I have watched the movie Airplane! hundreds of times over the years. When I was first living on my own after college, my dad would just show up sometimes on my porch with a DVD of Airplane! and dinner. We'd hang out and just laugh our butts off, even though we had seen the movie so many times. It didn't matter.....the jokes were always funny.

I was hunting for a totally different book to review when I came across the listing for this one -- I can't even remember the book I was actually looking for. My brain latched onto this one - oh, hell yeah I'm reading this book! And when I'm done.....I'm watching the movie again and wishing my dad were still here to enjoy it with me. His favorite line? The one I used to purposely feed to him so that he could use it on me? The dialogue would go something like this: Me: Surely you aren't serious that you don't plan to watch the Chiefs play on Sunday! Him: Yes I'm serious.....and don't call me Shirley.

This book discusses the directors' careers in theater before the movie, how they cast so many famous actors in a project that was so wonderfully silly, and just how the entire project came about. I loved every word!! There are also lots of photos, quotes, anecdotes and other types of wonderful information!

My favorite scene? Oh easily any of the bits with Stephen Stucker as Johnny. So funny! If you don't know who I'm talking about -- watch the movie! :)

I looked through all of my streaming services to see where I could watch the movie....even restored my STARZ subscription because a site told me it was there.....nope. None of them. Unless I want to buy it again. Which I'm not going to do. Rats!

......Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St Martin's Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**

Reading this book is a great substitute for attending a comedy club.

Interesting story with plenty of humor. Makes one want to watch Airplane again. It really was a unique movie.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Very interesting history of this iconic comedy movie. Fascinating how these three guys changed how we thought about movie comedy. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and the three different points of view was engaging.

Sure You Can't Be Serious is a great insightful read for both casual and dedicated fans of Airplane. It collects both the history of the movie but also the history of the movie creators. It really lets you see how the comedy of Airplane evolved from their earlier works.

It's fun to revisit some of the great jokes and quotes from the film and the book is funny in general. If you are interested in parody, comedy and movie production, you can still enjoy this one even if Airplane wasn't your favorite.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the gifted eARC.

If you are a fan of the Zucker brothers you'll love this book. Fans of film making and humor in general will also find a lot to enjoy in this fun book about a seminal comedy film

As someone who loves the Airplane movies it was so much fun reading a behind-the-scenes look at how these wonderfully funny movies were brought to the screen and out hearts.

“Surely a book about the making of Airplane! can’t be that interesting!” “Yes, it can—and don’t call me Shirley.”

Surely You Can’t Be Serious is an absolute delight of a book. It’s a must-read for any fan of this movie. Aside from being chock-full of delightful insights, I found myself laughing out loud reading it, just as I did when I watched this iconic 1980 film.

But more than a history of the movie, this delicious book gives you the history of Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker from their formative days in Milwaukee through making their first movie, Kentucky Fried Chicken, so that you can understand where the roots of Airplane! came from. It also has fascinating information about Zero Hour!, the film Airplane! relentlessly parodies (down to that exclamation point!), as well as why all the primary actors were cast (let’s just say ZAZ’s favorite childhood TV shows and movies were a huge factor).

Add to this quotes from an absolute murderer’s row of comedians and other celebrities on how Airplane! influenced them, and you’ve got a book that will warm your heart, make you laugh, and make you long to watch Airplane! again with a big group of friends.

More than 40 years after this film released, ZAZ have given us all a bonbon of a book; a perfect holiday gift for any fans of parody, movie history, movie production, puns, and dad jokes. I am perfectly serious when I say you should read Surely You Can’t Be Serious—and you know what you shouldn’t call me, either!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review.

Loved the movie Airplane back in the day and still can quote lines and giggle when I think of it. "don't call me Shirley". This is a fun behind the scene's look at an iconic movie.

If you've ever watched "Airplane!" and found yourself uncontrollably laughing until tears streamed down your face, then "Surely You Can't Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane!" by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker is your golden ticket to a rollicking, behind-the-scenes journey through one of the funniest films of all time. This book is not just a memoir; it's a laugh-out-loud comedy masterpiece.

"Surely You Can't Be Serious" is an uproarious exploration of how a trio of comedy geniuses turned a straightforward disaster movie into a slapstick sensation that has stood the test of time. The authors pull back the curtain on the creative chaos that fueled the making of "Airplane!" and, in the process, they serve up a heaping plate of hilarity that will leave readers in stitches.

This book contains unfiltered humor that permeates every page. David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker have not lost their comedic touch, and their writing is as sharp and irreverent as ever. Their playful banter, self-deprecating humor, and witty anecdotes keep the laughter coming from start to finish.

