“An enjoyable read that deserves a special place on any entertainment biography bookshelf.”
Description
FOREWORD BY JERRY LEWIS
Praise for Pat Cooper:
"He's the comedian's comedian. I think."—Jerry Seinfeld
"I'm one of his biggest fans."—Jerry Lewis
"He's a great actor-comedian—but I'm not sure which one."—Robert De Niro
"One of the funniest men on the planet . . . Venus."—Jason Alexander
"I've never met a funnier man. Sure I have—it's me!"—Billy Crystal
Few comics today can say they have worked with the likes of George Burns, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Bobby Darin—but Pat Cooper can. Born Pasquale Caputo, the legendary comedian didn’t appear on the show business radar until age thirty-two. But from that moment in 1963, when the young smart-mouthed Brooklynite was beamed into millions of homes via the Jackie Gleason Show, people throughout the country knew that they were watching something special. His brash, irreverent, and undeniably hilarious views of what is happening around him have always been honest, unyielding, and colored by his “comedic anger.” And now, in How Dare You Say How Dare Me!, he shares the amazing, offbeat story of his life.
In his unique no-holds-barred style, Cooper begins his story at the beginning—as a child growing up under the strict hand of Italian immigrant parents. He shares memorable, typically comical moments from his youth, including the loss of his virginity to a middle-aged yenta, and his efforts to join the military at age seventeen—only to be kicked out for having hammerhead toes! A seventh-generation bricklayer by trade, Pat recounts performing his stand-up routine in small clubs and theaters at night—until he got his big break into the big time. From that point on, Pat pulls no punches in relating story after story of his life as a top entertainer, including the good, the bad, and the side-splitting! From Las Vegas to Atlantic City and everywhere in between, it’s all here.
Every bit as brash, irreverent, and hilarious as ever, Pat Cooper proves in this very frank memoir that one can succeed in show business without being phony—just as long as you learn to duck, and you’re not too surprised when you’re fired. (Hey, one door closes and another opens.) Like any time spent with this comic genius in person, How Dare You Say How Dare Me! will leave you roaring!
Reviews
“Without a doubt one of the funniest, most entertaining and elegantly crafted books I’ve ever read.”
"A book chockfull of laughs and the reasons comics use sadness to create their routines. You don’t have to love
"Pat Cooper’s sensitivity and insightfulness shine out from behind his ostensibly brash and offensive style in this memoir of six decades and more in show business. . . . Just as with the great Lenny Bruce, Pat Cooper’s presentation may initially strike one as acerbic and overly in your face, but Cooper has strength and vision that go far beyond his rapid-fire answers . . . His memoir reads a bit like a Who’s Who of Show Business since the mid-20th century: Tony Martin, George Burns, Bobby Darin, Tony Bennett, Anthony Quinn and Robert De Niro being but some of those with whom he worked. The great Jerry Lewis, in his brief foreword to this raconteur’s dream of an autobiography, sums up Cooper’s talent in the following words: 'He has this fantastic capacity to challenge the art form [of comedy], and has done so with an exquisite approach to the human condition.' What makes this memoir stand out, though, is its raw honesty. Cooper never minces his words and sure ain’t no patsy, although, on occasion, his kindness and generosity have been taken advantage of. For those who aren’t shy of reading a gut-wrenching biography that pulls none of its punches, try How Dare You Say How Dare Me!. Believe me, you won’t be sorry."
