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bert kreischer ai generated art: Running the Light Sam Tallent, 2025-03-25 A bona fide “instant classic” (Doug Stanhope) novel that tells the story of a road comic crashing and burning by acclaimed comedian Sam Tallent Billy Ray Schafer stepped off the plane in Amarillo, Texas, with twenty-six hundred dollars tucked down the leg of his black ostrich-skin cowboy boot. He walked to baggage claim slowly, jelly-legged and nearing lucidity, coming out from under the Xanax he snorted before the flight. Debauched, divorced, and courting death, Billy Ray Schafer is a comedian who has forgotten how to laugh. Over the course of seven spun-out days across the American Southwest, he travels from hell gig to hell gig in search of a reason to keep living in this bleak and violent glimpse into the psyche of a thoroughly ruined man. Ex-inmate, ex-husband, ex-father—comedian is the only title Schafer has left. Trapped in the wreckage of his wasted career, Billy Ray knows the answer to the question: What happens when opportunity doesn't come—or worse—it comes and goes? “In vivid, electric sentences that read like cinematic tracking shots,” (Denver Post) Tallent hurls you into an absolute mess of a man’s life as we search for the mercy he does not want. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: I'd Like to Play Alone, Please Tom Segura, 2022-06-14 A #2 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From a massively successful stand-up comedian and co-host of chart-topping podcasts “2 Bears 1 Cave” and “Your Mom’s House,” hilarious real-life stories of parenting, celebrity encounters, youthful mistakes, misanthropy, and so much more. Tom Segura is known for his twisted takes and irreverent comedic voice. But after a few years of crazy tours and churning out podcasts weekly, all while parenting two young children, he desperately needs a second to himself. It’s not that he hates his friends and family — he’s not a monster — he’s just beat, which is why his son’s (ruthless) first full sentence, “I’d like to play alone, please,” has since become his mantra. In this collection of stories, Tom combines his signature curmudgeonly humor with a revealing look at some of the ridiculous situations that shaped him and the ludicrous characters who always seem to seek him out. The stories feature hilarious anecdotes about Tom's time on the road, including some surreal encounters with celebrities at airports; his unfiltered South American family; the trials and tribulations of parenting young children with bizarrely morbid interests; and, perhaps most memorably, experiences with his dad who, like any good Baby Boomer father, loves to talk about his bowel movements and share graphic Vietnam stories at inappropriate moments. All of this is enough to make anyone want some peace and quiet. I’D LIKE TO PLAY ALONE, PLEASE will have readers laughing out loud and nodding in agreement with Segura's message: in a world where everyone is increasingly insane, sometimes you just need to be alone. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Life of the Party Bert Kreischer, 2020-03-17 A collection of outrageous stories by the standup comedian, podcast pioneer, and TV host. Bert Kreischer doesn't know how to say no. If he did, he wouldn’t have gotten himself mixed up with a group of Russian mobsters on a class trip to Moscow, earning him his nickname: The Machine. He wouldn't have wrestled with a bear or swum with sharks on national television. He wouldn't have (possibly) smoked PCP with a star of Saturday Night Live. And he wouldn't have been named the Number One Partier in the Nation by Rolling Stone or have become one of the most in demand touring comedians in the world, performing to sellout crowds across the country. The stories Kreischer shares in Life of the Party are a guidebook on how not to grow up. From his fraternity days at Florida State University, to his rise as a standup, to his marriage and first brushes with fatherhood, Kreischer shows you a path that may not lead you to maturity or personal growth. But it will lead you to a shitload of fun. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: I Must Say Martin Short, 2014-11-04 “Short’s endearing memoir is, of course, funny, but it’s also a rare thing: the tale of a genuine human being who’s thrived on planet Hollywood.” — Washington Post In this engagingly witty, wise, and heartfelt memoir, Martin Short tells the tale of how a showbiz-obsessed kid from Canada transformed himself into one of Hollywood's favorite funnymen, known to his famous peers as the comedian's comedian. Short takes the reader on a rich, hilarious, and occasionally heartbreaking ride through his life and times, from his early years in Toronto as a member of the fabled improvisational troupe Second City to the all-American comic big time of Saturday Night Live, and from memorable roles in such movies as ¡Three Amigos! and Father of the Bride to Broadway stardom in Fame Becomes Me and the Tony-winning Little Me. He reveals how he created his most indelible comedic characters, among them the manic man-child Ed Grimley, the slimy corporate lawyer Nathan Thurm, and the bizarrely insensitive interviewer Jiminy Glick. Throughout, Short freely shares the spotlight with friends, colleagues, and collaborators, among them Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Gilda Radner, Mel Brooks, Nora Ephron, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Paul Shaffer, and David Letterman. But there is another side to Short's life that he has long kept private. He lost his eldest brother and both parents by the time he turned twenty, and, more recently, he lost his wife of thirty years to cancer. In I Must Say, Short talks for the first time about the pain that these losses inflicted and the upbeat life philosophy that has kept him resilient and carried him through. In the grand tradition of comedy legends, Martin Short offers a show-business memoir densely populated with boldface names and rife with retellable tales: a hugely entertaining yet surprisingly moving self-portrait that will keep you laughing—and crying—from the first page to the last. