From Publishers Weekly
Twenty-three-year-old actor and stand-up comic Mohr was playing college campuses after a brief stint hosting an MTV game show when he landed every comic's dream job: featured performer and writer on Saturday Night Live. In this stilted but honest memoir, he chronicles his frustrating two seasons on the show, from 1993 to 1995. Few of his sketches aired, and aside from his impressions of Ricki Lake, Christopher Walken and Dick Vitale, he was rarely on camera. (When he was on air, he admits, he often couldn't keep a straight face.) Mohr treats readers to some affectionate, entertaining tales of the late Chris Farley, but his book is less a juicy inside story of the comedy institution than a tale of an immature young man's struggle with a high-stress, erratic workplace: "The schedule for putting together Saturday Night Live was made back in the seventies when everyone was on coke.... Problem was, no one did coke [anymore] and we were expected to keep the same hours." Floundering in the unstructured work environment, Mohr suffered crippling panic attacks, which he treated with alcohol and pot until he finally found real relief with a prescription for Klonopin. Even panic-free, Mohr still felt like the odd man out and chafes at his less than meteoric rise. He serves up mostly superficial dish (watching Nirvana rehearse, shooting hoops with various celebrities) and offers unflattering self-revelations (desperate competitiveness, jealousy and sulking)-resulting in a memoir that will appeal only to die-hard Mohr fans. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From AudioFile
In a strange combination of vanity and despair, Mohr grimly recounts his two seasons as a featured player on "Saturday Night Live," focusing on his uncertainty and anxiety as a newcomer to the show. He impersonates several of the cast members, but joylessly. He recalls backstage mischief and gives some celebrity host dish, but he rarely warms to the topic, and some of his recollections are vulgar. Mohr confesses to extreme behavior in trying to stay competitive with the other writers. On the whole, however, he doesn't reveal much more than intense levels of fear and stress. R.F. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From Booklist
Most know Mohr from his role in Jerry Maguire or from his stand-up comedy. Most will not remember him from his time on Saturday Night Live, a two-year stint during which the 21-year-old served as a writer and secondary cast member. Mohr chronicles those years with the sly wit he's become known for, as well as nostalgia for both the time he had and the kid he was. That's not to say things went well. He barely got any sketches on air, his dressing room was once an elevator shaft, and he suffered panic attacks so severe he thought he would die on camera. But he also met some encouraging people (Mike McKeon) and was able to spend a little time hanging out with various luminaries (Eric Clapton), so even though he moans and whines about what he endured on the show, he ends up describing the experience as glorious. Fans of the show will especially like the snippets about such SNL figures as Chris Farley, Lorne Michaels, and Mike Myers. Good insider dish. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
A hilarious look at what life was really like inside Saturday Night Live. A dishy and often surprising memoir of Saturday Night Live by former cast member Jay Mohr. When 21-year-old Jay Mohr moved from New Jersey to New York City to pursue his dream of stand-up stardom, he never thought the first real job he'd land would be on Saturday Night Live. But, surprisingly, that's just what he did. What followed were two unbelievable, grueling, and exciting years of feverishly keeping pace with his talented cohorts, outmaneuvering the notorious vices that claimed the lives of other cast members, and struggling at all costs for the holy grail of late-night show business: airtime. In Gasping for Airtime, Jay offers an intimate account of the inner workings of Saturday Night Live. He also dishes on the guest hosts (John Travolta, Shannen Doherty, Charles Barkley), the musical guests (Kurt Cobain, Steven Tyler, Eric Clapton), and of course his SNL castmates (Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Mike Myers, and David Spade). Refreshingly honest and laugh-out-loud funny, this book will appeal both to fans of Jay Mohr and to devotees of Saturday Night Live. In a truly inside story of this counterculture institution, you get the scoop on: Makeup
--Jeff Daniels has part of his face ripped off when his prosthetic is superglued to his cheeks. Working with Roseanne Barr
--Roseanne Barr refuses to stop burping during a writers' meeting. Humoring the Hosts
--John Travolta pitches the cast a few of his ideas for sketches -- such as playing a private detective who is a Hasidic Jew. Shootin' the Bull
--Adam Sandler tells the story of when Mr. Belvedere sat on his balls. Panic
--Jay has a panic attack and runs 40 blocks home -- in the middle of a show. Rock Star Vanity
--Steven Tyler carries a woman's makeup mirror in his belt to check his look after each song, while TLC arrives with an entourage of 40 people, including one person whose job is to constantly adjust the knots on the sweatshirts tied around their waists. Food for Thought
--Rob Schneider uses a jeweler's loupe to examine his sushi for worms; Norm MacDonald relates his bout with food poisoning from a suspicious avocado; and Jay and Michael McKean projectile vomit corn chowder that doubles as fake puke.


