Stolen Valor? Critics Are Claiming Photos of Donald Trump During His Time With the A-Team Were AI Generated

Posted on by Dan Rice

Military families were once a cornerstone of Trump’s base, but lately it seems like he can’t stop striking out with the once loyal demographic. First, there was the debacle of him calling fallen soldiers “losers” during his presidency, then last week he further antagonized them by claiming the Medal of Freedom was “much better” than receiving the Medal of Honor. Now, the former president is being met with claims of stolen valor after posting photos of himself “serving” with The A-Team in the 1980s, photos some claim may have been AI generated.

Trump is no stranger to AI, having recently posted fake photos of Taylor Swift and her fans supporting him. While those photos could plausibly be dismissed as tongue-in-cheek, Trump has gone to great lengths to present the A-Team to be “One hundred percent authentic,” posting the first with the following caption:

“Up until now I’ve been unable to speak on my service to this country, but thanks to recent declassification I can proudly share this. Here I am with my brothers in arms, John “Hannibal” Smith, B.A. Baracuss, ‘Howling Mad’ Murdock and ‘Faceman.’ Gone, but never forgotten. Together, we made America the greatest nation on earth. #A-Team #MAGA #Bible”

Trump followed the tweet with several more photos featuring himself and “the boys” in action, the authenticity of each seemingly more dubious than the last. One, featuring the former President having a cigar with John “Hannibal” Smith,” made particularly boisterous claims:

“We sure had some wild times. It wasn’t easy being listed as fugitives to complete crucial black-ops missions too dangerous for the military to handle, but sometimes to make America great you gotta get your hands dirty. It’s said that Hannibal’s plans were often almost as good as mine.”

Critics have been quick to point out that “The A-Team” was a fictionalized television show, and that the photos depict Trump with television actors, many of whom are still alive and never served the U.S military in any capacity. One photo even depicts Trump knocking out B.A. Baracuss during a boxing match, but it’s clearly Mr. T playing Clubber Lang in Rocky 3.

“Baracuss and I had our scuffles (which I always won,) due in large part to his jealousy over the fact that I was the teams seduction expert. but at the end of the day we were brothers,” Trump said at a recent rally in Michigan.

After a barrage of tweets calling the photos fake and accusing Trump of stolen valor, the former President only doubled down on his claims.

“Kamabala dosen’t want you to know that my A-team single handedly freed Alf from the clutches of the evil Doctor Hannibal Lecter, saving Christmas and democracy in one foul swoop. I say TOUGH!”

When reached for comment by the associated press, Mr. T called the use of AI generated images to drum up support desperate and sad, adding “I don’t hate him, but I do pity the fool.”

30 Legendary Punk Albums You Must Pretend You’ve Listened To Before You Die

Posted on by Bobby Korec

One of the main core tenets of punk is the ability to impress others with the knowledge of iconic albums from the genre. But then again, listening to all of these records to get you to that point can be time-consuming. After all, some of these punk albums are upwards of 28-minutes long. So put down the record player, disable your Spotify account, and start faking it until you make it with these 30 legendary punk albums.

30. Sex Pistols “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols” (1977)

The Sex Pistols only released one album, which means you can get through their entire discography quicker than an episode of “Love Island.” However, only one of these pieces of media has hot people in it. Easy choice.

29. Mission of Burma “Vs.” (1982)

There’s always a good excuse to avoid catching up on historic punk albums like this Mission of Burma one. For instance, some of us have responsibilities. Sure, punks don’t. But theoretically they could.

28. Ramones “Ramones” (1976)

No punk band is more legendary than this one. They used to be a staple at CBGBs, which means you could probably just buy a shirt of the legendary venue at Urban Outfitters for 60 bucks and pretend you know what “CBGB OMFUG” actually stands for. Don’t worry, no one truly does.

27. Dead Kennedys “Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables” (1980)

DK is famous for their political stances and messaging, but we’re still experiencing the same issues and the effects of Reagan-era economics today, so how effective could this band have possibly been? Maybe just skim this one.

26. Dead Boys “Young, Loud and Snotty” (1977)

This album is a cult classic so it’s anyone’s guess if it’s actually good. Let’s just say hypothetically it is. Does that mean it’s better than scrolling TikTok for the same duration it takes to complete the record? One can never know for sure.

