Dave Barry

So he was this good guy, good man. Everybody loved him. Dave Barry was like the guy you called when your kids were in trouble and that he wanted, you know, your marriage was, they called my dad and my dad would always be there for them. And then he, when I was in my late teens, early twenties, became an alcoholic. He would always had liked to drink and he became, it took over. And, um,

So he was this good guy, good man. Everybody loved him. Dave Barry was like the guy you called when your kids were in trouble and that he wanted, you know, your marriage was, they called my dad and my dad would always be there for them. And then he, when I was in my late teens, early twenties, became an alcoholic. He would always had liked to drink and he became, it took over. And, um,

So he kind of bottomed out, got into AA, and spent the rest of his life, the last 20, 25 years of his life sober, and again, helping people more through AA than what he had done before. So that was my dad. My mom, this is going to sound like I have the world's worst, was a really, really wonderfully funny person who suffered from depression. And ultimately, after my dad died, committed suicide.

So he kind of bottomed out, got into AA, and spent the rest of his life, the last 20, 25 years of his life sober, and again, helping people more through AA than what he had done before. So that was my dad. My mom, this is going to sound like I have the world's worst, was a really, really wonderfully funny person who suffered from depression. And ultimately, after my dad died, committed suicide.

She could not stand life without him. Boy, I don't know how we got here so fast to this tragic... It happens around here. There used to be tissues around here. We did get here awfully fast. But anyway, my point is, if you just looked at my upbringing and said, well, his dad was an alcoholic and his mom committed suicide, it must have been a horrible... But it wasn't. I had a great childhood.

She could not stand life without him. Boy, I don't know how we got here so fast to this tragic... It happens around here. There used to be tissues around here. We did get here awfully fast. But anyway, my point is, if you just looked at my upbringing and said, well, his dad was an alcoholic and his mom committed suicide, it must have been a horrible... But it wasn't. I had a great childhood.

They were wonderful. They were funny people. Everything I know about humor, I learned from them, especially from my mom, who was like this really dark person, but she'd use her humor. She was just funny. And they loved each other. I mean, they really, really loved each other. In fact, that was kind of why my mom didn't keep going after my dad died. But that was my template for love.

They were wonderful. They were funny people. Everything I know about humor, I learned from them, especially from my mom, who was like this really dark person, but she'd use her humor. She was just funny. And they loved each other. I mean, they really, really loved each other. In fact, that was kind of why my mom didn't keep going after my dad died. But that was my template for love.

It isn't about when things are great. It isn't about just the initial attraction which everybody experiences. But the fact that through really rough times, the only thing that really in the end counted for each of them was the other one of them. So that's like a strong role. But then, like, isn't that most people's parents? No. OK, give me this look.

It isn't about when things are great. It isn't about just the initial attraction which everybody experiences. But the fact that through really rough times, the only thing that really in the end counted for each of them was the other one of them. So that's like a strong role. But then, like, isn't that most people's parents? No. OK, give me this look.

Yeah, and I've heard that a lot through the years. When people find out my backstory, they go, well, he's the... the clown who's hiding his tears. But the truth is, I mean, the truth is I was happy. I was a happy kid. I never, like when things went wrong for my parents, I was kind of out of the house.

Yeah, and I've heard that a lot through the years. When people find out my backstory, they go, well, he's the... the clown who's hiding his tears. But the truth is, I mean, the truth is I was happy. I was a happy kid. I never, like when things went wrong for my parents, I was kind of out of the house.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, first of all, look at what my job was. I was getting paid pretty good money for a newspaper person to just do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, with whatever expense.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, first of all, look at what my job was. I was getting paid pretty good money for a newspaper person to just do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, with whatever expense.

Again, I'll credit my parents. They're both from the Midwest, and they're Nobody in our family was ever allowed to brag. I mean, what we did in our family was we made fun of that. You're never too big to say thank you to whatever person is waiting on you in a store. You're never going to be more important than the people around you. That was a fundamental value in my family.

Again, I'll credit my parents. They're both from the Midwest, and they're Nobody in our family was ever allowed to brag. I mean, what we did in our family was we made fun of that. You're never too big to say thank you to whatever person is waiting on you in a store. You're never going to be more important than the people around you. That was a fundamental value in my family.

I would have felt stupid when I achieved success as a newspaper person if I pretended that I achieved it because I was some kind of superior human being instead of basically a guy who was good at making people laugh, which is – it's a nice skill, talent, whatever to have. But it isn't like – It's not curing cancer. I mean, you were as surprised to win the Pulitzer Prize as anyone. Whoa, yeah.

I would have felt stupid when I achieved success as a newspaper person if I pretended that I achieved it because I was some kind of superior human being instead of basically a guy who was good at making people laugh, which is – it's a nice skill, talent, whatever to have. But it isn't like – It's not curing cancer. I mean, you were as surprised to win the Pulitzer Prize as anyone. Whoa, yeah.

I did not expect to win the Pulitzer Prize. That is not false modesty because it's distinguished commentary. Look up distinguished. It's not what I was writing. I was writing about people discovering snakes in their toilet.

I did not expect to win the Pulitzer Prize. That is not false modesty because it's distinguished commentary. Look up distinguished. It's not what I was writing. I was writing about people discovering snakes in their toilet.