Showing results by publisher "Phoenix Books" in Comedy & Humor

Jerry Lewis (1926-2017) achieved superstardom in the 1950s and 1960s with such films as The Caddy, The Bellboy, and The Nutty Professor. Later, Lewis was almost as well known for his dedication to the cause of muscular dystrophy and his annual Labor Day telethon, which he hosted for more than four decades. In King of Comedy, Shawn Levy offers a provocative portrait of the influential comedian, analyzing the complex, sometimes disturbing world of Lewis—from his rise to fame and philanthropic work to the dark side of his career and personal life.

Harry Beltway, idealistic young conservative and grandson of a famous evangelist, has just come back from a two-years tour as a missionary when he is persuaded to join the campaign staff of Tim Duncannon, an arch-conservative television commentator who has set his sights on the Republican nomination for presidency so that he can build a barbed wire fence around America.

Entranced by romantic tales of heroism and chivalry, Don Quixote—self-proclaimed knight errant—embarks on a delusional quest for fame and adventure. The eccentric Spanish country gentleman and his companion Sancho encounter an array of unforgettable characters and undertake some of the most famously foolhardy exploits in literature. Listeners will delight in following their chivalrous misadventures to right wrongs and punish evil in this timeless, laugh-out-loud tale.

The sun always shines over England, England! With remarkable wit, acclaimed novelist Julian Barnes tells the story of an egotistical mogul and his vision of recreating all of England's attractions in one place. Now visitors can conveniently site-see everything from the Tower of London to Stonehenge in a single weekend. But what happens when fantasy and reality begin to blur?

In this brilliant retelling of the classic tale about the transcendent power of love, author Stephen Mitchell writes, "There are two kinds of women: those who marry princes and those who marry frogs.” While the frogs never become princes, over the course of an ordinary marriage, a prince may turn into a frog. However, Mitchell tells of a different kind of love story. This adult fairytale is the story of a meditative frog's love for a rebellious princess, how she came to love him in spite of herself, and how her refusal to compromise helped him become what he was truly meant to be.

Bill Geist, two-time Emmy recipient and long-time CBS news correspondent, chronicles 19 wacky but true entrepreneurial endeavors that prove the American Dream is alive and well - if but just a tad warped. Who says America doesn't make anything anymore? Where else could you find Bob Chandler who made a fortune by inventing the huge-wheeled behemoth of the arena, the car-crushing monster truck? How about Hardy Warren, dean of the dog-eat-dog California traffic school?

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, bestselling author, and failed Wheel of Fortune contestant Dave Barry has questions—lots of them—and sets out to find the answers. If you've ever wondered things such as, “Just how does Oprah have the power to turn a 1957 Hotpoint toaster manual into a #1 bestseller?” or “What makes people want to eat animals they would never consider petting?”, then this book is for you. Dave Barry proves that one man even in this incredibly complex global society using only his mind and the power of information can make a difference.

From the brilliant comic mind of Jonathan Winters, this recording features some of his most memorable comedic work. Famous for his impersonations, Winters takes on Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robin Williams, Groucho Marx, and Saddam Hussein. And treat yourself to more laughs as Winters transforms into some of his most famous characters including Grandma Frickert and Chester Honeyhugger.

Subtitled "512 boorish, insensitive, and socially obnoxious pointers for leading a simple, self-centered life," this little book is a hilarious parody of the best seller with a similar name. Here are just a few of the gems contained within. Number 24: Give little kids clothes for their birthdays. Number 101: Argue with everybody. Number 326: Leave the alarm on when he doesn't have to get up. This guide is bound to bring at least 512 laughs.

Has Jeeves finally lost his grip? Wealthy, scatterbrained Bertie Wooster—with the aid of his ever-faithful butler, Jeeves—attempts to romantically link dreamy, soulful Gussie Fink-Nottle with soppy, sweet Madeline Bassett. But as soon as Bertie takes Gussie and Madeline's love connection into his own hands, things go disastrously wrong! Fortunately, Jeeves steps in to set matters straight. But the characters must endure tangled layers of comedic complications before they reach the invariably clever and satisfying finale.

