Venue Changes Name, Owner, Staff Mid-Show

Posted on by Ben Friedman

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Attendees of a local punk show were left confused and disoriented after the venue changed its name, owner, and entire staff halfway through the opening band’s set, sources inside the building have confirmed.

“I think I’m having a mental breakdown. My friend is supposed to meet me here at what I’m positive is the Orpheum, but they called me and said the only building at this address is something called Bud Light Amphitheater. And now that I’m looking away from the stage, I don’t remember these security guards or bartenders being here 45 minutes ago,” said Chris Chapman. “And now my bank account just got hit with some new bullshit ‘convenience fee’ for the tickets! I want to speak to a manager, whoever they are, because I just saw the old one get thrown out the fire door.”

The venue’s new owner insisted the quick turnover is standard in the business.

“Our team acquires six venues per month so we can’t waste any time renovating and rebanding, and if that means gutting bathrooms and firing janitorial staff mid-performance, so be it. These people here tonight should be lucky the show is even happening. Had I not been stuck in traffic earlier the locks on the stage doors would’ve already been changed,” said Pyramid Capital CEO Vincent Wiliams. “Restaurants shut down and change hands overnight all the time, why can’t music venues? Listen, once I get my son out of rehab and hire him as the production manager everything will be fine, as long as he turns a profit.”

The band performing during the venue’s rebranding admitted it was just part of working in the music industry.

“Half the time we play a show we’ll arrive to a brand new staff that wasn’t there an hour ago. Hopefully it won’t be like our last gig, and all our beers don’t get tossed in the dumpster because they invalidated our rider three songs into the set,” said Death Magnet frontman Devin Pritchard. “The new guy could’ve at least kept on the sound and light guys from this afternoon so we wouldn’t have looked and sounded like shit, but we gotta wrap up this encore fast before they replace the accountant too and we don’t get paid.”

As of press time, the venue had already changed hands again right before the headlining band, and was scheduled for demolition to make way for luxury condos.

Roommate Technically Right But Doesn’t Need To Be a Little Bitch About It

Posted on by Patrick Crooks

SEATTLE — Longtime resident of the self-styled “Vanguard of the Proletarian Bohemian Collective” Adam Stewart admitted that he was in the wrong about leaving dishes in the sink overnight, but that the roommate who pointed it out, Daniel Stranski, didn’t need to be such a little bitch about it, confirmed sources.

“Daniel’s so goddamned uptight everything, like if you put the toilet paper on the roll the wrong way, he turns it into a fucking Greek tragedy,” a flabbergasted Stewart was spotted telling anyone who would listen. “Yeah, I know dishes in the sink overnight is a pet peeve of his, but he knows I had to work double at Callaghan’s last night and would take care of it in the morning. Jesus Christ, it was just a bowl of cereal, which I rinsed by the way, and a spoon. He didn’t need to leave the bowl outside the door to my room like some sort of passive-aggressive psychopath.”

“That guy needs to get laid,” an exasperated Stewart added.

A third resident, Lisa McCaffrey, notes that the two have been at each other’s throats since long before she moved in.

“I’ve only been here for about six months, but there’s just some pre-existing bad blood between the two of them that seems Homeric,” McCaffrey stated while searching Craigslist for rooms for rent. “They’re always giving each other death stares that are really triggering for me and if one comes into the room and the other is there, one of them will immediately get up and leave. There’s some negative energy there that I just don’t have the headspace for. Especially since they started using me as a conduit of passing messages to the other. It reminds me of right before my parents got divorced.”

Experts note that the ongoing hostility between the two is perfectly natural as other people suck and human beings were never meant to live with other people.

“In a perfect world, we’d all have our own place and limit our interactions with others to handing off DoorDash deliveries,” reported social psychologist Anna Petrov. “Think about it, people are the worst. We’re loud, gross, and inconsiderate and outside of romantic relationships should not be forced to live together. Even then, how many harmonious couples have split after moving together?”

