Growing Up Laughing : My Story and the Story of Funny

## From Publishers Weekly Some know her as the star of the 1960s TV show That Girl, or creator of Free to Be... You and Me, or perhaps major fund-raiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Thomas, author of five bestselling books, here focuses on a role she's had her entire life: daughter. Laughter was the soundtrack for Thomas's formative years in 1950s Beverly Hills. Her father, comedian Danny Thomas, regularly had funny friends--including Bob Hope, Sid Caesar, and George Burns--over to the family home. The author, actress, feminist, and philanthropist shares fond memories of enjoying and learning from these comedy luminaries, and of being a Hollywood kid long before game-changers like the Internet and cable TV. She chronicles her path from childhood to adulthood; particularly interesting tidbits include her meeting and marrying Phil Donahue, becoming friends with Gloria Steinem and Bella Abzug, and, with her siblings, "producing" her father's funeral. But this book is more than a well-written memoir. Thomas also includes interviews with comedy powerhouses galore, from Tina Fey to Alan Alda, Chris Rock to Ben and Jerry Stiller. On the whole, this book offers a delightful firsthand look at how comedy has become integral to American culture--and the way it's shaped one woman's colorful life. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. ## From Thomas, star of the classic sitcom That Girl and daughter of comedy legend Danny Thomas, has taken an interesting approach to the usual Hollywood memoir. Chapters exploring her life as the daughter of comedy royalty, and her struggles to establish an independent identity for herself, alternate with profiles of contemporary comedians (Seinfeld, Leno, Stiller, Rock, Crystal, Rivers, Williams, Fey, Wright, and Colbert, among others). We see how her father inspired her, and we also see how he inspired the professionals who came after him. Thomas’ personal stories are heartwarming and entertaining. Her father, who came by his legendary status by dint of hard work and perfect delivery, comes across as a driven man who always made time for his family and who never made any secret of the fact that he loved his little girl. It was a privileged childhood, to be sure, and you can’t help being a little envious of someone who grew up around the likes of Milton Berle, George Burns, and Sid Caesar. The profiles of other comedians allow us to see Danny Thomas through others’ eyes, too, offering a different perspective on the man and his legacy. An engaging, highly informative memoir—definitely not the routine show-biz autobiography. --David Pitt The Award-winning Actress Shares Her Funny And Heartwarming Stories Of A Life Filled With Laughter. Woven Throughout The Book Are Her Interviews With Many Beloved American Comedians About How They, Too, Found The Funny In Their Lives. Celebrations -- A Kid At The Studio -- The Boys -- Socks And Moxie-jerry Seinfeld -- The Wives -- Stirring The Sauce With Joy Behar -- Hotels -- Comedy Begins At Home-billy Crystal -- On The Road -- The First Laugh-robin Williams -- The Funny Barber -- He Said/he Said-ben & Jerry Stiller -- Aka Orson -- Testifying With Chris Rock -- Beverly Hills, My Neighborhood -- My Dad -- Harry And The Parakeet -- Angelo's Boy-jay Leno -- Miss Independence -- My Big Brown Eyes -- Killing And Dying-alan Alda -- Comedians In Their Dressing Rooms -- A Phone Call With Mr. Warmth-don Rickles -- The Two Dannys -- Turn-ons With Conan O'brien -- The Bow -- Twenty Questions For Stephen Colbert -- Dinner At The Goldbergs -- The Survivor-joan Rivers -- Obsession -- Fall-down Funny-george Lopez -- Tony's Pilot -- Oh, Donald -- Lew Parker -- The Comedian's Comedian -- Growing Up Free -- One-girl-show-lily Tomlin -- Rose Marie -- The Book On Kathy Griffin -- Capra, Orson (the Other One), And Me -- The Wright Stuff-steven Wright -- Growing A Feminist -- The Joke On Me -- The Making Of A Wisenheimer-tina Fey -- The Reluctant Interview : An Improv -- The Storyteller-whoopi Goldberg -- Against The Odds -- Legends Of Comedy -- The Elm House -- Mother And Marge -- The Only Jew In The Neighborhood-jon Stewart -- St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Marlo Thomas. With Guest Appearances By Alan Alda, Joy Behar, Sid Caesar, Stephen Colbert, Billy Crystal, Tina Fey, Larry Gelbart, Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Griffin, Jay Leno, George Lopez, Elaine May, Conan O'brien, Don Rickles, Joan Rivers, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Ben & Jerry Stiller, Lily Tomlin, Robin Williams, Steven Wright.-- T.p. " Growing Up Laughing: My Story and the Story of Funny is a book that only Marlo Thomas could write — a smart and gracious, witty and confident autobiographical journey. For as long as Marlo Thomas can remember, she's lived with laughter. Born to comedy royalty—TV and nightclub star Danny Thomas—she grew up among legendary funny men, carved much of her career in comedy and, to this day, surrounds herself with people who love and live to make others laugh. In this long-awaited memoir, Thomas takes us on a funny and heartwarming adventure, from her Beverly Hills childhood, to her groundbreaking creation of That Girl and Free to Be . . . You and Me , to her rise as one of America's most beloved actress-comediennes, to her marriage to talk-show king Phil Donahue. Her youth was star-studded—Milton Berle performed magic tricks (badly) at her backyard birthday parties. George Burns, Bob Hope, Sid Caesar, Bob Newhart and other great comics passed countless hours gathered around her family's dinner table. And behind it all was the rich laughter nurtured by a close and loving family. Growing Up Laughing is not just the story of an iconic entertainer, but also the story of comedy. In a voice that is curious, generous and often gleeful, Thomas not only opens the doors on the funny in her own life, but also explores the comic roots of today's most celebrated comedians, in personal interviews with: Alan Alda, Joy Behar, Stephen Colbert, Billy Crystal, Tina Fey, Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Griffin, Jay Leno, George Lopez, Elaine May, Conan O'Brien, Don Rickles, Joan Rivers, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Ben and Jerry Stiller, Lily Tomlin, Robin Williams and Steven Wright. The award-winning actress shares her funny and heartwarming stories of a life filled with laughter. Woven throughout the book are her interviews with many beloved American comedians about how they, too, found the funny in their lives.;Celebrations -- A kid at the studio -- The boys -- Socks and Moxie-Jerry Seinfeld -- The wives -- Stirring the sauce with Joy Behar -- Hotels -- Comedy begins at home-Billy Crystal -- On the road -- The first laugh-Robin Williams -- The funny barber -- He said/he said-Ben & Jerry Stiller -- aka Orson -- Testifying with Chris Rock -- Beverly Hills, my neighborhood -- My dad -- Harry and the parakeet -- Angelo's boy-Jay Leno -- Miss independence -- My big brown eyes -- Killing and dying-Alan Alda -- Comedians in their dressing rooms -- A phone call with Mr. Warmth-Don Rickles -- The two Dannys -- Turn-ons with Conan O'Brien -- The bow -- Twenty questions for Stephen Colbert -- Dinner at the Goldbergs -- The survivor-Joan Rivers -- Obsession -- Fall-down funny-George Lopez -- Tony's pilot -- Oh, Donald -- Lew Parker -- The comedian's comedian -- Growing up free -- One-girl show-Lily Tomlin -- Rose Marie -- The book on Kathy Griffin -- Capra, Orson (the other one), and me -- The Wright stuff-Steven Wright -- Growing a feminist -- The joke on me -- The making of a wisenheimer-Tina Fey -- The reluctant interview : an improv -- The storyteller-Whoopi Goldberg -- Against the odds -- Legends of comedy -- The Elm house -- Mother and Marge -- The only Jew in the neighborhood-Jon Stewart -- St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. '. . . this one is special.'
-USA Today

