Dave Barry is one of those writers who amazes me because he makes fun of everyone equally: world leaders, politicians of either party, and especially celebrities. I read him faithfully, which isn't hard to do these days because he's been on sabbatical for the past three years so all he's come out with is his Year in Review and his Gift Guide.
But even before his sabbatical I was reading every column and book he wrote, amazed at his audacity as a writer to not only make fun of everyone, but to bring relationships into perspective, too. One of his books called Dave Barry's The Complete Guide to Guys, has a quote I will never forget.
“A guy in a relationship is like an ant standing on top of a truck tire. The ant is aware – on a very basic level – that something large is there, but he cannot even dimly comprehend what this thing is, or the nature of his involvement with it. And if the truck starts moving, and the tire starts to roll, the ant will sense that something important is happening, but right up until he rolls around to the bottom and is squashed into a small black blot, the only distinct thought that will form in his tiny brain will be, and I quote, ‘Huh?’…
Another thing I like about Dave Barry is the fact that he pays attention to world events and connects things together in a hilarious way. Take, for example, a line in his Year in Review. "In entertainment news, author J.K. Rowling surprises fans of the "Harry Potter" series when she reveals that Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School, was also, secretly, a U.S. senator from Idaho."
Pop in some great band names, such as The Phlegmtones, and the fact that Alberto Gonzales' name can be rearranged to form "Re-Label Zoo Gnats" and "Gala Lobster Zone," and you've got one heck of a great writer.
Thank you Dave Barry for making my year. I hope someday I can make fun of people equally and be a great writer like you.
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