I Drink for a Reason

After a decade spent in isolation in the Ugandan jungles thinking about stuff, David Cross has written his first book. Known for roles on the small screen such as never-nude Tobias Funke on Arrested Development and the role of David in Mr. Show With Bob And David, as well as a hugely successful stand-up routine full of sharp-tongued rants and rages, Cross has carved out his place in American comedy. Whether deflating the pomposity of religious figures, calling out the pathetic symbiosis of pseudo-celebrity and its leaching fandom, or merely pushing the buttons of the way-too-easily offended P.C. left or the caustic, double-standard of the callous (but funnier) right, Cross has something to say about everyone, including his own ridiculous self.

Now, for the first time, Cross is weaving his media mockery, celebrity denunciation, religious commentary and sheer madness into book form, revealing the true story behind his almost existential distaste of Jim Belushi (The Belush), disclosing the up-to-now unpublished minutes to a meeting of Fox television network executives, and offering up a brutally grotesque run-in with Bill O'Reilly. And as if this wasn't enough for your laughing pleasure in these troubled times, some of the pieces splinter off with additional material being created online in exclusive video and animated web content created solely for the book-a historical first (presumably)

With a mix of personal essays, satirical fiction posing as truth, advice for rich people, information from America's least favorite Rabbi and a top-ten list of top-ten lists, I Drink for a Reason is as unique as the comedian himself, and cannot be missed.

"Cross, a comedian best known for his role on TV's Arrested Development, is one of the few comedians working today with an easily identifiable comic voice, and his authorial debut ensures that his voice is heard on every page. Mixing bitterness and absurdity, the result is often piercing sarcasm, beginning with the preface (in which Cross imagines life as a famous author) and opener 'Don't Abandon Your Baby'; though he may send up easy targets, Cross consistently hits his mark without sounding like a hack. Though largely irreverent, he often seems genuinely angry (even hurt) when responding to negative reviews or misquotes. Much of the book is devoted to getting even with his detractors, but they aren't all as good as the Pitchfork.com-skewering 'Top Ten CDs to Listen to While Listening to Other CDs'; his response to a blogger who accused him of bigotry is strangely joke-free. Cross reserves his greatest vitriol for fellow entertainers Larry the Cable Guy and Jim Belushi, whom he accuses of, respectively, exploiting and outright disdaining their audiences. Though he admits inviting the charge of elitism with some of his material, Cross avoids condescending to his demographic while knocking out a steady stream of laugh-out-loud quips." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"One of the funniest books I've ever skimmed!" Paul Rudd

"[H]onest and brutal, but above all, hilarious...pant-wettingly brilliant." Simon Pegg

"David Cross is the Bruce Banner of our time...this book is his big green monster. His energy is so intoxicating...that in some cultures his discarded bodily fluids are sold on the black market as an Irish coffee substitute." Maynard Keenan, lead singer of Tool and A Perfect Circle

An award-winning comedian, actor, producer, and now author serves up a collection of essays, false memoirs, and laugh-out-loud strange stories.