408. Dave Barry with Brett Hamil: Class Clown: A Memoir

Town Hall Seattle Arts & Culture Series

You could argue that Dave Barry is the country’s class clown, but did you know that he actually was elected class clown in high school? It’s no wonder, then, that he’s made a career out of making fun of pretty much everything. So how in the world does the son of a Presbyterian minister wind up winning a Pulitzer Prize for writing a wildly inaccurate newspaper column read by millions of people? Dave Barry will explain.

Barry draws from his latest book, Class Clown, to take us on a ride through his life so far, starting with a childhood largely spent throwing rocks for entertainment—there was no internet—and preparing for nuclear war by hiding under a classroom desk. He began his journalism career at a small-town Pennsylvania newspaper and somehow wound up as a humor columnist for The Miami Herald, where his boss encouraged him to write about anything that struck him as amusing and to never worry about offending anyone.

His columns were not popular with everyone: He managed to alienate a vast army of Neil Diamond fans and the entire state of Indiana. But he also developed a loyal following. Barry dives into all aspects of his life––the humor, absurdity, joy, and even sadness. Barry says the most important wisdom imparted by his Midwestern parents was never to take anything too seriously, which is a lesson that has served him well as a professional class clown.

Dave Barry is the author of more bestsellers than you can count on two hands, including Swamp Story, Lessons from Lucy, Dave Barry’s Complete Guide to Guys, Dave Barry Turns Forty, and Dave Barry Is Not Making This Up. A wildly popular syndicated columnist best known for his booger jokes, Barry won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for commentary. He lives in Miami.

Brett Hamil is a cartoonist and comedian living in Seattle. He publishes a weekly political cartoon, Doom Loop, for the South Seattle Emerald, and produces a critically acclaimed live comedy show, Joketellers Union at the Clock-Out Lounge. He’s also the author of 3 graphic novels.

Buy the Book Class Clown: The Memoirs of a Professional Wiseass: How I Went 77 Years Without Growing Up

Elliott Bay Book Company