McSweeney's Humor

The good folks at McSweeney's have a new book out, this time a humor compilation. Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans: The Best of McSweeney's Humor Category is brainy, pop culture fun. I almost don't know where to start on this one, but here's a few gems from the table of contents:

• Unused Audio Commentary by Howard Zinn and Noam Chomsky, Recorded Summer 2002 for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring DVD (Platinum Series Extended Edition), Part One
  
• Four Things I would Have Said to Sylvia Plath If I Had Been Her Boyfriend
  
• On the Implausibility of the Death Star's Trash Compactor

My favorite, though, is "Goofus, Gallant, Rashomon." If you ever read the kid's magazine "Highlights," you'll be familiar with illustrated vignettes of Goofus and Gallant (i.e., "Goofus runs and pushes ahead of everyone; Gallant holds the door open and lets others in first.")
Now we get the real story from their friends and family.

Paul, Gallant's college acquaintance:
Gallant just didn't get it when it came to relating to people. He would say words the "proper" way that no one normal ever does -- you know, "Don't act immatoor." Always the authority. One night I'm walking to dinner with him and another student, a friend from England, and we're ragging on each other -- he's calling me Yank and I'm calling him Limey. Gallant breaks in to inform us that "Limey" comes from the British navy, eating limes to avoid scurvy, blah, blah, blah. Gee, thanks Gallant. Dork.