Kathy, I like the first two. I might get them for my niece (14 yrs old, we have her in the family grab). I'm less sure about the third. How old is your niece, again?

Cindy, your b-day story reminds me of listening to the radio this morning--the show hosts were commenting on their news guy's rather cranky attitude, and all they said was, "Five words--nine year old's birthday party."

Same deal here, only it was an eight year old's birthday party. Few people around here have parties at home, any more. But although I love avoiding the pre and post-party cleaning, it gets expensive, and it's in a lot of ways more exhausting to watch out for the kids in a public party place. At least in my own house, I know they're not going to get lost or taken.

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and picking it apart is just too easy -- nobody with any chops does too many fart jokes, for example, they're cheap. its like working blue, it's crap.

I disagree that blue humor is inherently cheap or something only bad comedians do.

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Office shooting -- yikes.

Jesus -- 33.

Christopher Hitchens -- married with kid(s). (I can't actually speak to his gay-ness or lack thereof.)

I think that's all I've got.

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Blearg. I'm reminded that I can only eat pizza sparingly. And of course, I ate one slice too many because I was STARVED. So now, 6 hours later, food sounds gross and I feel gross.

Ah well, if I get hungry late tonight I can make an omelet or something.

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Oh yeah -- all of those earrings are cute, Kathy, and enough of a range to hit her exact taste.

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I disagree that blue humor is inherently cheap or something only bad comedians do.

Blue can be good, but so much of it is cheap. That's why I said too many fart jokes.

Good comedians can work blue and do good work and get laughs. Bad comedians can do bad work and get laughs because its dirty.

And its easy to go for the dick joke. It'll almost always work. It can certainly serve a purpose with a bad house or an off night, but without some additional layer of sophistication to the jokes it is cheap to let it become your whole act.

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Isn't he gay?

In college, yes. Since he became a professional wingnut lapdog, no.

[eta: Or so I've heard, I should say, not knowing the man personally.]

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I'm less sure about the third. How old is your niece, again?

She's also 14 (or will be in March). I like the idea of Jingle Bell earrings, and I think that they might actually make noise, or at least I would hope so with that name. Looking at them, I'm pretty sure I see little mini-clappers in that picture.

Problem with looking at earrings on Amazon is that I picked out a few for myself, too! (These two, to be precise.)

ETA: Oooh, I just found the perfect bracelet for her, too! She's into music in a big way (plays cello and piano beautifully, and also sings), so this is perfect for her!

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In college, yes. Since he became a professional wingnut lapdog, no.

Huh. Gug.

Good comedians can work blue and do good work and get laughs. Bad comedians can do bad work and get laughs because its dirty.

Even good comedians do bad work and get laughs when/because it's dirty. I went to see Eddie Murphy on his "Raw" tour, back when I was in college. It was probably around 1987. His Delirious tour (of which I'd only heard a recording) was so funny (and not unblue, I don't think). But about halfway through the "Raw" gig, I realized an awful lot of my laughter that night was only shock-induced. I remembering wishing the epiphany had waited until it was over, because I was having a great time until it dawned on me.

Sometimes the blue is inherent to the funny. Sometimes it's just gratuitous (on top of genuine humor). Sometimes though, it is there in place of the funny. I can no longer remember Murphy's material from that night. I suspect the bits that felt like more shock-value laden than anything else (to me, that is), fell in the gratuitous category.

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cereal...

I hear from a mutual friend that Narrator is safe.

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