New rules : polite musings from a timid observer

by Bill Maher

Other authorsChistopher Rhoads (Designer)

Hardcover, 2005

Status

Available

Call number

791.45/72

Genres

General Nonfiction

Nonfiction

All Topics

Publication

[Emmaus, Pa.] : [New York] : Rodale ; Distributed to the book trade by Holtzbrinck Publishers, c2005.

Description

Nonfiction. Humor (Nonfiction.) HTML: 2007 Grammy� Nominee - Best Spoken Word Album FROM HIS HUGELY POPULAR HBO SHOW, REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER, COME MORE NEW RULES. NO ONE IS SAFE FROM MAHER'S SCATHING HUMOR IN THIS HILARIOUS COLLECTION. NEW RULE: Former drug addicts and alcoholics have to stop saying "I almost died." No. Cancer survivors almost died. Mary Jo Buttafucco almost died. You almost had too good a time..

User reviews

LibraryThing member JenneB

Clever for the first few pages, then just tiresome.

11 more

LibraryThing member Meggo

Maher is definitely polarizing, and I say this as a person who is politically on the same side. Although, after reading this book, I am a little confused as to what that side would be, exactly. Not for republicans. Or people in the flyover states. Or, possibly, Americans. Be prepared to be annoyed,

regardless of your political bent.

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LibraryThing member Goedi

Week after week, these are fun to read online, as I'm sure they're great to hear - if you have HBO.
A whole collection of them, however, makes them seem quite repetitive.
Which doesn't mean the jokes are bad, but the format gets old. Not to mention the titles.
If I wanted a collection of blow-jobs and

pot smoking anecdotes with silly titles, I'd date Sir Elton John. (See?)

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LibraryThing member mramos

Television humorist pokes fun at modern culture, politics, and fads. These are from his HBO TV series where he does a segment called "New Rules". Targets include advertising, cell phones, Starbucks, homeland security, and the movies. There is strong language in this book. It is funny, but is much

better when he tells them live. He is not always right, he is cruel, but he is thoughtful in his rants. But if you cannot see him perform live, and can get past the lewd language, the rants are topical and humorist.

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LibraryThing member gmmoney

I have been souring on Bill Maher for awhile, particularly after his recent comments criticizing vaccination, but I think this book finally did it for me. He includes a blurb condemning breastfeeding in public, which I think is a low blow. I'm not political about it, but I breastfed my son and will

breastfeed my daughter, and think that his outrage over breastfeeding in public is poor choice for his rage. You should probably stick to the political comedy, Bill, but I won't be watching anyway.

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LibraryThing member satyridae

Dated. Intermittently funny, though. And every now and then hilarious. Maher's not a guy to pull punches, he tells you exactly how he feels about every little thing, and makes no bones about thinking you are an idiot if you have the temerity to disagree with him on any point. Some of his humor was

mean, and I always mark down for mean.

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LibraryThing member janersm

I read The New New Rules: A Funny Look At How Everybody But Me Has Their Head Up Their Ass before I read this book. Honestly, I'm glad because this book, while funny, was not as enjoyable as its followup.

This book consists mostly of the shorter New Rules, like you find in the segment of the same

name that airs toward the end of Real Time with Bill Maher. There are also essays in this one. Both the essays and the shorter jokes would have probably been more appealing had I read them shortly after the book came up. Since it's been 8 years since the events that inspired the newest jokes in the book, those jokes weren't quite as funny. I'm sure that they would have probably had me rolling over with laughter at the time, though.

Of course, the jokes are mainly about George W. Bush and his administration, but there are also jokes about people of more liberal leanings. And there are jokes that some might feel are inappropriate, but that might make them all-the-more necessary. Maher is unapologetic as he makes quips that most people wouldn't dare to make because he isn't afraid of making them. His brash sense of humor isn't for everyone, so if you don't like the guy and/or is his style going in, then this book probably isn't for you.

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LibraryThing member fpagan

A sarcastically subtitled, heavily photo-illustrated collection of concise, comedic, and caustic (and often quite foul-mouthed) blasts against the twenty-ohs' US president (Shrubbish) and many of the other stupidities of that time. I think the most important thing about Maher may be his

near-uniqueness as a public personality who acknowledges that all religions are nonsensical and harmful and that Islam is the worst of them. Several of his blasts get at these points.

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LibraryThing member foof2you

New rule, if you are going to charge $14.95 for a book it can not be recycled bits from your television show. About 59 pages with no writing on it and 43 pages where there is only a 1/2 page or less written on it. I mean come on Bill you got to give me a little more for what you are charging, and

I'm a fan! You did get it on the New York Times Bestsellers list so shame on me. I just think there should have been a little more substance for the money.

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LibraryThing member danoomistmatiste

A lot of good observations laced with an abundance of profanity. Bill is sending out a lot of clear messages which should receive some serious attention instead of being treated as another funny guy trying to make a living and doing on up on his peers.

LibraryThing member bergs47

Read a few books from comedians and talk show hosts lately. There are all really not very good. Perhaps they should stick to their day jobs, or rather night jobs

LibraryThing member amcheri

Meh. I agree with much of his politics and got a handful of chuckles out of it. This is pretty old so most of it is very much out of date - I thought this was the newer book when I borrowed it from the library. That'll teach me to pay closer attention. Very happy I borrowed it and didn't buy it.

Maher, much like Stephen Colbert in his I Am America, seems to equate all things gay with only men. As a lesbian, that gets pretty old. I didn't mark this down in stars because of that, it's a solid 2 star without that (and the ridiculous transvestite "rule") it's just not all that good.

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