Sarah Silverman's memoir: A little bit serious

Why did comedian Sarah Silverman write a book? " I'm writing this book because I am a famous comedian, which is how it works now," she writes in her new memoir, "The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee." "If you're famous, you get to write a book, and not the other way around."

For all her trademark sass, Josh Sandoval writes in the L.A. Times review, Silverman also has splashes of sensitivity. She really did wet her bed. She really did get depressed -- clinical-depression-style depressed -- for three years. She really did get sad when her grandmother died.

Silverman's stand-up delivery transitions nicely to the page as she jumps from soft, sensitive subjects to taboos and tense topics. ... She isn't shy about the details of her early sex life, writing about losing her virginity to fellow comedian Kevin Brennan and pointing out that, at one point, she dated comedian Dave Attell. ...

Call it the curse of being a comedian, but at first it's hard to believe Silverman is being serious when she's trying to be. However, her highly intelligent musings on race, politics and hypocrisy are what most fans of her humor will want to read most.

Silverman doesn't say much about former boyfriend Jimmy Kimmel. Maybe she's learned one of the tricks of being a published author: Keep something in reserve for a sequel.

-- Carolyn Kellogg

Photo: Sarah Silverman in 2009. Credit: Robyn Von Swank / Comedy Central

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Comments

[kara Ridenour]

Brilliance deserves attention.

[Fernando]

I LOVE HER!!!

[cyn]

Silverman's nasty humour
almost
makes me
barf.
I still remember the lil jokes
she had on Britney's babies.
I pass
all the way
all the time
when comes to
her. had to be said.
thank u.

[Kevin]

Just finished reading the available first pages on Amazon. It's depressing.

Please, please, please think I'm funny. I'll swear at my grandmother. That's funny, isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it? I'll insult everything you love. I'll say crass things about my parents. I'll degrade myself. Isn't that funny? I hate all of you, you stupid, little spits, you ignorant morons, but don't you think I'm funny? Don't you love me?

There are few things more annoying than a needy misanthrope.

[Mike Hoffman]

It really takes a experienced and empathic old soul to understand
Ms. Silverman and her comic humor. I believe her to be a genius
in the field and always enjoy her "brand" of story telling. My only
wish is that I could see more of her.

[youareuniqueaseveryoneelse@gmail.com]

Why does this little girl think her life is interesting enough to warrant a book? She is not even that funny

[kanank]

She is unbelivably ugly. But her humor more than compensates for the ugliness. I 100% enjoy her humor even though it is littlebit over the top at times and her delivery is much better than Kathy griffin even when it is offensive.