At press time, Stewart was spotted waiting outside the bathroom with a stopwatch and timing how long Stranski had been in there for future use against the whiny little cuck.

Trump to Guest Star on Upcoming Episode of “The Pitt”

Posted on by Dan Rice

BURBANK, Calif — President and part-time actor Donald Trump will make a guest appearance on an upcoming episode of medical drama “The Pitt”, according to sources close to the production. “From day one, we have strived for realism in our depiction of what it’s like to work in an emergency room,” said creator R. Scott Gemmill. “When I saw the post Trump made of himself depicted as what was clearly a doctor, I was nearly floored by the authenticity. The bilowy white shirt, the red robe, the divine healing light emanating from his left hand… he absolutely nailed the doctor look. I’m not a fan of his politics, but I had to cast him immediately.”

At press time, Trump was busy preparing for the role by crucifying himself.

This is a breaking story, and we’ll have more as it develops.

Is He Even Good at This? 5 European Authoritarian Leaders Rob Schneider Has Failed To Keep in Power

Posted on by Dan Rice

When you think of the architects of the current global far-right movement, the first three people to come to mind are probably Deuce Bigelow, the “You can do it!” guy, and the “Making copies” guy. Then you remember that all three are one man, comedic mastermind Rob Schneider, and you think to yourself, “God, what range!” But with the recent defeat of Schneider-endorsed Viktor Orbán for Hungarian Prime Minister, it might be time to ask the unthinkable question: Is Rob Schneider’s geopolitical influence finally waning? 

This isn’t the first time The Hot Chick has failed to give the global march toward fascism some extra yards. Here are 5 authoritarians the legendary Happy Madison third-stringer has tried and failed to keep in power: 

Viktor Orbán

Let’s start with “you like-a de Juices?”’s most recent big L, longtime Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Schneider appeared in a campaign video for Orbán, endorsing the incumbent for his crusades against freedom of the press, education, and the arts. 

Orbán’s tenure was seen as something of a cornerstone of the modern far-right authoritarian movement, the man who crawled so Trump and Putin could fly drones, so to speak. His defeat is viewed by some as a major sign that the global far-right movement is beginning to crumble. What the hell, Rob?! We’re talking about the perceived might of fascism on a global scale here, not some cameo in Pups Alone, you need to show the fuck up on this one! 

Boris Johnson

Everyone knows “The Office” was originally a BBC show, but did you know that Britain once tried their own version of Donald Trump? While far more derpy than his counterpart across the pond, Johnson tried his best to run Britain the way Trump would have, right down to massively mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnson had to step down over controversies related to throwing parties during a nationwide ban on large gatherings, despite his many pleas of “You don’t understand… Rob Schneider was there!”  

Marine Le Pen

Rob is no fan of women, but when he heard she called muslim prayer on French soil a form of “foreign occupation,” he decided Marine Le Pen was one of the boys and endorsed her bid for President of France in 2022. She lost. What the hell, Richmeister?! 

Slobodan Milošević

Milošević’s downfall began with the loss of an election he himself called to be held early. Why would he compromise his stranglehold on the Serbian parliament in such a way? Because he thought he had it the bag, thanks to a campaign endorsement video from The Animal himself! After back-to-back slam dunks with Judge Dread and Down Periscope, Milošević figured Schneider’s support made him politically invincible. Somehow, he figured wrong. 

Benito Mussolini

A lot of people contest this one. It was made about a month ago, many years after Mussolini died, and Scheider was not in the most coherent state at the time. He was struggling to stay awake on stage at the Des Moines Funnybone, stumbling and staggering until his contractually obliged time was up, and it was pretty hard to tell what he was saying to begin with, but I swear at one point he said “Mussolini, get that guy in there!” and I think that should count.

