Posted on: September 29, 2009 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

David Cross is getting a little tired of carrying around the hipster cross. Worshipped for co-creating/starring in Mr. Show and his brilliant work with Arrested Development, Cross also happens to be one of the funniest controversial stand ups working today (controversial meaning he does more than jokes about airline peanuts).

But the second he takes a movie or TV role seen as too mainstream, his indie fan base starts yelling “sell out!” at the top of their little hipster lungs. Regardless of the fact that he needs to eat, pay rent, etc. The topic is touched on a bit in his book I Drink for a Reason, as a collection of random stories, jokes, essays and even a blog post or two.

The book is a bit uneven – with weaker bits thrown in simply as filler (“How to Play Mafia”) – but the bulk of the entries are flat out hilarious. His beef with Jim Belushi, chronicled in several sections of the book, are even laugh out loud funny, as is the chapter “Other Ways Jews Can Utilize Current Technology to get Around God’s Strict Laws for the Sabbath”. At a time when any hack comedian with a sitcom automatically churns out a book, it’s heartening to know someone who is genuinely funny can get a book published as well.

I Drink for a Reason by David Cross / Grand Central Publishing / 256 pages/ www.idrinkforareason.com

Leave a Comment