Producer Simmons offers little insight into beloved comedy

book-cover-fat-drunk-and-stupidI’ve seen National Lampoon’s Animal House and director John Landis’ other John Belushi-starring work of brilliance, The Blues Brothers, more times than all the other movies on my DVD shelves combined. It’s a comedy that’s repeatedly called “tasteless,” but just as frequently gets noted for its sweetness and its heart.

Matty Simmons has a unique perspective on Animal House, being one of the founders of National Lampoon and producer of that brand’s long line of popular movies, including their first, which is the subject of his new book. Entitled Fat, Drunk, and Stupid: The Inside Story Behind the Making of Animal House, the book (out next Tuesday from St. Martin’s Press) presents a wonderfully pleasant tale of the road to one of the most popular and well-regarded comedies of all time.
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