Chapter 9: Children of the Frackhole

Mitch reflects on his early comedic influences while high on white skunk juice at the bottom of a disposable waste facility in the Alabama woods and explains how, with the help of his chauffeur, he escaped from a pack of cannibalistic mutants in his up-armored tourbus.Endnotes:Patton Oswald, Zombie, Spaceship, Wasteland:(New York, Simon and Schuster, 2011) p.102. Capsule Summary: Some chapters are straight autobiography, interspersed with cultural observations consistent with his proto-geek persona: Dungeons & Dragons, sci-fi B pictures, REM, etc. Some interesting insights, the titular essay also referenced in this transmission might be most beguiling. Pleasant read. If anything, as with his stand up, language might be a notch too clever for it’s own good. Slack Score: 12; Snark Score 8.3; Overall FCA ranking: 338Whoopi Goldberg, Book (William Morrow and Company, 1997) p.127. Capsule Summary: More a series  of mildly amusing essays, some more ranty than others, than autobiography. Her beliefs on subjects such as religion and politics are elucidated, as are her sexual proclivities and defecatory practices. Slack Score: 2.7; Snark Score 5; Overall FCA ranking: 197Mort Sahl, Heartland (New York/London, Harcourt, Brace, Jovonovich, 1976) p.145. Capsule Summary: Predictably great writing from the progenitor of Stewart and Colbert, though (also predictably) riddled with anachronisms. Profundity, usually regarding Sahl’s faith in the American people, is undercut by finger-pointing, score-settling, gossip-peddling, and a devolution into conspiracy chaser. Slack Score: 0; Snark Score: 12.7; Overall FCA ranking: 20unstoppablefarce.com #comedy #standup #speculativefiction #speculativememoir #neilhamburger #longmontpotioncastle #elephantgraveyard #chapelle