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Stay Hungry Sebastian Maniscalco, 2018-02-27 From comedian and actor Sebastian Maniscalco—star of the film About My Father with Robert DeNiro—an inspiring, honest, uproarious collection of essays tracing his career from playing boxing rings and bowling alleys to reaching the pinnacles of comedy success. At twenty-four, Sebastian Maniscalco arrived in LA with a suitcase and saved up minimum wages. He knew no one and nothing about standup comedy, but he was determined to go for it anyway. Two decades later, he’s on the Forbes’ list of highest earning comedians, selling out arenas, and starring in numerous hit comedy specials including Why Would You Do That? and Is It Me?. Stay Hungry tells the story of the twenty years in between. On the way from clueless rube to standup superstar, Seb was booed off stages; survived on tips and stolen food; got advice from mentors Andrew Dice Clay, Vince Vaughn, Tony Danza, and Jerry Seinfeld; fell in love; and stayed true to his Italian-immigrant roots. The one code that always kept him going: stay hungry, keep focused, never give up, and one day, you’ll make it. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: The Futurist Rebecca Keegan, 2009-12-15 With the release of Avatar in December 2009, James Cameron cements his reputation as king of sci-fi and blockbuster filmmaking. It’s a distinction he’s long been building, through a directing career that includes such cinematic landmarks as The Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, and the highest grossing movie of all time, Titanic. The Futurist is the first in-depth look at every aspect of this audacious creative genius—culminating in an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse of the making of Avatar, the movie that promises to utterly transform the way motion pictures are created and perceived. As decisive a break with the past as the transition from silents to talkies, Avatar pushes 3-D, live action, and photo-realistic CGI to a new level. It rips through the emotional barrier of the screen to transport the audience to a fabulous new virtual world. With cooperation from the often reclusive Cameron, author Rebecca Keegan has crafted a singularly revealing portrait of the director’s life and work. We meet the young truck driver who sees Star Wars and sets out to learn how to make even better movies himself—starting by taking apart the first 35mm camera he rented to see how it works. We observe the neophyte director deciding over lunch with Arnold Schwarzenegger that the ex-body builder turned actor is wrong in every way for the Terminator role as written, but perfect regardless. After the success of The Terminator, Cameron refines his special-effects wizardry with a big-time Hollywood budget in the creation of the relentlessly exciting Aliens. He builds an immense underwater set for The Abyss in the massive containment vessel of an abandoned nuclear power plant—where he pushes his scuba-breathing cast to and sometimes past their physical and emotional breaking points (including a white rat that Cameron saved from drowning by performing CPR). And on the set of Titanic, the director struggles to stay in charge when someone maliciously spikes craft services’ mussel chowder with a massive dose of PCP, rendering most of the cast and crew temporarily psychotic. Now, after his movies have earned over $5 billion at the box office, James Cameron is astounding the world with the most expensive, innovative, and ambitious movie of his career. For decades the moviemaker has been ready to tell the Avatar story but was forced to hold off his ambitions until technology caught up with his vision. Going beyond the technical ingenuity and narrative power that Cameron has long demonstrated, Avatar shatters old cinematic paradigms and ushers in a new era of storytelling. The Futurist is the story of the man who finally brought movies into the twenty-first century. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: The Hugely-Wugely Spider Ethan T. Berlin, 2018-05-22 This funny and clever picture book, great for spring displays, is a twist on the classic Itsy-Bitsy Spider nursery rhyme. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: The Joker: Year of the Villain (2019-) #1 Anthony Burch, John Carpenter, 2019-10-09 In the Year of the Villain, what’s a Clown Prince of Crime to do when the world has started to accept doing bad as the only way to live? Out-bad everyone else, of course! The Joker is on a mission to get his mojo back and prove to the world that there is no greater villainy than the kind that leaves you laughing. This special one-shot is co-written by legendary film auteur John Carpenter (The Thing, Halloween) and Anthony Burch (the Borderlands video games), making for a Joker comic that’s twisted in ways you never imagined! |
bert kreischer ai generated art: The Brickbuilder , 1896 An architectural monthly. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Pics Or It Didn't Happen Chris Kraus, 2017-03 A collection of images removed from Instagram as inappropriate, primarily honest and artistic depictions of the human body. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Are Men Necessary? Maureen Dowd, 2005-11-08 Outspoken, Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times Op-Ed columnist Maureen Dowd tackles the hot-button topic of gender politics in this “funny, biting, and incisive take on women's place in American society today” (Library Journal). Are men afraid of smart, successful women? Why did feminism fizzle? Why are so many of today’s women freezing their faces and emotions in an orgy of plasticity? Is “having it all” just a cruel hoax? In this witty and wide-ranging book, Maureen Dowd looks at the state of the sexual union, raising bold questions and examining everything from economics and presidential politics to pop culture and the “why?” of the Y chromosome. In our ever-changing culture where locker room talk has become the talk of the town, Are Men Necessary? will intrigue Dowd's devoted readers—and anyone trying to sort out the chaos that occurs when sexes collide. THE INSPIRATION FOR WHITNEY CUMMINGS' FORTHCOMING HBO® COMEDY PILOT “A LOT” |
