• Maybe We'll Have You Back

  • The Life of a Perennial TV Guest Star
  • By: Fred Stoller
  • Narrated by: Ray Chase
  • Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (272 ratings)

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Maybe We'll Have You Back  By  cover art

Maybe We'll Have You Back

By: Fred Stoller
Narrated by: Ray Chase
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Editorial reviews

Fred Stoller is best known for being "that guy" in classic sitcoms like Murphy Brown, Seinfeld, and Everybody Loves Raymond, and he recalls his life of almost-fame in this humorous and revealing memoir. Ray Chase gives an uncanny performance that uses a languid and slightly adenoidal voice to mimic Stoller's droopy, sad sack persona. It isn't all an act, however, as Stoller examines the downsides of his success with a bracing forthrightness to go along with the juicy tales of the celebrities he's worked with, making Maybe We'll Have You Back a candid look at TV's perennial guest star.

Publisher's summary

Fred Stoller has played the annoying schnook in just about every sitcom you’ve seen on TV - Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, Scrubs, Hannah Montana, My Name Is Earl - and was even a staff writer for Seinfeld, but he’s never found a solid gig. When it comes to Hollywood, it’s a case of always the bridesmaid and never the bride, except in his case he’s always the snarky waiter, the mopey cousin, or Man Number Two.

This hilarious and bittersweet rags-to-rags story of the hardest-working guy in showbiz follows Fred, who started his career as a stand-up comic, from set to set as he tries to find a permanent home for his oddball character. With candor, Fred shares stories of his great adventures pounding the Hollywood pavement, including a humiliating encounter with Billy Crystal, a disastrous one-night stand with Kathy Griffin, and plenty of awkward run-ins at craft service tables. And he always shares his ups and downs with his skeptical yet loving mother waiting by the phone in Brooklyn.

Everyone can relate to searching for a dream job or their next big break, and will root for Fred as he weaves his way through the cutthroat world of Tinseltown.

©2013 Fred Stoller (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"I don’t know why Fred was never a regular on a show. Maybe because he’s annoying...just kidding!" (Ray Romano)

What listeners say about Maybe We'll Have You Back

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As Good As It Gets

Where does Maybe We'll Have You Back rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This audiobook ranks near the top of the dozens I have in my Audible collection.

I worked with Fred Stoller for a few days twenty years ago and picked this book up on a whim when I saw it listed.

It far exceeded any expectations I might have had.

"Maybe We'll Have You Back" is funny, revealing, poignant and extremely informative; I can't imagine that a better book has ever been written about what life is like for a character actor in the TV trenches.

Not incidentally, I was a bit concerned that the audiobook is read by Ray Chase and not Fred - but I quickly discovered that Chase reads the material with a perfect approximation of the author's Brooklyn cadence and inflections. I think he does Fred better than Fred.

A must listen.

Who was your favorite character and why?

It's a toss-up between Fred and Fred's mom...

What about Ray Chase’s performance did you like?

His performance is natural, fluid and perfectly captures Fred Stoller's comedy rhythms.

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

It made me laugh several times. It did not make me cry at all.

Any additional comments?

Well-done!

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5 people found this helpful

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Who in the world is Fred Stoller?

I like hearing stories about different kinds of jobs but who in the world was Fred Stoller? Well as it turns out everyone has seen him in as least some the hundreds of appearances he has made as a guest star but (as I learned from this book) guest stars should never outshines the lead actors. Fred is a regular guy who act and writes, he takes us through his career and what it takes to get these guest spots. It's really not about gossip but there is just the right amount sprinkled into the story. When you hear lead actors talk about their shows they certainly don't talk about what the lunch caterer served or if the crew was invited to eat of just the regulars. I laughed many times with his deadpan style as he would make fun of himself. My favorite was when he went up for a part that was described as a "Fred Stoller type" in the description and he didn't get the part! We learn about the casts of Murphy Brown, Everyone Loves Raymond and many others. Because he is also a writer, we also learn about what it is like from that standpoint. As a member of the Screenwriters Guild he was able to see movies for free for a short time every year, it was hilarious to hear how people who never spoke to him would try to get him to take them to movies or flat out ask for his pass.

This book kept pulling me back, I think I finished it in three days. In the end, I really liked this guy. I'll admit I YouTube'd him to see who he was, then; "oh yeah, I remember him". It was delightful to see the television business from the unique angle

I would have preferred Fred reading it himself but the narrator did a great job and I often had to remind myself that in was not Stoller speaking.

Good job Fred!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Charming, surprise memoir

I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Fred Stoller is an everyman navigating his way along the fringes of show biz, if the everyman is an awkward shnook that is. some great behind-the-scenes looks into the world's of comedy and Hollywood that is charming, funny and mostly positive. A delightfully lighthearted departure from celebrity memoirs that are chock full of salacious tales of parties, drugs and mayhem. A fine listen as long as you set the playback to 1.5x or 2x to make the narrators consistently too long pauses bearable.

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I want more Fred Stoller

I first heard Fred on Marc Marons podcast and became strangely obsessed with getting more of Freds story. This book was a great listen to, and while Ray Chase does a good job reading, I wish it had been Fred narrating. He has such a wonderfully unique voice and way of talking, I wonder why he opted out? Also, if you like show business stories and the general "inside baseball" talk of the business, this books gives you a unique view of the world behind the camera.

Love you Fred! Go on more Podcasts!

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time just won't pass while listening

The author is a self described comedian. I'm guessing that is because no one else describes him that way. I tried for a few chapters, but I just couldn't. It is slow and uninteresting. Finally returned the book.

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Fred all the way!

I've loved Fred Stoller since his stand up days, and squeal with delight every time I see him on television. This book is just him. It's Fred from start to finish. However, I was a little disappointed that he didn't narrate it himself. Took a couple chapters to get used to the narrator, and I will always wonder... but it's a great book by one of the world's funniest "guy who was in that thing" actors!

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Interesting view from the lower ranks

I found this description of a life of what many might call near misses to be both charming and suprisingly informative, albeit in a very droll style. It really shows just how difficult it is to break into show business, with a variety of weird tales along the way. By the end, while we don't get the best arrival, we do get a good one.

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good listen

it was a good listen little sad starting out but towards the end it does have a happy ending

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Yikes

What a depressing book. Turns out Fred isn't that far off from his characters. Poor guy

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it kept me awake

the book is a little too inside baseball. some interesting stories especially Parts about different celebrities and things who's cool who's a snob Etc. as a stand-up comic/ custodian/ amateur gynecologist I know a little bit about performing and what it's like to bomb in front of an audience and sometimes a woman. it definitely gives you an inside perspective on what it's like when you haven't made it in Hollywood which is 99.9% of us even though you had the lead in the school play in high school. I couldn't relate to a lot of it but if you can it's a good read. Fred probably represents the vast majority of us out there in life and in the movies. to quote Getty Lee all the world's a stage and we are merely players performers and portrayers that probably came from somewhere else but I'll give Rush the credit and no I'm not Canadian. I think I have a word quota I'll shut up now

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