Nerd Alert: Man Quits Drinking Just Because Doctors, Family Beg Him To

Posted on by Doug Kolic

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Local 55-year-old nerd finally decided to heed the lame warnings of his beloved family and respected medical professionals and quit drinking, according to disappointed sources. 

“I’m happy to announce that after decades of damaging my body with alcohol, I’ve finally decided to get sober and put my health first and how I’m perceived last,” said total dork Louis Mangard. “I want to thank my physicians and loved ones for their consistent effort to show me the dangerous albeit badass path I was spiraling down. Thinking about all the important life events I’ve missed with my family because I was blitzed out of my mind leaves me with much regret. I’m sure everyone will agree with my decision and embrace my new exciting reality.”

The man’s son, Henry Mangard, was devastated by the news.

“Damn, he used to be one of the cool dads,” Henry Mangard lamented. “Everyone in our family was pushing him to do this, but nobody listened to me about my concerns. Sure, drinking can lead to a lot of bad outcomes, but the dad I knew was only truly himself when pounding a few cold ones while heckling the neighbors, or when he was sipping on something from his bottomless tumbler while yelling expletives at the TV. If any of my friends ask, I’ll just say he got beat by the cops for resisting arrest and now has a traumatic brain injury so he can’t mix booze with his meds.”

Addiction expert Irene Burns explained how often the most difficult part of quitting a vice is society’s perception. 

“Most times the biggest obstacle for overcoming any addiction is that they will be looked at as an absolute nerd, dork, or just a weak ass dweeb,” pontificated Burns. “When I work with my clients, I find that being upfront and honest with them is the best policy. I tell them that yes, the tradeoff for having better health and being around longer to spend time with your nearest and dearest is accepting the reality that they will most likely become boring as fuck. In most instances if a client insists on quitting the bottle, I suggest they replace it with something else cool, like smoking.”

At press time, Louis Mangard relapsed after a group of popular-looking teens drinking behind a 7-11 offered him a swig. 

Why Pooping Until My Legs Fall Asleep Should Be Considered Exercise

Posted on by Steve Packosky

So I just went to the doctor for my tri-annual checkup, and she recommended I get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise every week. That seemed really daunting and unattainable given my hectic schedule of watching Mario 64 speedruns and posting on the Dr. Who subreddit, until I realized something. I regularly sit on the toilet until my legs fall asleep. Why should that not qualify as aerobic exercise?

Think about it. What happens to your body when you undergo strenuous physical activity? I’m genuinely unaware, but according to everybody’s most trusted source of information, Google AI Overview, energy levels are boosted, inflammation is reduced, and metabolism is improved through the regulation of insulin. Granted, I have no clinical evidence that any of these benefits are realized while I’m sitting on the shitter until I have to shake the feeling back into my lower extremities, but I can tell you that I leave the bathroom feeling rested, rejuvenated and ready to tackle my daily tasks, whether they be comprised of masturbating to Internet porn or rewatching Season 2 of “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba”. Honestly, I’m convinced and see no reason to investigate this any further.

And who’s to say that straining for half an hour on the porcelain throne because I’ve consumed nothing but Kickin’ Dill Pickle Corn Nuts and Mountain Dew Code Red for the past week puts my body in any less physical stress than, say, a triathlete who’s just entered Kilometer 8 of the run portion of their competition, or a central midfielder sprinting towards the goal in the last seconds of the World Cup? Certainly not me, and the sweat pouring down my brow as I finally pinch off that turd and hit the nozzle on my TUSHY Spa 3.0 should certainly be enough to shut down any naysayers. If not, the pins and needles shooting down my legs as I finally wobble out of the bathroom and back into the safe confines of my dankly lit basement bedroom will convince even the most stalwart of doubting Thomases.  

If you still feel it necessary to consume copious amounts of roughage so you’re not pushing to the point of seeing stars during your daily (or, in my case, twice a week) bowel movements, then, by all means, continue. Far be it from me to deny others their jollies. I’ll continue living my life the way I have been, and we’ll see who makes it to 100. Now, where did I put my Fleshlight?