bert kreischer ai generated art: As You Wish Cary Elwes, Joe Layden, 2014-10-14 From Cary Elwes, who played the iconic role of Westley in The Princess Bride, comes a first-person behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Sh**ged. Married. Annoyed. Chris Ramsey, Rosie Ramsey, 2021-03-23 This is not a self-help book. This book contains absolutely no advice that you should follow yourself. THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, A HILARIOUS AND ACHINGLY RELATABLE NEW BOOK FROM CHRIS AND ROSIE RAMSEY, STARS OF THE CHART-TOPPING PODCAST 'Laughed 'til I cried reading this. An absolute triumph' DAISY MAY COOPER 'These two are the BEST people and bloody hilarious' ZOE SUGG ___________ SH**GED Saturday nights out on the tiles, undying crushes, dating like it's a competitive sport, awkward tales of dating woes, one-night stands, the walk of shame, ghosting, tears and break-ups. MARRIED Finding 'the one', meeting their parents, first holidays and romantic weekends away, engagement rings, big moment proposals, wedding bells, the hen do, the stag, the much anticipated - and feared - best man speech, the honeymoon of a lifetime. ANNOYED Who stacks a dishwasher like this? Empty milk cartons placed back into the fridge, pregnancy, sleepless nights, toilet seats up, toothpaste everywhere, less and less frequent date nights, DIY weekends, divorce. Whether you're sh**ged, married, annoyed, or, all of the above, Chris and Rosie Ramsey, hosts of the number one podcast, write hilariously and with honesty about the ups and downs and ins and outs of love, sex and relationships. 'A hilarious look at the highs and lows of relationships' SUN |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Black Goldfish Stan Phelps, 2022-01-13 |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Seriously Funny Gerald Nachman, 2009-08-26 The comedians of the 1950s and 1960s were a totally different breed of relevant, revolutionary performer from any that came before or after, comics whose humor did much more than pry guffaws out of audiences. Gerald Nachman presents the stories of the groundbreaking comedy stars of those years, each one a cultural harbinger: • Mort Sahl, of a new political cynicism • Lenny Bruce, of the sexual, drug, and language revolution • Dick Gregory, of racial unrest • Bill Cosby and Godfrey Cambridge, of racial harmony • Phyllis Diller, of housewifely complaint • Mike Nichols & Elaine May and Woody Allen, of self-analytical angst and a rearrangement of male-female relations • Stan Freberg and Bob Newhart, of encroaching, pervasive pop media manipulation and, in the case of Bob Elliott & Ray Goulding, of the banalities of broadcasting • Mel Brooks, of the Yiddishization of American comedy • Sid Caesar, of a new awareness of the satirical possibilities of television • Joan Rivers, of the obsessive craving for celebrity gossip and of a latent bitchy sensibility • Tom Lehrer, of the inane, hypocritical, mawkishly sentimental nature of hallowed American folkways and, in the case of the Smothers Brothers, of overly revered folk songs and folklore • Steve Allen, of the late-night talk show as a force in American comedy • David Frye and Vaughn Meader, of the merger of showbiz and politics and, along with Will Jordan, of stretching the boundaries of mimicry • Shelley Berman, of a generation of obsessively self-confessional humor • Jonathan Winters and Jean Shepherd, of the daring new free-form improvisational comedy and of a sardonically updated view of Midwestern archetypes • Ernie Kovacs, of surreal visual effects and the unbounded vistas of video Taken together, they made up the faculty of a new school of vigorous, socially aware satire, a vibrant group of voices that reigned from approximately 1953 to 1965. Nachman shines a flashlight into the corners of these comedians’ chaotic and often troubled lives, illuminating their genius as well as their demons, damaged souls, and desperate drive. His exhaustive research and intimate interviews reveal characters that are intriguing and all too human, full of rich stories, confessions, regrets, and traumas. Seriously Funny is at once a dazzling cultural history and a joyous celebration of an extraordinary era in American comedy. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: What When Wine: Lose Weight and Feel Great with Paleo-Style Meals, Intermittent Fasting, and Wine Melanie Avalon, 2018-01-02 An effortless—really!—approach that turns the body into a fat-burning machine. Is it possible to eat well, drink wine, and still lose weight? Melanie Avalon is living proof that, heck yeah, it’s not only possible, it’s unbelievably simple and straightforward. It’s all about the what (mostly Paleo, but she’s not a monster about it), the when (believe it or not, brief fasting can mean freedom rather than restriction), and the wine (red wine can be a secret bullet for weight loss—who knew?). It’s a combination that Avalon discovered after years of self-experimentation and intense research on the mechanics of body fat regulation. In What When Wine, Avalon shares her journey to a healthier lifestyle, with the tips and tricks she learned along the way, as well as a jumpstart plan including 50 delicious Paleo-friendly, gluten-free recipes by chef Ariane Resnick. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Truly Tasteless Jokes Blanche Knott, 1985-05-12 The original is back. TRULY TASTELESS JOKES took America by storm and made it laugh at itself. It's all in here, disgusting, repulsive, cruel, and just plain tasteless jokes and stories that will make you smile, laugh, or groan--and love every minute of it. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Hey Mom Louie Anderson, 2020-04-28 With wry wit and touching humor, Louie Anderson, New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award–winning comedian currently starring in Zach Galifianakis’s Baskets, shares his journey of turning life’s challenges into joy, as well as plenty of wisdom he’s still discovering from his late mother. “I started out writing these letters to my mom, but a few friends said I should write a book. I said ‘okay’ because next to ‘we’ll see,’ ‘okay’ is as non-committal as you can get. But somehow, I stuck with it. I hope you like it. I hope that after you read it, you’ll write or call your own mom—and dad, sister, brother, cousin, nephew. Or have lunch with them. Or breakfast. It doesn’t have to be lunch. But do it now. Don’t wait like I did.” —Louie Louie Anderson has channeled his beloved mom, Ora Zella Anderson, in his stand-up routine for decades, but she died before seeing him reach his greatest heights, culminating in his breakout TV role as Christine Baskets, the mesmerizing character she inspired. Hey Mom is Louie’s way of catching her up on the triumphs, disappointments, and continuing challenges in life. Full of heartache, but also great hope, and of course—given Louie’s inimitable comedic voice—laugh-out-loud stories and his trademark observations on life’s many absurdities, Hey Mom shows a poignant side of Louie you may not know, and proves that he is one of the most nuanced and wide-ranging comics working today. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Annual Year Book , 1891 |
