If you ever watched Charles Grodin on his old CNBC talk show—or on countless guest appearance on other shows, from Johnny Carson to David Letterman—you probably asked yourself, “Who does this guy think he is?” Apparently, Grodin wondered the same thing. The famously fussy Mr. CrankyPants has published a new book that explores just this subject. Titled, How I Got to Be Whoever It Is I Am, the star of Midnight Run with Robert De Niro and the first two Beethoven movies has taken the autobiography form a step further by addressing the many kinks that make Grodin, well, Grodin. Most people will gravitate toward the stories of his celebrity friends and encounters later in the book. Personally, I was fascinated with his recollections of early incidences that shaped his attitudes and mores. But enough of me on Grodin. Let’s hear from Grodin on Grodin. Charles Grodin  • •