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They Call Me Baba Booey Audiobook
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(3.04) - 785 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
One of pop culture’s great enduring unsung heroes: Gary Dell’Abate, Howard Stern Show producer, miracle worker, professional good sport, and servant to the King of All Media, for the first time tells the story of his early years and reveals how his chaotic childhood and early obsessions prepared him for life at the center of the greatest show on earth. Baba Booey! Baba Booey! It was a slip of the tongue—that unfortunately was heard by a few million listeners—but in that split second a nickname, a persona, a rallying cry, and a phenomenon was born. Some would say it was the moment Gary Dell’Abate, the long-suffering heroic producer of The Howard Stern Show, for better or worse, finally came into his own. In They Call Me Baba Booey, Dell’Abate explains how his early life was the perfect training ground for the day-to-day chaos that comes with producing the most popular radio show on earth. Growing up on Long Island in the 1970s, the youngest of three boys born to a clinically depressed mother, Gary learned how to fend for himself when under attack. Obsessed with music, he listened with religious intensity to Casey Kasem's Top 40 every Sunday morning, compulsively bought 45s of his favorite songs, and nerdily copied the lyrics into a notebook. Music became an ordering principle to his life, even as the chaos at home got out of hand. Dell’Abate’s memoir sketches the trajectory from the obsessive pop-music trivia buff to the man in the beekeeper’s mask who handily defeats his opponents playing “Stump the Booey.” We learn about the memorable moments in his life that taught him to endure epic bouts of humiliation and get his unique perspective on some of his favorite Stern show episodes—such as the day he nearly killed the Mets mascot while throwing out the first pitch, or the time his mother called Howard’s mother and demanded an apology. Hilarious, painful, and eye-opening, it’s Gary as you’ve never seen him before, telling a story that even Stern show insiders can’t begin to imagine.
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"As a former regular listener to the Howard Stern show, I must say this was a very enjoyable read. I always wondered how Gary felt about the constant abuse he receives on the show, and it was interesting to hear how Gary found his way to the show in the first place. Getting the back story on his teeth was worth the read alone. Surprisingly enjoyable read."
— Jonathan (4 out of 5 stars)
They Call Me Baba Booey Listener Reviews
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" How can you not love stories about Baba Booey. Reading a transcript of the Nancy tape was great. I was reading it in the voice of Howard doing his Gary impression. "
— Eric, 1/26/2014 -
" A great read to better understand and appreciate Gary "Baba Booey" Dell'abate from the Stern show. "
— Jerry, 1/25/2014 -
" I originally got this book for free with an order of cupcakes from Crumbs. Figured the husband would like it so I gave it to him to read. It's one of the (very) rare books that he started AND finished. (He usually quits them halfway through.) So then *I* had to read it too. This is primarily a book about Gary's struggles with his bipolar mother, his gay and ultimately AIDS-stricken brother - when we didn't yet understand anything about AIDS - and coming of age in the 70's and 80's in a particular area of New York. I related to his struggles to cope with his (truly) crazy mother and how heartbreaking her life is now. If you are looking for a lot of inside information on the Howard Stern show you will be very, very disappointed. Personally, I knew almost nothing about the show before it moved to Sirius. Never listened to it before then and had no opinion of it so I'm hardly a die-hard fan. So the lack of "Howard" stuff (the show probably only takes up one chapter out of the whole book) didn't bother me. The only negative I have about the book is the way it jumps around so much re: the timeline of things. "
— Melanie, 1/19/2014 -
" very good and a nice chapter on his brother "
— Louie, 1/1/2014 -
" As a loyal Howard Stern listener it is a must read. A well written, easy to read set of stories that gives the reader a great look into the life of the producer of the finest radio show in history "
— Jason, 12/27/2013 -
" Loved the book. Read it because I love the Howard Stern show. However, it is a moving book that tells Gary's life story including his challenges with a mother who suffers from mental illness, and a brother who died of aids. He is a good guy and it comes through this book. "
— Frances, 12/24/2013 -
" If you know who Baba Booey is, and if you're a fan of the show, then you'll probably enjoy this book. If not, then don't bother. "
— Wendy, 12/20/2013 -
" I always admired Gary for being a great producer on the Howard Stern Show, but I admire him even more now. He didn't have an easy childhood, which he describes very openly, but which made him the man he is today. great read, did it in 3 days. "
