Chocolate, Please: My Adventures in Food, Fat, and Freaks by Lisa Lampanelli
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(Hardcover)
- Pub. Date: September 2009
- 304pp
- Sales Rank: 16,835
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Product Details
- Pub. Date: September 2009
- Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
- Format: Hardcover, 304pp
- Sales Rank: 16,835
- ISBN-13: 9780061733154
- ISBN: 0061733156
Synopsis
An inside look at the life of Comedy's Lovable Queen of Mean, Lisa Lampanelli, as she dishes on everything from relationships, food, and fat to why once you go black, you never go back.
In her jaw-droppingly hilarious and politically incorrect memoir, Lisa reveals all -- including the dysfunctional childhood that made her the insult comic she is today, the subject for which she is best known (black men, black men, and more black men), and her hilarious struggles with her addiction to food and hot guys. By telling her story in her very real, very candid, very open way, Lisa tells her audience that it's okay to be yourself, even if it's just one rehab stint at a time. Lisa also takes listeners behind the scenes at the roasts that have marked her comedy career and launched her into the comedy elite, and reveals the important "firsts" in her career, including her first time on her hero's program, The Howard Stern Show.
Chocolate, Please is a side-splittingly funny portrait of the woman behind the award-winning insult comedy.
Publishers Weekly
Only a few pages into the first chapter, the reader becomes aware that the title does not indicate a collection of dessert recipes but instead refers to comedian Lampanelli's past experiences having sex with black men, which she recalls as her “chocolate diet”: “As I lost more than 60 pounds, I ran an Underground Railroad through my apartment.” After more than 30 pages on her search for the “perfect black man,” Lampanelli moves on to outline her standup career, from handling hecklers to doing the Tonight Show. Her breakthrough came with a 2002 Friars Club roast of Chevy Chase, and since then, as an insult comic, she has become a familiar face at numerous roasts, billing herself as “Comedy's Lovable Queen of Mean.” Seeking the roots of her humor, she recalls her childhood as an “attention whore”: “Eating to get attention is a behavior that I continued into my high school days.” She follows her memories of “fat rehab” with a variety of topics, from the Virgin Mary to vegans. Much is quite funny, and Lampanelli never pulls her punches. Despite her raw language and raucous writing, honest reflections and stark self-insights emerge as she probes her past. (Sept.)
More Reviews and RecommendationsBiography
Lisa Lampanelli sky-rocketed to comedy fame thanks to her show-stopping performances on the Comedy Central roasts of Jeff Foxworthy, Pamela Anderson, William Shatner, and most recently, Flavor Flav. She is a regular guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Howard Stern Show. Her CD/DVD ?Dirty Girl? was nominated for a Grammy for Best Comedy Album in 2007. Her first HBO special aired in 2009, and she has also signed with HBO to co-create and star in her own sitcom, produced by Jim Carrey.
Customer Reviews
Bridget's Reviewby bridget3420
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October 25, 2009: For those of you that don't know, I love to laugh! I will laugh at almost anything and everything and I especially love to laugh at myself. I'm the type of person that will trip in the middle of a crowded mall and burst with hyena laughter until I can't breathe. I learned early on to laugh at myself and not take life too seriously. That being said, it shouldn't come as a shock that I adore comedians. I'm a huge fan of Dane Cook, Katt Williams, Dave Chappelle and of course, my all time favorite - Lisa Lampanelli. She's my favorite because she has boobs and a foul mouth and she's not afraid to use either.
She's Comedy's Lovable Queen of Mean and she sure knows how to tell a story. I learned a lot about Lisa from her book and I learned that she and I actually share a lot in common. She is a genuinely funny person and I'm so glad she allowed me to peek into her life and laugh with her. (Truth be told, I laughed at her a few times too, but shhh, don't tell her.)I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn't take life too seriously. If you're easily offended, do not pick up this book!Hilariousby Alla_S
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September 20, 2009: In her memoir "Chocolate, Please: My Adventures in Food, Fat, and Freaks," Lisa Lampanelli hilariously explores her time in the limelight as the "Lovable Queen of Mean," her addiction for black men (whom she endearingly refers to as "chocolate" in the title), several stints in rehab, almost-too-funny-to-be-true relationship encounters (that must be the "freaks" part), as well as issues with food and co-dependence. The writing is very conversational and not chronological. Indeed, this felt more like a stand up comedy routine than a memoir as Lampanelli skips around telling stories about her career, men, personal problems, and childhood. She includes a whole section dedicated to her career firsts such as appearing on "The Howard Stern Show," being driven in a limo, going on Comedy Central, and etc. One of my favorite sections in the book focused on Lampanelli's past celebrity roasts for people like Donald Trump, Pamela Anderson, and Chevy Chase (favorite jokes and backstage gossip included). At the end of Lampanelli's memoir there's also a long section dedicated to her hilarious musings on life's issues, like pregnant women in the work force, family vacations, odd names given to children, and distracted dates among other things. Through it all, Lampanelli is bold, politically incorrect, sassy, and-just being herself. She's not afraid to assess her own imperfections and mistakes, taking the time to candidly reflect on various obstacles. In the end, she reminds me of a modern-day Bridget Jones-a middle-aged woman battling weight issues, suffering through numerous unlucky relationships, and putting down her issues in a book closer to a diary than a formal bio. Despite her various obstacles, however, there's no doubt that Grammy-nominated Lampanelli achieved more during her eighteen-year comedy career than some people do during their entire lives, which certainly provides a happy ending like no other.
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