bert kreischer ai generated art: I'm Just a Person Tig Notaro, 2016-06-14 One of America’s most original comedians delivers a darkly funny, wryly observed, and emotionally raw account of her year of death, cancer, and epiphany. In the span of four months in 2012, Tig Notaro was hospitalized for a debilitating intestinal disease called C. diff, her mother unexpectedly died, she went through a breakup, and then she was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer. Hit with this devastating barrage, Tig took her grief onstage. Days after receiving her cancer diagnosis, she broke new comedic ground, opening an unvarnished set with the words: “Good evening. Hello. I have cancer. How are you? Hi, how are you? Is everybody having a good time? I have cancer.” The set went viral instantly and was ultimately released as Tig’s sophomore album, Live, which sold one hundred thousand units in just six weeks and was later nominated for a Grammy. Now, the wildly popular star takes stock of that no good, very bad year—a difficult yet astonishing period in which tragedy turned into absurdity and despair transformed into joy. An inspired combination of the deadpan silliness of her comedy and the open-hearted vulnerability that has emerged in the wake of that dire time, I’m Just a Person is a moving and often hilarious look at this very brave, very funny woman’s journey into the darkness and her thrilling return from it. “Notaro’s story is funny not because it’s true (although it is), but because it’s told by the world-class stand-up with wit and vulnerability.” —O, The Oprah Magazine |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies Michael Ausiello, 2017-09-12 Now a major motion picture starring Jim Parsons! A “heartbreaking but surprisingly hilarious memoir” (People) about the lessons, love, and laughter of the fourteen years a respected TV columnist shared with his late husband before he succumbed to cancer. For over a decade, TV fans have counted upon Michael Ausiello’s insider knowledge to get the scoop on their favorite shows and stars. From his time at Soaps In Depth and Entertainment Tonight to his influential stints at TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly to his current role as cofounder of the wildly popular website TVLine, Michael has established himself as the go-to expert when it comes to our most popular form of entertainment. What many of his fans don’t know, however, is that while his professional life was in full swing, Michael had to endure the greatest of personal tragedies: his longtime boyfriend, Kit Cowan, was diagnosed with a rare and very aggressive form of neuroendocrine cancer. Over the course of eleven months, Kit and Michael did their best to combat the deadly disease, but Kit succumbed to his illness in 2015. In this heartbreaking and darkly hilarious memoir, Michael tells the story of his harrowing and challenging last year with Kit while revisiting the thirteen years that preceded it, and how the undeniably powerful bond between him and Kit carried them through all manner of difficulties—always with laughter front and center in their relationship. “Engrossing, poignant, tragic, and hilarious” (Jenny Lawson, #1 New York Times bestselling author), Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies is “a story about love and loss, joy and heartbreak. And in the midst of personal turmoil, we learn that bravery comes in many forms” (The Washington Post). |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Failure Is an Option H. Jon Benjamin, 2018-05-01 “Writing this funny requires immense talent.” —AV Club H. Jon Benjamin—the lead voice behind Archer and Bob's Burgers—helps us all feel a little better about our own failures by sharing his own in a hilarious memoir-ish chronicle of failure. Most people would consider H. Jon Benjamin a comedy show business success. But he'd like to remind everyone that as great as success can be, failure is also an option. And maybe the best option. In this book, he tells stories from his own life, from his early days (wherein I'm unable to deliver a sizzling fajita) to his romantic life (how I failed to quantify a threesome) to family (wherein a trip to P.F. Chang's fractures a family) to career (how I failed at launching a kid's show). As Jon himself says, breaking down one's natural ability to succeed is not an easy task, but also not an insurmountable one. Society as we know it is, sadly, failure averse. But more acceptance of failure, as Jon sees it, will go a long way to making this world a different place . . . a kinder, gentler place, where gardens are overgrown and most people stay home with their pets. A vision of failure, but also a vision of freedom. With stories, examples of artistic and literary failure, and a powerful can't-do attitude, Failure Is an Option is the book the world doesn't need right now but will get regardless. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States Henry Gannett, 1973 |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Camp Travis and Its Part in the World War ... Edward Bradford Johns, 1919 A history of Camp Travis and its part in the action of World War 1. Contains photographs of the various Companies that passed through the Camp. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: The Chris Farley Show Tom Farley, Jr., Tanner Colby, 2008-05-06 The New York Times bestselling biography of an American comedy legend After three years of sobriety, Chris Farley's life was at its creative peak until a string of professional disappointments chased him back to drugs and alcohol. He fought hard against them, but it was a fight he would lose in December 1997. Farley's fans immediately drew parallels between his death and that of his idol, John Belushi. Without looking deeper, however, many failed to see that Farley was much more than just another Hollywood drug overdose. In this officially authorized oral history, Farley's friends and family remember his work and life. Along the way, they tell a remarkable story of boundless energy, determination, and laughter that could only keep the demons at bay for so long. