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Tony Hendra

Going Too Far Hardcover – October 6, 1987

by Tony Hendra (Author)

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Chronicles the history of "Boomer Humor," from its beginnings with Lenny Bruce and Jules Feiffer, through the sixties and the work of Richard Pryor and Woody Allen, to its contemporary expression in "Saturday Night Live"

Print length

479 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Doubleday
Publication date

October 6, 1987
ISBN-10

0385232233
ISBN-13

978-0385232234
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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Hendra has written the first account of what he calls "Boomer humor," typical of the period from 1955 to the present. He covers improvisational theater, e.g., Second City, and anti-establishment magazines, e.g., Mad and National Lampoon . Though he does include lively accounts of such early anti-establishment humorists as Mort Sahl and Lenny Bruce as well as such contemporary comedians as John Belushi and Eddie Murphy, some major figures, including Steve Martin and Woody Allen, are barely mentioned. Recommended for large public libraries and academic libraries emphasizing popular culture.Louis Vyhnanek, Washington State Univ. Lib., Pullman
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Doubleday; 1st edition (October 6, 1987)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 479 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0385232233
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0385232234
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.95 pounds

Best Sellers Rank: #405,559 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,301 in Humorous American Literature
- #3,737 in Fiction Satire

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Derek McCumber

Good book, but lacking in editing and focus

Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2019

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Although I enjoyed this read, as both a history of anti-establishment humor and as Hendra's recollections of his time at The National Lampoon, I really wish Hendra had chosen one topic and stuck with it, as neither subject is entirely satisfying because of his lack of focus. Personally, I found his recollections of time with National Lampoon Magazine to be the more interesting story, but that only makes up about 150 pages of the book.
If you are looking for a great read about the Lampoon, I would recommend "A Futile & Stupid Gesture" (about Doug Kenney, who was head writer from 1970-71, and a writer for the mag until 78) or "Mr. Mike" (about Michael O'Donoghue, the most influential writer of the magazine, who was there from 1970-73). Both are superior. "That's Not Funny, That's Sick" is perhaps the most comprehensive book on the Lampoon, but is a bit lacking in both style and humor.

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Gary D. Gordon

The best account of a spectacular age of humor by an author who was there!

Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2019

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Hendra covers the history of boomer humor-- it's origins and all its tentacles in this funny, revealing read. If you read only one book about Second City, the Committee, the National Lampoon and the beginning of SNL and more, THIS is the one you want to read.

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Lewis Dodgson

Unique, informative, intelligent account of National Lampoon.

Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2012

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I highly recommend this book. It contains an excellent history of challenging (black, sarcastic, anti-establishment) humour in the U.S., written by an intelligent and subtle writer. In the Spinal Tap film, he played the manager with the cane, agreeing that it was an affectation, without apparently understanding what an affectation is. Hendra was a major force during the heyday of the National Lampoon, and provides his candid accounts of brilliant writers including Michael O'Donoghue and tragic Doug Kenney. He has a subtle mind and a keen understanding of the variety of topics he considers. An underrated book, IMHO. Especially at the price, highly recommended for anyone interested in the National Lampoon and the kind of brilliant "anti-establishment" humour that was culturally important from the mid-fifties to the mid-seventies. It covers the relationship between the Lampoon's humour and what aspects were and were not lost as the tradition passed to Saturday Night Live. For those who missed the brilliant days of the Lampoon, he is at the same level as Christopher Guest.

One person found this helpful

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Trevor Seigler

Informative, egotistical, overblown...

Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2004

Yes, the contradictions in the review title describe the way Tony Hendra chose to do his "history" of Boomer humor, which he tracks down from Mort Sahl through Second City, Nichols and May, Lenny Bruce, right up to the National Lampoon and SNL. Witty, welldone, but also reaching in many respects, this is a good primer on the way humor came to shape national consciousness in the Fifties and beyond.
I picked up Hendra's tome for the Lampoon memoir alone (having aspirations of getting published on the web version myself) and hadn't really intended to read the first section dealing with the Fifties and so on. But I decided to do so anyway, and found it to be very interesting and essential to setting up Hendra's own time at National Lampoon.
There are problems I have with the book, starting with the bitching about pretty much everything P.J. O'Rourke did at the Lamp. Hendra, writing this in '87, might very well be telling the truth about his feelings towards the more successful O'Rourke, but it comes off as petty in the book. Hendra is not himself totally without fault. As a previous reviewer points out, Hendra's vehement denials and so forth seem to serve the opposite purpose of giving lie to his statements.
I came away from this book liking Hendra in spite of his more self-absorbed writings. In contrast to the same reviewer whom I cited earlier, I found the descriptions of the various issues of Lampoon to be fascinating (I wish I knew of a store in my area that sold old issues, just so I could see for myself). Also, the portraits that emerge of Hendra's collegues (Doug Kenney, O'Donaghue, Henry Beard, Bruce McCall, Chris Miller and even P.J. O'Rourke to an extent) show them for all their faults to be the best writers at that time for the Lampoon.
All in all, I'd recommend this to anyone interested in the arc of Boomer humor, or just postwar comedy in general. The railing Hendra does against TV should also be of interest to social historians, because it justifies attacks on television as being artifical (contrary to reality shows' bread and butter), and narcotic in its effects. The brief time spent on SNL was illuminating because it revealed what I felt all along: Lorne Michaels is a phony.
True, some will argue that Hendra's speil against Michaels and others is part of some bitterness over not being as successful as his peers. That certainly tempers the book for an informed reader, but it shouldn't distract from the fact that, while associated with the Lampoon, Hendra did some very good work that shouldn't be forgotten or tossed aside. Also, his is the only real "history" of the Lampoon that I would trust for an introduction.
So get this book if you want to learn the real meanings behind Animal House, the story of great writers like Kenney, Beard, et. al, and the contributions of Bruce and Sahl and so many others. A more expansive volume covering the period would be desired, but so far this is the best that's out there. I enjoyed it, and I hope future readers of the book will too. (Fans of Reagan might not like it, but tough luck)
"Nothing is over until we say it is!"

5 people found this helpful

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Gooch McCracken

Psychotic murk compels me to beat up Tony's detractors

Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2005

Hendra's forte is journalism. Not the actual writing of actual comedy. Although he's certainly had his moments. In fact, he even managed to out-poeticize Sean Kelly via DETERIORATA. Tony's analysis of Lenny Bruce is an indispensable supplement to Albert Goldman's book about Bruce. Also included is his description of Chris Ross's brilliant ACID skit. A skit which otherwise might've completely disappeared from public record. (Unless it appeared in a movie called A SESSION WITH THE COMMITTEE.) My favorite thing in the book is a certain phrase that Tony came up with: "the psychotic murk of machismo".

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