On this episode of the Free Press Radio Show, novelist and long time David Letterman writer Bill Scheft talks to Bryan Hanks and Jon Dawson about his new novel SHRINK THYSELF.
During this insightful (and often hilarious) interview, Scheft delves into his various inspirations for SHRINK THYSELF, his writing process, life at the Late Show with David Letterman, Don Rickles, current sports scandals and how to get fired by Clint Eastwood.
CLICK HERE to listen to the interview.
CLICK HERE to listen to Bill Scheft's first appearance on the Free Press Radio Show back in 2012.
Follow Bill Scheft on Twitter @BillScheft.
SHRINK THYSELF is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and anywhere books are sold.
From www.BillScheft.com:
SHRINK THYSELF - "There's nothing that makes me happier than a Bill Scheft novel. SHRINK THYSELF, his best yet, is a hilarious, unexpectedly moving, page-turning delight." –MARIA SEMPLE, NY Times bestselling author of WHERE'D YOU GO, BERNADETTE?
"Philip Roth may be putting down his pen, but I think Bill Scheft has picked it up. Here are observations about life and love and yearning that are so sharp, so funny, so fresh that every page of SHRINK THYSELF rewards the reader. Oh the joys of a wistful, heart-broken, hard-boiled narrator--a voice I'd follow anywhere." –ELINOR LIPMAN, Author of THEN SHE FOUND ME and I CAN'T COMPLAIN
EVERYTHING HURTS - "I have lived this story in real life, though mine wasn't nearly as funny, poignant or compelling as this. On the other hand, I believe I'm much better looking than the fellow in the book and could probably take him in a fight." –LARRY DAVID
TIME WON'T LET ME - "Just when you thought rock n' roll was beyond parody, along comes Bill Scheft with this notorious novel about the fall and dubious resurrection of a fabled garage band. TIME WON'T LET ME is more fun than a night on the town with Kieth Richards, minus the ambulance ride." –CARL HIAASEN
THE RINGER - "Bill Scheft's THE RINGER is the most interesting book I have read since Dave Eggers' A Heartbreaking Wor of Staggering Genius. It's funny, energetic, intelligent, touching, and... funny. If you don't enjoy this book, there is something wrong with you." –DAVE LETTERMAN
THE BEST OF THE SHOW - "Bill Scheft's Sports Illustrated column, "The Show," should be required weekly reading for every sports fan. Consistently funny enough to make a grown anchorman cry. You can't stop the laughter; you can only hope to contain it." –DAN PATRICK
Scheft’s critically acclaimed first novel, THE RINGER (2002), the story of a 35-year-old hired gun softball player whose life changes when he has to take care of his infirm sportswriter uncle, was optioned for film by United Artists, for whom he wrote the screen adaptation. His second novel, TIME WON’T LET ME (2005), chronicled the chaotic resurrection of the prep school garage band The Truants, whose members try to reunite 30 years after learning the album they recorded in 1967 is worth $10,000. TIME WON’T LET ME was a finalist for the 2006 Thurber Prize for American Humor, the nation’s highest honor for literary humor.
His third novel, EVERYTHING HURTS (2009) introduced the world to self-proclaimed “self-help fraud” Phil Camp, who accidentally achieved international acclaim writing under the pseudonym Marty Fleck and now tries to seek relief from his unexplained chronic pain through the aid of another self-help guru, Dr. Samuel Abrun. Publishers Weekly raved: “Scheft scewers physical and emotional pain with a mercilessly comic touch and a bit of poignancy.” And Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Russo marveled, “How rare it is for a novel to be both hilarious and profoundly moving.”
In addition to his long-form fiction, Scheft is widely known for his weekly humor column, “The Show,” which appeared in Sports Illustrated for three years. A collection of his columns, THE BEST OF THE SHOW, was published in 2005. Before coming to Sports Illustrated, Scheft spent two and a half years at ESPN Magazine writing a similar column, called “The Monologue.”
Scheft’s love of sportswriting came from his uncle, the legendary golf writer Herbert Warren Wind. In 2011, he edited and wrote the foreword to a collection of Wind’s seminal essays, AMERICA’S GIFT TO GOLF: HERBERT WARREN WIND ON THE MASTERS.
After twelve years touring as a stand-up comedian, Scheft was hired as a monologue writer for Late Night with David Letterman in 1991. He was with the program for its last two years at NBC, then moved over to CBS in August, 1993 to work on Late Show with David Letterman. During his 22 years with Letterman, he has been nominated for 16 Emmys. Which, ah, means he’s never won.
A frequent creative presence on award shows, roasts and television specials, Scheft wrote for the 1995 and 2005 Academy Awards, was the head writer for three ESPY Awards and has contributed special material to the Emmys, Tonys and Grammys.
Over the last 20 years, Scheft has contributed humor essays and short pieces to the New Yorker, New York Times, Esquire, TV Guide, George, Talk, Slate, Modern Humorist, the collections Mirth of a Nation, 101 Damnations, May Contain Nuts, Howl, The Enlightened Bracketologist and a few other places that may or may not exist anymore. He is now a regular contributor to the New York Times Book Review.
A 1979 graduate of Harvard College, where he majored in Latin because he “thought the church was going to come back,” Scheft began his professional career as a sportswriter for the Albany Times-Union before he came to the realization, “Hey, what the hell am I doing in Albany?” He moved to New York City in December, 1980.
He still lives in Manhattan with his wife, comedian Adrianne Tolsch, and the voices in his head.
Contact Bryan Hanks at bryan.hanks@kinston.com or 252-559-1074. Follow Bryan on Twitter @bchanks.
Contact Jon Dawson at jon.dawson@kinston.com or 252-559-1092. Follow Jon on Twitter @jondawsonhq.