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Neil Simon's 45 Seconds from Broadway Neil Simon, 2003 Comedy Characters: 6 male, 6 female Interior Set From America's master of Contemporary Broadway Comedy, here is another revealing comedy behind the scenes in the entertainment world, this time near the heart of the theatre district. 45 Seconds from Broadway takes place in the legendary Polish Tea Room on New York's 47th Street. Here Broadway theatre personalities washed-up and on-the-rise, gather to schmooz even as they lose. This touching valentine to New York |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Overstated Colin Quinn, 2020-09-22 The popular comedian, social commentator, and star of Red State Blue State tackles the condition of our union today: “Thoroughly entertaining.” —Booklist (starred review) Utah: The Church of States Vermont: The Old Hippie State Florida: The Hot Mess State Arizona: The Instagram Model State Wisconsin: The Diet Starts Tomorrow State The United States is in a fifty-states-wide couples’ counseling session, thinking about filing for divorce. But is that really what we want? Can a nation composed of states that are so different possibly hang together? Colin Quinn, writer and star of Red State Blue State and Unconstitutional, calls us out state-by-state, from Connecticut to Hawaii. He identifies the hypocrisies inherent in what we claim to believe and what we actually do. Within a framework of big-picture thinking about systems of government—after all, how would you put this country together if you started from scratch today?—to dead-on observations about the quirks and vibes of the citizens in each region, Overstated skewers us all: red, blue, and purple. Ultimately, it’s infused with the same blend of optimism and practicality that sparked the United States into being. “The author lands his punches [and] spares neither right- nor left-leaning terrain.” —Kirkus Reviews “Quinn pulls off the remarkable feat of being both very informative and thoroughly entertaining. This delightful read is highly recommended.” —Booklist (starred review) |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Flim-Flam Man Jennifer Vogel, 2010-06-15 Major motion picture Flag Day starring Sean Penn and his daughter Dylan Penn is based on this father-daughter story of a charming criminal—told by the daughter who loved him. One frosty winter morning in 1995, Jennifer Vogel opened the newspaper and read that her father had gone on the run. John Vogel, fifty-two, had been arrested for single-handedly counterfeiting nearly $20 million in U.S. currency—the fourth-largest sum ever seized by federal agents—and then released pending trial. Though Jennifer hadn't spoken to her father in more than four years, the police suspected he might turn up at her Minneapolis apartment. She examined the shadows outside her building, thought she spotted him at the grocery store and the bus stop. He had simply vanished. Framed around the six months her father eluded authorities, Jennifer's memoir documents the police chase—stakeouts, lie detector tests, even a segment on Unsolved Mysteries—and vividly chronicles her tumultuous childhood while examining her father's legacy. A lifelong criminal who robbed banks, burned down buildings, scammed investors, and even plotted murder, John Vogel was also a hapless dreamer who wrote a novel, baked lemon meringue pies, and took his ten-year-old daughter to see Rocky in an empty theater on Christmas Eve. When it came time to pass his counterfeit bills, he spent them at Wal-Mart for political reasons. Culling from memories, photo albums, public documents, and interviews with the handful of people who knew the real John Vogel, this is an intimate and intensely moving psychological portrait of a charismatic, larger-than-life figure—as told by the daughter who nearly followed in his footsteps. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Laughing with Lucy Madelyn Pugh Davis, Bob Carroll, 2005 At any time, night or day, I Love Lucy is being broadcast somewhere in the world. Four generations have grown up watching I Love Lucy, and Lucille Ball's is the most recognized face in the world. Madelyn Pugh Davis was Lucy's staff writer for nearly half a century. Davis was the first female writer in television and was responsible for thousands of hours of memorable programming. Many of the plot lines used on I Love Lucy were taken from Davis's own life and immortalized by Ball's comic genius. In Laughing with Lucy, Davis and her long-term writing partner, Bob Carroll Jr., recount her rise in television and her many years working on the set and behind the scenes with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. She recounts her experiences as a pioneer in the entertainment industry, one of the first women writers in Hollywood. Lighthearted and witty, this book fondly remembers Lucy and the early days of television. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot John F. Callahan, 2018-06-12 Now a major motion picture directed by Gus Van Sant and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill, and Rooney Mara Featuring more than 60 of Callahan's original cartoons “When people laugh like hell and then say, ‘That’s not funny,’ you can be pretty sure they’re talking about John Callahan.”— P.J. O’Rourke In 1972, at the age of 21, John Callahan was involved in a car crash that severed his spine and made him a quadriplegic. A heavy drinker since the age of 12 (alcohol had played a role in his crash), the accident could have been the beginning of a downward spiral. Instead, it sparked a personal transformation. After extensive physical therapy, he was eventually able to grasp a pen in his right hand and make rudimentary drawings. By 1978, Callahan had sworn off drinking for good, and begun to draw cartoons. Over the next three decades, until his death in 2010, Callahan would become one of the nation’s most beloved—and at times polarizing—cartoonists. His work, which shows off a wacky and sometimes warped sense of humor, pokes fun at social conventions and pushes boundaries. One cartoon features Christ at the cross with a thought bubble reading “T.G.I.F.” In another, three sheriffs on horseback approach an empty wheelchair in the desert. “Don’t worry,” one sheriff says to another, “He won’t get far on foot.” Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot recounts Callahan’s life story, from the harrowing to the hilarious. Featuring more than 60 of Callahan’s cartoons, it’s a compelling look at art, addiction, disability, and fame. A film adaptation scheduled for 2018, starring Joaquin Phoenix as John Callahan, will bring fresh attention to this underappreciated classic. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Life After Suicide Jennifer Ashton, 2019-05-07 From the chief medical correspondent of ABC News, an eloquent, heartbreaking, yet hopeful memoir of surviving the suicide of a loved one, examining this dangerous epidemic and offering first-hand knowledge and advice to help family and friends find peace. Jennifer Ashton, M.D., has witnessed firsthand the impact of a loved one’s suicide. When her ex-husband killed himself soon after their divorce, her world—and that of her children—was shattered. Though she held a very public position with one of the world’s largest media companies, she was hesitant to speak about the personal trauma that she and her family experienced following his death. A woman who addresses the public regularly on intimate health topics, she was uncertain of revealing her devastating loss—the most painful thing she’d ever experienced. But with the high-profile suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, Dr. Ashton recognized the importance of talking about her experience and the power of giving voice to her grief. She shared her story with her Good Morning America family on air—an honest, heartbreaking revelation that provided comfort and solace to others, like her and her family, who have been left behind. In Life After Suicide, she opens up completely for the first time, hoping that her experience and words can inspire those faced with the unthinkable to persevere. Part memoir and part comforting guide that incorporates the latest insights from researchers and health professionals, Life After Suicide is both a call to arms against this dangerous, devastating epidemic, and an affecting story of personal grief and loss. In addition, Dr. Ashton includes stories from others who have survived the death of a loved one by their own hand, showing how they survived the unthinkable and demonstrating the vital roles that conversation and community play in recovering from the suicide of a loved one. The end result is a raw and revealing exploration of a subject that’s been taboo for far too long, providing support, information, and comfort for those attempting to make sense of their loss and find a way to heal. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: The Red Flame Karen Elson, 2022-09-20 One of fashion's most iconic redheads pens a moving coming-of-age story chronicling her professional and personal metamorphosis. At age eighteen, she took the fashion world by storm in a captivating Vogue Italia cover image by Steven Meisel. She's walked runways for Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Valentino, and Gucci and starred in countless campaigns. She's released two full-length albums. And she's advocated for model rights in the workplace. For sure, Karen Elson has emerged as a tour de force in the worlds of fashion and entertainment over her two decade-long career. For the first time, the British supermodel presents a poignant look into her life and work in book form. Exquisitely written, this tome details her childhood in a gritty industrial town in Northern England and her rise to fame as one of fashion's most unique faces to her evolution as a singer-songwriter and her thoughts on body image and the state of fashion up until the present day. Accompanied by legendary images by such photographers as Craig McDean, Annie Leibovitz, and Mert and Marcus, Elson's poetic--and at times haunting--prose brims with an intimacy that most fans have never encountered before. With contributions by Edward Enninful, Tim Walker, and Grace Coddington, this beautifully crafted book is a powerful glimpse into the many sides and fiery spirit of one of the greatest muses of our time. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Germans to America: January 1840-June 1843 Ira A. Glazier, 2002 Each volume in this series contains transcriptions of passenger lists containing German surnames for ships entering all US ports beginning in 1840. Lists are arranged by date of ship arrival and are indexed by passenger names. This volume covers the period from January 2, 1840 to June 1843. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Seinlanguage Jerry Seinfeld, 2004 Seinfeld. For more than 33 million viewers, the Emmy Award-winning television show had become a Thursday night ritual. The show has ended, but Jerry Seinfeld's distinct brand of humor can still be yours. In his #1 New York Times bestselling book, SeinLanguage, Jerry Seinfeld has captured on the page his views on topics ranging from Raisinettes to relationships, from childhood to cop shows, and from parents to power suits. This is a must-have book for all fans--and who isn't a fan? |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Daditude Chris Erskine, 2018-04-17 Wise, wry, and witty essays on fatherhood from Chris Erskine, the beloved columnist for the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune. Charming, well written, concise, and to the point. Perfect for anyone who enjoys stories of fatherhood. -- Library Journal Life is never peaceful in Chris Erskine's house, what with the four kids, 300-pound beagle, chronically leaky roof, and long-suffering wife, Posh. And that's exactly the way he likes it, except when he doesn't. Every week in the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune (and now and then in many other papers), Erskine distills, mocks, and makes us laugh at the absurdities of suburban fatherhood. And now, he's gathered the very best of these witty and wise essays--and invited his kids (and maybe even Posh) to annotate them with updated commentary, which they promise won't be too snarky. This handsome book is the perfect gift for the father who would have everything--if he hadn't already given it all to his kids. