits being placed in the chapters of this book ...more
But if you're a lifelong fan you'll recognize some old school skits being placed in the chapters of this book ...more

"Ellen DeGeneres published her first book of comic essays, the #1 bestselling My Point...And I Do Have One, way back in 1996. Not one to rest on her laurels, the witty star of stage and screen has since dedicated her life to writing a hilarious new book. That book is this book.
After years of painstaking, round-the-clock research, surviving on a mere twenty minutes of sleep a night, and collaborating with lexicographers, plumbers, and mathematicians, DeGeneres has crafted a work that is both easy ...more
After years of painstaking, round-the-clock research, surviving on a mere twenty minutes of sleep a night, and collaborating with lexicographers, plumbers, and mathematicians, DeGeneres has crafted a work that is both easy ...more

Oh, I wish I had read this before picking up Seriously ... I'm Kidding.
The Funny Thing is... did make me laugh - of course, it's Ellen after all - but, with the exception of a few chapters, it is not as coherent and thought-provoking as her next book. The Funny Thing is... is just that little bit too silly to be really funny. It's cute, tho.
Review first posted on BookLikes: http://brokentune.booklikes.com/post/... ...more
The Funny Thing is... did make me laugh - of course, it's Ellen after all - but, with the exception of a few chapters, it is not as coherent and thought-provoking as her next book. The Funny Thing is... is just that little bit too silly to be really funny. It's cute, tho.
Review first posted on BookLikes: http://brokentune.booklikes.com/post/... ...more

Two books by Ellen heard in a single day. And you know what, I couldn't tell them apart. I'm now wondering why these books were written at all. They are a collection of completely random musings, which seem to be overly caricaturized versions of the actual incident, most of which aren't even funny.
So while the first one i heard today was decent becoz of the novelty factor, the second one is downright boring and unnecessary.
I would now say, you can skip all of them altogether.
Just watch Ellen' ...more
So while the first one i heard today was decent becoz of the novelty factor, the second one is downright boring and unnecessary.
I would now say, you can skip all of them altogether.
Just watch Ellen' ...more

Jan 21, 2008
Myra
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Ellen DeGeneres fans
Shelves:
adult-lit-2008
I got this book for my birthday, along with DeGeneres' other book, and I jumped right into it. Here's a big surprise - I LOVED IT! Ellen DeGeneres is so talented and funny. Each chapter is in no way tied to the others, so it's not like readers are taking in an on-going story. DeGeneres rambles her way through the point that she is trying to make, and her ramblings only add to the humor. The chapter titled "A Scientific Treatise Regarding a Matter of Great Entomological Concern to All of Us" is a
...more

May 04, 2014
Callie *Fights Censorship*
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
celebrity,
audio-book
Liked not loved, good not great. I love Ellen and thoroughly enjoyed Seriously...I'm Kidding(5 Stars) but this book just didn't pack the laughs I thought it would. It might be because it is an older book and I have heard this material before.
Once again I see that this is labeled biography/memoir, it isn't, it is a comedy book. The style is stream of consciousness/ridiculousness.
...more
Once again I see that this is labeled biography/memoir, it isn't, it is a comedy book. The style is stream of consciousness/ridiculousness.
...more

“There are all sorts of books offering advice on how to deal with life-threatening situations, but where's the advice on dealing with embarrassing ones?”
Finished this in one afternoon because..
1. It's Ellen
2. I studied while listening
3. IT'S ELLEN.
Ellen is my favorite, and this book did a great job of showing her sense of humour. I listened to the audiobook and it felt just like watching her show. I wasn't the biggest fan of her diary portion when she was on tour, but everything else was hilari ...more
Finished this in one afternoon because..
1. It's Ellen
2. I studied while listening
3. IT'S ELLEN.
Ellen is my favorite, and this book did a great job of showing her sense of humour. I listened to the audiobook and it felt just like watching her show. I wasn't the biggest fan of her diary portion when she was on tour, but everything else was hilari ...more

As funny as she is on TV, this was a yawn. Not good, since I listened to it while driving. I think I laughed out loud once or twice - very disappointing. She is so much better when she has people to play off, and I felt like there was very little sense of comic timing as she read, which is strange, because on TV she is a master. Maybe lack of facial expressions were a problem for an audio book too.

I love Ellen. She's funny, and fantastic, and an absolute icon. I'm just not entirely sure that her kind of comedy translates well into writing.
Oh, the book is humourous. I enjoyed it; I'm glad I read it; I'll probably keep an eye out for her other book. It's just also very disjointed and, because it is in print rather than verbal humour, lacks the delivery to make that final push.
Still, an entertaining read. ...more
Oh, the book is humourous. I enjoyed it; I'm glad I read it; I'll probably keep an eye out for her other book. It's just also very disjointed and, because it is in print rather than verbal humour, lacks the delivery to make that final push.
Still, an entertaining read. ...more

Since I'm writing this review about a month after listening to this I have to say: I remember mostly nothing about this book. Nonetheless I remember enjoying it: DeGeneres is a good and nuanced narrator, she has a clear voice and I like her humor so there you go. A fun listen and also not too long so the joke doesn't get old.
...more

“Gratitude is looking on the brighter side of life, even if it means hurting your eyes.”
I read two of Ellen's book back to back and honestly I couldn't tell them apart. They are a collection of completely random thoughts, which seem to be parody versions of the actual incident.
'What doesn't kill you puts you in a whole lot of pain and makes you cry a lot and want to crawl in a hole forever and live with rodents.” ...more
I read two of Ellen's book back to back and honestly I couldn't tell them apart. They are a collection of completely random thoughts, which seem to be parody versions of the actual incident.
'What doesn't kill you puts you in a whole lot of pain and makes you cry a lot and want to crawl in a hole forever and live with rodents.” ...more

Another book by the sweet and lovely Ellen DeGeneres; a person I respect and love. Anyway, that's not the point. The point is: I am too tired and sleepy to write a big detailed review and therefore all I am going to say about this book is that I really had a good time reading it. And though maybe I kept comparing it to my first Ellen book, 'Seriously... I'm Kidding', (and that is a very wrong thing to do) but I have to admit, this one felt more 'serious'. Doesn't mean it's not funny. I couldn't
...more

I don't like to give books anything below a 3 because hello if I ever write a book I want the same treatment. I think my biggest criticism was that a good portion of this was from her Here and Now comedy routine, where the jokes were way funnier (sometimes the theatrical hands and facial expressions are just so necessary). I also wish she would tell more truths about her life, but I guess that's like telling a fish to just try living on land for once.
...more
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Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American stand-up comedian, actress, and currently the Emmy Award-winning host of the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
She has hosted both the Academy Awards and the Primetime Emmys. As a film actress, she starred in Mr. Wrong, appeared in Edtv and The Love Letter, and provided the voice of "Dory" in the Pixar animated hit film Finding Nemo. She also starred ...more
She has hosted both the Academy Awards and the Primetime Emmys. As a film actress, she starred in Mr. Wrong, appeared in Edtv and The Love Letter, and provided the voice of "Dory" in the Pixar animated hit film Finding Nemo. She also starred ...more
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