Before we get down to business; an announcement.
It needs to be pointed out that when a joke has had all it's humour tortured out, it is no longer funny. Joke minus humour equals stupid words. Thus using poor spelling to bag teachers in so-called gags is officially no longer funny. I have deemed it so.
Thank yu.
Unpleasantries out of the way, thanks must go to fellowette (not sure of the precise protocol regarding fellows who aren't fellows) educationalist, vague, for pointing out an excellent blog from yet another educationalist. Another American, mind you, but we shant hold that against her. (Jokes about Americans are back in, don't you know.)
"Things have gotten pretty bad when you find yourself trying to model your life after that of a cartoon cat, it's true, but that's just the world we're living in."
-- Zerlesen
She, in turn, points to an excellent Queenan piece in The NYT. Note the initials; Times readers do that.
"SOME time ago, A. J. Jacobs, a senior editor at Esquire, set out to become the smartest man in the world, an ambition that meshed poorly with his skills set."
-- Joe Queenan
THAT is the most generous part. Queenan starts out harsh and doesn't let up. His caustic mot justes* making Jacobs out to be one prize dickhead indeed.
* Mots juste, perhaps.
This I like, too. A nice slap in the face for the Professional (and amateur) Outragists.
"I'm always relieved to see people roll their eyes at the kerfuffle surround [insert latest kerfuffle du jour] while acknowledging that the play itself is woeful."
Posted by: Tony.T | 19 February 2005 at 15:02
I completely agree with you--poor spelling jokes directed at teachers aren't funny. This is because poor spelling is just another sad reality bound up in having to teach those pitiful chowderheads. It is even less funny when one is meant to be teaching writing, of all benighted subjects.
(I in no way mean to malign our friend HA HA HA, however. His poor spelling is somthing of a cryptic poesis, I am told.)
Also, where I educationalize, they call us all fellows, regardless.
Posted by: vague | 19 February 2005 at 18:58
mots justes?
Posted by: vague | 19 February 2005 at 18:59
I have to point out that illeturaccy there is ABSERLUTERLEY no excuse for in this educated country we enhabit. Most od it is down to outwrite laziness/sloppiness.
Posted by: Brett Pee | 19 February 2005 at 20:35
Do you think that maybe Queenan and Jacobs aren't the best of friends?
Posted by: Dirk Thruster | 20 February 2005 at 12:10
"pitiful chowderheads". Like it, vague.
If you could see me, Brett, you would see me not larfing.
Get them together for a tea ad, Dirk.
Posted by: Tony.T | 20 February 2005 at 13:59