David Cross

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The problem with pulling a comedy act off the stage and onto the page is simple: Context gets lost. This is a problem for David Cross, whose ranting, angry invective is so successful in his standup act. His first book, “I Drink for a Reason,” doesn’t hold up nearly as well.

The book is divided into more than four dozen sections, some no longer than two pages, in which Cross seethes about religion, hippies, Red Staters and arch-nemesis Jim Belushi. But the book isn’t so much a profanity-laden polemic as a series of decently aimed critiques that reserves its sharpest criticism for hipster culture.

As the title suggests, the book is in part a lament about America today, which presumably frustrates Cross to the point of boozing. The best parts are the absurdist essays and the takedowns of hipster idols, among them: “A Free List of Quirks for Aspiring Independent Filmmakers” and “The Five People You Meet in Limbo.”

Among the “Ideas for T-shirts to Be Sold at Urban Outfitters,” Cross suggests: “My God can beat up your God,” “This shirt was made by slave labor and sold for a 1,200 percent markup” and “Look at what I think is interesting!”

“Just sneak them in there amongst the regular ones. Maybe someone will buy one by mistake and get beat up in a bar,” Cross adds hopefully.

“I Drink for a Reason” suffers from a lack of pacing, ineffectively clumping together essays about the absurd and the observed that would have benefited from alternating subject matter. But the real problem is the humor doesn’t translate well to the page.

Cross’ comedy is visceral, delivered in a nasally whine that at once attracts and repels his audience. With Bob Odenkirk, he wrote and performed HBO’s fantastic “Mr. Show With Bob and David,” then later played a double-entendre-prone disgraced psychiatrist on Fox’s “Arrested Development.”

In those roles, and in his standup act, Cross changes pitch and tone. He yells. He grips his head in his hands and conveys his outrage with stammering befuddlement. Unlike other comics whose acts have seen success in book form — George Carlin’s “Brain Droppings,” for instance — Cross’ humor seems to be transcripts of frustrated conversations with stupid people. In writing, they can appear unimaginative and pedantic.

“I Drink for a Reason” and books like it point out our pretensions — even while exposing those of the author — and Cross’ first effort does the job.

© 2009, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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