May 9, 2012

Book Review: Lizz Free or Die


Lizz Free or Die

By Lizz Winstead

RIVERHEAD BOOKS

In 1991, while watching CNN’s coverage of the first night of Desert Storm on a bad blind date at a sports bar, political satirist Lizz Winstead had an epiphany: “Are they reporting on a war, or are they trying to sell me a war?” Thus began her obsession with “breaking down the media breakdown” that led her to cocreate The Daily Show in 1996. In this charming essay collection, Winstead traces her evolution from the “unladylike” baby daughter of a large Catholic family in Minnesota to a comedian who found “a way to use humor to speak truth to power.” She tells of getting an abortion after being knocked up by her hockey player boyfriend in high school, spending a fortune on her dogs’ waste problems, and saying goodbye to her dying father—all with insight and understated humor.

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PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

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