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Outrageous

A History of Showbiz and the Culture Wars

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Outrageous

By: Kliph Nesteroff
Narrated by: Kliph Nesteroff
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About this listen

From the preeminent historian of modern comedy comes an expansive history of showbiz and the culture wars

There is a common belief that we live in unprecedented times, that people are too sensitive today, that nobody objected to the actions of actors, comedians, and filmmakers in the past. Modern pundits would have us believe that Americans of a previous generation had tougher skin and seldom complained. But does this argument hold up to scrutiny?

In Outrageous, celebrated cultural historian Kliph Nesteroff demonstrates that Americans have been objecting to entertainment for nearly two hundred years, sometimes rationally, often irrationally. Likewise, powerful political interests have sought to circumvent the arts using censorship, legal harassment, and outright propaganda. From Mae West through Johnny Carson, Amos ’n’ Andy through Beavis and Butt-Head, Outrageous chronicles the controversies of American show business and the ongoing attempts to change what we watch, read, and hear.

©2023 Kliph Nesteroff. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
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Critic reviews

Outrageous is required reading. An essential book of the social history of the United States—with laughs.”―Steve Martin

Outrageous is an enlightening and entertaining, detailed, and wide-ranging (and fun!) overview of the never-ending war between censorship and comic voices in showbiz going all the way back into the 1800s. Kliph Nesteroff is an expert unparalleled on the history of comedy, and this couldn’t be a more perfect book for our times. I loved it.”―Bob Odenkirk

“Kliph Nesteroff is the Doris Kearns Goodwin of comedy. Outrageous is thought-provoking and often hilarious. I was only offended eight times.”―Judd Apatow

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Really fun performance from Kliph

It's great to listen to a historian who knows their stuff put 20th century culture wars into a context that explains where we are today. Kliph clearly had a lot of fun doing the voices of some of the douchebags quoted within. He also does a very good Beavis. Always interesting to hear more about the John Birch Society, who many seem to have forgotten about. My grandad was a member, I could vividly hear his voice at times throughout this book.

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History !

Kliph puts the history of comedy squarely in the context of culture across the generations
Sometimes sobering and occasionally shocking to be reminded of the restrictions on personal expression and comedy not that long ago.!

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