A review by foggy_rosamund
Help by Simon Amstell

2.0

As a teenager, I loved stand-up comedy, but as I got older my enthusiasm for it waned as I found performers both arrogant and frequently sexist or homophobic. Simon Amstell is one of the few comedians I continue to find enjoyable. I saw his stand-up in Dublin as part of his 2017 tour, and enjoyed it a lot. However, this book doesn't cover any new ground unless you are not familiar with Amstell's previous work: it is a collection of extracts from his previous routines, along with a few new anecdotes and passages from his current set. As he admits himself, it's a bit hard to work out what the audience for this is: People who like comedy but hate stand up? Also, while Amstell talks about being brutally honest in his work, there still seems to be a sense of distance in this book: the chapters are disjointed and without context: it's more like a series of anecdotes than work of any true insight. That being said, maybe I'm looking for too much in what is essentially a short, very funny book. It was nice to read Amstell's stories, and I find his writing about depression and being gay very easy to relate to. A mixed bag, but worth a look.