The Definitive Guide to Underground Humor: Quaint Quotes About Death, Funny Funeral Home Stories and Hilarious Headstone Epitaphs - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0964844281 ISBN 13: 9780964844285

Publisher: Offbeat Pub, 1996

Synopsis

"Edmund Gwenn, the famous actor, observed 'Dying is easy. Comedy is difficult.' Well, any comic will tell you, comedy about dying is really hard. But necessary. For what greater triumph of the human spirit exists than to defiantly mock the grinning reaper, specter of our darkest fears? 'Hey Death--is that a sickle in your hand or are you just glad to see me?'" -- by Anita Wise, stand up comedian/writer who has appeared on the "Tonight Show" and "Seinfeld."

That passage from the Foreword of the book "The Definitive Guide To Underground Humor" sets the stage by capturing the morbidly amusing essence of the succeeding pages. This book dares to explore the comical depths of death and the black humor hidden deep within us all, featuring: Quaint Quotes About Death from such people as Robin Williams, Woody Allen, Johnny Carson, Dennis Miller & Anita Wise; Funny Funeral Home Stories from anonymous funeral directors, embalmers, pall bearers, limo drivers and others who work in the funeral service industry; Hilarious Headstone Epitaphs from graveyards in different parts of the world; and Funeral-Flavored Comics from Non Sequitur & The Wizard of Id.

And who better to unearth this type of humor than someone with 122 years of service in the funeral industry in his genes. Author Edward Bergin's family has owned and/or operated funeral homes in Connecticut since the 1800s.

To those of you who might be uneasy about the idea of a book that deals with the lighter side of death, Anita Wise offers the following for you to ponder: "We enter the world crying, isn't it only fitting to leave it laughing? After all, death is not the final exit, but only a revolving door."

About this title

About the Author

Having worked for 7 years at his family's 130 year-old funeral home, Edward Bergin is well acquainted with the importance and use of humor in the funeral service profession. His humorous insights into this secretive industry will make people smile, relax and, possibly, spin in their graves!

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Quaint Quotes

"On the plus side, death is one of the few things that can be done as easily lying down." -- Woody Allen

"For three days after death, hair and fingernails continue to grow but phone calls taper off." -- Johnny Carson

"I'm not afraid of death. It's the make-over at the undertaker's that scares me . . . They try to make you look as lifelike as possible, which defeats the whole purpose. It's hard to feel bad for somebody who looks better than you do." -- Anita Wise

"Death is nature's way of saying, 'Your table is ready.'" -- Robin Williams

"I think the easiest job in the world has to be coroner. Surgery on dead people. What's the worst thing that could happen? If everything went wrong, maybe you'd get a pulse." -- Dennis Miller

"They say that Hell is hot, but is it humid? Because I can take the heat; it's the humidity I can't stand." -- Ronnie Shakes

Edition details

• Publisher: Offbeat Pub
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0964844281
• ISBN 13: 9780964844285
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 96
• Editor: Bergin Edward