BOOK REPORT: ROUND SEVENTEEN & 1/2, BY RICH SIEGEL

Rich is one of my funniest freelancer writers I know. Maybe the funniest, in fact, apologies to the fabulously warped Kathy Hepinstall.

Years back, Siegel wrote many of the infamous “Yellow ABC TV” posters that came out of TBWA Chiat/LA and seemingly landed in all the awards books. Killer stuff, and right up there with the Economist and Citibank, IMHO. The work Rich and his AD partner John Shirley did in outdoor made me spit a commuter cup out my nose while driving back in my Los Angeles advertising days. Fortunately, I got off with just a warning after plowing over the empty park bench. Thanks, guys.

So, I knew better than to be anywhere a sharp object while reading Round 17&½. Yes, it’s flail-uncontrollably funny. Acerbic. Cynical. Barbed. Rich does not suffer fools gladly and why the hell should he? He’s practically a legend.

Wait, he actually is a legend, although still a young middle-aged man so I use the term loosely.

For the sake of anonymity and because he’s still has bills to pay and invoices to issue, he mercifully changes names within his book. Rick serves notice that no matter where you live or work, there are going to be miscreants and mouth-breathers to deal with if you’re going to be in advertising.

So beyond being funny, there is wisdom to be gained from Rich’s tales of petty tyrants, babbling neophytes, and unwitting spank-bank visitors. He possesses the rare gift for skewering people with intelligence and wit while making you feel at least a morsel of empathy for all involved.

The fictional characters throughout his stories are no less interesting.

The telling is never dull. Rich doesn’t lacks that gene. And the fact that he’s anti-aging in the midst of his early forties and defying the need to become a Walmart greeter in exchange for benefits is equally aspirational.

A great writer. A helluva storyteller. A curmudgeon with a heart.

There’s more where this book came from, folks. I have more of Rich’s stuff to read like his newer book, Mr. Siegel Goes to Washington, and his first novel about an extended correspondence he maintained with a Nigerian scam artist in Tuesdays with Mantu.

You can’t make up this Siegel.

This being his only ad book, I’ve included it in the CAmazon Book Store. You’ll find his other fine work elsewhere.