A Newsletter of Humorous Writing #93
A Newsletter of Humorous Writing
A Newsletter of Humorous Writing
For June 27-July 3, 2019 a roundup of the week's finest prose humor and prose humor-related news.
Hello and welcome to A Newsletter of Humorous Writing, the email propaganda arm of the acclaimed humorous readings show, An Evening of Humorous Readings. Happy Fourth of July, everyone. We're not allowed to have fireworks anymore here at Humorous Reading Headquarters (HRHQ) because our displays were so funny that the city got jealous and shut us down. So this year we're celebrating more austerely by rubbing our eyes really hard and blinking quickly. It's a handy fireworks hack that will let you enjoy a holiday display any time of year!
What We Enjoyed This Week
I’m an Electric Rental Scooter, and I Didn’t Ask for This Bullshit Either by Ezgi Üstündağ (McSweeney's) Sure, we're all concerned about jerks and tourists careening wildly around the streets, but have we stopped to consider how the scooters feel? Dumped in the night in strange cities to fend for themselves?
I’m a Garden Person Now! by Julie Sharbutt (The New Yorker) Monologues from inanimate objects and archetypes often flag from lack of specifics, leaning too heavily on generalities and ironies. This piece makes great use of evocative phrases and images to make the archetype come alive.
Are you a Marx Brother or Mark’s Brother? by Lauren Schwein (The Weekly Humorist) Like The Garden Person, Mark's brother is specifically drawn. Kudos for making this dirtbag really ooze off the page for the reader.
What’s Up with Ancient Greek Epitaphs by Anthony Madrid (The Paris Review) Analysis of ancient compendia isn't always funny, but sometimes, just sometimes, it is. And here at HRHQ, we live for those moments.
An Old Favorite
Wellesley College Commencement Address by Nora Ephron (Wellesley College Archives)
We're big Nora Ephron fans ("Ephr-ans?"), and this speech is a great example of everything we love about her writing, as well as a great example of a commencement address. It is, as expected, full of poignant advice, sharp reflection, and great jokes.
Updates From Your Hosts and Friends of the Show
Both Luke and Brian have decamped to foreign shores this week, leaving me, James, as the only one on American soil for Independence Day. It is therefore up to me to don the increasingly fraught and dubious mantle of "The Patriotic One."
Other Humorous Writing News
The Verge ran a fascinating history of the Elon Musk funded and ill-fated satire site Thud. It's almost like entrusting media's future to investors with no knowledge or passion for the industry is a bad idea?
In more bummer news: looks like MAD Magazine will stop publishing new material soon. Rest in power, MAD. Here's a great history piece in Smithsonian Magazine on how the magazine taught us to be better and more skeptical Americans.
But, on the brighter side, there's a great show for a great cause coming up: Writing group and comedy show A Great Week for Women is producing a fundraiser on Sunday, July 21st at 9:30pm at Caveat with all proceeds going to the Yellowhammer Fund to support reproductive freedom. They've got great guests including Jen Ashley Wright (Harper's Bazaar), Arti Gollapudi (emotional slut), and Maeve Higgins (Maeve in America)!
News About The Next Show
And another great show: Ours. It's nearly here! It's at Caveat (get yer tickets!) on July 23rd. The doors will open at 6:30, and the show's starting at 7:30 so there will be plenty of time to meet and mingle with comedy pals!
And this line-up, you'll swoon:
- Jen Spyra (The Late Show, The Onion, The New Yorker)
- Ariel Dumas (The Late Show, The New Yorker)
- And we're waiting on one more email response!
Until then, keep an eye on this space for updates! Remember to get your tickets!
See you next week!
@brianagler, @lukevburns, & @jamesfolta
Did we miss a piece you loved? Did you love a piece we mentioned? Let us know! This is an experiment and we're hoping to continue to make it better and better. If you have any thoughts, notes, wishes, or dreams for this newsletter, please email us or respond to this email and tell us what the score is.
See you next week!
@lukevburns & @jamesfolta
We started this newsletter with our dear friend Brian Agler, and we want it to always honor his memory and his love of all things humorous. You can find our newsletter tribute to Brian here.
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If you have any thoughts, notes, wishes, or dreams for this newsletter, please email us or respond to this email and tell us what the score is!