Book ~ "The Kids in the Hall: One Dumb Guy" (2018) Paul Myers

From Goodreads ~ It’s finally here -  the definitive, authorized story of legendary sketch comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall. Meticulously researched and written with the full cooperation and participation of the Kids by Paul Myers, "The Kids in the Hall: One Dumb Guy" features exclusive interviews with Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson, as well as key players from their inner circle, including producer Lorne Michaels, the “man in the towel” Paul Bellini and head writer Norm Hiscock. 

Marvel as the Kids share their intimate memories and behind-the-scenes stories of how they created their greatest sketches and most beloved characters, from the Chicken Lady and Buddy Cole to Cabbage Head and Sir Simon & Hecubus.

"The Kids in the Hall: One Dumb Guy" spans the entirety of the Kids’ storied career, from their early club shows in Toronto to their recent live reunion tours across North America - and everything in between. Along for the ride are a plethora of fans, peers and luminaries to celebrate the career and legacy of Canada’s most subversively hilarious comedy troupe. 

You’ll read tributes from Seth Meyers, Judd Apatow, Garry Shandling, Paul Feig, Mike Myers, David Cross, Michael Ian Black, Brent Butt, Jonah Ray, Dana Gould, Bob Odenkirk, Andy Richter, and Canada’s newest comedy sensation, Baroness Von Sketch. 

Perfect for diehard fans and new initiates alike, The Kids in the Hall: One Dumb Guy will make you laugh and make you cry ... and it may even crush your head. 

The Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy group that formed in 1984.  I was a fan and watched their show in the late 1980s/early 1990s.  As such, I thought it would be interesting to read about them.

The book starts with the childhoods of the Kids and ends with what they are doing today (as of 2018).  In the 1980s, Mark McKinney and Bruce McCulloch were known as "The Audience" in Western Canada and Kevin McDonald and Dave Foley were known as "The Kids in the Hall" in Toronto.  When McKinney and McCulloch moved to Toronto, they connected with McDonald and Foley and the four become the Kids in the Hall.  Scott Thompson soon joined the group.

The Kids in the Hall performed regularly here in Toronto in the mid-1980s and eventually caught the eye of Lorne Michaels who helped them get their own show, which ran from 1989 to 1994.  When that ended, they made the movie Brain Candy and then went their separate ways and did various things.  They got back together years later and have done a short TV miniseries and some tours (Gord and I saw them on their 2015 tour).

I liked the writing style.  There were many interviews with the Kids, plus others including Seth Meyers, Judd Apatow, Garry Shandling, Paul Feig, Mike Myers, Brent Butt, Bob Odenkirk and Andy Richter.  The Kids were honest and didn't try to hide when there were issues when they were working (or not working) together.  It's nice that despite the hostilities over the years that they are back to being close friends again.

It was an interesting book which The Kids in the Hall fans will enjoy.