I'm Dying Up Here: Heartbreak and High Times in Stand-Up Comedy's Golden Era

Did you ever wonder how David Letterman and Jay Leno got to become the two baby boom comedians that hosted the top two talk shows for the past 20 years? While Dave and Jay are only a relatively small part of a multi-faceted look at the "new comics" that started in the seventies, author William Knoedelseder offers a fascinating story of the journey that many of today's top comedians had to take to become successful. The key catalyst: Johnny Carson's decision to move the Tonight Show from 30 Rock in Manhattan to NBC Burbank in 1972. Johnny always appreciated new talent and his scouts adopted a practice of frequenting "new" places like Mitzi Shore's night club, the "Comedy Store" on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, to find new talent thus beginning the comic migration to Los Angeles.

The comics, most in their twenties, would work for free just to have the opportunity to practice their craft at the Club and possibly be discovered for a five or six minute set at the end of The Tonight Show. Eventually, spurred on by poverty and to a certain extent by the all-purpose Jay Leno (who along with Dave, didn't really need the money) the comics went on strike against the Comedy Store and some other similar establishments (Budd Friedman's Improv is an example). Knoedelseder focuses a lot of the book's attention on the plight of one particular comedian, Steve Lubetkin, who was a poster child for the impovered young comic who desparately needed Mitzi and her club but also needed money. The strike and its aftermath leads, unfortunately, to a sad climax which forever changed the once-clubby atmosphere of the young comics.

This book should also serve as a warning to anyone who thinks they have what it takes to make it in comedy. While the rewards are great, be prepared for endless sacrifice.

If you're into stand up comedy, and particularly the greats of the art, you won't want to pass this up.
Well-researched and superbly written.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. After watching the TV series, I wanted to find out "the real story." Very well written and enlightening.

A must for comedy nerds!

If you are even remotely interested in the history of television, the history of comedy, or the histories of some fascinating individuals, you must read this book. It's the best recommendation Amazon ever provided.

Loved this book well written it felt like I wash. The scene

Great read. Gives the reader the inside stories of 70's stand up. A must read for any comedy nerd, or just admirers of stand up comedy.

Great book. A very interesting story for any reader. If you're a fan of comedy, this is a must read.

This is a a terrific history of recent stars in standup comedy. The author knows this world well, and he has done a great job giving you the inside story. Many of these comics are now old and fading into history--Leno, Letterman etc. It's very interesting to see how they struggled and rose and conquered the entertainment world. It's really the only solid history on this subject I can find. Great reading
and well worth your time.

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