cover image The Man Show on Tap: A Guide to All Things Beer

The Man Show on Tap: A Guide to All Things Beer

Ray James. Gallery Press, $14.95 (196pp) ISBN 978-0-689-87371-3

Comedy Central's The Man Show, which ran from 1999 until early 2004, was an unabashed champion of huge steins of beer, skimpily-dressed women on trampolines, and oompa-loompa bands, doling out crass humor that drew millions of viewers. Lead writer James shares a compendium of deep debates such as bottle vs. can, and the best hangover cure. They're enjoyable tidbits, branded with the same fearless humor that marked the series. But structurally, the book is a hash, leaping from ruminations on Spuds Mackenzie to how to open your beer with your teeth, without much of a care for cohesion. The stream-of-consciousness quipping, moving along like a drunken conversation, is fine for short-burst reading, but readers seeking a comprehensive look at ""man's other best friend"" will get only a quick buzz.