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Digging Up Mother cover art

Digging Up Mother

By: Johnny Depp - foreword, Doug Stanhope
Narrated by: Doug Stanhope and Friends
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Summary

Doug Stanhope is one of the most critically acclaimed and stridently unrepentant comedians of his generation. What will surprise some is that he owes so much of his dark and sometimes uncomfortably honest sense of humor to his mother, Bonnie. It was the cartoons in HER Hustler magazine issues that molded the beginnings of his comedic journey, long before he was old enough to know what to do with the actual pornography. It was Bonnie who recited Monty Python sketches with him, who introduced him to Richard Pryor at nine years old, and who rescued him from a psychologist when he brought that brand of humor to school. And it was Bonnie who took him along to all of her AA meetings, where Doug undoubtedly found inspiration for his own storytelling. 

Bonnie's own journey from bartending to truck driving, massage therapy, elder abuse, and stand-up comedy and acting never stopped her from being Doug's genuine number one fan. So when Bonnie's alcoholic, hoarding life finally came to an end so many weird adventures later in rural Arizona, it was inevitable that Doug and Bonnie would be together for one last journey. 

Digging Up Mother follows Doug's absurd, chaotic, and often obscene life as it intersects with that of his best friend, his biggest fan, and the love of his life: his mother, Bonnie. And it all starts with her death - one of the most memorable and amazing farewells you will ever hear. 

BONUS: As fans of his stand-up and listeners of his podcast will attest, Doug is not a "by-the-book" type of guy. This audiobook is no exception. In what he refers to as the "director's cut commentary," Doug forgoes the confines of a straight-read and creates a truly unique listening experience, going off-script to riff throughout its sections and bringing in a cast of colorful characters – childhood friends, his podcast co-host, and fellow comedians and musicians – to voice letters from teachers and guidance counselors, diary entries from his mother, and even old homework assignments. Additionally, Doug has several of the folks mentioned in the book expound on and give their version of events and stories, often remembered quite differently. The result is a wildly fun audiobook that's as distinct as the comedian's own brand of humor. 

A special note from the author: 

Good news for all my blind and/or illiterate fans! The audio version of my book Digging Up Mother is now available on Audible! 

It's read podcast-style by myself and the golden-throated Chad Shank and features guest performances from those who appeared in the book, dropping in to share their own blurred memories of our sloppy pasts and ugliest stories. Guests include my childhood delinquent partner in crime Chris O'Conner, and Greg Chaille, Bingo, Mat Becker, Sarah Hyland (now Sarah HylanDER) and more.

©2016 Doug Stanhope; Foreword copyright 2016 by Johnny Depp (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

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I listened to this earbook on an crowded, busy, loud, foul-smelling overnight sleeper train in China. It made the journey much more bearable, which made me much less keen on the idea of suicide. I think this is ironic, given Doug's personal beliefs and the contents of this book, because I don't know what irony is. One part made me laugh so hard, I accidentally knocked a chicken burger off my bunk and onto the head of the guy below me. He was a Muslim, and I'm pretty sure the burger wasn't halal. I tried to apologise profusely, but as we didn't share a language I can only be so certain that he understood.

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26 people found this helpful

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Doug and mother

I listened to the final installments this morning as I lay awake in a hospital bed. It was an emotional experience. I am an avid fan of Doug's podcast and am used to his bleak no holds barred approach to comedy and life in general. This was that normal full frontal attack on your sensibilities plus the tender underbelly of a man who had a truly loving and understanding relationship with his mother. Read this book or better still listen to Doug, Chad and co. Reading and chatting in between.

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10 people found this helpful

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A Worthwhile Listen

Includes a lot of additional commentary not in the text, making it closer to some of Doug Stanhope 's podcasts than to a straightforward audio book. This book is the reason I downloaded Audible and I'm so glad I did!

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The most entertaining audiobook available.

This book is beautifully deranged. It's a highlight reel detailing the life of a man who, for better or for worse, didn't let the millstone of life grind him into a normal, functioning, member of society. Far from it. His reluctance to conform has led him into some crazy, messed up but hilarious scenarios where, if you could play the same events back again, nine times out of ten he'd be dead or in jail.

This dude is a stuntman, hurling himself off the mountain of existence without a parachute, ricocheting off boulder and rock but always getting himself up, dusting himself off and going again - once more into the breach.

Never in my life would I ever have thought that I'd be envious of man who was pissed on by a Mexican gangbanger but, as I sit here listening to this book, my small office cubicle seems a little more monotoned, my colleagues seem a little more vanilla and my life seems a little less lived.

Don't mistake this review for fan w*nk. I consider myself to be quite a dark humoured kind of guy but, at certain points in this book, even I was drying my teeth to chalk.

Whether you're offended, entertained, or horrified by the antics documented (admittedly loosely) in this book, you'll have to concede that it's one hell of a ride.



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The greatest story ever told.

Tragic, funny, sickening and beautiful.
This is, without doubt, the most open, human and graphically honest, celebrity autobiography that will ever be written. Even if the author misremembered and stumbled through the entire book. His friends were there to help him along.
It somehow manages to stay laugh-out-loud-funny, poignant and interest all at once.

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Audiobook as concept album.

Best innovative use of the audiobook media format ever. Admirably honest, eloquent and funny AF.

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Living the gonzo life for real

Doug Stanhope is a challenging comedian who sets a very high bar in producing offensive material. When I say offensive I actually mean offensive to some people, and to be honest I don't really care what they think.This is a wise, hilarious and moving tribute not only to his outrageous mother but also to his wider family and friends, some of whom make a personal appearance in this book.
In summary I would say he is a Marmite comedian in that he is best enjoyed spread thinly and savoured over a long period of time. Enjoy him while you can. Like Marmite I fear he could be an endangered species.

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his mothers son

Incredible , miserable, funny stories of a drunken selfish man child and his "not your tyipical mother", their lives and her death. Brave doesn't come close. Stanhope is brutally honest about himself, his friends and his mother but throughout the bile saturated satire and venomous jaded tales he remains his mothers son.

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5 people found this helpful

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Solid book

Well worth the time and money. It is more of an extended podcast than an audio book

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Brilliant

Good grief. What a ride. Do yourself a favor and listen to this rare gem.

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