Ir occurred to me today that Andy Borowitz is the only person I know of who is paid to be a wise ass. And in The New Yorker, no less. Not bad. I’ve always thought I’d really like Mary Norris‘s job – but maybe Andy Borowitz, with The Borowitz Report, has an equally fine thing going.
I’ve become more aware of Borowitz in the last few months. I guess it was inevitable, given the nearly unthinkable times we are experiencing.
The first time I read one of his headlines, I nearly choked on my coffee thinking, How can this be? Have we really come to this?
But no. As close to reality as this item was, it was satire. I have to say, I was mightily relieved.
It seems that many other people also had a visceral reaction to their first sight of a Borowitz item. Now, just in case anyone is still unaware that Andy Borowitz exists, the top of his page makes it clear that this is “Not the news.”
Yet, there are times when I come across one of his headlines in a feed. For just a moment, I’m left thinking, Oh, No!
Then I take a closer look and see it’s my pal Andy, succintly articulating my worst, unarticulated fears. Under the banner of satire. In The New Yorker, no less.