The Christian comedian and actor hopes this behind-the-scenes look at his life and career will prove an inspiration to others.
One of the big names in Christian stand-up, Michael Jr. is also well-known to fans of faith-based movies for his role in War Room from the Kendrick Brothers back in 2015, and for last year's comedy flick Selfie Dad, in which he played the lead. A devout Believer, he is coming out with a new literary endeavor in just over a month.
The book is called Funny How Life Works - also the title of his podcast - and it features stories from the 49-year-old comedian's personal and professional lives. A forward from leadership coach and former pastor John Maxwell promises that the book shares "truths you and I can absorb and apply to make our lives better, and to improve the lives of everyone around us," and does so in a way that will leave you "laughing out loud."
While we at Christian Film Blog have not yet read the book, we have little doubt on that second point because Michael Jr. has a true comedic gift. The father of five also has a bold streak, having gotten his start as a youngster in his home state of Michigan when the projector at a movie theater malfunctioned and he got up on a dare to entertain the crowd while they waited for the film to begin.
According to Harper Collins Christian Publishing, the company putting out the book, Michael Jr. draws parallels between regular life and comedy, using personal experiences ranging from confronting hecklers to a surprise audition for the Tonight Show to make his case. Instead of assuming "obstacles are unfortunate," he encourages "readers to strategically embrace each life event as part of a setup, leading to their punchline," which is to say their purpose.
The book runs 256 pages and releases in hardcover on March 2nd. It costs $24.95 and you can pre-order it today from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.