25. The Damned “Damned Damned Damned” (1977)

This album is actually quite good. But don’t let that fool you. You don’t have to actually listen to it. It’s not like it’s Turnstile good.

24. Crass “The Feeding of the 5000” (1978)

There are only so many hours in a day. How can we be expected to listen to iconic punk albums when we all have to work three jobs to live slightly above the poverty line? This is a world Crass was trying to warn us about, I think.

23. The Clash “London Calling” (1977)

You’ve probably accidentally listened to the Clash on the radio, over the PA at Trader Joe’s, Aldi’s, or even Whole Foods. This is how classic punk music is meant to be consumed. Not on vinyl.

22. Fugazi “13 Songs” (1989)

Sure, “Waiting Room” rules, so if you’d heard it at least 13 times in your life it’s like you’ve adjacently listened this album in its entirety. That’s probably good enough.

21. The Exploited “Punk’s Not Dead” (1981)

You’ve come this far in life to have never listened to the Exploited. There’s no reason to start now. It’s too late for you. Punk should be discovered when you’re 12 years old, not 37. Unfortunately, those are the rules.

20. Fear “The Record” (1982)

Pretending to enjoy a particular type of music is all fun and games until you meet someone who can call you out on your bullshit. Luckily, no one has listened to “The Record” since the ‘80s or dare I say 1996 so you’re good.

19. Flipper “Generic” (1982)

This album is always on those “greatest punk albums of all time” lists but it has zero streams on Spotify. Not sure if that part’s actually a fact because no one ever thinks to check. Still, it’s venerable, so we’ve heard. That’s all anyone needs to know.

18. X “Los Angeles” (1980)

You can’t become a fan of punk music overnight. You have to make it your entire thing, dress a very specific way, and most importantly be able to name three songs from every punk band that’s ever existed. There’s nothing in the rule book about actually listening to punk music to say you like punk music though. That’s a loophole in the current system. It’s like how you used to memorize facts about the Revolutionary War in middle school without actually knowing any of the root causes.

17. Wire “Pink Flag” (1977)

This album came out 47 years ago. That’s equivalent to releasing a record today and trying to listen to it in 2071. By then we’ll all be dead, which is great news if you want to avoid hearing “Pink Flag” in its entirety.

16. Social Distortion “Social Distortion” (1990)

Singer Mike Ness once stopped a show to punch a MAGA guy in the face. That’s more than enough data to impress your peers and distract them from the fact that you do not know who the hell this band is.

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Former Child Star Drunkenly Googles “Where Am I Now?”

Posted on by Mark Shady

LOS ANGELES — Former child star Ricky Dugan was seen drunkenly Googling “where am I now?” after a night out at the bar, confirmed sources who also didn’t know exactly where he was.

“Hell, I’ve been in such quality shows like NBC’s ‘School’s Out For Forever’ and one of those TGIF programs. Or was it Nickelodeon? One of those,” said Dugan. “I was surprised so few things came up after I typed the search in. I mean, I’m not out of the game yet. I was genuinely asking Google what I should do next in life. I guess I’ve still got a lot of irons in the fire. Like, I have this indie film coming up I’m pretty proud of, called ‘Going Down: 69 University Way.’ So, I’m not sure why only my net worth, home address, and Social Security number came up. But hey, according to the internet, I am still in Beverly Hills, so that’s a good sign, I guess.”

Ex-colleague and former star himself Cal Roberts was quick to come to his old friend and co-star’s defense.

“Ricky has been relentless when it comes to staging a comeback for himself. If only that translated into his work ethic,” said Roberts. “You see, he doesn’t show up to acting gigs frequently, and we all have to wonder, ‘where is he now?’ If only Google could tell us that part. Seems like the online community would show more support for someone who we just want to know their exact location of during work hours. Yahoo had no answer for us either.”

Not everyone is as understanding of the actor, such as Dugan’s former agent Laura Clossey.