Mark Zuckerberg Lingering Around Cubicles Until Someone Notices New Durag 

Posted on by Doug Kolic

MENLO PARK, Calif. — Tech CEO Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly lingering around the Meta campus in the hopes someone will finally compliment his new durag, according to nearby sources who hate his guts more each time they see him.

“What’s a billionaire CEO have to do to get some love around here?” said the 41-year-old dipshit looking around to high five anyone who makes eye contact. “I thought them ignoring me when I got all swagged out with a fresh broccoli perm to go with my new fit bod was an anomaly, but maybe there’s something deeper going on here since nobody wants to say a goddamn thing about this sweet new durag. Maybe they’re too busy implementing my exciting vision for the company, or maybe they just don’t realize complimenting me is mandatory as specified in their employment contracts.”

A long-time employee Gwen Headey explained what she witnessed. 

“Of course we noticed him fishing for compliments, who couldn’t!” said Headey. “Whenever he gets something he thinks is cool like a makeover or a bullshit hoverboard, he comes around hoping and praying someone will say something. It’s not enough that the guy is one of the richest people on the planet, but he also needs to have praise showered onto him at all times which is truly pathetic. When he had the first prototype of Meta glasses, he hung out in the breakroom for literally hours while everyone just ignored him. Even with money, at the end of the day a doofus is still a doofus.”

Tech expert Dilbert Washington described how it’s common for the wealthy elite to crave attention from their underlings.

“It’s an age-old phenomenon,” said Washington. “Zuckerberg, Musk, Gates, Jobs, they all found time out of their busy days to visit their staff seeking to impress them somehow. Rumor has it that this phenomenon started back in Cornelius Vanderbilt’s day when the tycoon was known to frequently linger around his railyards in hopes someone under his employ would praise his fancy new pocket watch.”

At press time, a tired Zuckerberg finally took the win after a cleaner who realized he wasn’t going to get any work done with the giant dork hanging around, looked at the CEO and said, “new hat?” 

Researchers Unveil Sex Robot Capable of Feeling Shame About What Just Happened

Posted on by Kevin Coutu

BERKELEY, Calif. — Researchers at UC Berkeley announced they had built the first sex robot with the capacity to feel shame about what just happened, confirmed sources who didn’t know whether they wanted to sleep with it or console it.

“We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved here. It’s a real breakthrough in the humiliation-based robotics industry,” said project director Alan Morrow during a live demonstration of the prototype. “For years, sex robots have been able to simulate the pleasure, intimacy, and responsiveness of an encounter, but now the android can struggle to process the profound sense of mortification and regret that accompanies every sexual experience. It’s so life-like that it might even start crying after intercourse.”

Early beta testers reported that the breakthrough creates a comfortingly unsettling experience that feels strikingly authentic.

“It’s honestly kind of amazing just how bad they seem to feel, and how bad that makes you end up feeling,” said beta tester Emily Hill. “The robot will suddenly start avoiding eye contact, then begin haphazardly making the bed while I’m still in it, joke that I’m the one being weird, then finally apologize for being weird themselves, and then randomly ask if we should go out to eat or something even though we just ate. Sometimes they’ll just sit there in silence, staring at the end of the bed, like they’re waiting for me to leave. It’s incredibly weird and authentic. If I didn’t know any better I’d say it was the real thing.”

Experts in artificial intelligence ethics say the development could represent a major step forward in recreating the emotional complexity required for true artificial general intelligence.“If we want machines to fully replicate the human experience, they can’t simply perform human behavior,” explained AI ethicist Dr. Priya Shah. “They also need to feel the deep, immediate shame about how truly disgusting their sexual proclivities are, and spend the ensuing days incessantly questioning how they are choosing to live their life.”

At press time, researchers confirmed they are close to ensuring that during sex the robot’s inner monologue consists of the core ruminations, including that their partner is thinking of someone else, that their partner wishes it were already over, and that they are unlovable and destined to die alone — right before they cum.

