SNAKE IN THE GLASS

by Hal Kanter ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 28, 1971

Comedy is the easiest theatrical commodity to criticize because laughter is such a personal thing, as personal as love,"" and then again ""Television is like sex . . . those who are the least involved rap it the most."" Mr. Kanter's book, which is about television and sex co-equally, leaves the reader/ viewer uneasily examining his sense of humor. Is it his own Comstock-loaded deficiency which makes it impossible for him to find a phrase like ""a shot of penisillin"" funny, or is he being a pushover when he laughs at the idea of Polly Adler starring in Juno and the Paycock? Whatever, Mr. Kanter's book is made up of one-liners and stand-up, lie-down situations since it's all about doing a routine for one of the last live television shows in Hollywood. it also tracks the progress of a stud called Andy Grant from writer to star, before he ascends still further at the hands of an enraged husband. Some of this is vulgar, some of it is vicious, some of it is even sad (the literally short-lived comeback of an old timer), and all of it is unbuttoned with the kind of puissance you can't rap. Particularly if that's what you're looking for. (Mr. Kanter is one of the ""survivors"" of Hollywood -- courtesy Max Wilk -- and one of its longest-standing funnymen.)

Pub Date: June 28, 1971

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Delacorte

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1971

Categories: FICTION