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Joel McHale book review and facts

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Discover everything you need to know about Thanks for the Money: How to Use My Life Story to Become the Best Joel McHale You Can Be in our review.

In recent years, Joel McHale has become one of the most sought-after comedians in the industry. His most notable projects include E!’s TV show The Soup, which had twelve successful seasons.

Besides his acting career, he’s also a standup performer and writer. He recently authored a memoir with a unique comedic twist named Thanks For the Money.

Here you’ll find a full book review and additional information about the author.

Becoming your best Joel McHale - What’s the book about?

The complete name of Joel McHale’s memoir is Thanks for the Money: How to Use My Life Story to Become the Best Joel McHale You Can Be.

The book opens with the author explaining why he wrote a memoir: he needed more money.

The book is divided into two sections. In the first, he recounts anecdotes about his life and career. In the second, he helps the readers by giving them tips to help them become rich celebrities.

The book features stories about his career and standard reflections about life. However, McHale’s anecdotes are written in a subtle tone and full of humor.

The author recalls an infamous fight with Chevy Chase on the set of Community and tells his side of the story.

In a funny way, he explains that a celebrity's memoir has to include revelations. For that reason, he writes about having dyslexia and undergoing two hair transplants.

Who exactly is Joel McHale?

Joel McHale is one of the industry's most famous comedians and actors.

Raised in Seattle, Washington, he was actually born in Rome, Italy as Joel Edward McHale.

He attended the University of Washington, where he majored in History and starred on the football team. In addition, he has a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from UW’s Actor’s Training Program.

Recently, he wrapped up the twelfth and final season of The Soap, an E! TV show which satirized current events and pop culture.

He also had a starring role in the comedy series Community which aired on NBC for five seasons, and Yahoo for its sixth and last.

McHale has performed in many films, including Spider-Man 2, A Futile and Stupid Gesture, A Merry Friggin’ Christmas, Queenpins, The Seven Faces of Jane, and The Great Indoors. Plus, he voiced Johnny Cage in the martial arts film Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge.

Additional film credits include: Deliver us From Evil, TED, The Informant, Spy Kids: All The Time in The World, California King, Psych 2: Lassie Come Home, The Big Year, and What’s Your Number?

Some of his acting roles in TV series include Fox’s newest season of The X-Files, Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Twilight Zone, Will & Grace, Card Sharks, Crime Scene Kitchen, Happytime Murders, Lords of Dogtown, and, of course, Community with Ken Jeong.

In 2014, he hosted the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington D.C, and he has appeared on many TV talk shows, being interviewed by the likes of Conan O’Brien

His latest projects include Celebrity Beef and the leading and executive producer role in Animal Control.

If you love McHale’s memoir, you’ll adore these titles

If you enjoy reading autobiographies with a comic twist, there are many exclusive titles you can add to your reading list:

  • Let's Pretend This Never Happened. Written by the award-winning blogger Jenny Lawson, this collection of factual and fictional anecdotes is about those moments in life we wish had never happened.
  • Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life. In this playful and absurd memoir, Amy Frouse Rosenthal has formatted the encyclopedia as if it were a contest.
  • Born a Crime. This is the story of Trevor Noah. Born to a European father and a Xhosa mother during the rule of apartheid in South Africa, he makes amusing observations about race, religion, and his personal life.
  • Hits, Heathens and Hippos: Stories From an Agent, Activist, and Adventurer. In his book, Marty Essen finds an entertaining way of recounting the lessons we learn while deciding what to do with the rest of our lives.
  • How to American: An Immigrant's Guide to Disappointing Your Parents. The standup comic and actor Jimmy O. Yang shares his life in this hilarious memoir about being a Chinese immigrant in California and how he made it to Hollywood.
  • The Year of Living Danishly. In this book, Helen Russell discovers why Denmark is considered the happiest place on earth. Full of wit and humor, she shares every aspect of Danish culture, including politics, food, education, healthcare, and more.
  • Fresh Off the Boat. This book is restaurateur Eddie Huang’s memoir. He recounts what it was like to be raised in a “fresh out of the boat” family with a dark past in Taiwan. This bestselling memoir inspires an ABC series of the same name.

Find captivating memoirs to listen to with Speechify Audiobooks

Speechify is an online platform with thousands of audiobooks available for streaming, including some of the most beguiling autobiographies.

Enjoy Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry or Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick, among many other captivating memoirs.

With Speechify Audiobooks, you can add as many books as you want to your reading list. The process is simple; you can buy individual titles or acquire a monthly plan based on credits. If a member ever cancels their plan, the process is simple and straightforward.

Visit Speechify and enjoy your favorite celebrity podcast series and memoirs.

FAQ

What is Joel McHale doing now?

Joel is currently playing the DC superhero Sylvester Pemberton, also known as Starman, in the Stargirl series.

Did Joel McHale go to Pyongyang?

No, he didn’t. The Live from Pyongyang special was actually filmed in San Jose.

Who is Joel McHale married to?

Joel McHale has been married to Sarah Williams since July 1996.

What is Joel McHale's favorite sports team?

McHale is a Seahawks fan.

What did Joel McHale do before he became an actor?

McHale attended college and majored in History.

What is Joel McHale's nickname?

McHale’s castmates from the sitcom Community have nicknamed him “high crack.”

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.