[cross-posted at Liberty & Power]
Catch a video of Stephen Colbert reading aloud from The Fountainhead. (Conical hat tip to Jennifer McKitrick.)
Tag Archives | Humor
An Observation
The first rule of Fight Club violates the first rule of Fight Club.
I’m just sayin’.
Wind-Egg of Wisdom
You can tell you’ve stumbled across a bit of pseudo-wisdom when its negation makes just as much sense as its affirmation.
For example, I just saw a greeting card that said, “Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly.” (A quick websearch reveals that this saying is all over the internet, and originated with the least remembered member of the Edna Ferber/Fannie Hurst/Rose Franken triumvirate.)
Well, slide that past your mind without thinking about it, and it sounds vaguely plausible. But slide the opposite claim past your mind without thinking about it – “Anyone can be silly, but it takes real lovers to be passionate” – and that sounds vaguely plausible too.
Inspect the two claims in a more attentive frame of mind, and suddenly neither one seems especially plausible. I suspect each gets its superficial plausibility from its resemblance to one of its much more reasonable cousins, namely, “Silliness is important between lovers” and “Passion is important between lovers.”
I also suspect that the original version was intended to have the charm of a Chestertonian paradox – but, well, it doesn’t. Perhaps it had more of that quality in the 30s or 40s, when it originated, than it does today, when it seems more bromidic; but it could never have had much.
The Sound of Cylons
Check out this funny song and video comparing the old and new versions of Galactica.
Since it’s on the new Galactica’s website, you can guess who wins.
It is done, Imperious Leader!
Revisionist History
I recently came across a story (if that’s the right word for it) that I wrote when I was around nine years old. It presents itself as being part of a series, but I have no idea whether I wrote any of the other installments listed.
Anyway, it’s called The History of the World! and it’s … kinda strange.
Pale Nerd, Pale Rider
Yet another great video from Weird Al Yankovic – this one is White and Nerdy, a parody of Chamillionaire’s Ridin’ Dirty (watch the latter first). And yes, that is Donny Osmond dancing behind Al.
Conical hat tip to Eric Marcus, who probably thinks I’m white and nerdy ….