— JoAnn, 12/20/2013 -
" I used to listen to Howard a lot before he moved to Sirius and enjoyed the book. I was hoping for more of the story of Gary's early days with the show, but there wasn't a lot of that. Still enjoyed it though. "
— Ian, 12/19/2013 -
" I appreciate that this is not just a recap of what has happened the last 27 years on the Stern show. "
— Stuart, 11/26/2013 -
" Good stuff. Any Stern rocks! "
— Matt, 11/25/2013 -
" I loved gary before I read the book and love him even more now. Great book. "
— Kim, 11/20/2013 -
" Very interesting book. Not just for Howard Stern fans (of which I am) but a fairly well written account of a guy who dealt with some serious crap in his life leading up to a hell of a career. "
— Pat, 11/19/2013 -
" Started off well, but bored me by the end. It was interesting to find out about his background though. A lot of things I did not know. "
— April, 11/18/2013 -
" Not a great book, independent of his time on the show, but as a Stern fan I wanted to make sure to read it. If he picks up where this leaves off and tells his experiences on the show, I'm in for a second book. "
— Constance, 10/6/2013 -
" Listening to the book in the car. It's okay. Good enought to kill an hour each way this week. "
— Ray, 3/30/2013 -
" It was a fun read - nothing serious. A little insight into Gary's life makes him more real to me. Liked to see that hard work did pay off for him though. That is a nice message in these times. "
— Karen, 1/1/2013 -
" My husband bought me this book just after my daughter was born so I would have something to read while I pumped my "ba-ba-breastmilk" and I completely liked it. We've been Howard Stern fans for years so it was hilarious to read all of Gary's random lists and get some insight into his crazy mind. "
— Elissa, 8/24/2012 -
" I laughed, I cried, I shouted Baba Booey loud and proud. "
— Tracy, 7/5/2012 -
" Excellent book particularly for any Howard fan, and OK if not a fan. "
— Dave, 6/21/2012 -
" The true story of a guy who had a tough childhood, complete with a b@sh#t crazy mother that he loves to this day. He's a hard worker who is used to getting no praise for his work. This book explains the funny stuff that happened along the way. "
— Ryan, 4/13/2012 -
" Excellent! Funny and honest...fun to read. "
— Kathy, 3/10/2012 -
" Not just for Howard Stern fans! A real behind-the-scenes look at Baba Booey's life outside of radio. It was a great read! "
— Jackie, 3/9/2012 -
" A great book that goes inside the mind of Howard Stern show produce Gary Dell'Abate. The book touches upon his childhood with his mother who was crazy, and goes into his various internships that led him to get his job working with Howard at WNBC. "
— Aaron, 12/12/2011 -
" Fla fla flo high. For all Stern fans. Funny, sad, insight to what we love about Gary. "
— Amy, 8/31/2011 -
" You will enjoy this book if you are a Howard Stern fan. "
— Darcey, 7/4/2011 -
" I really enjoyed Gary's open and honest recount of his life. I'm a huge fan of the show an even though there was minimal mention of Howard or even the show I enjoyed the book very much. "
— Tom, 5/31/2011 -
" I don't really like Baba Booey. But his book was a must read for me. It was okay. I was hoping for more insight on the show. No one cares about Gary and his life before the show. "
— Tim, 4/28/2011 -
" I always admired Gary for being a great producer on the Howard Stern Show, but I admire him even more now. He didn't have an easy childhood, which he describes very openly, but which made him the man he is today. great read, did it in 3 days. "
— JoAnn, 3/28/2011 -
" I loved gary before I read the book and love him even more now. Great book. "
— Kim, 3/1/2011 -
" I really enjoyed Gary's open and honest recount of his life. I'm a huge fan of the show an even though there was minimal mention of Howard or even the show I enjoyed the book very much. "
— Tom, 2/24/2011 -
" Great book. Gave me a new appeciation for Gary and the troubles he has overcome Still does not make up for the "hello,hello" tape! "
— Svk, 2/18/2011 -
" How can you not love stories about Baba Booey. Reading a transcript of the Nancy tape was great. I was reading it in the voice of Howard doing his Gary impression. "
— Eric, 2/3/2011 -
" As a loyal Howard Stern listener it is a must read. A well written, easy to read set of stories that gives the reader a great look into the life of the producer of the finest radio show in history "
— Jason, 2/1/2011 -
" You will enjoy this book if you are a Howard Stern fan. "
— Darcey, 1/31/2011 -
" This was a fun listen. Nothing great about it, but a big helping of Gary's life and how he came to success in radio. No great insights but a fun diversion. "
— Bob, 1/25/2011 -
" Not much about the Stern show, but a good book. Better than I expected even though it was the funny read I thought it would be. "
— Mobrilla, 1/23/2011 -
" A humorous and surprisingly touching autobiography. A thoroughly enjoyable read. "
— Paul, 1/22/2011
About the Authors
Gary Dell’Abate, also known as “Baba Booey” is the producer of The Howard Stern Show and co-hosts The Wrap-Up Show on Sirius XM Radio. He and his wife, Mary, have two sons, Jackson and Lucas, and live in Connecticut.