As Steve Martin used to say, “Comedy is not pretty.” My novel Pretend the World Is Funny is an insider’s unvarnished, no-holds-barred glimpse into the not-always-funny business of comedy. It tells the tale of three novice comedians working the open mike circuit in San Francisco in 1980, shortly before the comedy boom is about to sweep the country. Moving from San Francisco to greater venues in Las Vegas, LA, and New York as comedy explodes through the decade, their careers progress in different directions while they each wage their own battle against the temptations of drugs, sex, and everything else that a life in the spotlight brings. With much laughter and even more tears, one finds success, one does not, and one fails to survive the struggle.

Only a comedy insider could provide the authentic details that make this novel unique among show business stories. This behind-the-scenes look at an often misunderstood part of the entertainment industry is now available in Kindle format on Amazon.com.