Brain Droppings
Encyclopedia
Brain Droppings is a 1997 book by comedian George Carlin
. This was Carlin's "first real book" and contains much of Carlin's stand-up comedy
material. According to the cover, the book contains "jokes, notions, doubts, opinions, questions, thoughts, beliefs, assertions, assumptions, and disturbing references" and "comedy, nonsense, satire, mockery, merriment, sarcasm, ridicule, silliness, bluster, and toxic alienation". For longtime Carlin fans, the book also contains complete versions of two of his most famous monologues, "A Place for My Stuff
" and "Baseball and Football".
The hardcover edition was on the New York Times Bestseller List for 18 straight weeks. The following year, the paperback edition was published. It stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for 20 weeks. Both editions were published by Hyperion
.
As of January 2001, the book had sold over 750,000 total copies.
Writer and television commentator Mike Barnicle
supposedly lifted material from the book, without accreditation, and presented it as his own. He denied having read the book, but footage of
Barnicle praising the book and saying "There's a yuk on every page" turned up. Barnicle was suspended for the action.
In August 1998, Hyperion published a 1999 calendar containing quips and quotes from the book.
In May 2000, the book was published as an audiobook by HighBridge
, in both CD and cassette tape formats. The audiobook received a Grammy award
, Carlin's third, in February 2001.
George Carlin
George Denis Patrick Carlin was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author, who won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums....
. This was Carlin's "first real book" and contains much of Carlin's stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
material. According to the cover, the book contains "jokes, notions, doubts, opinions, questions, thoughts, beliefs, assertions, assumptions, and disturbing references" and "comedy, nonsense, satire, mockery, merriment, sarcasm, ridicule, silliness, bluster, and toxic alienation". For longtime Carlin fans, the book also contains complete versions of two of his most famous monologues, "A Place for My Stuff
A Place for My Stuff
A Place for My Stuff is American comedian George Carlin's eighth comedy album. Unlike his previous albums, which consisted entirely of stand-up performance, A Place For My Stuff contains a number of studio-recorded tracks, typically poking fun at the format and candor of community radio,...
" and "Baseball and Football".
The hardcover edition was on the New York Times Bestseller List for 18 straight weeks. The following year, the paperback edition was published. It stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for 20 weeks. Both editions were published by Hyperion
Hyperion (publisher)
Hyperion Books is a general-interest book publishing part of the Disney-ABC Television Group, a division of The Walt Disney Company, established in 1991. Hyperion publishes general-interest fiction and non-fiction books for adults under the following imprints: ABC Daytime Press, ESPN Books,...
.
As of January 2001, the book had sold over 750,000 total copies.
Writer and television commentator Mike Barnicle
Mike Barnicle
Michael "Mike" Barnicle is an award-winning American print and broadcast journalist as well as a social and political commentator. He is a frequent contributor and occasional guest host on MSNBC's Morning Joe and Hardball with Chris Matthews and is frequently seen on NBC's Today Show with...
supposedly lifted material from the book, without accreditation, and presented it as his own. He denied having read the book, but footage of
Barnicle praising the book and saying "There's a yuk on every page" turned up. Barnicle was suspended for the action.
In August 1998, Hyperion published a 1999 calendar containing quips and quotes from the book.
In May 2000, the book was published as an audiobook by HighBridge
Highbridge
Highbridge or High Bridge may mean:Places in the UK:*Highbridge, Cumbria, England*Highbridge, Hampshire, England*Highbridge, Somerset, a market town, England**Highbridge and Burnham railway station...
, in both CD and cassette tape formats. The audiobook received a Grammy award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, Carlin's third, in February 2001.
Book vs Audiobook
Since there was a 3-year gap between the printed book and the audiobook, a few things were changed due to changes in both Carlin's personal life and in the world in general.- His wife, Brenda, died shortly after the book was published, so in the audiobook he said "I've had a great marriage..." instead of "I have..."
- He mentions being happy the YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
annihilated the BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in the World Series1996 World Series-Game 1:Sunday, October 20, 1996 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkGame 1 and Game 2 were originally scheduled for Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20, respectively. Rain on October 19, however, washed out Game 1. The schedule was moved up one day, with Game 1 and Game 2 rescheduled for...
in the book, but mentions it happened twice in the audiobook as the two teams played again in 19991999 World SeriesThe 1999 World Series, the 95th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, featured a rematch between the defending champions New York Yankees against the Atlanta Braves during the month of October, with the Yankees sweeping the Series in four games for their second title in a row,...
. - In mentioning teams who could never quite win the big title after so many years, he mentions the VikingsMinnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, the BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, the BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, the CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, and the Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in the book. In the audiobook, he omits the Broncos when they win two Super BowlSuper BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s. - At the end of his discussion of when super celebrities die, in the book he says he can't even fathom Frank SinatraFrank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
's or Ronald ReaganRonald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's death. He omitted Sinatra in the audiobook, which was published in 2000, because Sinatra died in 1998.