I Drink For A Reason: Audio Book Review

Actor-Comic David Cross Brings Humor to Life With His Voice

Oct 8, 2009

Through essays, anecdotes, and lists, the wordy comedian delivers his take on random events in modern life.

This quirky collection contained on six CDs wraps around the listener like a slightly scratchy comedy quilt on a moderately chilly day. An assortment of forms, styles, and subjects, the audio book combines a random variety of unsettling riffs, rants, and raves designed to simultaneously offend and amuse.

Through pervasive profanity, sexual content, and drug references (basically, everything you might expect at a live comedy show), film and television actor and standup comic David Cross delivers his own long-winded, cerebral take on pop culture through essays, anecdotes, lists, and musical interludes featuring Les Savy Fav and Yo La Tengo. Subjects covered in the audio book include rich people, product names, religious beliefs, the future, and second-rate celebrities.

Larry the Cable Guy, Jim Belushi Among Celebrities Discussed

Rants about Larry the Cable Guy (an email correspondence), Jim Belushi (anecdotes about personal encounters), Bill O’Reilly (another anecdote), and Whoopi Goldberg (a general dislike for the actress and comic) are among his angry diatribes about celebrities. Cross complains about Larry’s unjust attacks on him, Belushi’s ungracious behavior toward fans, O’Reilly’s ill treatment of guests on his show, and Goldberg’s lack of humor.

While some of the material obviously has been enhanced for the sake of comedy, the line between reality and illusion becomes quite blurry during these bits. The disclaimer at the end of the audio book does nothing to clear up the confusion. Instead, it confirms that everything in the book is absolutely true, except for what isn’t.

The randomness of Cross’s humor can be a strength or weakness depending upon individual preferences. About the only thing a listener can accurately predict from one track to the next is that there will be another list. As these lists tend to be lengthy with intricate sentences and multi-layered ideas, they lose some of their zing in audio book format. That is, sometimes his humor actually requires a little thought, and there isn’t much time to do it before the next punchline occurs.

Other than the lists that don’t adapt well to this form, his personal stories and letters vibrantly come to life as he reads. Cross uses different dialects and adds berating comments for audio book listeners who are too lazy to pick up a book and read for themselves. In fact, he plays around quite a bit with the audio format, having authors and producers (seemingly) wander through the studio contributing their comments to the session. These guests, including Jon Benjamin and Kristin Schaal, go along with the random nature of his humor, although don’t add much in terms of comedic value.

While much of the material does produce laughs, Cross’s unique delivery becomes the strongest, most memorable element of the audio book. As in his numerous film and television roles, he brings a wry sarcasm and comic cadence that make just about everything he says sound funny – in this case, for about 6.5 hours.

Selected David Cross Filmography

Audio Book Details:

Cross, David. I Drink For A Reason. Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group, 2009. ISBN: 978-1-60024-648-7, Six CDs, Humor, Unabridged Audio Book.

I Drink For A Reason also comes in hardcover, electronic book, and downloadable audio book. The audio book (reviewed) contains a PDF featuring a bonus photo montage with random pictures and outrageous captions.

The official website for I Drink For A Reason contains tangentially related bits including videos about a Valentine’s Day romance, a disastrous encounter with Jim Belusi, and an animated short that Cross wrote about Canada.

The copyright of the article I Drink For A Reason: Audio Book Review in Celebrities/Pop Culture is owned by Leslie C. Halpern. Permission to republish I Drink For A Reason: Audio Book Review in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.