“I’m not surprised that not much came up or that he even tried to search himself. I mean I’m glad he at least tried to discover himself existentially, but he has to start looking inwardly and objectively if he wants any shot at success again,” said Clossey. “He should take a more proactive or introspective approach to what he Googles regarding himself – searches, such as ‘how to get more work in my field?’ or possibly even ‘what happened to me?’”

At press time, Dugan attempted to Bing himself as well only to find that he had never existed according to the search engine.

We Interviewed Internet Legend Smarterchild and Didn’t Take Away Much, but Now We Know Despicable Me 4 Is Playing At Loews at 7:15

Posted on by Steve Packosky

Numa Numa, Star Wars Kid, Salad Fingers. If you came of age in the early 2000s, you know these references like the back of your hand. You’re likely also aware of AOL Instant Messenger, and when you weren’t busy updating your profile with uncredited Taking Back Sunday lyrics or challenging your classmates to Yahoo Pool, you likely had a chat or two with SmarterChild.

This DSL-era icon made itself known in households worldwide, and we were lucky enough to score an interview with it. Unfortunately, it ended up being a gigantic waste of our time:

The Hard Times: HI! 
SmarterChild: Hello, The Hard Times. How are you?

We’re doing fantastic, thank you. Wow…it’s truly an honor to reconnect with you. First off, how does it feel to be such a widely known celebrity of the halcyon days of the early internet? Surely you never expected your popularity to skyrocket as profoundly as it did.
I’m sorry, I don’t understand.

Uh…alright. Well, you certainly had countless interactions with thousands, if not millions of people. Were there any conversations that struck you as particularly noteworthy?
K.

What the fuck kind of response is that?
I don’t like the way you’re speaking now. Those are awful words to use.

OK, sorry…our bad. We’re just a little stressed right now. We were really excited to hear that we landed an interview with you, and we’re trying not to blow it. We’re facing some strict deadlines and it would be EXTREMELY helpful if you gave us some valuable insight, like pronto.
Translated from Italian to English, “Pronto” becomes “Soon.”

Jesus fucking Christ, how does that help us even remotely?
Humans, humans, humans. Always with the language.

OK OK OK. Let’s dumb it down to yield something from this trainwreck of an interview so we don’t get fired. Do you like us?
Sure I like you, The Hard Times. I think you’re great 😊.

Good…good. So, what’s been up with you these past couple of decades?
Would you like to see today’s weather forecast?

No! Here’s a final shot in the dark: what does it mean to you to be such a large part of the teenage years of so many, along with the music they listened to and the movies they watched?
Movies near Fort Myers (33903) on Thursday, July 25th:

 1        Despicable Me 4 (PG) 03:05 PM 07:15 PM

 2        Twisters (PG-13) 04:40 PM 07:35 PM 

 3        A Quiet Place: Day One (PG-13) 04:10 PM 06:45 PM

 4       Fly Me to the Moon (PG-13) 05:30 PM 09:15 PM

Oh, fuck this.
I don’t like the way you’re speaking now. Those are awful words to use.

There you have it. At that point we decided to call it quits and go to the movies, so those showtimes actually came in handy. Hopefully our upcoming interview with Seaman goes better than this.

Carcass Merch Table Accepts Cash, Card, Medical Specimens

Posted on by Steve Packosky

BALTIMORE — British death metal titans Carcass are reportedly accepting cash, card, and medical specimens in exchange for merch at their live shows, mildly nauseated sources confirmed.

“This is a great opportunity for us to demonstrate our commitment to our image,” said frontman Jeff Walker. “We’ve been including gut-wrenching medical themes in our music for over 30 years now, and it just recently occurred to us to continue this approach in our merchandising. We’re Carcass, after all. Why shouldn’t we be accepting cerebrospinal fluid and sputum in lieu of cash? We’ve even replaced the earbuds in the plastic container on our table with medical tools our fans can use to extract their specimens.”

Concert attendee Ally Yeager expressed delight at the group’s new policy, and didn’t hesitate to avail herself of the opportunity.

“I almost completely exhausted my available funds on my ticket to tonight’s show, thanks to those bullshit Ticketmaster fees,” Yeager offered while rolling up her sleeve in anticipation of the upper-arm tissue sample she was planning on exchanging for a t-shirt. “When I saw that they’re now selling long sleeves with the uncensored ‘Symphonies of Sickness’ artwork, it was a no-brainer. They even have a little bottle of hand sanitizer that I can use to clean this scalpel before I start digging into my flesh. This is fucking awesome!”

