Live recording of Mitch performing at Zingers, in Sheboygan Wisconsin, on the anniversary of his father's death.

Mitch makes the rounds of all the popular late night chat shows.

Endnotes:

1. “Marlon Bundo” with Jill Twiss, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver presents A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo (Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 2018) In the spirit of Beckett and Pynchon's elusive yet intricately constructed worlds, A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo challenges the reader to consider the absurdity of existence through the eyes of a rabbit — an animal whose very presence in this narrative serves as a symbol of alienation. At first glance, this work may appear as whimsical, child-oriented fare, but one must look beyond the pastoral exterior to truly appreciate its thematic depth. Through the highly symbolic relationship between Marlon and another rabbit, we witness a courageous dismantling of a conformist society. an audacious statement on societal inclusivity, it is a narrative that speaks to the untold stories of marginalized voices, deftly employing a metaphorical layering akin to the works of postmodern literary deconstructionists, a critique of the infantilization of the literary world. Slack Score: 11; Snark Score: 12; Overall FCA ranking: 71
2. Jimmy Fallon, Your Babies First Word Will be Dada (Feiwel and Friends, New York, 2015) A deconstruction of phonetics, deliberately subverting language itself. As the book eschews traditional storytelling for a form of linguistic abstraction, it forces the reader to question the very foundation of communication. The protagonist — a baby learning to speak — is initiated into a world where meaning is elusive, and language is presented as a fragmented system, reminiscent of the nonsensical utterances found in the early works of the Dada movement. The seemingly chaotic string of sounds presented as the child’s first words parallels the avant-garde's challenge to linguistic precision. The boundary between child and language dissolves here, creating a potent commentary on the artificial constructs of meaning and the role of the adult interpreter. A postmodern meditation on the nature of creation itself designed for the literati, who will appreciate its allusions to the destabilization of language as a social tool.Slack Score: 15; Snark Score: 2; Overall FCA ranking: 43
3. Seth Myers, I’m Not Scared, You’re Scared (Flamingo Books, New York, 2022) [A navigation of the disorienting terrain of self-perception, offering a narrative in which the protagonists — a bear and a rabbit — engage in a dialogue that exposes the tenuous nature of emotional experiences. The back-and-forth between the characters, each professing their own lack of fear, is a reflection of the performative nature of bravado and self-deception, which one could view as a thinly veiled critique of social masks and expectations. The dialogue itself oscillates between a strange, almost surreal repetition of thoughts, as though the characters are trapped in a loop of denial and confrontation — much like the cyclical nature of fear itself. One might suggest that this narrative is an allegory for the human condition — the tension between self-assurance and vulnerability, the false bravado we project to avoid confronting our inner anxieties. The book’s surrealist approach to this common emotional experience is innovative and experimental, questioning the very constructs of courage and fear, as well as the cultural narratives we build around them. Slack Score: 15; Snark Score: 12.5; Overall FCA ranking: 169
4. Stephen Colbert, I Am A Pole (and So Can You), (Spartina, New York, 2012) [Stephen Colbert’s I’m a Pole (and So Can You!) At first glance, this might appear to be little more than a whimsical exploration of a child’s desire to claim an ethnic identity, but upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that Colbert is using the figure of the pole — and by extension, the notion of identity itself — as a metaphor for the absurdity of self-definition in a postmodern world. In

Under interrogation by the League of Acolytes for Televisual Emcees and Raconteurs, Mitch finally comes clean about what went down on the SS Mayhem at the afterparty to end all afterparties.

Endnotes:

1. Mike Myers, Canada (Canada, Doubleday Canada, 2016) p207. Capsule Review: Barely a memoir, more a celebration of Canadianness, Myers must be among the most patriotic citizens of the largely unenthusiastic (in my experience) nation. Lots of semi-interesting trivia and observations for southern Ontario residents and enthusiasts. Relevant information about Myer’s career exposes a ridiculous amount of privilege and fortune, which is reasonably acknowledged but not examined critically. Myers easy confidence/sense of entitlement seems to have played a significant part of his overall trajectory. Slack Score: 15; Snark Score: 9.3; Overall FCA ranking: 84
2. Richard Pryor, Pryor Convictions; and Other Life Sentences; The Official Autobiography (Los Angeles, Pantheon, 1997) p.97 Capsule Review: One of the most tragic/upsetting of all FCAs, much of the story has been told in bits and pieces either in standup sets or Jo Jo Dancer, and the written word doesn’t quite convey the conflicted nuance of Pryor’s voice. Nonetheless, a traumatic moving confessional. Interjections by Mudbone provide a welcome alterity and distancing from the heartbreak of the main narrative and a poetic flourish I didn’t expect going in** Slack Score: -15; Snark Score: 4; Overall FCA ranking: 5
3. Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller, Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live (New York, Little, Brown and Company, 2014) p16; (see original citation for Chapter 11)
4. Dick Ebersol, From Saturday Night to Sunday Night (New York, Simon & Schuster, 2022) p.98. Capsule Review: I only read through the SNL relevant sections, so can’t comment on the whole Ebersol enchilada, but he’s not a comedian by any measure so it’s outside of the scope of this project. Writing is just so-so. He’s clearly just trying to get his side of the story out there, probably takes a bit too much credit or deflects blame when possible.
5. Doug Hill & Jeff Weingrad, Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live (San Francisco, Unread Reads, 1986) p.511 (general anecdote widely repeated) Earlier, much more compelling behind-the-scenes story of The Show’s inception until the return of Lorne Michaels creation and first decade than the more wide-ranging oral history by Shales and Miller. Not technically an FCA, so no rankings given.