or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
•
"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
May 06, 2009
First Naked President
1992 gave us the first American president to (kind of) admit taking drugs. Then in 1998 the same president survived having an affair in office and lying about it. Then 2008 gave us the first president to admit having used cocaine.
I predict that in 2040 we will see a president elected even though naked pictures of them and/or sex tapes in which they participate are available online. Of course, by that point that will be true of 74% of all Americans.
—Jonathan Schwarz
Posted at May 6, 2009 08:53 AMLet's hope it's not Hillary in 2040. Although it would be a moment for national catharsis.
Posted by: Oarwell at May 6, 2009 09:22 AMNope, that's 2030.
2040 is when they make and release sex tapes to raise funds for social programs after being elected.
Posted by: otto at May 6, 2009 10:02 AMMy prediction is more modest.. A 2012 inaguration speech that is laced with enough profanity to embarrass a cross between an army private and a rapper (that is a fuck-ton of profanity people). New curses WILL BE invented.
Posted by: tim at May 6, 2009 10:55 AMYou're all wrong--that's post-Singularity, when we've downloaded ourselves into the Matrix and sex scandals involve concepts too difficult for unenhanced carbon-based life forms to understand.
Posted by: Donald Johnson at May 6, 2009 11:35 AMI'm thinking along Otto's line - why not elect our presidents ON THE BASIS OF how much we like their sex tapes? Can't be worse than what we have now. At least it cuts the MSM out of the process.
Posted by: Aaron Datesman at May 6, 2009 12:24 PMIf Sy Hersh is correct, then such photos already exist somewhere, of JFK at a masked orgy.
Posted by: seth at May 6, 2009 01:51 PMYes, Let's ALL get naked!
Apropos of nothing:
Over the weekend the following drivel appeared on numerous editorial pages throughout the country, under the byline of Jackson Diehl: "This [Pakistan on the brink] is the sort of trouble U.S. administrations have often ignored until it was too late -- as in neighboring Iran before its Islamic revolution."
How very like us, Americans, too busy working on other things to even have any involvement "until it was too late."
Well, at least we don't go around actively making things worse... What?
Posted by: Figment at May 6, 2009 02:27 PMOnline? By 2040 "online" is going to be about as accessible and relevant as Hollerith punch cards are today.
Posted by: darrelplant at May 6, 2009 07:26 PMOn the bright side, it could also mean that we MIGHT have the first "Make Love, Not War" US President. A decision that would be most welcome.
And also in large part because by 2040 the US might just be too broke to make war.
1992 gave us the first American president to (kind of) admit taking drugs. Then in 1998 the same president survived having an affair in office and lying about it.
Congratulations, you've successfully identified the only progressive change Bill Clinton is responsible for.
Posted by: SteveB at May 6, 2009 10:43 PMAn excellent prediction. I might add, these photos will be of alternative sexual orientation, hence the rush to liberalize gay marriage today -- in Maine!
Posted by: Lisa at May 6, 2009 11:40 PMPam Anderson for president! Oh wait, I think she's Canadian...
Posted by: Jonathan Versen at May 7, 2009 02:02 AM