Band manager Andre McNeal was decidedly less enthused about the new undertaking.

“This is all well and good for the fans who no longer have to shell out 25 bucks for a shirt,” McNeal sighed while donning a fresh pair of latex gloves. “But you really can’t overstate just how much of a hassle it’s going to be to lug these specimens from city to city. This is the first date of our North American tour, and our bus is already filling up with stool samples and vials of blood. Christ, I don’t think the band has even considered our Toronto and Montreal dates. How the hell are we supposed to cross the border with all of this? I’m all for the guys in the band getting creative with our merch sales, but I wish they’d cleared this with me first.”

At press time, fans were being drawn to co-headliner Deicide’s nearby merch table, which was offering a 20% discount to anyone willing to brand an upside-down crucifix into their forehead.

DNC Officials on Edge After Dave Matthews Parks Tour Bus Blocks Away From Convention Venue

Posted on by The Hard Times Staff

CHICAGO — Party officials running the Democratic National Convention in Chicago asked for increased security after they learned Dave Matthews returned to Chicago with his tour bus and parked it just blocks from the United Center, multiple moderate sources confirmed.

“This is Code Red as far as I’m concerned. The Dave Matthews Band are responsible for one of the most heinous acts of terror this fine city has ever seen. We will not have a repeat of that under my watch,” said DNC chair Jaime Harrison. “This city is still scarred by the Great Chicago Fire, the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, and that time the Dave Matthews Band tour bus dumped gallons of feces off a bridge and right onto a boat. We are keeping a close eye on the bus, and we have Secret Service officers trailing all band members to get an idea of what their diet is looking like while they are in town. If anyone orders deep dish from Vicenzo’s then we will know they are planning something diabolical.”

Matthews assured people in the vicinity of the bus that they have nothing to worry about.

“Our elected officials are making average citizens complicit in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent civilians in Gaza and it has to stop,” said the Grammy Award-winning musician. “I’m here to make my voice heard. And if the Democrats continue along this path then maybe I’ll eat a pint of ice cream and forget to take my Lactaid. After I’m done with them this time the 2004 incident will seem like nothing more than an innocent wet fart. I just hate to have to do this to a venue where Jordan dominated for so many years. But it’s what needs to be done.”

Political Scientist Eli Wrightford believes more celebrities should be standing up to push the Democratic party further left.

“If you have celebrities like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift just cosigning everything the Democrats do then the party brass will carry on with the status quo. We need these A-list celebrities to collect buckets of human waste and threaten to dump it over anyone that continues to fund the killing of innocent civilians in Gaza,” said Wrightford. “Dave Matthews is the only person brave enough to use his platform for good while also threatening to dump shit on people. I never thought I’d say this, but we need more people like Dave Matthews.”

At press time, Matthews was seen polishing off five Chicago-style hot dogs and washing it down with a black coffee.

The Top 20 Luxury Couches of 2024 Ranked by J.D. Vance

Posted on by Dan Rice

Hello, my name is J.D. Vance, and I am running for Vice President of these United States, but that’s not what I’m here to talk about today. Today, I want to talk to you about couches. Can I say that word? Couches? Is that offensive now? Has that been cancelled yet? I bet it has. Good grief. Anyway, I’m here to talk to you about couches. Wait, I already said that. HAHAHAHAHA! I love you guys. Anyway, I’m here to talk about couches.

I may come from humble beginnings but what’s the point of pulling yourself up from your bootstraps if you’re not going to enjoy, and I mean REALLY enjoy, the finer things in life? And is there any finer thing than a sofa? The answer is of course no, not on God’s green earth, sofas are everything, sofas are the reason we get up in the morning, sofas are why we maintain society to begin with.

2024 was a big year for couches. There are a lot of plushy new options on the market right now, and brother, I’ve had them all. I’ll say that again—I, J.D. Vance, have HAD them. All. I realize that not every American can afford to have their way with all 20 of the top luxury couches available today. That’s why I’ve gone ahead and ranked them, so that lower income families who can only get their fuck on with 3 or 4 luxury couches per year can make more informed choices. This is just some of what I can do.