Roger Folger, age 61, recently lost his wife, Stella, but her spirit hasn't wandered far. In an all-too-earthly way, Roger converses with her disembodied voice in the privacy of the home they shared for many years, and you can bet Stella talks back. Roger fills her in on the latest about their kids and neighbors, while she tells Roger what heaven's like—picture the Ritz-Carlton in Florida, managed by Saint Peter. Worried that Roger is lonely, Stella decides that he needs a new woman in his life. But once he begins to date, Stella grows jealous.

Sebastian Zollner's failure as a journalist is matched only by his personal failures: his girlfriend is moving a new lover in before Sebastian even knows he's been dumped. Searching for the break that will redeem him in the eyes of his peers, he heads off on a wild-goose chase into the mountains to interview the eccentric, legendary painter Manuel Kaminski with the hope of writing his biography. Kaminski is going blind and is living in seclusion with his daughter.

He's a grand guy, that Guy Grand—billionaire by birth, entrepreneur by avocation, and thoroughly unpredictable. He "keeps his hand in", buying into and revolutionizing industries ranging from championship boxing to African safaris. Is he a crackpot, or an eccentric, or perhaps a visionary with a goal of social redemption? Grand's greatest project, his tour de force, the cruise ship Magic Christian, sets sail on Easter Sunday, fully renovated into the most luxurious vessel ever to sail the seas.

Former Golf Digest editor Don Wade has collected literally hundreds of anecdotes from some of the greatest names in the sport and delivers those stories in a series of captivating volumes. This particular collection assembles not only golf legends like Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Amy Alcott, Lee Trevino, and Jack Nicklaus, but other notables such as Bing Crosby and Jack Lemmon—not to mention Howard Hughes and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

This is an equal opportunity recording! No race, sex, ethnic group, religion, profession or recreational activity escapes the slings and arrows of this outrageous compendium of jokes, barbs and fabricated anecdotes. From mother superiors to ventriloquists, from hat-check girls to senators, everybody gets a dose of not-so-gentle humility in the course of this merciless, raunchy performance.

Don Wade has indeed proved himself to be golf's master storyteller. And now he returns once again with this truly delightful collection of real-life stories from and about the world's greatest golfers. And Then the Shark Told Justin... brings together past heroes like Ben Hogan and Sam Snead and living legends like Chi Chi Rodriguez and Jack Nicklaus with current stars of today like Tiger Woods and Nick Price.

Mort Sahl has been described as one of the greatest political and social satirists of the 20th century. In Mort Sahl's America, the sophisticated political satirist exposes the grand follies of the powers that be. Deflating celebrity pretensions, he skewers liberals and conservatives alike. From Bill Clinton to Bob Dole, from Al Gore to Jesse Jackson, no one is spared.

You’ve never overheard a more riotous restaurant conversation. This is a delectable romp through a select assortment of the most famous eateries in New York and Los Angeles. From the Carnegie Deli, Le Bernadin and The Palm, to Drai’s, Spago, and The Ivy, the authors, famed comedian Jackie Mason and renowned divorce attorney Raoul Felder, make no bones about laying the ground rules of not only where to eat and where not to eat, but what to eat and how to act when eating.

The inside story of how a television show almost took over the universe. You'll hear confidential memos written by "Deep Throat Nine" to Paramount, that contain suggestions on how to enhance Star Trek's domination of the known universe - on how such a world should and could exist.

Debuting at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in 1991, Catskills of Broadway was a critically acclaimed show that played to sold-out houses for more than a year, followed by a national tour. This audio recording captures the hilarity provided by comedians Dick Capri, Louise Duart, Mal Z. Lawrence, and Freddie Roman.