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Professional Idiot Stephen “Steve-O” Glover, David Peisner, 2012-01-17 It's mind-blowing to me how utterly far gone Steve-O was, and how he looks back on it in this book with such intelligence, humor, and searing honesty. What a truly unbelievable life. --Johnny Knoxville From his early days videotaping crazy skateboard stunts to starring in the Jackass movies, there was little that Stephen Steve-O Glover wouldn't do. Whether it was stapling his nutsack to his leg or diving into a pool full of elephant crap, almost nothing was out of bounds. As the stunts got crazier, his life kept pace. He developed a crippling addiction to drugs and alcohol, and an obsession with his own celebrity that proved nearly as dangerous. Only an intervention and a visit to a psychiatric ward saved his life. Today he has been clean and sober for more than three years. Professional Idiot recounts the lunacy, the debauchery, the stunts, the drug addiction, and the path to recovery with bravado, humor, and heart. A great book to read before you get on the roller coaster to hell, if you plan on surviving to tell about it like Steve-O did. --Nikki Sixx, author of The Heroin Diaries This is the perfect book for people who hate reading. --Tommy Lee, author of Tommyland The feedback I've gotten on Facebook and Twitter from those of you who've read this book has been fascinating, heartwarming, and hilarious. I'm happy to keep answering your questions on there, and I encourage more of you to join in the discussion. Hope to hear from you soon, and thank you all so much. Love, Steve-O |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Everybody Is Awful Jim Florentine, 2018-02-20 A rant-ish memoir by the veteran stand-up comedian and former cohost of That Metal Show, with a foreword by Jim Norton. Twitter Trolls. Facebook Freaks. Instagram Exhibitionists. These are just a few of the creatures our technology-obsessed culture has spawned in its quest to simplify our lives. The madness is so universal now that everyone has dealt with it. You log in to Facebook, read a stupid post, and immediately want to tell your friend to go have relations with himself. Sure, social media may keep us connected, but it is a breeding ground for idiots, and these idiots have crowd-sourced a storm of useless information, corny jokes, and douchebag drama that's wasting our time and screwing with our peace of mind. Thankfully, popular comedian and television host Jim Florentine has a solution for those of us on the verge of bashing our iPhones to bits. In Everybody Is Awful, Florentine attacks awful people and awful situations with the same biting satire and cringe-worthy humor that made him famous on television shows like Crank Yankers, Meet the Creeps, and That Metal Show. Along the way, Everybody Is Awful takes readers through the author's formative years, a time filled with rebellion and horrible behavior, to the crazy early days of his career as a stand-up comedian. Florentine also recounts how he developed an obsession with pranks that morphed into his uniquely vigilante style of comedy and made him one of the most legendary prank callers of all time. Florentine excels at channeling the core rage we all feel at the seemingly small annoyances of life, and his fans love the cathartic experience of his hilarious ranting and raving, a tradition continued in Everybody Is Awful. Acting as a de facto therapist, Florentine diagnoses awful behavior, shames awful people, and offers comedic takes on how to reclaim our lives from it all. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Mixed Plate Jo Koy, 2022-04-05 A stunning, hilarious memoir from beloved comedian Jo Koy, far and away one of the funniest people out there (Chelsea Handler). Mixed Plate illuminates the burning drive and unique humor that make Jo Koy one of today's most successful comedians. Includes never-before-seen photos. Well guys, here it is--my story. A funny, sad, at times pathetic but also kick-ass tale of how a half-Filipino, half-white kid whose mom thought (and still thinks) his career goal was to become a clown became a success. Not an overnight success, because that would have made for a really short read, but an All-American success who could give my immigrant mom the kind of life she hoped for when she came to this country, and my son the kind of life I wished I'd had as a kid. With all the details of what it felt like to get the doors closed in my face, to grind it out on the road with my arsenal of dick jokes, and how my career finally took off once I embraced the craziness of my family, which I always thought was uniquely Filipino but turns out is as universal as it gets. In this book, I'll take you behind the mic, behind the curtain--OK, way behind it. From growing up with a mom who made me dance like Michael Jackson at the Knights of Columbus, to some real dark stuff, the stuff we don't talk about often enough as immigrants. Mental health, poverty, drinking. And show you the path to my American Dream. Which was paved with a lot of failure, department store raffle tickets to win free color televisions, bad jokes, old VHS tapes, a motorcycle my mom probably still hates, the only college final I aced (wasn't math), and getting my first laugh on stage. There's photo evidence of it all here, too. In this book, I get serious about my funny. And I want to make you laugh a little while I do it. I'm like Hawaii's favorite lunch--the mixed plate. Little bit of this, a little bit of that. My book Mixed Plate is too. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: Generative AI Art Oliver Theobald, 2024-03-13 The course introduces the basic concepts of artificial intelligence and its application in art, making it accessible even to those without a technical background. This foundation paves the way for exploring the nuances of effective prompt crafting, a critical skill for generating bespoke AI artwork. The course focuses on hands-on demonstrations with leading AI art software, including Craiyon and Midjourney, offering step-by-step guides to harness these tools effectively. Through practical examples, learners will understand how to navigate image prompts, masking techniques, framing, and lighting to enhance the visual appeal of their creations. The significance of navigating these elements is underscored, highlighting their role in achieving consistency and originality in AI-generated art. The course wraps up by delving into the remixing of popular art styles, the art of creating compelling text prompts, and the critical aspects of image rights, ethics, privacy, and originality in the digital art space. By concluding with recommended resources, learners are equipped to continue their journey in AI art, fueled by inspiration and a solid understanding of the field's possibilities and responsibilities. |
