Grit, Spit, and Never Quit: A Marine’s Guide to Comedy and Life

Comedian Rob Riggle’s frank, funny, and inspirational memoir about how the lessons he learned while serving in the US Marines prepared him for life, especially when it came to pursuing his comedy dreams.

Before he graced movie screens in films like The Hangover and television in shows like The Daily Show, Rob Riggle served his country as a Marine for twenty-three years. He helped liberate an embassy in Liberia, served at a refugee camp in Albania before going into Kosovo, did search and rescue at Ground Zero, and was deployed to Afghanistan twice. He learned the hard way that you need to embrace the suck and never give up if you want to get anywhere in life. And those lessons came in handy, especially when he faced tough crowds as he tried to establish his comedy career. He’s been heckled (by idiots), shot at (by bigger idiots), rejected for roles, and flopped more often than a European soccer player in the World Cup. But no matter what he was doing, every time Riggle wanted to throw in the towel, he channeled his inner Marine and kicked his ass in gear.

Grit, Spit, and Never Quit has action, tear-jerker scenes, side-splitting laughs, and plenty of bumper sticker moments. He’s jumped out of planes, he’s become one of the most recognizable comedians in the country--but at his core, Rob is a regular guy from Kansas with grit, spit, and the will to never quit.

Rob Riggle is an American actor, comedian, and United States Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel. He served in the Marines for 23 years, including in Liberia, Kosovo, Albania, and Afghanistan. Riggle has had over 140 roles throughout the course of his career. He has been in feature films such as Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, The Hangover, 21 & 22 Jump Street, Dumb and Dumber To, and 12 Strong. His television credits include being a cast member on Saturday Night Live and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as well as roles in shows such as The Office, Arrested Development, 30 Rock, New Girl, Modern Family, Brooklyn 99, Holey Moley, FOX NFL Sunday, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. His various voice acting credits include shows and movies from The Lorax to The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers, and Big Mouth. He has two children and currently lives in Los Angeles.