What happens when the head of human resources for athletic-wear powerhouse Under Armour loses his passion for his work? NEW FRED happens, that’s what.

Fred Knowles had a career that many would find envious: 27 years identifying talent for industry giants Mobil, Capital One and the aforementioned purveyor of sneakers, hoodies and the like. He was “Chief People Officer” --- making people happy on both sides of the employment coin was his job. But he wasn’t happy himself, or as Fred puts it when he begins to decompress, “When you’re on a treadmill going 100 miles per hour, you only understand how fast you were going when you get off.”

After much “second-guessing and soul searching,” Fred made the difficult decision to walk away from success and comfort for… well, the “for” was still to be determined.

NEW FRED tells the story of how Fred found passion for work again. And while what I have written so far might not lead you to believe that this is the self-proclaimed “funniest self-help book ever written,” I assure you that it is up there in the pantheon of hilarious DIY print curatives.

"If you’re in a rut, stuck in a job you no longer love, looking for the next right 'thing' for you, this book reminds you that it is out there waiting for you if you’re willing to take a leap off the peanut-covered couch, turn off the Netflix, put down the remote and go for it."

First, Fred is not alone in the telling of his search for the next stage of his life. Comical footnotes offered by his alter-ego, the arguably not-so talented, not-so accurate editor Eddie, appear on almost every page. (Frequently there are multiple footnotes on a page, and they are not to be skipped the way you skipped footnotes in college.) As an example, when Fred reveals that personal hygiene became less of a priority for him during his work hiatus, Eddie chimes in with “I know the feeling.”

Second, Ed Asner says it is funny. Yes, Ed Asner. Situation-comedy great Ed Asner, of ’70s and ’80s classics “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Lou Grant.” (For you youngsters, he played Santa Claus in Elf.) In the foreword to NEW FRED, Ed Asner writes, “Let me start by saying NEW FRED is a very funny book. I can’t say for certain that it’s the funniest self-help book ever written (as advertised on the cover), because I don’t read self-help books. But I do know it’s funny because a lot of what’s written is my material.” So, if Ed Asner says it is funny, it must be. Right? (Notice how many times I have written “Ed Asner.” He is paying me to do that.)

Third, we are introduced to the “Fred Spectrum,” in which Fred employs (because he used to be in HR) the Mertz-Douglass Axis. On one end, Fred’s love of sitcoms rears its head again with the fictional character Fred Mertz from “I Love Lucy,” and on the other end is Frederick Douglass, one of the most influential people in American history. Plotting Old Fred (talent management executive) and New Fred (Netflix-loving, couch-inhabiting, peanut-eating, on his way to a new life “retired” executive) on the spectrum, Fred Knowles knows he has to set a new path and reconnect with his life.

Fourth, I forgot to mention that throughout NEW FRED, our author shares with us his “learnings” along the way. Key Learning VI is that “People need help when going through major transitions.” There are a lot more entertaining examples of why this is the funniest self-help book according to Ed Asner, but probably the funniest thing about this book is that Fred heads “to Starbucks in search of answers.” And he finds them! (Perhaps he could do a caffeinated ad for the bean chain.)

Indeed, he does find guidance in a coffee shop. He meets a group of guys who go there every morning for fuel: a successful dentist, a podiatrist and a top-notch anesthesiologist. (I wish I had a joke about a dentist, a podiatrist and an anesthesiologist to plop down right here, but I don’t. Let me know if you think of something.) What happens next is the stuff of sitcoms. They write a sitcom!

Not only do they write a sitcom, they produce a pilot starring none other than, yup, you guessed it: Ed Asner. One of the greatest “key learnings” shared by Fred is that you can’t let your past disqualify you from your future. So while Fred didn’t see himself as a funny guy, he loved (still loves) sitcoms and thought what was the harm in giving it a try. The book shares how they went about the writing, hired an experienced scriptwriter to assist, rented a location, bought a lot of old gym equipment, and watched their hard work translate to film.

I won’t spoil the ending for you, but let me be Frank (with a capital “F”): this book is funny. Take it from me and Ed Asner. If you’re in a rut, stuck in a job you no longer love, looking for the next right “thing” for you, this book reminds you that it is out there waiting for you if you’re willing to take a leap off the peanut-covered couch, turn off the Netflix, put down the remote and go for it.

(Footnote: Are you still reading this? Stop. Go read the book.)