Digging Up Mother

A Love Story

De: Johnny Depp - foreword, Doug Stanhope

Narrado por: Doug Stanhope and Friends

Doug Stanhope is one of the most critically acclaimed and stridently unrepentant comedians of his generation. What will surprise some is that he owes so much of his dark and sometimes uncomfortably honest sense of humor to his mother, Bonnie. It was the cartoons in HER Hustler magazine issues that molded the beginnings of his comedic journey, long before he was old enough to know what to do with the actual pornography. It was Bonnie who recited Monty Python sketches with him, who introduced him to Richard Pryor at nine years old, and who rescued him from a psychologist when he brought that brand of humor to school. And it was Bonnie who took him along to all of her AA meetings, where Doug undoubtedly found inspiration for his own storytelling.

Bonnie's own journey from bartending to truck driving, massage therapy, elder abuse, and stand-up comedy and acting never stopped her from being Doug's genuine number one fan. So when Bonnie's alcoholic, hoarding life finally came to an end so many weird adventures later in rural Arizona, it was inevitable that Doug and Bonnie would be together for one last journey.

Digging Up Mother follows Doug's absurd, chaotic, and often obscene life as it intersects with that of his best friend, his biggest fan, and the love of his life: his mother, Bonnie. And it all starts with her death - one of the most memorable and amazing farewells you will ever hear.

BONUS: As fans of his stand-up and listeners of his podcast will attest, Doug is not a "by-the-book" type of guy. This audiobook is no exception. In what he refers to as the "director's cut commentary," Doug forgoes the confines of a straight-read and creates a truly unique listening experience, going off-script to riff throughout its sections and bringing in a cast of colorful characters – childhood friends, his podcast co-host, and fellow comedians and musicians – to voice letters from teachers and guidance counselors, diary entries from his mother, and even old homework assignments. Additionally, Doug has several of the folks mentioned in the book expound on and give their version of events and stories, often remembered quite differently. The result is a wildly fun audiobook that's as distinct as the comedian's own brand of humor.

A special note from the author:

Good news for all my blind and/or illiterate fans! The audio version of my book Digging Up Mother is now available on Audible!

It's read podcast-style by myself and the golden-throated Chad Shank and features guest performances from those who appeared in the book, dropping in to share their own blurred memories of our sloppy pasts and ugliest stories. Guests include my childhood delinquent partner in crime Chris O'Conner, and Greg Chaille, Bingo, Mat Becker, Sarah Hyland (now Sarah HylanDER) and more.

©2016 Doug Stanhope; Foreword copyright 2016 by Johnny Depp (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

This made me like him

I wasn't a fan but now can't get enough. Doug reads the book so well and I really appreciate all of the commentary throughout!

A bit misleading...

While this book is an incredible read, I found the title to be a bit misleading. You see, my own mother died 2 weeks ago. We were very close, and her death has drug me down into unimaginable fits of depression. So distraught that I've been looking for some way to bring her back to the realm of the living.

Yeah, like that Pet Sematary movie but without all the kids. If that movie isn't an advertisement for birth control, I don't know what is. You got one kid whining about nightmares and the other dunce chases a kit into the path of an 18-wheeler then tried to kill his parents when he's brought back to life, the ungrateful so-and-so.

Anyway, back on topic, I bought this book thinking it was a how to guide to exhume a grave. Boy was I wrong. After the 12 hour listen, I still didn't know how to dig my surly decaying mother out of the ground, but I did learn a lesson in comedy and love. Did I get what I wanted? No, but it's kinda like finding $500 surprise dollars in a second hand book, you still walk away happy.

laughing, crying, but mostly laughing !!!

if you are at all a fan of Doug Stanhope's comedy this audiobook is for you. I have had arguments in the past with people telling me audiobooks are cheating and you won't have the same experience as if you read it... I point them to this book as an example of an audiobook being far better that the paper book. Doug made this audiobook unlike any other in the Doug stanhope tradition of saying fuck the rules of how to read this I'm doing it my way! and I am so glad he did!

Listen now!

Two words STAN-hope!! Listen now!! Get it and laugh, much funnier than reading because of side bars and actual people playing themselves!

Snapshot of bygone era

I agree with every rave review of the narration and format.
One thing that really impressed me, though, is how he captured the final generation of kids who weren't medicated for being mischievous (miscreants might be more accurate) and trying to scam an adult into buying a six pack for you and your friends wasn't a capital offense. Really great work.