I feel sorry for people who have never been fired. I think it's something everyone has to experience, and I think that if you haven't been fired from at least one job in your life, there's a certain aspect of your personality that never developed, and you're going to be disappointed later in life in some way. (OK, I'll stop the psychoanalyzing now.)

The new book Fired! by Annabelle Gurwitch, contains a series of essays from famous (and not-so-famous people) who have gotten fired. It's divided into five different sections: The Job So Terrible You Can Only Hope To Be Fired, The Firing You Didn't See Coming, The Time You Deserved To Be Fired, The Time Getting Fired Leads To Something Better, and The Time You Had To Fire Yourself. It's a funny book, but also one that happens to be helpful and more than a little insightful.

Felicity Huffman recounts the day she was fired from the Ed Asner sitcom Thunder Alley; David Cross talks about the day he was fired from a law firm (after he was fired he said to his boss, "wait, I haven't had time to shit on your desk!"); New Yorker writer Andy Borowitz discloses that he was fired from writing for The Facts Of Life because he didn't "get" Tootie; and Freaks and Geeks creator Paul Feig recounts the horrifying story of how he was fired once from a gig as Ronald McDonald. Other essays in the book include those from Bill Maher, Brian Unger (fired from Extra for wearing sweaters and having a big nose), Anne Meara, Tate Donovan, Judd Apatow, Jeff Garlin, Tim Allen, D.L. Hughley, Robert Reich, and Andy Dick. A very entertaining read.