• A Bad Idea I'm About to Do

  • True Tales of Seriously Poor Judgment and Stunningly Awkward Adventure
  • By: Chris Gethard
  • Narrated by: Chris Gethard
  • Length: 7 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (176 ratings)

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A Bad Idea I'm About to Do  By  cover art

A Bad Idea I'm About to Do

By: Chris Gethard
Narrated by: Chris Gethard
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Publisher's summary

Chris Gethard has often found himself in awkward situations most people, including you, probably would have safely avoided. The good news is now, thanks to this book, you can enjoy the painfully funny consequences of his unfortunate decisions at a safe distance. A Bad Idea I'm About to Do invites listeners to join Chris as he navigates an adolescence and adulthood mired in hilariously ill-fated nerdom, and to take comfort in the fact that - as his experiences often prove - things could always be much, much worse.

©2012 Chris Gethard (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"If you like underdog stories told by a secret comedy superhero, Chris Gethard is your man. Each story is the perfect combination of hilarious and heartbreaking." (Amy Poehler)
"Chris Gethard is comedy in a fighter's crouch." (Seth Meyers)
"There's truly no poorer judgment than not buying this book. Except maybe diving into a swimming pool full of malaria." (Patton Oswalt)

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What listeners say about A Bad Idea I'm About to Do

Average customer ratings
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!!!

I saw him on Class Action Park and thought-who is this guy?? He’s hilarious! Then the My Favorite Murder Boss Babes we’re talking about him and I realized he is actually a comedian with a brilliant knack for writing! I downloaded this book immediately.

It is a beautiful expression of vulnerability and hope. Chris brings us through his awkwardness as a child, his mental health journey, relationships with family and friends, all delivered with a raw honesty that is hard to find these days. He not only owns his mistakes and insecurities but has the balls to share them with us. I laughed and cried at his hilarious storytelling.

I recommend this book to anyone who needs a reminder that you aren’t alone. We’re all a ball of effed up mistakes and successes woven together in ways not so different from the next person.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

awful voicework

i don't know how the actual book is, because the voice of the guy who reads it sounds like a robot - completely inhuman - which is the opposite of how thoughts by gethard should be read. Ill buy the book and return the audible.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Not what I thought but so much better

This was a great book. It was funny, real and a fantastic introduction to mental health and the importance of self reflection. I sent it to my son for his first audible listen.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not as funny as I though

I picked this book after listening to several 30+ hour novels in a row. I wanted something light and funny...I picked this book based on a few reviews that said it was laugh out loud funny. I did not laugh out loud. I chuckled a few times and found some of the stories amusing, but I didn't find this book funny enough to give it more than 3 stars.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Chris is a hottie

Chris is hot and I like that he does jiu jitsu and write this book

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

This book is amazing, great stories, thoroughly enjoyable!

I’m a huge fan of Chris, and this was such an awesome and interesting peek inside his psyche. There were so many great and relatable stories in here, but my all time favorite was the story about the goat. Even a goat can be a great listener, and animals have gotten me through every tough spot in life. I caught myself beaming from ear to ear multiple times during my listen, but also experienced many other emotions. Anyone who enjoys this should check out The Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People (or Beautiful/Anonymous) Podcast that Chris hosts. They’ve just recently gone independent and there are loads of good episodes for your ears to enjoy. He could use our support now more than ever.

Anyway, Chris if you ever read this, thank you for all of your contributions to society. Your podcast, your books, and your stand-up all have a place in my heart. Your self-deprecating humor resonates deeply with my own. You have brought so much light into my life over the years, and I cannot thank you enough.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Problematic approach in discussing mental health

I really struggled with this one and the way mental health issues were discussed. It felt really flat.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Not My Jam

Even back in 2012 when this book was published, the author's insensitive white male thoughtlessness when talking about bulimia, mental illness in other people besides himself, violence and sexual assault, and nonchalant racism should not have been okay. I found this book neither funny nor poignant nor coherent, and the author never gave me a reason to care about him or his fragmented exploits.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

So much better then the first narrator

I tried to listen to this before Chris Gethard was the narrator and I couldn’t handle the narrators voice it is 100 times better now that the author is the narrator.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved every minute of this...

Gethard has great stories that make you laugh and cringe. One of the better biographies.

Chris gives a perfect reading. I wish he'd narrate more books.

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