REVIEW BY ERIC NEILSON
It truly is a fan’s life.
We all know who he is, at least we all should recognize his face – Jay Baruchel, the Montreal native who made it to the big screen. Famous for many popular comedies such as Knocked Up, She’s Out of My League and of course the beloved This is the End, where he played himself alongside other A-list Hollywood celebs including Seth Rogen and James Franco. He has also starred in some television series’ most notably Judd Apatow’s Undeclared alongside another big name, Jason Segel, which arguably kickstarted his acting career.
The comedian, however, has another big time passion. He is a die-hard Montreal Canadiens fan. If you’re a Leaf fan don’t let that get you down, I suppose we are all weird in our own way. Luckily for Baruchel, his biography, Born Into It: A Fan’s Life, about being a Habs “superfan” has had more success than the team has had this season. As their hopes and dreams of making the post-season are slowly being flushed down the toilet every day, sales of his book are rising.
Currently sitting at 4.9 out of 5 stars on Amazon, Born Into It dives deep into Baruchel’s life not only as a Canadiens fan but as a hockey fan. On a side note, fans believe this is the real reason behind his Goon franchise, in which Baruchel directs and stars as a hockey fighter. The book allows us to catch a glimpse of his real life outside of acting, the “real” Jay if you will. Although it’s not much of a secret his love for the team, he does talk and represent them any chance he gets, whether in his roles, during interviews or even just casually being on the streets. The comedian has even been quoted stating “I was raised both Catholic and Jewish, but really more than anything just a Habs fan.”
What stands out most about the book is the realistic and conversational way it is written. It’s like listening to Jay verbally tell a story. It’s written in a very simple fashion using personal, heartfelt and comedic stories to get his point across which helps people relate to it more because, the game night ritual, is relatable.
He describes, in such detail, moments with his father, and family, moments with his friends as they arrive, while they hangout and watch the games. He talks about his childhood memories while living in Montreal. He talks about what it was like living in rival team territory, Oshawa, which is close to Toronto, which the Maple Leafs call home. For those who aren’t already aware, the Leafs’ are the arch enemy of the Montreal Canadiens, and it’s probably one of the greatest rivalries in sports.
What stands out most about the book is the realistic and conversational way it is written. It’s like listening to Jay verbally tell a story. It’s written in a very simple fashion using personal, heartfelt and comedic stories to get his point across which helps people relate to it more because, the game night ritual, is relatable. He describes, in such detail, moments with his father, and family, moments with his friends as they arrive, while they hangout and watch the games.
He talks about his childhood memories while living in Montreal. He talks about what it was like living in rival team territory, Oshawa, which is close to Toronto, which the Maple Leafs call home. For those who aren’t already aware, the Leafs’ are the arch enemy of the Montreal Canadiens, and it’s probably one of the greatest rivalries in sports.
Any hockey fan, regardless of where you live, should give this a read. Born Into It is a fantastic memoir that explores the other side of Jay. It also explores the beauty of being a hockey fan and the joy, friendly competition and even heartbreak it can bring to friends and family.
