Not Taco Bell Material

By: Adam Carolla

Narrated by: Adam Carolla

Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

In his second book, Adam Carolla - chart-topping podcaster and author of New York Times best seller In Fifty Years We'll All Be Chicks - reveals all the stories behind how he came to be the angry middle-aged man he is today.

Funnyman Adam Carolla is known for two things: hilarious rants about things that drive him crazy and personal stories about everything from his hardscrabble childhood to his slacker friends to the hypocrisy of Hollywood. He tackled rants in his first book, and now he tells his best stories and debuts some never-before-heard tales as well.

Organized by the myriad "dumps" Carolla called home as a child - through the flophouse apartments he rented in his 20s, up to the homes he personally renovated after achieving success in Hollywood - the anecdotes here follow Adam's journey and the hilarious pitfalls along the way.

Adam Carolla started broke and blue collar and has now been on the Hollywood scene for over 15 years. Yet he never lost his underdog demeanor. He's still connected to the working class guy he once was, and delivers a raw and edgy, fish-out-of-water take on the world in which he lives (but with which he mostly disagrees), telling all the stories, no matter who he offends - family, friends or the famous.

©2012 Adam Carolla (P)2012 Random House Audio

Funny stuff

Adam Corolla makes me laugh. Sophomoric fart jokes. Sexist jokes. Non politically correct "offensive" jokes and stories. Good times.

good funny book

good funny book. just like his podcasts he does, it's worth the time to listen.

Awesome all around. Great story by a great story t

Where does Not Taco Bell Material rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The Ace Man knows how to spin a yarn and the fact he ad libs while reading it makes it that much better.

What did you like best about this story?

I follow Carolla's podcast and have seen him live a couple of times. Really like his performances.

Have you listened to any of Adam Carolla’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Interesting in its simplicity and ridiculousness of humanity writ small by Carolla's unique experience.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not a thing. Carolla is very funny and is so quick on the ad-lib stuff that you have to pay attention or you'll miss something.

Any additional comments?

No.

I could not stop laughing

What did you love best about Not Taco Bell Material?

The rants that seem to be spontaneously triggered by the story being told at the time.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Part of it were so funny I had to replay them right away.

Any additional comments?

The language is pretty foul, but it is consistent with Carolla's point of view. Overall hilarious!

if you love Adam carolla, you love this book.

Ace man throws in a few extras into this book and it great for a long road trip.

Side-splitting hilarious!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes! Why? Because it is not only funny but it is true and real honest humor. Blunt and to the point (except for the tangents.. but where would we be without the tangents?) Adam Carolla offers a sincere, open, almost voyeur view of his life. Each chapter takes you on a journey through time encased in the setting of the house he was living at the time. Brutally honest about everyone and everything involved (including himself), it makes for a listen worth listening to over and over. Or maybe that is just me.. but quite frankly if it keeps you smiling.. who cares! A staple in my ipod for all those moments when you really just need to shut out the loud mouth in the doctors waiting room to when the nurse is drawing so much blood you just need to get in a positive spot otherwise you will pass out! No matter where I turn it on, it brings an immediate smile, laugh, and frequently tears of laughter. Read by the author himself, if you are looking for comic relief, look no further... this may not be Taco Bell Material but it will ring your humor bell!

Who was your favorite character and why?

The book is stories based on Adam's life. Of course there are other characters and some of them quite interesting but Adam's story stands alone as an inspiration to overcoming any obstacle placed in front of you. Thanks Adam

What does Adam Carolla bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Read personally by Adam, his blunt and straight-shooting style makes for a ride one could only compare to 'Mr. Toad's Wild Ride' meets 'Willy Wonka' meets 'Benny Hill'. While reading the book is no doubt a humorous experience, listening to it.. and the emphasis placed on certain words or just the tangents alone, offer a vivid picture into true American Life. Great example of "We can pick our friends but we can't pick our relatives".

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Warning: This book will make you laugh so hard you will be crying. In addition, it may cause melting to the floor in a pool of hysterical laughter while everyone else around you are still taking life too seriously.

Any additional comments?

The humor contained in this audio book may be considered offensive to some. If you are not familiar with who Adam Carolla is.. educate yourself first as this may not be quite what you are expecting.

So funny!!

Adam is the man! such a great entertainer and his take on life is perfect. can't wait for the next book

Entertaining Glimpse into a Life

A book narrated by the author himself, I found the book entertaining and enlightening considering I had never heard of AC before buying the book. Basically, I wanted to read something I normally wouldn't pick up and read, and I'm going to say mission accomplished. If you're easily offended by sophomoric humor and f- bombs and similar language, I suggest you don't listen lest you fall into your usual judgmental mode. However, if you're willing to open your mind and gain insight about someone you usually wouldn't give the time of day, then broaden your horizon further and have a listen. Okay, now I can return to my favorite genres: historical, expository and biographies.

Adam Carolla's unique opinion

Would you listen to Not Taco Bell Material again? Why?

As a loyal fan of Captain Carolla's pirate ship, I will definitely listen to this book again. To me, his stories are inspirational. Just a regular guy who knows what he wants out of life, and willing to do whatever it takes to get it.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Not Taco Bell Material?

It's hard for me to choose a particular memorable moment in the book. I love it all. I really like that he doesn't stick to the script.

What does Adam Carolla bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

In my humble opinion, this book couldn't possibly be read by anyone but Adam Carolla. I have always loved to listen to books narrated by the author. It's great to hear the inflections exactly the way the author intended.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I definitely wanted to listen all in one sitting, but I just didn't have the time. Some time in the future, maybe I will find occasion to do so.

Any additional comments?

I love the way Adam goes off onto tangents that aren't in the script.

LOVED IT

Okay, the only reason that I gave this overall story four stars instead of five is because he abridged this audio version of the book, which I wish he hadn't. The abridgement of this book did not make me dislike the story - it just left me wishing for more. Had Adam not mentioned several times that he was leaving stories out and that we should get the hard copy for additional stories, I would have never known anything was missing. However, Adam does have two surprise guests join him in the studio which almost make up for the shortened reading of this book. Another reason that I gave the story a four rather than a five is because it seems that a good portion of the book is rehashing of the stories from "In Fifty Years....." just with more detail. Don't get me wrong, I gave "In Fifty Years...." five stars and loved it. I just wish there were additionally funny and juicy stories in this one without so much repeat. However, if you are an Adam Carolla fan or you just like to listen to someone with a really smart sense of humor, I truly recommend this book; I hated that it ended after 8 hours - wanted the story to keep going!