How Not to Get Shot: And Other Advice From White People
By D. L. Hughley and Doug Moe
4/5
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About this ebook
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A GOODREADS CHOICE AWARDS FINALIST
"Hilarious yet soul-shaking." —Black Enterprise
The fearless comedy legend—one of the “Original Kings of Comedy”—hilariously breaks down the wisdom of white people, advice that has been killing black folks in America for four hundred years and counting.
200 years ago, white people told black folks, “‘I suggest you pick the cotton if you don’t like getting whipped.” Today, it’s “comply with police orders if you don’t want to get shot.” Now comedian/activist D. L. Hughley–one the Original Kings of Comedy–confronts and remixes white people’s “advice” in this “hilarious examination of the current state of race relations in the United States” (Publishers Weekly).
In America, a black man is three times more likely to be killed in encounters with police than a white guy. If only he had complied with the cop, he might be alive today, pundits say in the aftermath of the latest shooting of an unarmed black man. Or, Maybe he shouldn’t have worn that hoodie … or, moved more slowly … not been out so late … Wait, why are black people allowed to drive, anyway?
This isn’t a new phenomenon. White people have been giving “advice” to black folks for as long as anyone can remember, telling them how to pick cotton, where to sit on a bus, what neighborhood to live in, when they can vote, and how to wear our pants. Despite centuries of whites’ advice, it seems black people still aren’t listening, and the results are tragic.
Now, at last, activist, comedian, and New York Times bestselling author D. L. Hughley offers How Not to Get Shot, an illustrated how-to guide for black people, full of insight from white people, translated by one of the funniest black dudes on the planet. In these pages you will learn how to act, dress, speak, walk, and drive in the safest manner possible. You also will finally understand the white mind. It is a book that can save lives. Or at least laugh through the pain.
Black people: Are you ready to not get shot! White people: Do you want to learn how to help the cause? Let’s go!
D. L. Hughley
D.L. Hughley is one of “The Original Kings of Comedy.” He hosts the national radio program The D.L. Hughley Show, which is syndicated in more than sixty markets. His comedy specials have appeared on HBO, Netflix, Comedy Central, and Showtime. His satirical documentary special, DL Hughley: The Endangered List, received the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award. He created and starred in the ABC sitcom The Hughleys. He is the author of the New York Times bestsellers How Not to Get Shot and Black Man, White House. How Not to Get Shot was selected as a finalist for the Goodreads Choice Awards and the Audie Awards. D.L. lives with his family in Los Angeles, California.
Read more from D. L. Hughley
Surrender, White People!: Our Unconditional Terms for Peace Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How Not to Get Shot: And Other Advice From White People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Black Man, White House: An Oral History of the Obama Years Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Survive America: A Prescription Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
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Reviews for How Not to Get Shot
43 ratings9 reviews
What our readers think
Readers find this title to be a good comedy book that addresses the serious issue of racism in a humorous and informative way. It highlights the ignored areas of social discourses and potential implications of racism. The book is informative without being heavy and has the potential to bridge misconceptions among police and minorities. It is recommended for teaching in American academic institutions.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I was all set to give this funny, serious little book 5 stars for Hughley’s ability to use humor to explain racism. He bluntly explains how some of the things white people, and black people take for granted are just not seen by the other side. He got the idea for the book after an interview with the everybody’s best racist friend Megan Kelly in which she stated that if black people just complied with the requests of police officers they wouldn’t get shot. Then he goes on to show that compliance must be quick but not too quick and is best done retroactively before the officer even asks, referring to the John Crawford shot in WalMart white carrying a beebee gun that he intended to purchase. Had he only thought before hand he would have complied with the officer by not trying to purchase a beebee gun while black in the first place. He describes the Bill of Rights and how it doesn’t really apply to black people: Sandra Bland didn’t have freedom of speech because she spoke in a surly manner to police and ended up dead. Philando Castile didn’t have second amendment rights as he sat in a car with his girlfriend and daughter. He gives very good advice on what kind of car to drive -a nice but not too nice one in good repair, especially one with plates front and back and no burnt out lights. He states black people should dress like the least memorable white person they can think of because they should be as close to invisible as possible. It goes without saying that safety also involves playing safe, e.g. white music and playing it at low volume. The book all goes so well until he gets to gays. Alas, D. L. Hughley still has a problem with gay people, which makes me very sad. I can’t understand how such a brilliant and funny mind still can’t grasp that gay people are still people. So aside from this failing I recommend anyone who can laugh with anger at racism read this book.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Good comedy book, but not much really educational anti-racism book
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is the typical situation when something is funny because it's true, but also really sad because it's true. D.L. Hughley writes a hilarious guide on how not to get shot by cops, compiling the best advice white people have for black people all the while quoting cases of black people that followed that advice and got shot regardless. It is very informative without being heavy, and it's truly funny despite being sad as well.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book highlights all the ignored areas of social discourses and potential implication of racism. It would be a good move if this book would be taught in American academic Institutions. It would bridge all the misconceptions among police and minorities. People fear of unknowns, this book spends great deal in elaborating the key components of alienation on certain people or race over others.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Even though this book is ostensibly directed to black people, white people really, really need to read this book. It really cuts through a lot of the bullshit excuses that (some) white people make when innocent black people are killed by police. While it has some humor, for the most part it just lays bare how dangerous it is to be an ordinary black person in the US. There are a lot of thought-provoking ideas presented here, and it would do us all well to spend some time considering them, and what we all can do to improve race relations. (For example, I had no idea about the third verse of the national anthem. Look it up. I'll never view the anthem in the same light again.)
My only disagreement with Hughley is when he re-defines racism as requiring power. I respectfully disagree. It's simple, racism is prejudice against anyone due to their race. Power is not involved. However, we really need to acknowledge that racism without power is like "They hurt my feelings..." while racism with power can destroy (or end) lives. There is a huge difference. Maybe we need a new word for racism with power... Also, power is not binary, but a continuum; the greater the power, the greater the danger. Unfortunately, right now, there is a lot of institutionalized racism with great power in the US. Sometimes it's disguised as patriotism, but upon closer inspection (such as Hughley provides) its core is revealed, and it's up to all of us to root out this nonsense. Unfortunately, I think this is going to be a never-ending battle... - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Read as an eBook from the county library. Good satire about racial relations in the United States.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5audiobook nonfiction (humor BLM)
somehow manages to make you laugh and cry at the same time? Hilarious, but also deadly serious. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Brutal, hilarious, and so spot-on. Definitely not for the easily offended who'd rather not acknowledge realities. (And short! The audiobook was a little over 3 hours, I believe. I love a short book.)
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hilarious and biting satire with painful truths at the core. My Black Lives Matter reading has been heavy of late so this was a welcome lighter touch while still adding to my self-learning.