Fans of The Daily Show will appreciate this timely collection of satirical essays by counterculture icon Paul Krassner.
With irreverence and an often X-rated wit, Krassner writes with a unique perspective on comedy and obscenity in politics and culture, from ‘Bong Hits 4 Jesus’ banners to scenes cut out of movies including Borat and Milk.
In his essay ‘Don Imus Meets Michael Richards, ‘ Krassner examines racism in comdey, from Lenny Bruce to Dave Chapelle, on The Sarah Silverman Snow and Curb Your Enthusiasm and in controversial comic strips like The Bookdocks. In his piece ‘The Great Muhammad Cartoon Controversy, ‘ he looks at free speech and self-censorship in the face of threats—real and perceived—from religious fundamentalists. Throughout, Krassner riffs about busted public figures, counterculture, free speech, late-night talk shows, censorship, sex and the current state of satire.
‘These are times of repression, ‘ says Krassner, ‘and the more repression there is, the more there is for irreverence toward those in authority.’
Paul Krassner is an author, journalist, stand-up comedian and founder of the freethought magazine the Realist, which he published from 1958 to 2001. He was a co-founder of the Yippies and a member of Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters. He received an Upton Sinclair Award for dedication to freedom of expression. Krassner was a close friend of Lenny Bruce and the editor of Bruce’s autobiography, How to Talk Dirty and Influence People. A prolific writer, his articles have appeared in Rolling Stone, Spin, Playboy and many other venues. He has been a guest on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher and writes regularly for High Times, Adult Video News and Huffington Post.
Sobre o autor
Krassner published The Realist from 1958-2001, but when People magazine called him ‘Father of the underground press, ‘ he immediately demanded a paternity test. His style of personal journalism constantly blurs the line between observer and participant. Krassner currently writes for High Times, the porn industry’s Adult Video News, and blogs for The Huffington Post.
Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, a nationally syndicated columnist, and author of twelve books. The Huffington Post is one of the most widely-read, linked to and frequently-cited media brands on the Internet. In 2006, she was named to the Time 100, Time Magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people.