STOP ME IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS ONE
Named a Most Anticipated Book of the Year by People Magazine, Vogue, British Vogue, The Today Show, The Washington Post, The AV Club, The Millions, Lit Hub, Electric Literature, Book Riot, BookPage, Our Culture, Los Angeles Daily News, Pride, and more!
From the author of the New York Times–bestselling sensation Mostly Dead Things: a SPARKLING AND FUNNY NEW NOVEL OF ENTERTAINMENT, AMBITION, ART, and love
Cherry Hendricks might be down on her luck, but she can write the book on what makes something funny: she’s a professional clown who creates raucous, zany fun at gigs all over Orlando. Between her clowning and her shifts at an aquarium store for extra cash, she’s always hustling. Not to mention balancing her judgmental mother, her messy love life, and her equally messy community of fellow performers.
Things start looking up when Cherry meets Margot the Magnificent—a much older lesbian magician—who seems to have worked out the lines between art, business, and life, and has a slick, successful career to prove it. With Margot’s mentorship and industry connections, Cherry is sure to take her art to the next level. Plus, Margot is sexy as hell. It’s not long before Cherry must decide how much she’s willing to risk for Margot and for her own explosive new act—and what kind of clown she wants to be under her suit.
Equal parts bravado, tenderness, and humor, and bursting with misfits, magicians, musicians, and mimes, Stop Me If You've Heard This One is a masterpiece of comedic fiction that asks big questions about art and performance, friendship and community, and the importance of timing in jokes and in life.
Reviews
“Arnett paints an irresistible portrait of the artist as a clown…Cherry’s story makes a powerful case for pursuing one’s art authentically and fearlessly. It’s a riot.”
–Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“Send in the clowns! Kristen Arnett is back and more absurd than ever. Stop Me if You’ve Heard This One follows Cherry Hendricks, a struggling clown for hire who is finding her life to be more a cause for tears than hilarity. Then she meets an older magician, Margot the Magnificent, and becomes both inspired and smitten. If this sounds familiar, you might have recently watched Chappell Roan’s “Red Wine Supernova” music video (or is that just me?), which will certainly get you in the spirit of things.” - BookPage
“[Kristen Arnett] really outdid herself this time, and Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One is a certified banger. Can't wait to force it into the hands of everyone I ever meet.” –Samantha Irby, New York Times bestselling author of Quietly Hostile
“Is there any more brilliant and singular talent than Kristen Arnett? I cried laughing and ached at the zeniths of tenderness its tragicomic brilliance achieves. This may be the best book I’ve ever read.” –Alissa Nutting, author of Tampa
“Brilliant on the relationship between comedy and suffering, and on the bravado and vulnerability of performance…A dazzling, sexy, and hilarious triumph.” – Laura van den Berg, author of State of Paradise
“One of the funniest books I’ve ever read.” – Jami Attenberg, author of A Reason to See You Again