Reader Roundup

Monday’s best comments are full of grace:

Best Comment of The Day, in response to German Man Marries Dying Cat: “New from Nicholas Barks, the critically-acclaimed writer who brought us The Vet’s Book, and Deer, John, comes a new romantic classic for all ages and species: He was a man with a warm bed and a big heart. She was a cat with a secret and… A Meow to Remember. In bookstores and petstores Fall 2010.” And! “You should’ve seen the shit that went down at the catchelorette party!” • Best Comment Of The Day, in response to Oprah And Anna’s Mutual Appreciation Society: “I’ve never been on the cover of Vogue. Does this mean I’m a hologram?!” • Best Comment Of The Day, in response to 60 Minutes: Conan’s First Interview:

Exactly. I’ve become so sick of dealing with people who say, “There are huge problems in the world” whenever you talk about this. No one is saying that Haiti, oil spills and racist immigration crackdowns are not bigger issues than a rich, gangly ginger who once played old-timey baseball.

But it does matter to people who do appreciate art, and I would say that, alongside music, comedy is the most innate form of human expression. (Obviously there weren’t stand-up philosophers à la History of the World Pt 1, but surely people found ways to make themselves laugh in ancient times). To watch Conan lose to Jay was not only to see the comparative little guy get crushed, it showed how artistic risk and passion lost out to blandness and safety. Yes, I’m projecting; yes, I’m only speaking for myself, but I honestly looked at Conan and saw every great teacher who gets shit-canned for daring to connect with people instead of sticking to the curriculum and the distant way it is ordered to be taught. I see the dedicated and hard-working person being tossed out by the lazy executive who’s guaranteed more money despite doing nothing of true value.

It’s right to say that we shouldn’t devote so much pity to a guy who received a $30 million buyout; as we’ve seen, Conan will be the first to agree to that. But as rich as he is (and was before this settlement), Conan still represents all the people who are getting fired now by the bosses who brought about their ruin in the first place. That’s why it hurts, and that’s why you can still identify with this bearded, loony millionaire.

Reminder: If you see a great, funny, insightful, eloquent (or awful) comment, nominate it! Email the comment and the timestamp link to the left of the comment to Hortense at [email protected].