Not gonna lie,
it’s been a rough couple of weeks for me personally and I haven't been in too funny of a mood. I won’t get into it, but I will say that when I’ve needed a little lightening up, I’ve been turning to comedy. Watching some stand-up specials, listening to some comedy audiobooks, and even blending the two by listening to some stand-up like Hampton Yount’s Able. It’s a short listen, but it gave me some stuff to laugh about while making it through a very slow, very crowded, and very stressful subway ride to Brooklyn.If I had to pick a theme for this month’s lineup (not that I do, but I need to tie a knot on this thing somehow), I guess it has to with laughing through the hard stuff and trying to find a little lightness when you can. I didn’t realize it when I was picking these titles, but they all have that in common with one another. Not to be all corny and whatever, but hopefully if you’re not feeling great these days either, maybe these listens can help lighten you up, too.
- Aaron, Audible editor
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Born Standing Up
- A Comic's Life
- By: Steve Martin
- Narrated by: Steve Martin
- Length: 4 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 14,690
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 12,068
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11,996
In the mid-70s, Steve Martin exploded onto the comedy scene. By 1978 he was the biggest concert draw in the history of stand-up. In 1981 he quit forever. Born Standing Up is, in his own words, the story of "why I did stand-up and why I walked away".
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic
- By Andrew on 11-30-07
Speaking of stand-up...
Who doesn’t love Steve Martin? For real, he’s an OG in the stand-up sphere, a movie star, an author, and a kickass bluegrass musician. Dude is a national treasure. This is one of those audiobooks that’s almost unanimously loved by listeners. Just look at the reviews and ratings on Audible. As my fellow editor Kat put it in her list of Saturday Night Listens, His comedy memoir is the pinnacle of the form.
Get Wild and Crazy
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How Not to Get Shot
- And Other Advice from White People
- By: Doug Moe, D. L. Hughley
- Narrated by: D. L. Hughley
- Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,437
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,123
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,106
From the elections of Barack Obama and Donald Trump to the tragic events of Ferguson and Charlottesville, the subject of race has come to the forefront of American consciousness. Legendary satirist D. L. Hughley offers his own cutting observations on this contentious issue that continues to traumatize the nation, a wound made more painful by the ongoing comments and actions of the 45th president. Hughley uses humor to draw attention to injustice, sardonically offering advice on a number of lessons, like "How to make cops feel more comfortable while they're handcuffing you".
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5 out of 5 stars
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D.L. Hughley keeps me "woke"!
- By Mcmlviii on 08-21-18
How's that for a title?
D.L. Hughley is one of those celebrities that is both under the radar and somehow still everywhere at the same time. What I didn’t know is that he’s a really active political and social commentator with a lot to say about America’s relationship with the Black community. How Not to Get Shot is a satirical look at racial issues in our country today through the eyes of one of The Original Kings of Comedy.
See Through His Eyes
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Laughing at My Nightmare
- By: Shane Burcaw
- Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne
- Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 559
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 499
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 499
With acerbic wit and a hilarious voice, Shane Burcaw's Laughing at My Nightmare describes the challenges he faces as a 21-year-old with spinal muscular atrophy. From awkward handshakes to having a girlfriend and everything in between, Shane handles his situation with humor and a "you-only-live-once" perspective on life. While he does talk about everyday issues that are relatable to teens, he also offers an eye-opening perspective on what it is like to have a life threatening disease
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5 out of 5 stars
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Insightful and unflinchingly honest
- By Abby Goldsmith on 11-09-14
Laugh through the pain
Every once in a while, I come across a title at Audible that I’m shocked I didn’t already know about. After reading up on Shane Burcaw’s life, his spinal muscular dystrophy, and all he does for other people with this disease through his nonprofit Laughing At My Nightmare, Inc., I knew I had to add this to my library. The most captivating thing about this audiobook is Shane’s sense of humor. He shows us that even when you live with a life-threatening disease, there’s still room to laugh.
Get Laughing
Coming Soon
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Cat and Nat's Mom Truths
- Embarrassing Stories and Brutally Honest Advice on the Extremely Real Struggle of Motherhood
- By: Catherine Belknap, Natalie Telfer
- Narrated by: Catherine Belknap, Natalie Telfer
- Length: 4 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 796
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 693
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 693
Hilarious best friends Cat and Nat created a massive online community of moms by sharing their ultra-real and just a bit R-rated dispatches from the mom trenches. From what not to eat a few days after giving birth (chicken wings) to the most effective ways to dodge post-partum sex, Cat & Nat’s Mom Truths shares everything no one will tell you about having kids.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Thought it would be funnier
- By Honest Jane on 04-13-19
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The New Me
- By: Halle Butler
- Narrated by: Halle Butler
- Length: 4 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 193
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 169
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Story4 out of 5 stars 168
Millie, 30, just can't pull it together. Misanthropic and morose, she spends her days killing time at a thankless temp job until she can return home to her empty apartment, where she oscillates between self-recrimination and mild delusion, fixating on all the little ways she might change her life. Then she watches TV until she drops off to sleep, and the cycle begins again. When the possibility of a full-time job offer arises, it seems to bring the better life she's envisioning within reach. But with it also comes the paralyzing realization of just how hollow that vision has become.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Might have been an ok read...
