Jay Mohr’s primary complaint here seems to be that he couldn’t get many sketches on the air, but if the writing in this book is any indication…I mean, I know writing a book and writing a sketch don’t necessarily call for the same tools, but it’s not even that the book isn’t funny — it isn’t, but I don’t think it’s supposed to be.   It’s that it’s just written kind of flatly; the prose is stiff.   And he acts like he left the show of his own accord, which I guess he did, but the fact is that they basically busted him for stealing another comic’s material in a club and doing it as a sketch, which aired, and while he admits that and admits that it’s bad, he also kind of makes it out like the show had pushed him to that point, and like, when he left, he did it by refusing to put up with their requests for an extension on picking up his option, like, they weren’t going to pick up your option, dude.   You lifted material.   They took your word that you didn’t do it (oh, yeah, he also lied about it when confronted), but the minute they confronted you, you should have known you were toast.  

<P>…I don’t know.   I’m not saying he wasn’t driven to it; I’m not saying the show doesn’t sound like a nightmare to work for, because to me, it does.   There’s a lack of structure there that would drive me bugfuck in about a month.   But I do find this kind of SNL-related whining, that’s all trying to justify itself, tiresome, from Garofalo and Mohr and anyone else, because I understand that for a lot of people it’s a dream shot at the bigtime, but getting chewed up by the experience and then acting like it’s a failing of the institution?   Come on.   That’s like going AWOL from the army and then saying the army is at fault.   It’s the army, yo.   What did you think it would be like, exactly?   Anyway.   It’s worth a read, but don’t expect much in the way of revelations.   Oh, and he’s way in love with Chris Farley’s outsize talent, which…okay.   I liked Farley too, but “the most talented guy I ever worked with”?   It’s called “nuance,” Mohr.   Maybe recognizing and employing some could have made your life easier at SNL.   Just saying.   (9/13/05)

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