SKAD13's Full Review: Rick Helley - Laurel and Hardy: They're Still Funn...
In a sadly fertile field, Laurel and Hardy: They’re Still Funny is by far the biggest rip-off of any book ever associated with the classic comedy duo. Its multitude of sins begins with its inexplicably defensive title and prison-issue-looking cover, as well as the fact that its list price is $13.95 and is all of 28 pages in length (including voluminous foot- and end-notes).
After that, it’s just a matter of whittling down the book’s derivative elements. One-fourth of the text is devoted to quotes about Laurel & Hardy taken from other, far superior L&H biographies. Then the author spends an extensive amount of time quoting entire routines from L&H movies.
So how much of the book actually tries to define L&H’s appeal? One single paragraph. And at the risk of quantifying someone’s writing, it’s safe to say that this one paragraph does not yield enough insight to be worth $13.95.
The worst aspect of the book is that its author, Rick Helley, claims to be a sincere L&H buff. (Actually, Helley calls himself a “fan,” the word so disdained by L&H scholar John McCabe.) So apparently, Helley regards this as a tribute to his heroes. That just makes this book even more of an embarrassment. Avoid the book at all costs, and if you receive it for free as a gift, seriously revisit your relationship with the giver.
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