Not Taco Bell Material (Review)

Not Taco Bell Material (Review)

don’t know who Adam Carolla is. A friend said he runs a very popular podcast and was a personality as one of those sorts of “zoo crew” guys on various radio shows. He’s quite successful.

Found his book on the shelf of a Norfolk used bookstore (where I get lots of books). Anyway, I looked it over and through “why not?” Okay, I did.

I didn’t enjoy it very much.

I’m sure that Mr. Corolla wouldn’t like me very much either. We are different sorts of people.

So Not Taco Bell Material is a memoir of Carolla’s childhood, pretty a life that begins with disinterested parents which leads to a series of crummy houses, apartments and garages (as living space). Each chapter details his next dump. And I’ll say this – most of the chapters about about his half-assed jobs and the drunken and drug fueled stunts he and his friends engaged in. And where we differ is that, as a homeowner, having a bunch of drifting guys move into a house down the street – loud radios, all-night-parties, revving motorcycles – is the nightmare we suburbanites fear. Had a mild form of this occur once and yes, at 2am I called the cops on them.

It really comes down to this. I’ve read tell all memoirs that explain (and admit to) rough patches. James Gardner’s memoir had open segments on his temper issues. And that’s fine. But put it in context. I don’t need everything to wrap up into a bow. I don’t need lessons learned. But I need some sort of point. Just non-stop tales of spraying water out of your ass, of pissing on each other (or into ice makers in hotels), of getting fucked up for fucked up sake becomes banal at some point.

I think the point that really lost me (yes, I quit 2/3rds of the way through) was that somehow he found success. I know it had something to do with Jimmy Kimmel (from his hints). But I was wondering how this screwed up guy ever got his shit together. That might be consider a “point” to all this. Self-reliance and all that. But no – he blew it off, saying that he had already covered it in another book and if you wanted to know, go buy that one. Sorry but I’m just not interested and if there is no point, there is no interest. So I gave it up.

My take on all this anyway. If you like raunchy stories, maybe this one is for you. I guess.

>>>MY BOOKS, WHICH DID HAVE LAWYERS REVIEW SOME OF THE SHORT RAUNCHY BITS, FOR SALE HERE<<<