Download Description
GASPING FOR AIRTIME is a hilarious and often moving memoir by former Saturday Night Live cast member Jay Mohr. When twenty-year-old Jay moved from New Jersey to New York City to pursue his dream of stand-up stardom, he never thought he'd land his first real job on Saturday Night Live. But he did-and what followed were two crazy years of trying to keep up with his talented castmates and get on the air as often as possible (a daunting feat for a rookie cast member). Jay offers an intimate first-person account of the inner workings of Saturday Night Live-the audition process, the first week on the job, what goes on at the pitch meetings, and how skits make the final cut of the show. Jay also dishes on the guest hosts (John Travolta, Shannen Doherty, Alec Baldwin, Charles Barkley), the musical guests (Kurt Cobain, Steven Tyler, Eric Clapton), and of course his SNL castmates (Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Mike Myers). You'll learn which cast member was told off by guest host Sally Field, what happened when Janeane Garafalo told the New York Post that the show was biased against women, and why the show's opening monologues are often not funny. Finally, Jay writes candidly about his insecurities and frustrations on the show, and why he made the decision to leave after two years. Refreshingly honest and laugh-out-loud funny, this book will appeal to both fans of Jay Mohr and fans of Saturday Night Live.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

When twenty-one-year-old Jay Mohr moved from New Jersey to New York City to pursue his dream of stand-up stardom, he never thought that the first real job he'd land would be on Saturday Night Live. But, surprisingly, that's just what he did. What followed were two unbelievable, grueling, and exciting years of feverishly keeping pace with his talented cohorts, outmaneuvering the notorious vices that claimed the lives of other cast members, and struggling at all costs for the holy grail of late-night show business -- getting airtime. In Gasping for Airtime, Jay offers an intimate account of the inner workings of Saturday Night Live, from how he learned to survive the pitch meetings by using "fake pitches," to a disastrous weekend retreat in the country. He also dishes on the guest hosts (including John Travolta, Shannen Doherty, Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, and Charles Barkley); the musical guests (Kurt Cobain, Steven Tyler, Eric Clapton); and of course his SNL castmates (Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Mike Myers, David Spade, and AI Franken, to name a few). Refreshingly honest and laugh-out-loud funny, this book will appeal to fans of Jay Mohr and to devotees of Saturday Night Live.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Twenty-three-year-old actor and stand-up comic Mohr was playing college campuses after a brief stint hosting an MTV game show when he landed every comic's dream job: featured performer and writer on Saturday Night Live. In this stilted but honest memoir, he chronicles his frustrating two seasons on the show, from 1993 to 1995. Few of his sketches aired, and aside from his impressions of Ricki Lake, Christopher Walken and Dick Vitale, he was rarely on camera. (When he was on air, he admits, he often couldn't keep a straight face.) Mohr treats readers to some affectionate, entertaining tales of the late Chris Farley, but his book is less a juicy inside story of the comedy institution than a tale of an immature young man's struggle with a high-stress, erratic workplace: "The schedule for putting together Saturday Night Live was made back in the seventies when everyone was on coke.... Problem was, no one did coke [anymore] and we were expected to keep the same hours." Floundering in the unstructured work environment, Mohr suffered crippling panic attacks, which he treated with alcohol and pot until he finally found real relief with a prescription for Klonopin. Even panic-free, Mohr still felt like the odd man out and chafes at his less than meteoric rise. He serves up mostly superficial dish (watching Nirvana rehearse, shooting hoops with various celebrities) and offers unflattering self-revelations (desperate competitiveness, jealousy and sulking)-resulting in a memoir that will appeal only to die-hard Mohr fans. (June 9) Forecast: With a confirmed appearance on the Today show, national TV and radio satellite tours, radio book giveaways, national print ads and online marketing and publicity with SNL fan sites, Mohr's book will get plenty of exposure. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

AudioFile

In a strange combination of vanity and despair, Mohr grimly recounts his two seasons as a featured player on "Saturday Night Live," focusing on his uncertainty and anxiety as a newcomer to the show. He impersonates several of the cast members, but joylessly. He recalls backstage mischief and gives some celebrity host dish, but he rarely warms to the topic, and some of his recollections are vulgar. Mohr confesses to extreme behavior in trying to stay competitive with the other writers. On the whole, however, he doesn't reveal much more than intense levels of fear and stress. R.F. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews