The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee

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The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee

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More About This Book

Overview

Warning from publisher to reader:

At HarperCollins, we are committed to customer satisfaction. Before proceeding with your purchase, please take the following questionnaire to determine your likelihood of enjoying this book:

1. Which of the following do you appreciate?

(a) Women with somewhat horse-ish facial features.
(b) Women who, while not super Jew-y, are more identifiably Jewish than, say, Natalie Portman.
(c) Frequent discussion of unwanted body hair.

2. Are you offended by the following behavior?

(a) Instructing one's grandmother to place baked goods in her rectal cavity.
(b) Stripping naked in public—eleven times in a row.
(c) Stabbing one's boss in the head with a writing implement.

3. The best way to treat an emotionally fragile young girl is:

(a) Murder the main course of her Thanksgiving dinner before her very eyes.
(b) Tell her that her older sister is prettier than she, and then immediately die.
(c) Prevent her suicide by recommending she stay away from open windows.

If you read the above questions without getting nauseous or forming a hate Web site, you are ready to buy this book! Please proceed to the cashier.

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Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

As a child, comedian Sarah Silverman was a bed-wetter, but she got over it. Well, mostly: She did wet her bed, she confides, after she was fired from Saturday Night Live in 1994. In this refreshingly candid autobiography, she talks about her surprisingly long and varied career; her battle with depression; and her reputation as the "world's hottest, most controversial comedian." A fun, soulful read from a quick wit. A Barnes & Noble Bestseller now in paperback and NOOKbook.

New York magazine
“Odd, shambling, and funny... as close to an explanation of Silverman and her comedy as we’re likely to get. It seems to be saying, Obviously I’m joking, but it’s also me up there.”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
"Without curtailing her trademark potty-mouth humor and shock tactics, comedian Sarah Silverman has written a memoir that’s sweet, funny, real and, dare I say it, occasionally even touching… Silverman’s book suggests that, behind the cute face and dirty mouth, there’s a clever woman with a warm heart."
People
“In this book, as onstage, she has the power to shock—not so easy in these times. Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor crossed lines; now that the controversy has faded, we remember their genius. And so we will with Sarah Silverman.”
New York Times
"Often hilarious and occasionally revelatory.… More than just a collection of gags and stand-up leftovers, ‘The Bedwetter’ is a mostly cohesive narrative of how a rebellious comic perspective evolved and became inseparable from the person who employs it, and how anyone who could find offense in that is really the butt of the joke."
Elle
"Readers...get a fully realized portrait of Silverman: tales from a youth spent moistening mattresses and fighting depression in New Hampshire; her salad days as a struggling comedienne in New York; and the various trials that have come with being the filthiest, funniest woman on television."
Los Angeles Times
"It’s irreverent, funny and sometimes winningly serious…. Though Silverman’s book provides her customary shock-and-awe humor ... it is Silverman’s honesty and vulnerability that are most surprising."
Vanity Fair
"Deftly mixes the spit-take funny stuff with an unsentimental but enlightened look back at her not-so-charmed life and career."
Heeb Magazine
"An engrossing (and grossing) journey from childhood to childish adulthood.... Silverman’s standup, normally marked by a detached persona and thick outer layer of snark and irony, is off-putting for some, but here she hits previously unseen levels of honesty and sincerity while still retaining her expected level of filth."
People Magazine
"In this book, as onstage, she has the power to shock—not so easy in these times. Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor crossed lines; now that the controversy has faded, we remember their genius. And so we will with Sarah Silverman."
New York Magazine
"Odd, shambling, and funny... as close to an explanation of Silverman and her comedy as we’re likely to get. It seems to be saying, Obviously I’m joking, but it’s also me up there."
Dave Itzkoff
…if there is a lesson to Ms. Silverman's often hilarious and occasionally revelatory memoir…it is more profound than that its author is funny when she uses words she's not supposed to…More than just a collection of gags and stand-up leftovers, The Bedwetter is a mostly cohesive narrative of how a rebellious comic perspective evolved and became inseparable from the person who employs it, and how anyone who could find offense in that is really the butt of the joke.
—The New York Times
Publishers Weekly
Demonstrating that her penchant for swearing began at an early age, comedian Silverman begins her hilarious memoir by describing how, at age three, she gleefully responded to her grandmother's offer of brownies with “shove 'em up your ass.” Growing up in New Hampshire (“where cows are well done and Jews are rare”), Silverman naturally gravitated toward performing and moved to New York, where she attended and eventually dropped out of New York University to pursue a standup comedy career. Mixing show business moments (she wrote for Saturday Night Live for one season, but none of her sketches made it past dress rehearsal) with stories of her childhood and adolescence (punctuated by a persistent bedwetting problem), Silverman never shies away from poking fun at her own expense. Though she's best known for sexually explicit jokes, Silverman is able to address more serious subjects in the book without losing her edge, particularly her teenage struggle with depression and that her often abrasive public persona allowed her to “say what I didn't mean, even preach the opposite of what I believed.... It was a funny way of being sincere.” 8-page color insert. (May)
Library Journal
Silverman is great on-screen, and even her film Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic, less than an hour-and-a-half long, is not enough! Luckily, she's in print now and just as funny. This look back at the childhood and beginning career of Silverman, bed wetter extraordinaire, isn't a stab at a complete autobiography, though. It's more of a sketch that highlights particularly influential parts of growing up, like being a bed wetter, which lead to a career of delighting in potty humor. From her humble New England beginnings to her forays into crossing Asian American watchdog groups, fashion police, and various network censors, Silverman's loose collection of stories makes for great reading. Silverman is not known for self-censoring, and her book is filled with off-color language; what's more, at least one photograph makes the title inappropriate for school libraries. VERDICT For any reader who enjoys Silverman's stand-up and television work, her freshman literary effort is highly entertaining, provides a fascinating introduction to the person behind the persona, and should fly off the shelves—order a few. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 12/09; 300,000-copy first printing; four-city tour; ebook ISBN 978-0-06-198707-6.]—Audrey Snowden, Cleveland P.L.
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780061856457
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 3/22/2011
  • Pages: 256
  • Sales rank: 120,934
  • Product dimensions: 5.90 (w) x 8.90 (h) x 0.70 (d)