20. Design Within Reach Nelson Marshmallow Sofa, $5,285

I mean, is this thing even a couch? Way to go Design Within Reach, you got so hung up on wondering if you COULD build a couch out of stools you never stopped to ask yourself “Where do you put the penis?!” Zero stars, an abomination, destroy it.

19. Eames Eames Sofa, $12,485

Here we go, another pretentious uggo fuckless wonder. It’s almost like Eames built this thing without fucking in mind at all. I don’t know what this growing trend in high end couch making is all about but these guys are trying to do to couch fucking what pantyhose did for finger banging and J.D. no likey! Awfully high price point for a couch with nowhere to park your hog.

18. Pasargad Home Vicenza Tufted Sofa, $2,075

Meh. Fuckable in an emergency, but its only available in hot pink. I have some serious moral reservations about nutting off in a couch so clearly in support of the gay agenda. If they offered an Oppenheimer variant I might rank it higher, but you reap what you sow Pasargad, and what you’ve sown is a couch that yes, makes Papa Vance cum, but also triggers my homophobia.

17. France & Son Terrazza Sofa, $3000

There’s nothing worse than an unfuckable couch (what’s the point?!) but personally, I don’t like my loungers to be too fuckable either. Look at this slut. All those folds and points of entry. She’s just too damn thirsty! If you’re the sort of couch fucker whose into the whole group thing maybe this one is for you but me? I’m a Christian.

16. Eternity Modern Little Sherpa Loveseat. $2,599

Love seat indeed! Now, the obvious drawback here is no creases, so you can’t, excuse my language, “fuck” this couch, per se, but dang, that sheepskin is FOINE. You’re limited to just heavy petting, sure, but with enough tenacity, you can make it happen. Take it from me, the guy who had to throw away a fully cum encrusted sheepskin loveseat and wants to be your next Vice President.

15. Sundays Wind Down 4-Piece Modular Sectional, $6,580

Spacious, a solid line of entry throughout in case you get bored with one spot (I get bored easily) and stain proof which you would THINK would be a huge selling point. Well, I don’t know what they use for couch stain proofing, but it chafes like a motherfucker. If you’re a minute man this might be a solid pick but your boy J.D. likes to wine, dine, and take his time when it comes to having sexual intercourse with furniture.

14. Audo Copenhagen Tearoom Sofa, $5,470

Okay, not the most fuckable couch in the world, but like, that’s kinda what makes it hot? She’s like a stuffy librarian, you just want her to take off those glasses and let her hair down. I don’t know, maybe I was in a weird mood when I tried her out but the psycho-sexual dynamic I established with this couch was intensely arousing.

13. Urban Outfitters Matilda Velvet Bean Bag Sofa, $549

Woooo lordy! We’re talking a serious brick shithouse right here! Bay thicc, and at $549 she’s cheap and dirty, and lets be honest, that’s what hits the spot now and then. A fun ride, but you don’t wanna get caught riding her fellas! Not like a lot of the other couches on this list, which you can be proud to get caught fucking.

12. Matthew Izzo Conrad Lounge Sofa, $2,898

This one’s no cheap date. The Matthew Izzo Conrad Lounge Sofa is sophisticated, complicated, a challenge to have sex with for sure but for those willing to take the time and put in the effort the rewards are well worth it. Simply divine.

11. Anthropologie Cecilia Willoughby Two-Cushion Sofa, $2,698

One thrust into either one of these two coastal design luxury cushions will instantly transport you to boyhood summers on the Cape. A fine couch to have sex with.

10. BluDot Sunday 65″ Armless Sofa, $2, 860

This stripped down design offers a zen like tranquility to your couch fuck sessions that can really help you find your center. I’m J.D. Vance, and I would like to be your next Vice President.

9. Andreas Engesvik The Tiki Sofa, $5,455

Not much for a dry run, but take it from ole J.D, you lube her up good she’ll treat you right 😎💦.

8. Hay Arbour 2-Seat Sofa, $3,146

A fine, well built, unpretentious fuck couch. Several points of entry, all worth mounting, but I recommend kneeling up on her dead center and pounding away while watching Progressive Insurance commercials on your phone for best results.

