Roughly two years ago, Gretchen and I were driving to Branson, Missouri. We had satellite radio and I had gotten tired of the same songs. I began checking out the comedy channels when I came across Howard Stern interviewing Jim Breuer. Jim was talking about having to take care of his elderly father. I laughed so hard that I was crying driving down Interstate 70. Now, I wasn't a Jim Breuer fan. I knew him from Saturday Night Live, playing "Goat Boy". That was during a period in which I really didn't watch the show that much and I didn't understand that character. I, also, knew he was in the movie "Half-baked" which I haven't seen. He plays a stoner. I figured that's how he was, I mean, that is how he looks. I was surprised that he made me laugh so hard.
I have always loved comedy and I love to make people laugh. I've even written some stand-up but never had the guts to perform it. I can do some voices, nothing spectacular though. Anyway, back to Jim Breuer. There was something in the way he told the story which made you laugh, feel sorry for him and just drew you in.
Okay, fast forward to about 4 months ago. I was flipping channels and I caught Jim Breuer on "The Dan Patrick Show" I think, although it may have been something else. He was talking about the book he had written and doing voices like Joe Pesci, and Tracy Morgan for example. It got me to thinking about his appearance on Howard. So, I tried to find it on the internet. I couldn't find it but I did find another clip of him on another radio show. I was crying again as I played it over and over. I played it for Gretchen and she laughed as much as I did. I mentioned to her that he had written a book. A few weeks later, (and this is how great my wife is) she surprised me with the book. However, it wasn't a book but the digital audio book with Jim reading it. She figured he would do voices as he read it.
She was right he does voices as he reads this book. But it's not like he's reading the book, it's like he's there telling you these stories of his life. And that's about all she or I got right about this book. The name of the book is "I'm Not High". It turns out this is just the way he has looked his entire life. Jim writes about growing up and his working to get famous, you know the things you expect in an autobiography. Here is the unexpected.
Jim goes into detail about his journey with spirituality. Whoa! Not what I expected at all. He describes moments in life when you feel certain callings to do things. (God speaking to him, the Holy Spirit, or however you choose to describe it.) It is a very moving book. I have laughed, "almost" been brought to tears with sadness and felt his anger. Jim covers topics such as race, love, losing friends, drugs and what he has seen fame do to others.
I have found the book to be very refreshing, entertaining and thought provoking. I highly recommend it and I don't recommend a lot of things. If you get the chance get the audio version, do it. I don't know if it is the same with the book, but Jim gets off topic on the audio version with side stories but always return back the original topic. There is some choice language here and there. Nothing to harsh and nothing most of us haven't said a million times ourselves.
The title of this blog is "I Owe It All To Jim Breuer". This is why. Why the thought of blogging had crossed my mind for a couple of years, I didn't act on it. (I have to admit, I didn't know anything about it and figured it was a huge process. Boy was I wrong.) After watching him on TV and listening to the book, it occurred to me why I enjoyed Jim so much. He is a great story teller. I love to here great stories. It's the same reason I love baseball on the radio. When you have a great story teller like Jack Buck describing what's happening right before him in such a wonderful manner as he did, you can't help but to be captivated. The same with Jim Breuer he captivates me with his story telling. And that is why I started this blog. I have stories to tell and hopefully I can entertain my readers. My big problem is focus and I forget to add some details to the stories I tell. I think I need an editor. Regardless, I hope to improve as time goes by. Nevertheless, get this book. I know you will enjoy.
This was what was on my mind today.
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