bert kreischer ai generated art: AI Art Playbook Jennifer Maker, 2024-09 Create Stunning AI Art: A Beginner's Guide for Crafters and Makers Unleash your creativity with the power of AI and learn how to effortlessly create breathtaking digital art-no tech experience required! AI-generated art is a fascinating and accessible way to bring your creative visions to life using artificial intelligence. With just a few written prompts, you can produce unique, high-quality artwork in seconds. As AI art generation continues to evolve and improve, a wide range of powerful tools are now available to help makers and crafters explore this exciting new medium. This book, crafted especially for crafters and makers by renowned crafting expert Jennifer Maker, is your ultimate guide to ethically creating AI-generated art. Drawing from years of experience, Jennifer walks you through the process step by step, introducing you to six popular AI art generators: CF Spark Canva Magic Media Bing Image Creator ImageFX by Google Adobe Firefly Midjourney More than just a guide, this book is your one-stop resource for everything you need to know about AI-generated art! With helpful worksheets to enhance your learning experience, you'll gain hands-on practice and confidence in your creations. Jennifer also teaches you how to refine and enhance your AI-generated images using Canva, CF Spark Studio, and Cricut Design Space-making it easy to incorporate AI art into your crafting projects. Bonus: Get inspired with creative examples and exercises designed to spark your imagination and bring your ideas to life! Whether you're looking to design digital art for personal projects, craft unique prints, or explore the possibilities of AI, this book will guide you every step of the way. Get ready to transform your creativity with AI! |
BERT (language model) - Wikipedia
Bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT) is a language model introduced in October 2018 by researchers at Google. [1][2] It learns to represent text as a sequence of vectors using self-supervised learning. It uses the encoder-only transformer architecture.
BERT Model - NLP - GeeksforGeeks
Dec 10, 2024 · BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) leverages a transformer-based neural network to understand and generate human-like language. BERT employs an encoder-only architecture. In the original Transformer architecture, there are both encoder and …
BERT - Hugging Face
Click on the BERT models in the right sidebar for more examples of how to apply BERT to different language tasks. The example below demonstrates how to predict the [MASK] token with Pipeline, AutoModel, and from the command line.
BERT: Pre-training of Deep Bidirectional Transformers for Language ...
Oct 11, 2018 · Abstract: We introduce a new language representation model called BERT, which stands for Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers. Unlike recent language representation models, BERT is designed to pre-train deep bidirectional representations …
What Is the BERT Language Model and How Does It Work? - Great Learning
Feb 14, 2025 · BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) is a groundbreaking model in natural language processing (NLP) that has significantly enhanced machines’ understanding of human language.
BERT (language model) - Wikipedia
Bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT) is a language model introduced in October 2018 by researchers at Google. [1][2] It learns to represent text as a sequence of …
BERT Model - NLP - GeeksforGeeks
Dec 10, 2024 · BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) leverages a transformer-based neural network to understand and generate human-like language. BERT …
BERT - Hugging Face
Click on the BERT models in the right sidebar for more examples of how to apply BERT to different language tasks. The example below demonstrates how to predict the [MASK] token …
BERT: Pre-training of Deep Bidirectional Transformers for …
Oct 11, 2018 · Abstract: We introduce a new language representation model called BERT, which stands for Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers. Unlike recent language …
What Is the BERT Language Model and How Does It Work?
Feb 14, 2025 · BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) is a groundbreaking model in natural language processing (NLP) that has significantly enhanced …
A Complete Introduction to Using BERT Models
May 15, 2025 · What’s BERT and how it processes input and output text. How to setup BERT and build real-world applications with a few lines of code without knowing much about the model …
Open Sourcing BERT: State-of-the-Art Pre-training for Natural …
Nov 2, 2018 · A visualization of BERT’s neural network architecture compared to previous state-of-the-art contextual pre-training methods is shown below. The arrows indicate the information …
What is BERT and How does it Work? - Analytics Vidhya
Oct 15, 2024 · BERT stands for B idirectional E ncoder R epresentations from T ransformers. It is designed to pre-train deep bidirectional representations from unlabeled text by jointly …
What Is the BERT Model and How Does It Work? - Coursera
Oct 29, 2024 · BERT is a deep learning language model designed to improve the efficiency of natural language processing (NLP) tasks. It is famous for its ability to consider context by …
What Is Google’s BERT and Why Does It Matter? - NVIDIA
Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) was developed by Google as a way to pre-train deep bidirectional representations from unlabeled text by jointly conditioning …