Meet the Author

Sarah Silverman

Sarah Silverman is the co-creator and star of The Sarah Silverman Program. She won an Emmy in 2009 for her video I'm F***ing Matt Damon, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for her role on The Sarah Silverman Program. Silverman lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Duck, presuming he does not die prior to publication, which is moderately to extremely likely.

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Table of Contents

Foreword Sarah Silverman xi

Cursed from the Start 1

The Bedwetter 17

My Nana Was Great but Now She's Dead 45

Hymen, Goodbyemen 51

Some of My More Moving Violations 63

Sarah Silverman: The College Year 73

Make It a Treat 93

Live from New York, You're Fired 101

Fear and Clothing 115

Midword 125

Explosive Diary 135

Me Play Joke 143

Calls from Schleppy 165

The Most Important Thing in Life: Being on TV 173

The Second-Most-Important Thing in Life: Love 213

Jew 217

Afterword by God 233

Thanks-Yous 239

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 3.5
( 184 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(55)

4 Star

(48)

3 Star

(42)

2 Star

(20)

1 Star

(19)

Your Rating:

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 186 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 7, 2010

    lost for words

    I think it is a book for Silverman fans only. I am not familiar with the author and her comedy, I thought she was writing about the humiliation a bedwetter lives with.

    For me, it was an eyeopener when it comes to comedy these days and why most television shows are nothing but trash. Comedy writers, today, are so immature that potty talk and vulgar situations put them in stitches.

    I was sorry I wasted money on this book. I find miss Silverman to be the ultimate in vulgarity and not one bit funny. I do see from reviews that she does have fans who appreciate that kind of humor.

    I usually donate my books and audio books to the library but this one will go right where it belongs, in the trash.

    11 out of 27 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted August 1, 2010

    NOT FUNNY

    Found it boring and just NOT funny. It falls under "I guess you had to be there (to find it funny)." It also reads like she had 2 days to meet the book's deadline and threw out random thoughts. Don't waste your time. I'm sorry I wasted mine.

    6 out of 14 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 19, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea

    Clever and Insightful

    As a fan of Sarah Silverman's comedy, I was looking forward to reading her memoir, "The Bedwetter : Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee". The book did not disappoint. It is one of the rare memoirs that manage to be both concise and insightful. Silverman bravely devotes much of the book to her childhood battles with depression and enuresis. She also discusses her days as a struggling comic and her views on topics like fashion and religion. Her account of writing for Saturday Night Live in the'90's is especially interesting. Regardless of the subject matter, each chapter is peppered with the clever humor Silverman fans have come to expect. The only complaint I have is that Silverman completely ignores the existence of one of her sisters when talking about her childhood, only to introduce her later in the photographic section of the book and never mention her again. Other than that, I highly recommend "The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee" to anyone who is not easily offended.

    4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 15, 2010

    Boring

    I thought this book was boring and not funny. Took a long time to finish. It didn't make me want to finish it.

    4 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 17, 2011

    Sad that trees had to die for this drivel to be printed

    This book affirmed my suspicion that Sarah Silverman is Sarah Silverman's biggest fan. I was hoping there might be something in it that would convince me that her talent is writing (she did start out as a comedy writer, and it's painfully obvious that her "acting" is simply her repetitively bringing her obnoxious traits to every role), but it didn't pan out. I'm very glad that I borrowed this book, rather than purchasing it.