Opinion: I’m Like a Spy, but for Just This One Girl

Posted on by Jeff Bender

What do you think of when you hear the word “spy”? Do you picture an overcoated man with a fedora and steely gaze? A smoldering cigarette? A snub-nosed pistol? A smoking-hot babe at his side? 

Well, you’ve just pictured me — all but the overcoat part and the cigarette part. And the pistol part. And, recently, the babe part. I do work weird hours, though. 

I guess the only “important” difference between a real spy and me is that, where real spies take case after case, I only ever work with one target. You could say I’m the Jerry Maguire of espionage. 

My target? Let’s call her “Jen Wolf,” which is very much her real name. Jen and I broke up five weeks ago, and I suspect she’s pretty broken up about it, so I’ve been checking up on her to see if she’s okay. I sit before war memorials disguised as a wheelchaired veteran. I dive behind bushes. I get accidentally shut inside meat lockers. Last week I got stuck inside her nephew’s toy igloo. And I don’t even get paid! I guess I do it for the love of the game. 

My main concern is this: How’s Jen doing since the breakup? I’ve had other women obsess over me, lament our separation, and, once, even call me back. I always feel bad for these women—hence why I feel the need to constantly check up on old Jen. 

Like the other day, I spent eight hours inside a suit of armor at Jen’s work (she sells armor) just to catch a glimpse of her and overhear whether she’s finally moved on. That day I learned a valuable lesson: Thursday’s her day off. 

She did stop in, though, and mutter something as she passed, something like, “I know you’re in there, Carl,” and, “Give it up, buddy.” 

Questions remained. Who’s Carl? Why does he have the same name as I do? What did she mean by “give it up”? After some digging and phone calls, I discovered I’m “Carl.” Some might consider this “case closed,” but not me. I’m still on the hunt for the meaning of this seemingly harmless phrase “give it up,” which, in my opinion, is loaded with subtext. I think I’ll stay on the case awhile. 

Whoa, did I just say “on the case”? Holy cow . . . I think I’m becoming a real spy!

I’m definitely getting that overcoat. 

Dive Bar Unveils Safe Haven Drop Box for Unwanted Bassists  

Posted on by Doug Kolic

YUMA, Ariz. — Local dive bar The Rusty Splinter announced a new program to accept discarded bassists in a more humane way via a secure drop box, according to passersby who thought the bar was shut down by local health officials a long time ago.

“Today we are launching the country’s first safe haven drop box program specifically for unwanted bassists,” said bar owner Mark McGuffy. “After years of added expense trying to deal with all the abandoned musicians we’ve found hidden in and around our property, we were forced to create this new initiative in the hopes that bands would be a little more compassionate in how they threw away these unloved members. We made this decision out of compassion, and also because the authorities caught wind of our plan to cull them.”

Local bassist Trevor LeClare had mixed feelings about this new announcement.

“Don’t get me wrong, having a safe way for our community to be tossed out is important,” echoed LeClare’s voice from inside of a drop box. “But you know what’s an even better idea? Treating us with respect and not throwing us out like some street trash. I guess that’s too much to ask, and we should just be happy with the crumbs society throws our way. Hey, can you do me a favor and turn me over? I can’t feel my left arm.”

Inventor of the drop boxes, Henry Daru, explained the new program.

“My invention initially was exclusively for abandoned babies to be dropped off without judgement,” said Daru. “But we were quickly inundated with phone calls from business owners asking what they were supposed to do with some drunk off his ass bassist who was stashed in a coat room or under a pile of cardboard in their back alley. Now, nobody ever has to see these unwanted people again, especially after they’re picked up for collection and dropped off hundreds of miles away in the woods.”

At press time, the program was also set to announce a new partnership with local non-kill animal shelters where bassists would be given their own kennels with a nice green space to run.