- By mfseegs on 04-24-19
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Riding the Elephant
- A Memoir of Altercations, Humiliations, Hallucinations, and Observations
- By: Craig Ferguson
- Narrated by: Craig Ferguson
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,399
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,232
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,225
Craig Ferguson has defied the odds his entire life. He has failed when he should have succeeded and succeeded when he should have failed. The fact that he is neither dead nor in a locked facility (at the time of printing) is something of a miracle in itself. In Craig’s candid and revealing memoir, listeners will get a look into the mind and recollections of the unique and twisted Scottish American who became a national hero for pioneering the world’s first TV robot skeleton sidekick and reviving two dudes in a horse suit dancing as a form of entertainment.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Other drivers think I'm nuts...
- By LA Rider on 05-15-19
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I Ain't Doin' It
- Unfiltered Thoughts from a Sarcastic Southern Sweetheart
- By: Heather Land
- Narrated by: Heather Land
- Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 395
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 359
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 352
Social media comedian Heather Land uses her trademark sassy, laugh-out-loud humor to remind us of the many ways that real life can be really funny. Heather Land has something to say about almost everything in life - the unbelievable, inconceivable, and downright frustrating - and why she “ain’t doin’ it.” In her first book, Heather shines a light on the (occasional) ridiculousness of life through a series of hilarious essays, dishing on everything from Walmart and ex-husbands to Southern beauty pageants and unfortunate trips to the gynecologist.
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5 out of 5 stars
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I Did Do It!
- By M S Wright on 05-29-19
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Cat and Nat's Mom Truths
- Embarrassing Stories and Brutally Honest Advice on the Extremely Real Struggle of Motherhood
- By: Catherine Belknap, Natalie Telfer
- Narrated by: Catherine Belknap, Natalie Telfer
- Length: 4 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 796
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 693
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 693
Hilarious best friends Cat and Nat created a massive online community of moms by sharing their ultra-real and just a bit R-rated dispatches from the mom trenches. From what not to eat a few days after giving birth (chicken wings) to the most effective ways to dodge post-partum sex, Cat & Nat’s Mom Truths shares everything no one will tell you about having kids.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Thought it would be funnier
- By Honest Jane on 04-13-19
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The New Me
- By: Halle Butler
- Narrated by: Halle Butler
- Length: 4 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 193
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 169
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 168
Millie, 30, just can't pull it together. Misanthropic and morose, she spends her days killing time at a thankless temp job until she can return home to her empty apartment, where she oscillates between self-recrimination and mild delusion, fixating on all the little ways she might change her life. Then she watches TV until she drops off to sleep, and the cycle begins again. When the possibility of a full-time job offer arises, it seems to bring the better life she's envisioning within reach. But with it also comes the paralyzing realization of just how hollow that vision has become.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Might have been an ok read...
- By mfseegs on 04-24-19
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Riding the Elephant
- A Memoir of Altercations, Humiliations, Hallucinations, and Observations
- By: Craig Ferguson
- Narrated by: Craig Ferguson
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,399
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,232
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,225
Craig Ferguson has defied the odds his entire life. He has failed when he should have succeeded and succeeded when he should have failed. The fact that he is neither dead nor in a locked facility (at the time of printing) is something of a miracle in itself. In Craig’s candid and revealing memoir, listeners will get a look into the mind and recollections of the unique and twisted Scottish American who became a national hero for pioneering the world’s first TV robot skeleton sidekick and reviving two dudes in a horse suit dancing as a form of entertainment.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Other drivers think I'm nuts...
- By LA Rider on 05-15-19
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I Ain't Doin' It
- Unfiltered Thoughts from a Sarcastic Southern Sweetheart
- By: Heather Land
- Narrated by: Heather Land
- Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 395
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 359
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 352
Social media comedian Heather Land uses her trademark sassy, laugh-out-loud humor to remind us of the many ways that real life can be really funny. Heather Land has something to say about almost everything in life - the unbelievable, inconceivable, and downright frustrating - and why she “ain’t doin’ it.” In her first book, Heather shines a light on the (occasional) ridiculousness of life through a series of hilarious essays, dishing on everything from Walmart and ex-husbands to Southern beauty pageants and unfortunate trips to the gynecologist.
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5 out of 5 stars
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I Did Do It!
- By M S Wright on 05-29-19