[This review initially appeared on both the Comedy BB and the alt.tv.kids-in-hall newsgroup on July 20, 1998, and here it is for your consumption. I "borrowed" the photos from Jen Gardner and Barb Carr's home pages. Otherwise, enjoy!]

Save the KITH -- in your heart, you know it's right I've just finished reading Buddy Babylon, the exciting, thrill packed "autobiography" of Buddy Cole, written by Scott Thompson and Paul Bellini. This is going to be a relatively spoiler-free review, so if you're looking to find out what happens, my suggestion is - shell out your money for this book.

Trust me, it's well worth the effort. Starting from his humble beginnings on a pig farm in Quebec (born on Leap Year Day), Buddy relates a series of hilarious adventures which take him all sorts of places, including being a zombie waiter, having the Prettiest Feet in all of Quebec, having a sadomasochistic relationship with Mr. T, and finally starring on tv's Rat Patrol. (Ok, I made the last two up. Sue me. Like I said, I'm not going to spoil the book for you.)

Thank God Albert Goldman is dead This is definitely one of the best-written, most humorous books I have ever read. In an age where stand-ups collect their best routines and print them into glorfied vanity tomes, Scott Thompson and Paul Bellini have actually written a solid novel. Think of it as an extended Buddy monologue - it builds, and twists, and turns, like any good piece of fiction. All you have to do is close your eyes, and you can even picture Buddy narrating this, and have the taste of a well-made martini on your lips.

Mr. Thompson and Mr. Bellini, I strongly believe, should win the Nobel Prize for Literature. I'm not making this up. This book won't teach you how to find Mr./Ms. Right, or help you build an atomic bomb, or even be made into a big screen feature. (Although, come to think of it, if the Kids were to make another feature film...I couldn't think of a better topic for the film...) The only real caveat is that, if strong language and/or gay themes bother you, you're probably better of renting some Davey & Goliath videos. Hell, screw that. Read the book anyway. It'll open your eyes.

This book will, however, make you laugh. If you're a KITH fan, you'll dig it. If you're not, you'll dig it. And it's relatively inexpensive.

So, yes, I do recommend Buddy Babylon, and am eagerly awaiting the book on tape. It just doesn't seem quite right without the lisp...

This is your brain if you're a Kids in the Hall fan -- any questions?Please feel free to either head back to my KITH page or order Buddy's book from Amazon.com! And again, thank you for letting me rant. Oops, forgot - that's Dennis Miller's tag line.