I Exaggerate: My Brushes with Fame

September 15, 2022
A collection of caricatures and related anecdotes from the actor and comedian. Nealon is perhaps best known for his time on Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1995. During that time, he would sketch images of his fellow cast members in the margins of his scripts, often making them his "unwitting subjects." More recently, while flying to and from stand-up gigs, fellow passengers have also become his subjects. During the pandemic, when stand-up gigs were canceled, he found himself sketching even more. The author recounts how he became interested in drawing as a boy and later developed an affinity for French impressionist painters, particularly Claude Monet, who also enjoyed drawing caricatures. Later, Nealon began visiting museums in order to study the artists' paintings and techniques, and he learned to paint using a digital tablet, which is the technique he employs in this book. The only downside to his hobby, he writes, is that when he looks at people now, he sees their character traits exaggerated in his head. Among the celebrities and other notable individuals included in the book are Robin Williams, who was "a modern-day Jonathan Winters. No one was quicker or funnier; I was absolutely floored by his wit, improvisational skills, characters, and voices. He was pure genius"; Johnny Carson, whom Nealon "watched religiously"; and Steve Martin, whom Nealon claims to have "first discovered" (before any of his other friends). He includes many fellow SNL cast members, including Dana Carvey, Chris Farley, and Norm Macdonald, as well as SNL creator and executive producer Loren Michaels. He also includes portraits of musicians, including Kurt Cobain, Tom Petty, Eddie Vedder, and Prince. The anecdotes that Nealon includes with each image are heartwarming and sincere. As the author writes, each sketch was "a labor of love." Other profiles include Howard Stern, Jennifer Aniston, and Anthony Bourdain. An impressive collection from a multifaceted artist.

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