This Might Get a Little Heavy

The stand-up comic’s hilariously heartfelt memoir of his journey out of the impoverished deep South and into the pantheon of American stand-up.

A major headliner for over twenty-five years, Ralphie May was one of the biggest standup comedians in the country, both by ticket sales and by tonnage. While some things changed—Ralphie lost half his body weight—others did not: he will be remembered as one of the most successful comics of his time. Completed just months before his untimely passing, This Might Get a Little Heavy takes readers on a behind-the-scenes tour of Ralphie’s life and career, one that winds across the country, over obstacles, beyond heartbreak, and through the golden age of stand-up.

Raised in poor, rural, Arkansas by a single mom who struggled to make ends meet, Ralphie’s early years were the perfect breeding ground for the kind of pain, stress, and adversity that only comedy can cure. Bitten by the comedy bug at a Methodist sleep-away camp when he was twelve years old, Ralphie seized a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity six years later at an open-mic in a pizza parlor. Mentored and inspired by legendary comedian Sam Kinison to move to Houston, where he got his start, Ralphie packed his bags and never looked back.

Now in This Might Get A Little Heavy, Ralphie finally tells the world how a poor chubby kid from Clarksville went from Arkansas to Houston to Hollywood and beyond. Full of never before told stories from Ralphie’s life, this memoir will bust your gut, pull at your heart strings, and touch your soul.

“I never believed a word Ralphie said to me. I never believed he actually made love to a woman―much less an attractive woman―even after they were married with children. No comedian has ever been more kind to me. I'm not buying it. He must have had some kind of angle. I don't even believe that he is actually dead. I think it's all for attention. I will only be reading this book to see where he slips up and we find out the real truth.” —Doug Stanhope

“I loved Ralphie. He was a true comic. Loved the road and his fans. I’m really going to miss him.” —Bill Burr

© 2024 St. Martin's Griffin (Ebook): 9781250085757

Release date

Ebook: 4 June 2024