The book is a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes stories and absurd mishaps that occurred during the making of "Airplane!" From the casting of Leslie Nielsen as a deadpan doctor to the challenges of filming in a cramped cockpit, the authors share hilarious tales of the unexpected moments that added to the film's comedic genius.

"Surely You Can't Be Serious" also offers a glimpse into the Hollywood of the late '70s and early '80s, a time when comedy was undergoing a revolution. The authors' experiences and interactions with iconic figures like Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, and Peter Graves provide a unique perspective on the era.

The book pays homage to the classic humor that inspired "Airplane!" The authors share their love for the absurdity of slapstick, puns, and wordplay, and how they ingeniously wove these elements into the film's script. Their deep appreciation for comedy as an art form shines through.

This memoir is not just for fans of "Airplane!"; it's for anyone who appreciates the healing power of laughter and the magic of comedy. It's a reminder that even in the most challenging times, humor can be a lifeline, and laughter is the universal language of joy.

In "Surely You Can't Be Serious," David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker have delivered a side-splitting, laugh-till-your-ribs-hurt masterpiece that pays homage to the enduring legacy of "Airplane!" It's a book that will make you chuckle, guffaw, and appreciate the timeless brilliance of comedic filmmaking.

This book will elicit bellyaches of laughter and a nostalgic trip back to the heyday of comedy. Prepare to board a rollercoaster of hilarity, where no joke is too absurd and no punchline is off-limits. In the words of Leslie Nielsen, "Don't call me Shirley," but do pick up this book and get ready for a comedic adventure like no other.

This is a book that will leave you seriously entertained and wanting to rewatch "Airplane!" for the umpteenth time. "Surely", you can't resist.

If you are a fan of the comedy classic Airplane, then definitely check this book out Full of behind the scenes and funny anecdotes. Great for movie buffs.

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

If you love the movie Airplane!, read this book. It's a hoot. I knew absolutely nothing about the story behind the movie or about the three main creators, Jewish boys from Wisconsin. I hadn't heard of Kentucky Fried Theater or even the Kentucky Fried Movie. Even so, the story kept me engaged from page one. It doesn't follow a typical narrative nonfiction format with blocks of information. Instead, it flows in the form of an interview, with Zucker, Abrahams, Zucker, and many other essential people throughout the process chiming in with their experiences. There are also many notes from other major comedians of recent decades who were influenced by Airplane!

One thing that threw me off at first was the absence of a chronological flow. The book jumps back and forth through time from the making of Airplane, to the formation of the core group, then back to Airplane, and so on. I can see why they did it that way--most everyone is reading to find out about Airplane, not what happened in Madison in the early 1970s--and overall I feel it worked, because I kept reading. It was odd, though--which I suppose should be expected in consideration of the wits involved.

Some of my favorite bits were about how the actors were cast, how the Jive dialogue developed and how the famed "Mrs. Cleaver" learned her lines, and how many of the jokes evolved. Nothing was actually ad-libbed. It mostly stayed on script, though there were a few strokes of brilliance on filming day.

I love the-making-of type of books and I loved the movie “Airplane", so it should come as no surprise that I loved this book. I found it very funny (again, not a surprise) and I loved the banter between the authors. The biographical information and photos are excellent. The interviews with Katzenberg and Eisner are wonderful. The whole inside story is amazingly informative. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance reader copy.

I think "Airplane!" is a hoot and have seen it many times so I thought it would be fun to get the scoop about it. There was a lot of interesting info about how they found the perfect actors for the parts (some they had to convince and some played against their usual personas), how they had to convince someone to actually let them make the movie and more.

I'm not a fan of interview-style books (like you're reading what the authors are saying) and didn't know that would be the format. I liked that there were excerpts from people other than the authors giving their thoughts about the movie, whether they were actors in the movie or people the movie influenced (like Weird Al Yankovic, Jimmy Kimmel, David Letterman, etc.).

There was a lot of time devoted to the Kentucky Fried Theatre and the movie, "Kentucky Fried" (I've never heard of it). I know it was there to provide background about the authors but it was like too much. It seemed like the book was more about the authors than "Airplane!".

Surely You Can't Be Serious The True Story of Airplane! by David Zucker; Jim Abrahams; Jerry Zucker is an amazing read for those of us who loved the movie when it first came out! Yes, I admit I may have seen it more than once in the theater back when movies cost less the $4.00 a show! The book is just as hilarious as you would expect,, with background stories, behind the scenes accounts and just everything you would ever want to know about Airplane! A don't miss for fans! Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I always love to learn about the history of films and how crazy the filmmaking process is. This book scratches that itch to learn about film history and it makes me want to watch the movie on whatever streaming device has it.