Growing Up Laughing is a compelling autobiographical journey-hilarious and heartfelt, intimate and inspiring. It is a book that only Marlo Thomas could write.

For as long as Thomas can remember, she’s lived with laughter. Born to comedy royalty-TV and nightclub star Danny Thomas-she grew up among legendary funny men, carved much of her career in comedy and, to this day, surrounds herself with people who love and live to make others laugh. Thomas takes us on a funny and heartwarming adventure, from her Beverly Hills childhood, to her groundbreaking creation of That Girl and Free to Be . . . You and Me, to her marriage to talk-show king Phil Donahue.

Her youth was star-studded-Milton Berle performed magic tricks (badly) at her backyard birthday parties. George Burns, Bob Hope, Sid Caesar, Bob Newhart and other great comics passed countless hours gathered around her family’s dinner table. And behind it all was the rich laughter nurtured by a close and loving family.

Growing Up Laughing is not just the story of an iconic entertainer, but also the story of comedy. In a voice that is curious, generous and often gleeful, Thomas not only opens the doors on the funny in her own life, but in a series of insightful and hilarious interviews also explores the comic roots of today’s most celebrated comedians.

". . . this one is special." — USA Today Growing Up Laughing is a compelling autobiographical journey—hilarious and heartfelt, intimate and inspiring. It is a book that only Marlo Thomas could write. For as long as Thomas can remember, she's lived with laughter. Born to comedy royalty—TV and nightclub star Danny Thomas—she grew up among legendary funny men, carved much of her career in comedy and, to this day, surrounds herself with people who love and live to make others laugh. Thomas takes us on a funny and heartwarming adventure, from her Beverly Hills childhood, to her groundbreaking creation of That Girl and Free to Be . . . You and Me , to her marriage to talk-show king Phil Donahue. Her youth was star-studded—Milton Berle performed magic tricks (badly) at her backyard birthday parties. George Burns, Bob Hope, Sid Caesar, Bob Newhart and other great comics passed... The award-winning actress and #1 "New York Times"-bestselling author shares her funny and heartwarming stories of a life filled with laughter. Woven throughout the book are her interviews with America's most beloved comedians about how they, too, found the funny in their lives The actress and daughter of comedian Danny Thomas shares her stories of growing up surrounded by funny people and laughter, and includes conversations with contemporary comedians sharing childhood memories of what made them laugh.