The Funny Thing Is...
The Funny Thing Is... book cover

The Funny Thing Is...

Hardcover – October 28, 2003

by
Price
$10.09
Format
Hardcover
Pages
192
Publisher
Simon & Schuster
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0743247610
Dimensions
6 x 0.5 x 8.75 inches
Weight
10.4 ounces

Description

"DeGeneres is in top form with her second collection of kooky observations....Her strongest assets...a chuckle-inducing display throughout." -- Entertainment Weekly, November 7, 2003 Ellen DeGeneres's first book, My Point...and I Do Have One, was an instant national bestseller that spent more than six months on the New York Times bestseller list. DeGeneres has won an Emmy Award, a Peabody Award, and a People's Choice Award for her work as a writer and actress on her television series Ellen, and received Emmy nominations as host of the 39th Annual Grammy Awards, as an executive producer of HBO's If These Walls Could Talk 2, and as star and executive producer of her critically acclaimed one-woman HBO special The Beginning. DeGeneres made history when her on-screen persona Ellen Morgan became the first openly gay leading character on television, but her groundbreaking legacy had already begun in 1986, on the Tonight Show, when she became the first and only female comic invited by Johnny Carson to sit down with him after her stand-up performance. In September 2003, DeGeneres launched The Ellen DeGeneres Show, her own nationally syndicated daytime talk show.

Features & Highlights

  • A new collection of essays by the comedienne and author of My Point . . . And I Do Have One considers such topics as her coffee addiction, her experiences in church, and the devious tactics of salespeople. 300,000 first printing.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(154)
★★★★
25%
(128)
★★★
15%
(77)
★★
7%
(36)
★
23%
(117)

Most Helpful Reviews

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Be warned before you buy

I'm a huge Ellen fan and I bought this book expecting to be laughing out loud like the reviews of it suggested but I didn't even come close. Don't get me the wrong, the book is very funny but the problem it's all repeated material. If you have seen her HBO specials ("The Beginning" and "Here and Now") than I suggest you not get this book. This book is basically a transcript of her hbo specials literally word for word. There is only about 1/4 of the book that is new material. While the book is funny, if you watch her show regularily and especially if you have seen the hbo specials, you will find that a lot of this book is the same stories and jokes that you have already heard. If your one of these people, I suggest buy it cheap or borrow it from a friend. It's not worth your money to pay full price to hear jokes you've already heard before. (And personally I think the hbo specials are funnier because you get to see her acting out the stories and hear her voice). Therefore, if you still want to buy the book, get it on audio tape because then you can hear her voice.
12 people found this helpful
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pure brilliance, shining brightly, no waiting, no lines

All it takes is picking up the book, and you're immediately lost in the ramblings of a genius mind. From cover to cover, and all pages and sub-pages and sub-sub-pages, the book never ceases to pick you up. (Though I'm not sure as to where you'll end up.) If you enjoy laughing at yourself and the world around you... and having it pointed out by a comic genius... pick up the book. Pick up anything. Get out and do something with you likfe. Just don't write book. that's Ellen's job.
10 people found this helpful
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HILARIOUS

I just finished this today and I laughed the entire time. Ellen is the funniest person. Her outrageous scenarios keep you on your toes, especially the chapter "this is how we live". You really need to read this book!
8 people found this helpful
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HILARIOUS

I just finished this today and I laughed the entire time. Ellen is the funniest person. Her outrageous scenarios keep you on your toes, especially the chapter "this is how we live". You really need to read this book!
8 people found this helpful
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Ellen....so, anyways...where was the humor?

Let me start by saying that I really am an Ellen fan! I've loved her HBO specials...her TV show...her sitcom...everything. I also enjoyed reading her autobiography quite alot. But, this....I found very little humor in it.

I read all these GLOWING reviews on this website. Five star! "Laughed til my sides hurt"...."The Best Book I've ever Red"....yada, yada, yada. Sorry, but no. Obviously, everyone has their own idea of what's funny - but for me it was sorely lacking! I actually bought the book on CD - knowing that her comedy is dry, and needs her voice and wit to make the humor appear. Still...not much meat on this comedy bone.

I kept hoping it would get better....but except for some tiny rare funny nuggets....most of this book was rambling, childish, and not very entertaining at all. I'll lend the CD to my two adult daughters - also Ellen fans, and see what the have to say.

Anyway....I'll still consider myself an Ellen fan. Anyone can drop a bomb now and then.
5 people found this helpful
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Funny

Ellen's second book isn't much different from her first. In fact I think there were some jokes from the first one in this one, I'm not sure.
It's another book that's basically a compilation of her latest stand up. If you've seen any of her HBO specials or anything you will know most of the jokes.
But, while I'm still waiting for her to write something meatier, its still funny! And its still Ellen! And I love Ellen so if you do too then you'll love the book! And similarly to her first one its short. So you won't waste too much of your time even if you don't like it.
I just don't know why she churned out another book recycling more of her stand up. You learn more about her and get more interesting stories watching her talk show. Her books are both fictional, silly stories. I just don't get why such a fabulous woman doesn't turn out a more fabulous book.
At one point in the book she jokes that she considered titling the book simply "Funny" and I think that would of been best since that sums up the content. Nothing much but its all funny!
5 people found this helpful
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Very Funny

This book must be taken as a comedic book. That said, none of the scenarios can be taken literally. This is definitely not a history of Ellen's life. She even makes fun of people who ask her to write her life story. This is not an autobiography.

The chapters are short and the font is large. This makes The Funny Thing Is... very readable. I read it in a day. My favorite parts were when Ellen wrote about trying to find peace and only being arrested for nudity and when she wrote about being married to a goat. Priceless.

There is nothing profound in this book. It is simple entertainment. It reads like a stand-up act. If you want a good laugh, read it.
3 people found this helpful
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Laugh Out Loud

This book was hilarious. I laughed out loud over and over. The only thing that would make it better would be if Ellen came over and read the book to me. After reading this book, I game it to a few people for Christmas gifts. I will be reading it again very soon!
3 people found this helpful
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One amazingly poor piece of writing

I found this book to be quite disappointing. I bought it for some light reading during a plane flight to Hawaii and pitched it after 3 chapters. The book has no substance and although it tries to be funny it comes off with zero humor. In fact, after deciding to stop reading it, the person next to me asked to see it. She browsed it for about 1/2 an hour, gave it back to me and said "in a word terrible." I have to believe that the *only* reason this book got published is because it was written by Ms. Degeneres. No one else would have been able to get this piece of babble past a junior editor.
3 people found this helpful
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Very funny...

Ellen Degeneres is back with a new book filled with her hysterical outlooks, this time on life, friends, prison life, romance, Sunday brunch and much, much more.
Ellen has many laugh out loud moments in her new book such as her run-in with the law, her brunch with Paula Abdul, Diane Sawyer, Gloria Steinem, Donatella Versace, Eminem and surprise guests such as Sigfried or Roy (she's not sure which)...
There are some very funny chapters including diary entries, a scientific treatise, penny-pinching, and one of my favorite chapters "it's just an expression"... here are some "Stop and smell the roses." Well, what if your allergic to Roses?, "Happy as a clam" Okay, if clams are so happy, then why do people "clam up" when they get mad?
'The Funny Thing Is' is so funny it will put a smile on your face. If you are a fan of Ellen Gegeneres you will love this book, and if you're not a fan you will be after reading this.
Nick Gonnella
3 people found this helpful

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