The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue: A Child of the Fifties Looks Back

The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue: A Child of the Fifties Looks Back

The comedian traces his rise from a New York City youth of the 1950s and 1960s to a stage and film star, describing his childhood antics as a young class clown, his Jewish heritage, and his professional achievements. Celebrity autobiographies, perhaps by definition, are often self-indulgent. Klein's story is no exception. Fortunately, the comedian, actor, and witty observer of our social foibles is also a fine and very funny writer. Raised in a Bronx apartment by very "cautious" Jewish parents, Klein recounts his childhood with both affection and a sharp critical eye. While he seemed inclined to rebel, Klein also makes clear, without regrets, that he is a proud product of his youthful experiences. In school, he was an occasionally disruptive class clown, but he obviously gained both knowledge and insight from his public-school education. As Klein pursued a career in entertainment, one can see the flowering of his gift for satirical social criticism. His first major break, winning a job with Chicago's Second City improvisational troupe, is remembered here fondly, and Klein fills his story with interesting and revealing anecdotes about many Second City alumni. Klein's humor is biting, sometimes scatological, but never bitter, and he reveals an interesting life with this thoroughly enjoyable chronicle. Jay Freeman Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved