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When Artie Lange's first book, the #1 New York Times bestseller, Too Fat To Fish, hit the top of the charts, audiences learned what Howard Stern listeners already knew: that Artie is one of the funniest people alive. He is also an artist haunted by his fair share of demons, which overtook him in the years that followed. After a suicide attempt, a two-year struggle with depression, and years of chronic opiate addiction, Artie entered recovery and built himself back up, chronicling his struggle in brave detail in his next book and second New York Times bestseller, Crash and Burn.In his hilarious third book, the two-time bestselling author, comedian, actor, and radio icon explains the philosophy that has kept his existence boredom-free since the age of 13 -- the love of risk. An avid sports better and frequent card player, Lange believes that the true gambler gets high not from winning, but from the chaotic unknown of betting itself. He recounts some of his favorite moments, many of which haven't involved money at all. In this candid and entertaining memoir, he looks back at the times he's wagered the intangible and priceless things in life: his health, his career, and his relationships. The stories found in Wanna Bet? paint a portrait of a man who would just as quickly bet tens of thousands of dollars on a coin toss as he would a well thought out NBA or NFL wager. Along for the ride are colorful characters from Artie's life who live by the same creed, from a cast of childhood friends to peers like comedian and known gambler Norm McDonald. The book is a tour of a subculture where bookies and mobsters, athletes and celebrities ride the gambling roller coaster for the love of the rush. Through it all, somehow Artie has come out ahead, though he does take a few moments to imagine his life if things hadn't quite gone his way. Unrepentant and unrestrained, the book is Lange at his finest.



About the Author

Artie Lange

One of the most sought after live comedians and talk show guests, Artie Lange was a member of The Howard Stern Show for almost a decade and has followed this with his current gig on The Artie Lange Show.A native of New Jersey, Lange began his career in the comedy clubs of New York City. Lange's breakout work with the popular sketch comedy group Live On Tape led to his being cast as one of the original series regulars on Fox's MADtv, on which he made his television debut.The success of Lange on MADtv led to him being cast opposite Norm MacDonald in Lange's first starring role in the MGM feature film Dirty Work. This led to a string of feature films, including supporting roles in the Dreamworks feature film Old School, starring Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn, and Will Ferrell, as well as New Line Cinema's Elf, also starring Ferrell. He also reunited with MacDonald as a series regular on Norm (ABC) .When Norm finished its run, Lange came back to New York City and began sitting in regularly as a guest comedian on the nationally syndicated program, The Howard Stern Show. In October of 2001 he became a regular member of the show.Lange starred in, co-wrote, and produced his own feature film, Beer League, to rave reviews. Lange is also a regular guest on The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Best Damn Sports Show, Period. He was also a guest roaster on Comedy Central's roasts of Hugh Hefner and William Shatner. Elsewhere on television, Lange appeared in episodes of Entourage, Rescue Me, Louie, and Californication.In 2008, Artie's first book, Too Fat to Fish, debuted at number one on the New York Times bestseller list. The book is a collection of narrative episodes from throughout Lange's life, from his childhood to his USO trip to Afghanistan in July 2008, with a foreword written by Howard Stern. In 2009, Artie starred in his own special, Jack and Coke, with Joe Matarese. Lange continues to sell out venues across the United States performing his stand-up comedy. His second book, Crash and Burn, written with Too Fat to Fish co-author Anthony Bozza, will be published by Touchstone in October 2013.



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