“With incisive commentary, sly asides, and a knack for telling detail, Matt Singer takes us on a massively entertaining ride. By taking very silly movies very seriously, he examines how a rowdy band of comics reinvented cinema, the conditions that allowed them to thrive, and the big question of whether it can happen again. An addictive, hilarious, rollicking read.”
—Nick de Semlyen, author of Wild and Crazy Guys: How the Comedy Mavericks of the '80s Changed Hollywood Forever
“They say the easiest way to ruin a joke is to explain it. But in explaining the stories behind so many iconic comedies and the people who made them, Matt Singer’s smart and revealing book made me eager to rewatch and laugh at them all over again.”
—Alan Sepinwall, author of The Revolution Was Televised: How The Sopranos, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Lost, and Other Groundbreaking Dramas Changed TV Forever
“Only in hindsight is it clear that Seth Rogen, Ben Stiller, Christina Applegate, Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig and Judd Apatow all were swept up in a movement that put the R, and the raunch, back in comedy cinema. The ‘Frat Pack’ was hiding in plain sight, until Matt Singer spotted it. He’s a natural storyteller, and this book is as funny as the films. Two thumbs way up.”
—Daniel de Visé, author of The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship, the Rise of Improv, and the Making of an American Film Classic
