Observations and Rants from the Creator of Odd Mom Out
July 25, 2016
Kargman has written a comedic, lively take on her life as an opinionated, Jewish native New Yorker. The married mother of three created her own TV show, Bravo’s Odd Mom Out, after years as a novelist. Kargman grew up in a joyfully morbid household that she likens to The Addams Family; her former sister-in-law Drew Barrymore remarks that her in-laws start talking about death at the dinner table after an average of only 17 minutes. Kargman’s sense of humor comes from her father, a wannabe stand-up comedian. From an early age he encourages his kids to “suck the marrow out of everything” and create amazing memories. And when she does something she’s not interested in doing, such as going to Disney World (which she finds so miserable she calls it “Misney World”) and encountering hotel decor so awful that she and her husband shut down their usual hotel sex, her dissection is sharp and funny. Kargman’s tone is beyond breezy (she uses words such as skeltorious and hagitosis maximus), and she devotes chapters to lists on subjects such as what keeps her up at night and things not to be trusted. Those looking for a new, fun voice that doesn’t get too heavy will enjoy Kargman’s perspective, which is rich with gratitude, laughs, and a healthy appreciation for the color black.
June 15, 2016
One woman's quirky perspective on life.The creator of Bravo's Odd Mom Out, Kargman (Sometimes I Feel Like a Nut: Essays and Observations, 2011, etc.) dishes out a variety of essays that poke fun at herself, her family, friends, and the world in general. Short, acerbic, and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, the narratives come from her experiences as a teen, a wife, a mother, and from observations of the world around her. In "Orlandon't," she covers the multiple reasons not to take your child to Disney World: the color scheme, the endless lines, the expensive and tacky merchandise, etc. She writes about things that irk her--children in leopard leggings, identical twins who are dressed alike, tapas bars, "people in the audience at the Oscars who clap harder for some dead people than other dead people"--but also offers sweeter pieces such as her celebration of her mother's words of wisdom. Her humor is often laced with expletives and slang terms, adding a hipster attitude that's not really needed to achieve the level of humor she's striving to reach. If you want to know how she and her family got coveted plots in a cemetery on Nantucket, read "Dying to Get In." Curious to know who she's had a lifelong crush on? "You're the One that I Want." Ever wonder what a stripper class is like? Kargman attended one and lets you know what she thinks. Everything is fair game as the author babbles about the difficulty of getting her son into kindergarten in New York, why her family resembles the Munsters, being a Jewish child and attending summer camp in Maine, questions she poses to the universe, her love of Thanksgiving, or euphemisms she's invented. The collection is an odd mix best read in short spurts. Prepare to laugh, but then move on, as this fluff is not very filling. Snarky, unconventional humor that pokes fun at just about everything.
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