To comedians, 'material'--their jokes--has always been precious, worthy of protecting and preserving. On stage, a good vaudeville routine could last years as it was performed on tour across the country. On radio, a year's vaudeville material might be fodder for one week's broadcast. Bob Hope used new material not only for his weekly radio series, but also for the several live charity appearances he made each week.
Organized by the stages of his life, accompanied by black-and-white photographs, this book gives readers a chance to enjoy the very best of Hope's jokes, from his early years in vaudeville, his top-rated radio show in the '30s and '40s, his legendary television appearances, and much more.

Rated XF (for X-tra Funny), this giant collection of off-color jokes, stories, and anecdotes comes straight from the kings and queens of blue humor: The Friars Club.
In the tradition of the bestselling "Friars Club Encyclopedia" and "Bible" (315,000 copies sold), this brand-new, giant collection of laugh-out-loud, hide-it-from-the-kids humor features more than 2,000 saucy jokes and stories grouped thematically into such categories as Marriage, Medicine, Old Age, Kids, and (of course) Sex. Much of the material is attributed to well-known and popular comedians, including Richard Belzer, Gilbert Gottfried, Susie Essman, and Penn Jillette. As a bonus, interviews with a wide variety of stand-up comedians known for their naughtiness-- including Mario Cantone, Judy Gold, Jeffrey Ross, Lisa Lampanelli, and many more-- are sprinkled throughout.
Sitting down with "The Friars Club Private Joke File" is like having a front-row seat at one of their infamous Roasts. Whether browsing for a good ice-breaker or perusing it cover to cover, this no-holds-barred compilation will keep readers laughing and blushing for a long, long time.