Cancer on Five Dollars a Day (Chemo Not Included): How Humor Got Me Through the Toughest Journey of My Life

by Robert Schimmel

Book Overview

In the spring of 2000, stand-up comedian Robert Schimmel was diagnosed with stage III non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and soon the fire of his white-hot career started to fizzle.

But Schimmel never lost his sense of humor, his searing honesty, and most of all, his passion to make people laugh. Indeed, it was his basic need to entertain--even if the only people around him were suffering from cancer and the room he was playing was the Mayo Clinic infusion...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0738213187
• ISBN13: 9780738213187
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.63 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Schimmel Finds Humor in a Possible Death Sentence.

In many ways, Robert Schimmel is the Lenny Bruce of our times. After experiencing his performance at the Denver Comedy Works this past weekend, I read this memoir chronicling his deeply-personal, life-and-death battle with Stage III non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Bob is a stand-up comedian best known for his controversial sexual material and self-deprecating sense of humor, his HBO performances, and his appearances on The Howard Stern Show. His edgy style has gotten him into plenty of trouble. The networks are afraid of him, he confessed during his show. He joked about getting banned from Late Night with Conan O'Brien almost getting banned from The Hollywood Squares for making sexual jokes about Louie Anderson. Cancer on $5 a Day tells the story of Schimmel's treatment and recovery following his cancer diagnoses in June, 2000. Bob was no stranger to cancer. He lost his son, Derek, to brain cancer at age 11. At the time of his diagnosis, Bob had just received the Stand-Up of the Year Award, and he was about to commence work on a new sitcom. His memoir reveals how Schimmel never lost his edgy sense of humor through this dark period of his life. He continued to laugh, even in the face of death, while receiving treatment at Mayo Clinic infusion center in Scottsdale. Even as his hair was falling out, Bob bantered with wig salesmen, inquiring about the possibility of a wig for his pubic area. The ultimate point of Schimmel's memoir is that, without a strong sense of humor during the tough times in life, you're pretty much f***ed (as he would say). After his recent performance, Bob told me his battle with cancer changed his perspective on material possessions and the LA lifestyle. Although his doctors told him he would never have children again, Bob married his wife Melissa, and they have since had two children. Schimmel's inspirational survival story will make readers laugh and cry at the same time. Only a comic genius like Bob Schimmel could find so much humor in a possible death sentence. Recommended. G. Merritt

You don't read this book, you wear it

This is a book that is an easy weekend read, but it is so powerfully written that it stays with you for a long time. The book mirrors Schimmel's style of comedy: brutally honest, no punches pulled, sarcastic and defiant. Even as you're reading this book, you get the feeling you're on the ride with him. You don't really read this book, you absorb it. You wear it; not like a coat, but more like a second skin. That skin crawls when Schimmel describes the seemingly unabated misery associated with the chemo treatments. That skin frosts over when you and Robert get the news that he's got non-Hodgkins lymphoma. And that skin gets goosebumps as you emerge from the depths of despair right along side Robert. It's a cliche, but Schimmel never does lose his sense of humor. Not only did he not lose his humor, he refused to let those around him lose theirs. That's the definition of a hero. Sure, there's probably a dash of his own self-preservation cooked in there as well, but he refused to become completely selfish even when his doctors told him that's what he had to do to survive. Even if it meant his own death, he was committed to making this experience less impactful on those he cared about -- and even some people met during treatment. As for the ending, well, I'm going to let you experience that for yourself. Nobody ruined it for me and I envy you your first time reading of it as well. I will say this of the ending: if you don't get tears in your eyes at the end of this book, hold a mirror under your nose to see if you're still breathing. Get this book and thank me later.

More laughs than tears but plenty of both.

I love Robert's comedy and when I saw him on Conan's show, I immediately ordered a copy of his book. I think I laughed out loud on every page for the first half of the book. The second hundred pages had plenty of Robert's wonderful humor, but also moments that brought tears. He is quite a comedian and quite a human being. I definitely recommend his book.

humanity via humor

I heard Robert Schimmel on Stern last week and picked up this book before a flight. I was familiar with Schimmel's humor so I got a lot of what I expected (and wanted) in the book. What I didnt expect, but loved, was the humanity and compassion Schimmel shows for fellow patients, family and friends through his fight with cancer. He clearly states the importance of both selfishness and selflessness to get him through this darkest hour. Most of all, he relies on humor and an open mind to get him and his posse through his harrowing experience with chemo. The takeaway is multi-layered, but bottom line, a positive attitude and a great support network clearly help Schimmel Lick the Big C. Hope to get to see him do stand up some day, I am sure his show contains the passion he won through his hard fought victory over cancer.

Schimmel with Inspiration

I first saw Schimmel before his first CD came out and followed his meteoric rise until he dropped off the map. This book begins where "we" left off. It is intelligently written, has all of the Schimmel wit and charm and manages to make you laugh at his trials and tribulations. I will say that if someone is about to go through Chemo, it is both encouraging but challenging with sometimes graphic description of the experience. Robert - What do you do for an encore? (Can't imagine another round of chemo is worth a book deal.)