Kurt Vonnegut died today. Everyone is sad, which is nice. I’m amazed at his ability to connect with so many people. I feel like when I was in high school, everyone — EVERYONE — loved Catcher in the Rye, 1984 and a Vonnegut book of his/her choice. Is that right? I loved when that “sunscreen” graduation speech got passed around a few years ago, everyone just ASSUMED it was Vonnegut — the Internet collectively decided that it sounded like him and so therefore it was. We liked him.
My favorite book of his was Slapstick, which apparently was a terrible one. It featured twins who were mentally retarded when separate, but brilliant when together. They become president on the platform that they will randomly divide the nation into families. You know what family you are in by a number — like family 4756 — and it’s your job to remember the birthdays of everyone in your family. It made everyone feel connected and happy.
I made another video last night. I do not expect it to become a touchstone of youth culture.
[youtube d_cEwqFNehs nolink]
On my iTunes now:
Child Star by The Unicorns from "Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?"
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Apr 13th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Cat Vonnegut.
Apr 14th, 2007 at 2:46 am
Very chuckle-worthy, Will. Coincidentally, that same lack-of-credentials device - “Academy Award watcher…” - was used in this week’s 30 Rock.
Apr 14th, 2007 at 9:05 am
Yeah, so I hear. Tina Fey has once again undercut my ventures!
As I’m sure I’m the only one in the history of comedy to have made that joke.
Apr 16th, 2007 at 12:09 am
“I do not expect it to become a touchstone of youth culture.”
Will Hines’s blatant Tina Fey plagiarism will always remind me of the summer I lost my virginity.