Mike Sacks, AND HERE'S THE KICKER humor writer: Mr. Media Radio Interview

I wouldn’t mind spending a day or two in the shoes of Mike Sacks.

During the day—and probably quite a few nights—he is a mild-mannered writer for Vanity Fair magazine.

When he’s not doing that, he’s been interviewing some of the smartest, funniest writers around for his new book, And Here’s the Kicker: Conversations with 21 Top Humor Writers On Their Craft.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "A lot of them are shy and socially awkward. They get used to you and know you do your research. But if I met them at a party, it would have been a car wreck."

As a writer myself, this book was irresistible to me; the chance to eavesdrop on Sacks’ Q and A with the guys—and one woman—behind everything from “The Office,” Borat and “Saturday Night Live” to MAD magazine, The Onion and M*A*S*H.

Even if you’re not a writer, this is a rich vein to mine for laughs and insight into your favorite pop culture icons.



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You can LISTEN to this interview with MIKE SACKS, Vanity Fair writer and author of AND HERE'S THE KICKER, by clicking the BlogTalkRadio.com audio player above!

Copyright 2009 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

I Suppose That's Funny in Your Office, But...

"It's your turn to be the Third World Country now."

-- Comedian Ricky Gervais, creator of the TV shows "The Office" and "Extras," riffing on American life in the twilight of the Bush Administration. He made the comment during a limited appearance at WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City on July 13, 2008.

Copyright 2008 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

It's All About Me (Playboy)

"'The Daily Show' gained credibility because I left. The only bright side of leaving was I hated everyone involved with the show - (Stephen) Colbert in particular. He seems to be very intelligent on TV, but trust me, it's all smoke and mirrors. Everything is written for him. His scripts need to be spelled out phonetically. I just got tired of carrying him. He has no idea what he's talking about. He can hardly spell his own name."

-- Steve Carell, former correspondent on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," remembering the good times on that show in the June 2008 Playboy Interview conducted by Eric Spitznagel. Carell, who currently appears in "The Office," stars in the summer film Get Smart.

Hollywoodland

"Look what they've done to my teeth."

-- Ricky Gervais, star of HBO's series "Extras," amused by the way someone Photoshopped a blown up picture of his face for a poster. It wasn't the size that surprised him, according to Rebecca Dana of the New York Observer. It was the way his teeth were suddenly straight and bright white, his complexion tan and his dimple perfect. Put kindly, that's a little different than reality for the British creator of "The Office."