In a world full of disease, division, aggression and sucky people, one movie offers 88 minutes of blessed oblivion and unlimited laughs. I must have seen Airplane! dozens of times and, with every viewing, I find a joke that I’d missed before. Back when comedy was funny, these three Jewish guys from Milwaukee made a modern classic, and this is their story. How they started by forming a comedy club and took it to LA, only then to write and direct a movie with zero experience in moviemaking. They reminisce about their big breaks, even when they didn’t know who they were dealing with. This is their story, and it is hilarious. Their banter is funny, the dialogues from the movie are hysterical and I enjoyed seeing the photographs with the timeless words attached to them. The stories, the basis of the screenplay (I had no idea it was based on an actual B-movie), how these indelible scenes came to be. If you love the movie and want to have a good time, read this book. If you have not seen it yet, watch it immediately and then read this book.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#St. Martin's Press!

really good book about how the movie came to be and the writers and directors behind it. loved hearing that they specific people in mind before the movie came to be. loved seeing what they ended up doing after to the different movies. really good book

To this day, Airplane remains one of my and my husband’s favorite movies. I can’t count the number of times we’ve seen it. So, there was no way I was not reading this book.
It’s an uneven walk down memory lane. A reminder that this was the first of its kind. And what a huge risk it was - taking actors known for serious roles and casting them in an absurd comedy, having two unknowns play the leads, layering joke upon joke upon joke. But it also occassionally strays into tedium.
The book combines ZAZ and everyone involved with the movie reflecting on how it all came together with modern day comics reviewing its impact. There are plenty of pictures, both of their lives and from the movie, which also help bring back the memories of the movie.
I was shocked to discover that Airplane! Is based on a much older movie, called Zero Hour!. Yes, it had the exclamation mark, too.
While this is a book about one of the funniest movies ever made, it’s not particularly funny. It is informative. And it made me nostalgic for the times when movie studios were actually interested in taking a risk with original, unique movies and not just making sequels of comic strips.
In the end, it left me interested in watching the movie one more time.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Thanks to the publisher for early access to this book. This is the definitive oral history of one of my favorite movies, and I am so excited to see this published.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher St. Martn's Press for an advanced copy of the creating of one of the funniest movies ever made about a massive air disaster, told by the men who were there.

I was in the kitchen of my Grandmother's apartment in New York City when the greatest thing that ever happened in my youth introduced itself to my family. My father came staggering into the kitchen tears streaming from his eyes, face red, coughing and making odd noises. In words I couldn't follow, my father began to explain to me something about a plane crashing into a building, men in suits knocking over phone booths, and some other phrases. I thought he was talking about a real event and wondered what had gone so wrong that my father was losing it this badly.

No, my father had seen the trailer for the movie Airplane!, on television. And finally when I saw it I could see why he was crazed. So much happened, so quickly, and yet it seemed real. I had seen most of the Airport movies, they played constantly on Sunday Night at the Movies on TV. So I got the references. But this seemed different. We as a family saw the movie, and even my 5 year old brother was laughing. Somehow I saw it three times in the theater, and twice at the Drive In, with Airplane! II once, which I also enjoyed. I taped it twice on HBO, and watched it over and over quoting lines, seeing new things, and just having a wonderful moment with my family that I could remember. And I was not alone as it seems. Surely You Can't Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane! is written by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker the two brothers and another who created the script and directed the movie, and probably popped the popcorn, and is a behind the scenes look at the creation of the movie and the event that lead up to it.

The book starts in the Midwest with three boys who love to laugh, make other laugh, and who all had a dream to make something of themselves. The Zucker Brothers met Abrahams, bonding over humor, and a videodeck that they could use to capture late night television to make fun of. Gradually they created the Kentucky Fried Theater, a mix of improv, taped comedy bits, and music, that took off. They decided to try their hand in Los Angles, fixing a dilapidated building into another theater that was a fire code away from tragedy. Slowly they gained a following and working with John Landis, the director best known for Animal House, they created a film, Kentucky Fried Movie, which did well enough for them to get a deal all they needed was and idea. And that idea had something to do with a little known movie called Zero Hour!.

The book is as much about the trio, as it is the movie. Which makes sense as it seems the trio had been planning their entire lives to make this movie. Every step, every setback, every move, seemed to effect the creation of the funniest movie ever. Meeting Stephen Stucker, who stole the movie as Johnny, meeting John Landis, getting the producer who would help them most. Testing the material and honing it to the edge of perfection. What really comes across most, is that this men never gave up. They set out to be a success, and they did, even with all the iron boots to the head forcing them back into the mud.

There is a lot of behind the scenes stories, jive creation, the reluctance of actors to take the role, Kareem and wanting to buy a $35,000 carpet. This is a book for fans, and for people who want to remember what it was like to see this movie for the first time. This book brought so many wonderful memories, watching my father nearly die as a plane is diverted into a airport terminal. A really great book. Especially for creative types. They never gave up, nor should you.