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

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)

Chris is a hottie

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

Awesome book-wish it was narrated by the author

What did you love best about A Bad Idea I'm About to Do?

I found this book incredibly relatable. Gethard writes about being socially awkward, needlessly aggressive, and the difficulties of struggling with mental illness in a way that is both endearing and humorous. Gethard has a truly comedic mind.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favorite character is the hapless, pudgy, rich kid from Princeton named Derick (pronounced Dare-eek).

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

Nothing against Andy Ingalls or the job that he did in narrating this book, but I was expecting the book to be narrated by the author himself, which is typical of comedic memoirs. I'm familiar with Chris Gethard's voice from watching his TV show and stand up comedy bits and I think the book would sincerely come to life if read in his wavering voice and specific intonations.

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

You don't have to be a dumb guy to make dumb decisions.

Any additional comments?

Hopefully at some point this audio book will be rereleased with Chris Gethard himself reading it, but in the mean time this audio book is still worth a grab. I would rather have read the physical book so that I could imagine it in Gethard's voice.

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.

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.

Amazing! A little weird that Chris didn't read this himself. Still AMAZING!!!

Really an amazing book. For those of us who have come to love Chris through his comedy and former weekly public access show, now picked up by cable in its second season, it might be weird to hear Thomas in any voice other than Chris' because it's so easy to hear how Chris himself would say certain things in your head. At least for some 'Geth Heads.' That aspect was also a little entertaining though and I felt the narrator/vocal performer did a good job with an impossible task, being Gethards voice, his performance is very enjoyable.

If you like stories about weird but awesome people who do things considered Fringe/Unconventional, you need to read this book. I'm on my 5th or 6th listen.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.