I'd Rather We Got Casinos:
And Other Black Thoughts

Larry Wilmore

Average Rating 5/10 (1 Review)

Within these pages are the musings, the revelations, the ruminations, and the reflections of the incomparable Larry Wilmore. Here, collected for the first time, all in one place, are his Black Thoughts. From why black weathermen make him feel happy (or sad) and why brothas don't see UFOs to his search for Black Jesus or his quest to replace "African-American" with "chocolate," Wilmore has finally relented, agreeing to share his unique (black) perspective.

Soon, you too will have the ability to find racism in everything. Bring back the Shetland Negro and do away with Black History Month! After all, can twenty-eight days of trivia really make up for centuries of oppression? In Wilmore's own words, "I'd rather we got casinos!"

About the Author:
Larry Wilmore. is the senior black correspondent to The Daily Show. He has been a TV producer, actor, comedian, and writer for more than 30 years. Wilmore has written for In Living Color, The Bernie Mac Show, The Office, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He won an Emmy and a Peabody Award for his work on The Bernie Mac Show. He lives in New York and Los Angeles.

Review by Annett Grosser-Rogoff (310513) Rating (5/10)

Review by Annett Grosser-Rogoff
Rating 5/10
I’d rather we got Casinos and other Black Thoughts by American actor Larry Wilmore is a very debatable kind of book. It’s certainly not for the sensitive kind of reader.

The book is a collection of invented extracts, fake interviews, and various reflections on race. It’s a bit like Marmite - you either love it or you hate it. For fans it can certainly be hilarious; people who never heard of him or see him as a more controversial figure should take it with a pinch of salt.

Wilmore is mostly known for his appearances on the Daily Show and certainly has his funny moments. However, it seems he lost his wit when he tried to bring his sense of humour to paper. Somehow the fun gets lost in the process and ends in embarrassment. There are certainly some good humoured moments and a few really funny ones, but a lot of it is so much below the mark, that it feels wrong to laugh.

Big parts, particular the Radio show, ones feel out of place. They are probably alright in the audio book version, but written down they do not have the same effect. Also, it feels like he’s rushing through each piece. There are a few random black thoughts and they deliver but they are lost in an ocean of words that make you clinch inside.

I had some mixed feelings when I picked up this book as Wilmore is quite controversial on screen and there were no surprises in that area. However, the book is amusing in some parts and even makes you laugh out loud occasionally. It’s not the sort of book you would buy without knowing Wilmore but for fans it’s certainly an ok read with not many surprises.
Annett Grosser-Rogoff (31st May 2013)