Sal Richards, a successful entertainer who's enjoyed 40 years in show business, is best known for being a talented comedian and actor. In his autobiography, Behind the Laughter, Hidden Tears, published by the Strategic Book Group, Sal Richards shares his life story, but It isn’t just another story on show biz, although there are interesting stories involving celebrities. (My favorite celebrity dish revealed a shocking story about 70s star, Helen Reddy. Reddy is famous for singing, “I Am Woman” but after reading about Reddy’s bad behavior, you’ll rename the song that branded her to: “I Am Nothing; Just Another Big Bully”!) Sal Richard’s story is inspiring and encourages anyone, down on his luck, to stop asking the question, “Why me?” and follow his example.
Once upon a time, just a city kid from the Bronx, the reader quickly learns who the real Sal Richards is. He is a man of character and strength, not afraid to chase his dreams, even when family members are telling him daily to “Get a job”. Sal Richards is a family man, who adores his wife, his mother and children and holds on to his faith, like a true fighter, even when life is dishing out below- the- belt- blows, strong punches that would have knocked out the likes of Rocky Balboa.
You can’t bully Sal Richards out of the ring. He comes back harder, taking what life gives him, blessed or horrific, and somehow manages to go own, grow as a person, learn from his mistakes and become a better man. He shares his “behind the scenes” life with the reader that includes personal tragedies involving family, as well as career setbacks, like in his early career when he struggled and couldn't make the rent, he was evicted ,not once but twice.
The chapters are short, on average two pages long, and sequenced chronologically. His writing style is informal and in the Prologue, he tells the reader he got stuck at the airport and had to wait eight long hours for his next flight. Wondering how he’d kill the time, a thought popped into his head; “Well, why don’t I write a book?” In the last chapter, “The Future”, the reader learns this book is a companion to the movie, Mr. Laughs: A Look Behind the Curtain, a documentary on his life that won six best feature documentary awards in 2008-2009, at film festivals around the US.
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1 - J GUALBERTI
I READ THIS IN 1 DAY -WHAT A STORY- MY HUSBAND READS -BUT NOT AUTO BIOGRAPHIES-HE PLAYED WITH JOE PEPITONE- I WORKED COLONY HILL MICKEY ASKED I BE HIS DATE-SAT WITH HIM/P OOOPER- TOLD MY HUS YRS LATER I RAN BACK TO MY JOB-/WE WERE BORN B'KLYN CAME TO L I 69