Dave Barry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dave Barry
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Barry at the 2011 Washington Post Hunt
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| Born | David McAlister Barry July 3, 1947 Armonk, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Humorist Author |
| Alma mater | Haverford College (BA) |
| Spouse | Ann Shelnutt (1969–19?) Beth Lenox
(m. 1976; div. 1993)Michelle Kaufman
(m. 1996) |
| Children | 2 |
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David McAlister Barry (born July 3, 1947) is an American writer known for his funny stories and columns. He wrote a popular humor column for the Miami Herald newspaper from 1983 to 2005. His articles were printed in many newspapers across the country.
Dave Barry has also written many humor books, funny novels, and books for children. He has won important awards like the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1988 and the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism in 2005. He once said that humor helps us see how silly the world can be.
Contents
Early Life and School
Dave Barry was born in Armonk, New York. His father was a minister. Dave went to Wampus Elementary School and Harold C. Crittenden Junior High School. He later attended Pleasantville High School, where his classmates voted him "Class Clown" in 1965.
In 1969, he earned a degree in English from Haverford College. Because his college was linked to the Quaker religion, he was able to avoid military service during the Vietnam War. He chose to be a conscientious objector, meaning he refused to fight for religious or moral reasons.
Becoming a Writer
Dave Barry started his writing career in 1971 at the Daily Local News in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He reported on local news and events. After about two years, he became the City Editor. He also began writing a weekly humor column, where he started to develop his unique funny style. He worked there until 1974.
Later, he worked for a company called Burger Associates. He taught business people how to write better. He joked that he spent years trying to get them to stop writing things like "Enclosed please find the enclosed enclosures." He eventually realized it was a hopeless task.
In 1981, he wrote a funny article for The Philadelphia Inquirer about his son's birth. This article caught the eye of an editor at the Miami Herald. In 1983, Dave Barry was hired as a humor columnist for the Miami Herald magazine, Tropic. His column became very popular and was printed in newspapers all over the country.
In 1988, Dave Barry won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. He received this award because he used humor so well to share new ideas about serious topics.
Books and Other Writings
Dave Barry's first novel, Big Trouble, came out in 1999. This book was made into a movie in 2002. The movie had famous actors like Tim Allen and Rene Russo. Its release was delayed because the story involved terrorists and a nuclear weapon on an airplane. This was due to the September 11, 2001, attacks.
In 2002, a city in North Dakota named a sewage pumping station after Dave Barry. This happened after he made fun of the city in one of his columns. He even went to the dedication ceremony!
His articles have appeared in many magazines, including Boating and Reader's Digest. He also contributed to the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. Many of his books have been on The New York Times Best Seller list.
In 2004, Dave Barry announced he would take a break from his weekly column. He wanted to spend more time with his family. In 2005, he decided not to restart his weekly column. However, he still writes special features like his yearly gift guide and his "year-in-review" articles. He also continues to write on his blog.
Dave's World TV Show
From 1993 to 1997, a TV show called Dave's World aired on CBS. The show was based on Dave Barry's books, Dave Barry Turns 40 and Dave Barry's Greatest Hits. The actor Harry Anderson played Dave Barry in the show. Dave Barry himself even made a small appearance in an early episode.
Music and Fun Projects
When he was in college, Dave Barry was in a band called the Federal Duck. Later, while working at the Miami Herald, he formed a band with his co-workers called the Urban Professionals. Dave played lead guitar and sang.
Starting in 1992, Dave Barry played lead guitar in a rock band called the Rock Bottom Remainders. This band was special because all its members were published authors! Famous writers like Stephen King and Amy Tan were also in the band. Dave Barry said the band members were "not musically skilled, but they are extremely loud." Even famous musicians like Bruce Springsteen have played with them sometimes. The band stopped performing regularly in 2012 but has reunited for special events.
Since 1984, Dave Barry and his editor friends have organized the Tropic Hunt (now called the Herald Hunt). This is an annual puzzle hunt in Miami, like a big scavenger hunt. A similar event, the Post Hunt, started in Washington, D.C., in 2008.
Dave Barry has also run several pretend campaigns for President of the United States. He often ran on a platform that supported more freedom and less government control.
He also co-hosts a podcast about finance called "Business Untitled."
Personal Life
Dave Barry has been married three times. He married Lois Ann Shelnutt in 1969. He then married Beth Lenox in 1976. Dave and Beth worked together at the Daily Local News. They had a son named Robert in 1980. They divorced in 1993. In 1996, Dave married Michelle Kaufman, a sportswriter for the Miami Herald. They have a daughter named Sophie, born in 2000.
Dave Barry has had several dogs, including Goldie, Earnest, Zippy, and Lucy. He often mentions his dogs in his funny newspaper columns.
Selected Works
Dave Barry has written many books. Here are some of them:
Non-fiction Books
- The Taming of the Screw (1983)
- Stay Fit and Healthy Until You're Dead (1985)
- Dave Barry Slept Here: A Sort of History of the United States (1989)
- Dave Barry Turns 40 (1990)
- Dave Barry Does Japan (1992)
- Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys (1996)
- Dave Barry in Cyberspace (1996)
- Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs (1997)
- Dave Barry Turns 50 (1998)
- Dave Barry's Money Secrets (2006)
- I'll Mature When I'm Dead: Dave Barry's Amazing Tales of Adulthood (2010)
- You Can Date Boys When You're Forty: Dave Barry on Parenting and Other Topics He Knows Very Little About (2014)
- Best. State. Ever.: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland (2015)
- Lessons from Lucy (2019)
Collected Columns
- Dave Barry's Bad Habits: A 100% Fact-Free Book (1985)
- Dave Barry's Greatest Hits (1988)
- Dave Barry Talks Back (1991)
- Boogers Are My Beat (2003)
Fiction Books
- Big Trouble (1999)
- Tricky Business (2002)
- Peter and the Starcatchers (2004, with Ridley Pearson) - This is a popular children's book series!
- Peter and the Shadow Thieves (2006, with Ridley Pearson)
- Peter and the Secret of Rundoon (2007, with Ridley Pearson)
- The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog (2006)
- Science Fair (2008, with Ridley Pearson)
- Peter and the Sword of Mercy (2009, with Ridley Pearson)
- Lunatics (2012, with Alan Zweibel)
- Insane City (2013)
- The Worst Class Trip Ever (2015)
- The Worst Night Ever (2016)
- Swamp Story (2023)
Film Adaptations
- Big Trouble (2002)
- Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys (2005)
- Peter and the Starcatchers (a Disney movie project that was announced)
See also
- Exploding whale
- International Talk Like a Pirate Day
