Tony Soprano meets Shemp Howard at Book Soup -- and it’s a mobbed hit!

It was standing room only at Book Soup on the Sunset Strip on the afternoon of Saturday, the last day of November 2024,  for “The Shempranos.” Named as a wink at “Glicked,” the other pop culture phenomenon of the holiday weekend, authors Burt Kearns and Ray Richmond packed them in for an action-packed discussion on the connections between their new high profile books, SHEMP! The Biography of The Three Stooges’ Shemp Howard, the Face of Film Comedy, and The Sopranos: The Complete Visual History. 

Officially titled “When Tony Met Shemp: The Influence of The Three Stooges Slapstick Violence on The Sopranos,” the event  was moderated by author, comedy archivist, show business historian and Hollywood publicist Jeff Abraham (who, with Kearns, wrote The Show Won't Go On: The Most Shocking, Bizarre, and Historic Deaths of Performers Onstage). Abraham’s sharp, well-researched questions and observations kept the discussion moving, and elicited from the authors surprising stories and information.

Richmond looks sharp                                  Kearns wields a Sharpie

The panel of course revealed specific Three Stooges and Shemp Howard solo scenes, shorts and films that have been documented as inspiration for  the comedy that often preceded or was included in the violence of The Sopranos. Richmond also revealed the dark inspirations of Sopranos creator David Chase, production problems caused by star James Gandolfini, the comic aesthetic of the series’ violence, and his theory of what happened after the screen cut to black in the series finale. Kearns spoke of the many gangster roles Shemp Howard played in his solo career, the exquisite timing and choreography of the Three Stooges’ violent comedy, and the culpability of his brother Moe in Shemp’s early death.  

Abraham led a  lively Q&A that followed.

“When Tony Met Shemp: The Influence of Three Stooges Slapstick Violence on The Sopranos” was part of the iconic bookstore’s celebration of Indies First, the campaign supporting independent bookstores on Small Business Saturday. Signed copies of SHEMP! and The Sopranos: The Complete Visual History are available in person and online at Book Soup.

Murderers Row of Writers: Jim Colucci, Ray Richmond, Burt Kearns, Frank DeCaro, Herbie J Pilato

A lively, historic event! Book Soup hosts Jeff Abraham and Burt Kearns, authors of The Show Won’t Go On

Book Soup, the legendary “bookseller to the great and infamous” on the Sunset Strip, hosted both on Sunday as the authors of The Show Won’t Go On debuted the first of their live discussions and signings for a crowd that indeed included the great, infamous and acclaimed.

Cowriters Jeff Abraham and Burt Kearns turned out to be great raconteurs, and had the audience enthralled with stories from the book about “the most shocking, bizarre, and historic deaths of performers onstage.” A lively question-and-answer session followed.

A special treat for the audience was the appearance of guest moderator Ray Richmond.  The popular and esteemed journalist, entertainment critic, author and playwright set the stage and tone for the afternoon by reminding Abraham and Kearns that the best possible publicity for their book would be for one of them to keel over and pop his clogs right then and there.  (Abraham reminded the crowd that Richmond had moderated a discussion featuring Abraham's client George Carlin days before the legendary comedian suffered a fatal heart attack.)

While all who attended survived, the book event was almost declared DOA that morning.  Hours earlier, an automobile careened out of control down Sunset Boulevard and plowed into the “parklet” of Book Soup tables and benches on the street. Miraculously, no one was seated (or, as too often, sleeping) there at the time.  Most of the car (see photo below) was hauled away before the book event, and the discussion and book signing went off without a hitch.

Numerous celebrities and performers were among the crowd, including top magicians, authors, producers and at least one multiple Tony award winner. We will, however, respect their privacy...

Burt Kearns & Jeff Abraham

The Show Won’t Go On was published by Chicago Review Press on September 3.  It’s received very positive reviews, and is available wherever books are sold.

“Recommended if you like: Staring into the Abyss"

Abraham and Kearns continue their roadshow on Saturday, September 21 at Dark Delicacies on North Hollywood Way in Burbank. That event, moderated by comic book and comedy legend  (and top entertainment blogger) Mark Evanier, kicks off at 4 pm.

Future events include the Dearly Departed Artifact Museum in Hollywood on Sunday, October 19, and Stories Books and Cafe in Echo Park on Tuesday, October 22.

Due to the writing duo’s lively and very entertaining performances on widely-heard shows including Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast and Coast to Coast AM, there has been demand for appearances in other cities beyond Los Angeles. Watch this space for the latest news.

First bookstore appearance! Authors Jeff Abraham & Burt Kearns to discuss & sign 'The Show Won’t Go On’ at Book Soup on Sunday, Sept 15

The Show Won’t Go On: The Most Shocking, Bizarre, and Historic Deaths of Performers Onstage, the first comprehensive study of that show business phenomenon, is selling briskly and has been getting great coverage and rave reviews from the likes of Vanity Fair, The New York Daily News, The Daily Mail and the Telegraph.

Authors Jeff Abraham and Burt Kearns have been hitting the podcast and radio circuit, beginning with a side-splitting ninety minutes on Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast.

Next up: appearances and book signings. The first takes place at 3 pm this Sunday, September 15, at the legendary Book Soup on The Sunset Strip.  Author, critic and authors' pal Ray Richmond will moderate what promises to be a lively discussion about the deadly topic.

Future appearances include

Dark Delicacies in Burbank, hosted by truly legendary television and comic book writer Mark Evanier,  4 pm  on Saturday September 21

The Dearly Departed Articaft Museum in Hollywood on Saturday October 19

and Stories Books and Cafe in Echo Park on  Tuesday October 22.

The boys are sticking close to home in this first go-round.

Watch this space for updates and more appearances.