Can you imagine Adam Carolla at a loss for words? It’s not easy to do, which is part of the reason so many people listen to The Adam Carolla Show, which holds a Guinness World Record for the “Most Downloaded Podcast.” Carolla has certainly been a trailblazer for the podcast format, but that’s only a part of the story.
Carolla is a New York Times bestselling author
His entertainment and informational work includes two independent films, television and digital media and since 2010, six bestselling books, much to the chagrin of The New York Times. Carolla’s latest title, Everything Reminds Me of Something, is an apt description of his speaking and writing style. Published by Post Hill Press, it’s distributed through Simon & Schuster.
The format is really simple. People from all walks of life sent in their questions, and in Carolla’s inimitable, unrestrained style he responds. It’s an array of real questions, the type you may overhear at a bar. Everything from living your life, love, sexuality, career, cars, sports and current trends. It’s mostly everyday people, with a few of Carolla’s famous friends thrown in the mix.
In Everything Reminds Me of Something, the author tells it like he sees it
As his sidekick Bryan Bishop once told me: “Adam’s not putting on a persona and he’s not pretending to be someone he’s not or all those things. He’s, uh, the same guy and what you see is what you get.” In a world where everyone is afraid to say what is sometimes painfully obvious, we find Adam Carolla who would rather say what he thinks. Not to say that Carolla is that obvious. The connections he makes between two seemingly foreign subjects can make for real comedy.
Adam Carolla has been called “a world class complainer,” but in Everything Reminds Me of Something, he comes across as thoughtful, even when he’s ranting and raving. He may be rough around the edges, but Carolla has plenty of goodwill.
Don’t ask if you don’t want to know
Here’s the thing. People generally ask advice for one of two reasons. Some people want you to say what they themselves think. What they seek is someone to reaffirm their own choices and angles. Other people, really want you to tell them the truth. Adam Carolla in Everything Reminds Me of Something is the guy at the pub who tells you what he really thinks, even though it may sting a little. It can be unsettling because deep down you know that it’s correct. Therein lies a lot of the appeal of the Everything Reminds Me of Something and in Adam Carolla’s humor.
Carolla is non-mainstream
Carolla made some great points in the book. For instance, how predictable the media is today. The great thing about Adam Carolla and those that have followed in his wake, is that they are independent and more in touch with the people. Carolla writes: “There really is no need to watch news anymore, because as soon as you hear the topic, you know exactly where each cable news network is going to come down, facts and stats be damned.”
Carolla doesn’t shy away from addressing the nauseating virtue signaling, political correctness and social conditioning of modern America.“If you’re a white guy who opens a taco stand, you’re a racist because you’re appropriating a culture,” Carolla writes. “But, ironically, if you’re a white guy and you display American culture—trucker cap, American flag flapping behind your pickup truck—you’re also deemed a racist.” It’s an interesting observation. According to Carolla, much of the time you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
Everything Reminds Me of Something is a lighthearted read
Everything Reminds Me of Something is a lighthearted, easy read. I got some real belly laughs as I read the book, beachside, poolside and in bed. Sometimes spoken storytelling or comedy doesn’t translate to the page, but Everything Reminds Me of Something does.
What Adam Carolla learned from his father
I hope you read the book, but thought I would leave you with a lesson or advice Adam Carolla told me he got from his father, Jim Carolla. I’m including it here as a bonus, as I think it’s valuable.
To paraphrase, Adam’s dad would tell him: “Try to figure out what your part in a negative scenario is and see if you can fix it.” He went on:
Like, don’t externalize it. Look in, meaning if you go to a restaurant and you go to the restaurant on a Friday night at seven o’clock and the restaurant is closed, you could be outraged and go, “This is nonsense! What kind of restaurants close on a Friday night at seven o’clock.”
But you know what my dad would say? “You should’ve called first.” And I’d go, “What are you talking about? It’s Friday night at seven o’clock.” He’d go, “Still, if you’d called, you would’ve found out they were closed.” All I’m saying is, take a look inside and figure out what you could’ve done and don’t beat yourself up about it but if you want to avoid a trip to a restaurant that’s closed, call first.
I’ve mentally gone back to this suggestion that you should always look in when things go wrong. Internalize, rather than externalize. I’ve applied this many times over the years and it’s never let me down.
