| Almost everyone has been fired from a job, and just | | | | even got it out of the parking lot. Stories like these are |
| about everyone has a story to go along with it. | | | | worth the price of this book alone. |
| Annabelle Gurwitch, the actor and screen writer, | | | | To round each story off, the book also includes "Fired |
| decided to capitalize on this fact by compiling and | | | | Facts": brief and amusing factoids about being fired, |
| editing a collection of humorous "down-sizing" stories in | | | | and the workplace in general. For example: "Increased |
| her book Fired! Tales of the Canned, Canceled, | | | | risk of heart attack faced by employer firing an |
| Downsized & Dismissed. After being fired by the | | | | employee in the week after wielding the ax: 100%". |
| media icon (and consequently her idol) Woody Allen, | | | | What a great way to end your career - with your |
| Annabelle decided to take her story to the publishers- | | | | former boss in the hospital! |
| along with several other tales from well known actors | | | | While Fired! Tales of the Canned, Canceled, |
| and media personal, including Bill Maher, Tim Allen, Tate | | | | Downsized & Dismissed is entertaining (being fired with |
| Donovan (actor and director in The O.C.), Harry | | | | the line "Take that hanger off your head, you idiot!" |
| Shearer (actor in This is Spinal Tap), Dana Gould | | | | may be the best thing that has ever happened to me), |
| (writer for The Simpsons), Bob Saget and more. | | | | it completely fails to connect with the reader. Each |
| The book is divided into five chapters: The Job So | | | | story falls into one of two major camps: meaningless |
| Terrible You Can Only Hope to Be Fired, The Firing | | | | high school jobs that no one regrets losing, and |
| You Didn't See Coming, The Time You Deserved to | | | | glamorous Hollywood jobs that, while interesting, are |
| be Fired, The Time Getting Fired Leads You to | | | | entirely foreign to the average reader. |
| Something Better, and The Time You Had to Fire | | | | In the introduction to this book, Annabelle Gurwitch |
| Yourself. Each chapter is as witty as the last, and will | | | | concludes "So you were fired. Welcome to the club. |
| keep you reading and laughing through till the next. And | | | | We've been waiting for you." However, this book fails |
| with over a dozen "tales of the canned" in each | | | | to present any "club" you or I are ever likely to be a |
| chapter, you will have plenty of laughing to enjoy. | | | | member of. While almost anyone can related with |
| Many of the true stories found in this book are so | | | | being fired from a job, the stories in this book are quite |
| funny, they will have you laughing out loud. The story | | | | different from any workplace axing I have |
| of Paul Feig (director of Arrested Development and | | | | experienced. And unless you have felt the horror of |
| The Office) losing his Ronald McDonald gig because of | | | | losing a job because your character was shot in the |
| a magical comparison between a rubber chicken and | | | | last episode, you will probably be unable to relate as |
| Chicken McNuggets he made to a group of school | | | | well. |
| kids while wearing the clown suit will probably remain | | | | If you are looking for a light, entertaining read to get |
| with me for the rest of my life. In another favorite | | | | you through the work week, I would recommend Fired! |
| story, Jeff Garlin (actor in Curb Your Enthusiasm) | | | | Tales of the Canned, Canceled, Downsized & |
| explains how he was fired for throwing a bowl of | | | | Dismissed. Though the book will probably not help you |
| Fruity-Pebbles at a hotel wall... and all just because | | | | reminisce about jobs long past, that may be for the |
| they stuck. Larry Charles (writer for Senifeld) reminds | | | | best. What better way to forget about your own |
| us that Taxi companies should never offer | | | | "down-sizing" experiences that to hear the stories of a |
| employment to a teen-age kid who has just acquired | | | | celebrity with their head on the chopping block. |
| his license that very day; wrecking his cab before he | | | | |