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"In the age of hot takes and trolling, this expansive and funny study of the art and science of trash talk reveals something essential about public life--and even human nature. In the modern economy and culture, fame and virality have become increasingly difficult to separate from success. From athletes to comedians to politicians to big-ticket CEOs, everyone seemingly has to manage their brand. Saying the wrong thing is often more profitable than saying the right one. We are all, it seems, engaged in a giant insult comedy roast, even when we don't want to be. The tradition of talking trash goes back to ancient Greece, and is not always innocent fun. Who gets to do it to whom, how, and when? In this energetic and wide-ranging book, Rafi Kohan takes the measure of this sneakily important practice. Talking to historians, athletes, comedians, and more, he describes what they do and why they do it, and also asks why it's so central to the human experience. From military stress tests at Fort Bragg to the basketball court to the Jeff Ross Roast Battle, he writes about what's funny and what's mean, where the line is, and the consequences--sometimes severe--of crossing it. Trash Talk is full of good jokes and bad jokes, name-calling and moralizing. But it's also belonging, freedom, and how to live with other people"--
About the author
Rafi Kohan is an Atlanta-based writer and editor. His first book, The Arena, was a finalist for the 2018 PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing. Previously, he has served as deputy editor at the New York Observer and as executive editorial director for the Atlantic’s creative studio, Re:think. His writing has appeared in numerous publications, including GQ, Men’s Journal, Rolling Stone, The Ringer, and the Wall Street Journal.
Summary
"You're mad at me, but I am killing you."-NBA star Gary Payton"Find the hate."-NFL star Warren Sapp"Why can't you be more like Rafi Kohan?"-your mom, probably
Foreword
"You're mad at me, but I am killing you."-NBA star Gary Payton
"Find the hate."-NFL star Warren Sapp
"Why can't you be more like Rafi Kohan?"-your mom, probably