    3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 14, 2010

    Often hilarious, often touching

    I read this book on the merit of a few good reviews I had read. I'll be honest and say that while I've found myself laughing at Sarah Silverman's comedy and TV show before, I'm not entirely won over by it, but I've always been under the impression that the person behind it is intelligent and likable. This book truly supports that. It's just a good read by a woman that I feel I can relate to. Despite the farts and pee jokes, there's a lot of introspection about her relationships with her friends, family and colleagues that is really just a joy to read.

    This is not to say I don't find farts and pee jokes humorous, but reading how they're anchored in her psyche makes her comedy all the more enjoyable. She comes across as a sensitive person who cares about the feelings of others (an issue addressed in the book are the debacles concerning Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Guy Aoki, the president of MANAA). I think it's true that it's overly-didactic for a comedian to explain their jokes, but I think reading these passages was important. They made interesting stories and reading about her reactions to the bad press really made me feel for her.

    I'm really enjoying this book and I hope that even if you don't totally love her comedy, you'll at least give it a try.

    3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 30, 2011

    Funny stuff

    I love Sarah Silverman's bold comedic style. She's original, and daringly hilarious. This book was such a fun, and rather insightful read.

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted July 22, 2011

    Impressive

    Never had anything against Sarah, but never followed her religiously either. Bedwetter was endlessly entertaining but wasnt forced at all. It was silly but not to the extent that you lose interest with what she's saying. I've also learmed that she and i are the same person... not like siamese twins or anything though so dont get excited. I dont know it's late, i lovvvved this book, i now have a hetero crush on sarah, and im going to bed.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted July 11, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    Do you like funny things?

    Enjoyed the stream-of-consciousness writing sans chapters! Well done, Sarah! I hope this isn't her last attempt at the comedy memoir writing genre, as she has a heart-warming and simultaneously hilarious childhood to draw from. Not for people who dislike funny stuff or topical humor about pee, poo(p), and the author's vagina.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 30, 2010

    You'll be laughing the entire ride!

    Truly a work of comic brilliance, this book will have you in stitches. This 200+ page story of Silverman's pee filled life, and sheets, will having you laughing louder than you thought possible so be careful where you read it. If you're looking for laughs, tears, and the occasional bowel movement, this book will be a perfect buy.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 4, 2013

    .




































































































































































































































    .

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 23, 2013

    How old do u have 2 b 2 read this?

    Write 2 2002

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 23, 2013

    Fantastic

    Never stopped laughing or gasping in surprise. Loved every page.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 7, 2013

    Entertaining

    I love Sarah already. This book made me love her more.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 5, 2013

    Recommend

    It was funny and a quick easy read

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  • Posted April 5, 2013

    I nearly pissed my pants while reading the foreword (written in

    I nearly pissed my pants while reading the foreword (written in expert fashion by the author herself), and had that been the entire story, it would have rivaled any humor tale I’d ever picked up. But sadly, there was more to THE BEDWETTER: STORIES OF COURAGE, REDEMPTION, AND PEE, and it wasn’t entirely filled with plastic sheets covered mania. While this is just a rough guess, I’d say the first half of the book was literary comedic genius. Filled with chuckles and flat-out bits of hysteria. And I was plowing through it like a horse that had been slapped on the behind one too many times.

    Unfortunately, the second half turned into what felt like more of a promotion for The Sarah Silverman Program (TSSP for short) and contemplative reflection on her time on Saturday Night Live, where she told us on more than one occasion how none of her stories were picked up during her one year stint on the show and gave us a bit of insight into how the writing process actually worked. Sure, it was interesting, but I’d hoped for more funny. A lot more of it. After the absolute promise of the first half.

    I mean, this is the woman who at six years of age told her aunt to shove brownies up her ass. This held plenty of promise, but I felt a little cheated on what I’d actually been delivered. Similar to going to a restaurant and asking for Filet Mignon but receiving a Ribeye instead.

    Still, if you want a good read and the opportunity to laugh like a maniac, you may find yourself skipping along joyously with this one. Like me, though, you may end up a bit disappointed with the second half of the book.

    Robert Downs
    Author of Falling Immortality: Casey Holden, Private Investigator

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 22, 2013

    Bitter...

    After the first 100 (very entertainig) pages, it becomes a rant. Didn't bother with the last dozen pages.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 5, 2013

    Same here

    I mean really

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  • Posted July 26, 2012

    I wasn't impressed. I gave it 3 stars instead of 2 because I was

    I wasn't impressed. I gave it 3 stars instead of 2 because I was able to finish it. I agree with other reviewers that it must be for Silverman fans only. I thought it would be funnier (like Bossypants), I was dissapointed.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 15, 2012

    Hilarious!

    Fun fast interesting read

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