Harold Ramis Books

Actually, every word in the "Magical Misery Tour" was lifted from John Lennon's famous Rolling Stone Interview, which was even released as a paperback book. Or as Yoko said, "The Dream is Over."

This album is an absolute must-have, because "Magical Misery Tour" is just about the funniest thing ever recorded. Give it a listen and you too will shriek "Mother! They're trying to crucify me!"

It's hard to remember what a cultural force Nat Lamp was in the 1970's. Only an institution such as the Lampoon could have helped to create the keystone epic "Animal House" and, of course "SNL", arguably the two most important and influential comedy forces of the decade. So it is with this in mind that I try to remain at least mildly unbiased in my assessment of this disc as, frankly, some of it absolutely first rate, even thirty years later. And some of it is, well...

So, why should you buy this disc? Well, here's why you shouldn't: "Save The Whales" is good for one listen only, and frankly, should have been done much better; "I'm A Woman" is a testiment to the fact that Gilda Radner was both overrated and, at times, incredibly annoying (although, in all fairness to her, the material itself was dated and silly probably 18 months after it was first recorded and would have been if anyone else had done it); "Pizza Man", a "tribute" to vocal stylings of 1950's rock/doo-wop that comes across as one of those "Is this supposed to be funny or just stupid?" moments; and "Those Fabulous Sixties" which is a head scratcher in terms of why in the hell this one was included. So, you ask, what is left? What is left indeed. The remaining tracks teeter between incredibly funny to sheer, total brilliance. "Deteriorata" is an amazing, and amusing, parody of the incredibly insipid "Desidorata", one of the top selling singles of the early 70's. "Colorado" demonstrates that not only was Chevy Chase once funny, he was also undeniably multi-talented; "Well-Intentioned Blues", a hysterical blues parody by Christopher Guest, and, arguably, the best thing on this CD; "Mission:Impeachable", another Chase gem that both amusingly and chillingly distillates the entire Watergate scandal in about two minutes; "Kung Fu Christmas", another funny song, "Mister Roberts", a howlingly funny (and loving) take on Mr. Rogers, with both Guest and Bill Murray displaying their collective genius in what is the funniest bit on the disc; "Gymnasty", a short, shockingly funny bit that will bring back memories of anyone who remembers the 1976 Olympics; "The Immigrants", a funny take on documentaries and, finally, "Magical Misery Tour", with lyrics that I believe must have been lifted directly from interviews that John Lennon gave in the 70's (there is no way that anyone at the Lampoon could have written anything both this brilliant and twisted!) So, there you have it. Most of the CD is terrific and you will listen to it over and over again. And thanks to the digital age for being able to move quickly past the dumb stuff. Buy it today!

Sheldon's portion is great. It's an interesting background on a philosophy. The rest is the most masturbatorial text you'll ever read -- and it praises the tragically mediocre. I worked there over the course of the two managements. It's horrible now. Of course, nobody asked me or fellow cast members who could actually make me laugh.

If you are already a fan of Second City -- or of comedy in general -- this is a very entertaining and informative book, containing many nuggets that elucidate the overwhelming impact Second City has had on comedy in the US. But if you know nothing about them, it is not the greatest introduction. It doesn't give a real sense of the improv process. It is accompanied by two CDs of performances. The CD of the early years has pretty bad sound, and some of the performances are dated. THe second CD is great.

There are far better books on the history of The Second City for those who want to know the personalities of those who created it from an objective and historical perspective.

I've never been to a Second City show and that strikes me the same way as when I think that, I could have bought IBM or Microsoft on the ground floor and been there at the very beginning. Granted, I wouldn't be a millionaire today if I had seen Robert Klein or George Wendt or Bill Murray or Mike Meyers working their gifts on stage in their prime, but it would be a great feeling to know I got to see them before they become television and comedy legends. Its something to tell the grandkids about, being able to say, "I saw Belushi on stage with Radner long before Saturday Night Live." This book sgives the reader, if nothing else, a sense of intimacy and connection to the stage and the personalities of SC.

This is a yearbook for Second City, much the same as the Saturday Night Live 20th Anniversary book was years back. It doesn't talk about the show in depth or with any significantly abrasive conflict, but as art and as an institution to be measured on the surface and by its product of great stage and screen talent.

It is a great coffee table book that covers a long history and a lot of personalities with really, really big pictures and bright colors to make it pretty. It does have a great set of CDs with original SC performances ranging from the days of Klein and Rivers to David Sedaris and others of the new generation. It is worth maybe $30 of the price of the book, which balances out the remainder of the cost for the big pictures and pretty pages.

This is an extraordinary chronicle of the most important theater movement in a hundred years. Following "The Compass" by Janet Coleman and "Something Wonderful Right Away" by Jeffrey Sweet, this is required reading. Sheldon Patinkin has captured the story of the people and the times of The Second City in a fashion that will engage those who have not been part of the Improv movement and will give a wonderfully informed perspective the initiated. For the CDs alone, the book is worth it. For the photographs alone, the book is worth it. For the spotlights on personalities it is worth it. The narrative is crisp, and clear, and personal. As I read I felt I was listening to the story told in a kitchen with a beer in my hand. The only thing that he leaves out is mention of the story beyond The Second City of the hundreds of Improv clubs and playing teams and the thousands of players, and now millions of audience members who have never been to a Second City show yet who have been inspired by this great history.

It is important to understand what this package (ie book and two audio CDs) is not. It is not a definitive history of the group, nor does it provide detailed biographical information about the group's most prominent members, nor is it a probling analysis of the broader and deeper context in which the group was established and then evolved. Yes, the reader is "taken backstage at the world's greatest comedy theater" but the experience (albeit enjoyable) very much resembles what a family member or friend would probably encounter when literally allowed backstage. After having read the book, I understood more about the group's development and the interaction (onstage) between and among the principals.

Perhaps you have seen the Olivier film based on Henry V in which, during the first 12-15 minutes, the viewer is transported back to the Elizabethan Age, to the London theatre world, and to the stage on which Shakespeare's play was performed. Brief scenes backstage are included. When reading this book, I had the same sense of being allowed limited access. Only when the two audio CDs are heard are the unique talents of the various performers brought to life. I view the book as being supplementary to the CDs. Together, they provide exceptional entertainment to those who enjoy comedic improvisation.