{"product_id":"laugh-lines-my-life-helping-funny-people-be-funnier-9781419735356","title":"Laugh Lines: My Life Helping Funny People Be Funnier","description":"\u003cb\u003eWith his tender, funny memoir of four decades in the business, Alan Zweibel traces the history of American comedy\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Alan Zweibel started his comedy career selling jokes for seven dollars apiece to the last of the Borscht Belt stand-ups. Then one night, despite bombing on stage, he caught the attention of Lorne Michaels and became one of the first writers at \u003ci\u003eSaturday Night Live\u003c\/i\u003e, where he penned classic material for Gilda Radner, John Belushi, and all of the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players. From \u003ci\u003eSNL\u003c\/i\u003e, Zweibel went on to have a hand in a series of landmark shows--from \u003ci\u003eIt's Garry Shandling's Show\u003c\/i\u003e to \u003ci\u003eCurb Your Enthusiasm\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e In \u003ci\u003eLaugh Lines\u003c\/i\u003e, Zweibel weaves together the stories of his influential career, from writing for a generation of Jackies and Mortys and Dickies to meeting Gilda while hiding behind a potted plant. He goes deep into the origins of famous \u003ci\u003eSNL\u003c\/i\u003e sketches, as well as how the show evolved in the wake of meteoric success, and the projects--not all of them so enduring--that followed. And Zweibel writes tenderly about his friendships--with Shandling, Billy Crystal, Larry David, and others. Woven throughout are also words from other comedians and writers, including Richard Lewis, Eric Idle, Judd Apatow, Dave Barry, Carl Reiner, Mike Birbiglia, Sarah Silverman, and more. This is a warmhearted cultural memoir from a talented, award-winning writer. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlan Zweibel\u003c\/b\u003e is an original \u003ci\u003eSaturday Night Live\u003c\/i\u003e writer who has won multiple Emmy, Writers Guild of America, and TV Critics awards for his work in television. His theatrical contributions include his collaboration with Billy Crystal on the Tony Award-winning play \u003ci\u003e700 Sundays\u003c\/i\u003e. He is the author of several books including the 2006 Thurber Prize-winning novel \u003ci\u003eThe Other Shulman\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Abrams Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51199325798674,"sku":"9781419735356","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_d5ff5414-9d05-4d5a-afed-2624f6e7e1e1.jpg?v=1744875106","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/laugh-lines-my-life-helping-funny-people-be-funnier-9781419735356","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}