Make people laugh? Geez, that's a lot of pressure. Why are comics always put on the spot like this? You wouldn't go up to Meryl Streep and say, "Make me cry!" You wouldn't go up to French philosopher Jean-François Lyotard and say, "Make me cognizant of the impact postmodernity has had on the human condition!" You just wouldn't.
Besides, humor is too subjective. For instance, I would think it's hilarious if Ben Affleck were eviscerated by peacocks. But would Ben think it's funny? Most likely not. See what I mean?
Plus, if you want to be really funny... well, you just can't do it in 250 words. Because humor needs to build. You need a little subtext. I mean, for crying out loud, Tolstoy's War And Peace doesn't even start to get funny until around page 712.
And who do you people think you are, anyway? You think you can just snap your fingers, and I'm going to be funny... on demand?
Look, I am not your monkey boy!
I'm sorry. It's just that I generally resist doing anything that requires, you know, actual effort on my part. But I guess being funny is a noble quest, so I'll give it everything I've got. I'll give 100 percent. But you know what I won't do? Give 110 percent. You know why? Because that's logically impossible. And as much as I love The Onion, I refuse to break the laws of physics for it.
Okay, so... Rush Limbaugh and a dwarf walk into a bar...
Whoops, that's 250 words. Sorry.
Thanks to whoever in Weird Al's STUPID Club thought it would be a cute idea to post a pic of a little stuffed monkey with a sign that says "Look, I am not your monkey boy!" and that article for our home page!
Patti
