Girl Walks into a Bar...

Comedy Calamities, Dating Disasters, and a Midlife Miracle

By: Rachel Dratch

Narrated by: Rachel Dratch

Length: 5 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

In this side-splitting memoir, the former Saturday Night Live star recounts the hilarious adventures and unexpected joy of dating and becoming a mother when she least expected it - at the age of 44.

Anyone who saw an episode of Saturday Night Live between 1999 and 2006 knows Rachel Dratch. She was hilarious! So what happened to her? After a misbegotten part as Jenna on the pilot of 30 Rock, Dratch was only getting offered roles as "Lesbians. Secretaries. Sometimes secretaries who are lesbians."

Her career at a low point, Dratch suddenly had time for yoga, dog-sitting, learning Spanish - and dating. After all, what did a forty-something single woman living in New York have to lose? Resigned to childlessness but still hoping for romance, Dratch was out for drinks with a friend when she met John.

Handsome and funny, after only six months of dating long-distance, he became the inadvertent father of her wholly unplanned, undreamed-of child and moved to New York to be a dad. With riotous humor, Dratch recounts breaking the news to her bewildered parents, the awe of her single friends, and the awkwardness of a baby-care class where the instructor kept tossing out the f-word.

Filled with great behind-the-scenes anecdotes from Dratch's time on SNL, Girl Walks into a Bar is a refreshing version of the "happily ever after" story that proves female comics - like best sellers Tina Fey and Chelsea Handler - are truly having their moment.

©2012 Rachel Dratch (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Delightful book!

What did you love best about Girl Walks into a Bar...?

What a funny, yet touching memoir. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Rachel narration was awesome, as well!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Girl Walks into a Bar...?

The midlife miracle! I was not expecting that plot twist!

What about Rachel Dratch’s performance did you like?

She has an animated, yet soothing voice. She seems familiar, friendly and hysterically funny!!

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

Laughter but touching as well.

Any additional comments?

This is a must read for all but especially women in midlife!

Didn't want it to end!

Would you consider the audio edition of Girl Walks into a Bar... to be better than the print version?

did not read print version

What other book might you compare Girl Walks into a Bar... to and why?

Amy Pohler's...as they both detailed their east coat upbringing and early comedy group experiences and then SNL experiences. But what I loved about Rachel's is that she really then went into her personal story and that's what I liked more than Amy's.

Any additional comments?

I just loved this book because I could relate so much to her as opposed to other comedy memoirist books I've listened to (Amy Pohler, Mindy Kaling, Tina Fey, Sarah Silverman). I really wanted to hear more about how she and her boyfriend-suddenly-turned baby daddy fared after having thier son. Didnt want it to end! Write a follow-up, Rachel!

At times funny, mostly forced

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Not a bad way to dwindle away time while driving, but there wasn't much of a take-away. The jokes, for the most part, felt like Dratch's saved up comedic material since she left SNL. I appreciated the honesty of her story, however, and her attempt to acknowledge the multiple viewpoints of her listening audience.

What could Rachel Dratch have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Her audio delivery was great, and, seeing that is was more memoir than fiction, recommending changes would be silly.

Best one of sol girl crew

I've audio heard Amy polled,Tina Rey's bossy pants , but this was the funniest, which I didn't think was possible. Awesome

Girl walks into a bar

What made the experience of listening to Girl Walks into a Bar... the most enjoyable?

The fact that Rachel was the reader.

Would you be willing to try another book from Rachel Dratch? Why or why not?

Yes, it was a very candid account of her life. Some she made the most of her life with a lovely sense of humor despite not quite fitting in.

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

Her emotions/ feelings

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

BIG JUGS!

not what I expected.....happily loved it!

I expected a typical...my life in Hollywood story. what I got was, my life as a woman of a particular age story who happened to be famous. fresh and funny this book was a delight!

The girl's alright!

Enjoyed this read, so much insight on the opposite end of typecasting in Hollywood. Also enjoyed her perspective on dating and parenting, she's a fighter!

Very enjoyable! And life works in mysterious ways...

Kudos to Rachel Dratch for writing an excellent autobiography! Really well done and simply an enjoyable read (listen) and audio performance. Boy, can I ever relate to some of her dating stories! (She really gets the prize for some of the doozies she shares, though, yikes.) But, everything happens for a reason and life works in mysterious ways. Highly recommend!

A funny tale from a funny girl

Would you listen to Girl Walks into a Bar... again? Why?

Probably not again, but she is witty and interesting to listen to, so I would read another book authored by her.

Would you be willing to try another book from Rachel Dratch? Why or why not?

Yes, just because her tone is so entertaining.

Which scene was your favorite?

When she describes the ridiculous experiences she has had on the streets of NYC...extremely funny. The story about the guy who called her a cunt while she was on a blind date was a riot.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

She is not just the "lesbian, horrifically obese and/or disfigured best friend of the beautiful skinny perfect lead female character".

Any additional comments?

If you like Tina Fey's book, you will like this, they are so darn similar in personality its weird.

entertaining for sure

I really liked this book. It was made infinitely better because it was read by Rachel. Every once and awhile she breaks and chuckles a little which made it even more funny. To be honest though, I am not sure I would have liked it as much if I read it as opposed to listening as I did.