Raised in the South Bronx projects, Jimmie Walker made his way out of the perilous ghetto thanks to an ability to make people laugh. Performing in small clubs alongside friends such as Richard Pryor, Freddie Prinze, David Brenner, and Richard Lewis; opening for Black Panther rallies; and emceeing at the Apollo and for Motown tours, he was a young, brash stand-up comedian for a new generation.By landing the role of J.J. Evans on Good Times, Walker became an icon of the ’70s and beyond. The first young black sitcom star — dubbed “the black Fonzie” — his catchphrase “Dyn-o-mite!” remains an often-quoted indicator of the era. As the show’s breakout star, he navigated the pressures of a pop culture popularity that rendered J.J. into a talking doll (pull the string!). At the same time, he was the epicenter of a major controversy over black stereotypes. Walker candidly remembers the communication breakdowns on the set that contradicted the show’s image of a close-knit, blue-collar family. Meanwhile, he worked at his craft, including hiring then-unknowns David Letterman and Jay Leno to write jokes for him. When the Late Night War erupted, Walker had a uniquely personal perspective that he writes about here for the first time.In Dyn-o-mite! he also reveals, in characteristic bemused if lacerating fashion, the lessons he’s learned along the way about self-reliance, freedom of speech (the n-word and more), and belief in the individual — subjects he frequently talks about on talk radio and television. Imparting a vivid, insiders’ look at the edgy scene of the ’70s and ’80s, perhaps the most groundbreaking and vibrant era in comedy history, Walker paints a portrait of the life and times of a quintessential road comic.
The Emmy and Grammy Award-winner's candid, spectacularly amusing memoir of his years in stand-up In the mid-seventies, Steve Martin exploded onto the comedy scene. By 1978 he was the biggest concert draw in the history of stand-up. In 1981 he quit...
A hilarious and biting memoir from the actor, comedian and Saturday Night Live alumni.David Spade is best known for his harsh "Hollywood" Minute Sketches on SNL, his starring roles in movies like Tommy Boy and ...
This program includes a prologue and epilogue read by the author.From New York Times culture reporter Dave Itzkoff, comes the definitive audiobook biography of Robin Williams – a compelling portrait of one of America’s most beloved and m...
Nominated for a 2014 Grammy in the Spoken Word category!Hilarious and heartfelt observations on aging from one of America's favorite comedians, now that he's 65, and a look back at a remarkable career.Billy Crystal is 65, and he's not happy about it...
This program is read by the authorA guide to all kinds of addiction from a star who has struggled with heroin, alcohol, sex, fame, food and eBay, that will help addicts and their loved ones make the first steps into recovery“This manual for se...
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERAngie Martinez is the “Voice of New York.” Now, for the first time, she candidly recounts the story of her rise to become an internationally celebrated hip hop radio icon. In her current reign at Power...
A wryly funny and surprisingly moving account of an extraordinary life lived almost entirely in the public eyeA teen idol at fifteen, an international icon and founder of the Brat Pack at twenty, and one of Hollywood's top stars to this day, Rob Low...
From actor Cary Elwes, who played the iconic role of Westley in The Princess Bride, comes a first-person account and behind-the-scenes look at the making of the cult classic film filled with never-before-told stories, exclusive photographs, and inte...
Charlamagne Tha God—the self-proclaimed “Prince of Pissing People Off,” co-host of Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club, and “hip-hop’s Howard Stern”—shares his unlikely success story as well as how embrac...
Narrator: Charlamagne Tha God Published: 04/18/2017
