by Doug Stanhope (Author), Sam Tallent (Foreword)

Reviews

Scott H_

The latest from Stanhope doesn't disappoint. If you follow Doug and the unashamed, unabashed, unvarnished recall of his personal experiences, you'll appreciate the latest. His cathartic healing by squeezing the funny out of all things tragic, Stanhope is an artist. I had to pace myself because I didn't want this read to end.

T.G.

Genius masquerading as misanthropy , self-loathing and alcoholic stupor.

Amazon Customer

A year in the life of Doug Stanhope with all its ups and downs. Some very funny parts, some very tragic parts, and everything in between. So glad everyone came through that as intact as possible. Some wonderful insights into who Mr. Stanhope is outside of his specials, podcasts, etc. I wish I had the chance to see him live again this year (my city isn’t on the tour list). Hopefully I can get this one signed by Doug and Bingo without having to be used as a human shield to fend off a drunk miscreant the next time he’s in my area. Definitely enjoyed the read, and well worth the buy. If he writes another one I’ll buy it too. So, buy this book.

Bawk

There's so much to be appreciated about this book-thank you, Stanhope, for sharing it!
My favorite line though, has to be, "The constant onslaught of an open cow mouth, with the rhythmic sound of a wet toad slapping in a slow-moving tumble dryer, left me cringing."
You want to know what that's referencing?
Read the book. You won't regret it!
Five stars.

From the Inside Flap

Misanthrope. Iconoclast. Apostate. Drunk. Many words have been used to describe Doug Stanhope, but rarely has “hopeful” been one of them. However, heading into 2016, Stanhope peered through the apocalyptic fog and saw a forecast that was more rainbows than acid rain: His first book was set for release, his new stand-up special was in the can, and he was about to film a television pilot with his friend and confidant Johnny Depp. The sharks of Hollywood were circling, and Stanhope’s pockets were filled with chum. The only thing that could stop Doug was himself, and that’s exactly what he did.

First came the booze, then came the pills, then came the stripper, and then, Doug came. A tryst aboard a cruise ship leaves him literally and figuratively adrift when his scorned wife, Bingo, reveals she is in love with another man: a jug-sippin’, guitar-pickin’ hobo. A simple, black-out fling turns out to be a pebble tossed into the lake of you-know-what named 2016, and in No Encore for the Donkey, Stanhope traces the resulting rings.

Written and performed by Stanhope, his third memoir follows the veteran comedian on a quest to save his marriage, his wife, and eventually his wife’s life. Our hero's journey finds Stanhope cuddling with Johnny Depp in his Los Angeles mansion, receiving some much-needed TLC from Marilyn Manson, and - most daunting - building a new hour of comedy in the rusted-out hellscapes of post-industrial America.

Equal parts love letter, road romp, and harrowing condemnation of the failures of America’s mental health care system, No Encore for the Donkey is a hilarious and heartbreaking account of a man balancing on the edge of damnation. With Bingo in a coma and Trump about to be elected, Stanhope sifts through the ruins of his own personal cataclysm in order to answer the big questions: What does it mean to love someone when you can’t love yourself? What is the point of success if you have no one to share it with? And is the end of the world BYOB?  

- Sam Tallent, August 2020