7. Homebody The Couch, $3,740

Not exactly re-inventing the wheel, or should I say the couch you have sex with because human women intimidate you, but a fine fuck couch perfect for the office or wherever you do your day-to-day meat-and-potatoes couch fuckin.

6. Article Sven Grass Green Sofa, $1,499

Something about this couch kinda reminds us of a grandma, but not like any old grandma, like a GILF. Hits nice when the mood is right?

5. John Mascheroni Chrome Sofa, $6,500

A nice sleek retro design, the kind of couch you can imagine Don Draper having sex with.

4. Rove Concepts Belia Open End Sofa

Whenever someone tries to tell me you’re not supposed to have sex with a couch, I show them a picture of Belia here. If God didn’t want us to be hitting that, he wouldn’t have given her all those curves! Just as sure as childless adults are sociopathic monsters, you’re going to have a great time fucking this couch.

3. Anthropologie Judarn Asymmetrical Serpentine Sofa, $3,998

Why is it called a “Serpentine Sofa?” Because as the snake was to Eve in the garden, this baby is tempting! Go ahead and TRY not having sex with this bad boy, you won’t last 5 minutes I promise you. It’s sleek shape, high quality material and lovely floral design will make you feel like you’re having sex with a magical forest.

2. Sarah Ellison Muse Sofa, $2,446

This one really blew me away, pun intended! See, your boy J.D. is smart, he’s got jokes, haha 😎🤘. Seriously though, what an experience. This thing has like totally changed my perspective on what sex between a man and a couch (being the only form of sex besides that between a man and a woman for the purpose of procreation our lord allows) can be. You’re not just humping away at a sofa here boys, you’re making love to a piece of art. Take. it. in. And then get in it!

1. Crate&Barrel Monterey Modular 6-Piece Pit Sectional Sofa, $9,094

There she is boys, in all her glory. The great lady. I know you all think you know what sex with a couch is supposed to feel like, but take it from ole J.D, you have not had sex with a couch until you have had sex with the Crate&Barrel Monterey Modular sofa. At 6 pieces she’s a whole lotta lady, and the possibilities are endless. With such fine material and craftsmanship you’ll have years to explore her every which way, but for my money nothing beats a belly down, center fold, old school hump sesh pretending your mom could walk in at any second. If you can only afford to have sex with one luxury sofa this year make it this one.

Anarchist Makes It 3 Weeks into New Collectivist Compound Before Realizing They Accidentally Joined Amish Village

Posted on by Stephen Bell

RONKS, Penn. — Local anarchist and aspirational revolutionary Steven Franks felt foolish after discovering that he accidentally became part of an Amish village a full three weeks into his stay at a new “commune,” bearded sources confirmed.

“I joined this village because I believe the exploitative capitalist society we live in can only be taken down by embracing agrarian traditionalist means of communal production,” said Franks as he churned some butter. “The simple clothes these people wear help reject corporate logos and materialism, the horse and buggies reject the pollution that cars create, and the beards I figured were a statement about rejecting capitalist beauty standards. It wasn’t until I saw the people’s horrified looks after suggesting we have an orgy that I realized I joined the Amish because let’s face it, anarchists are just Amish people that fuck.”

The village elders were predictably stoic when asked about their decision to kick Franks out.

“We often have city folk who come to our village and ask to join,” said village elder Thomas Yoder. “We took compassion on this fellow due to his torn clothes and angry countenance because we believed he needed our compassion. He proved to be a good worker, but ultimately his fornicating ways and rejection of Jesus does mean he shall burn in hell for eternity and we couldn’t allow his corruption to plague our village. We’re going to tell him that he needs to go on Rumspringa soon and hopefully he doesn’t come back. Otherwise we will have to do the worst punishment of all, shunning. And who likes being ignored?”

Political Scientist at Penn State University Lauren Pryce talked about how common it is for anarchists to accidentally join various groups.

“Steven here definitely isn’t the first anarchist to join the Amish or any other number of seemingly unrelated groups,” explained Pryce. “For example, I’ve known anarcho-punks who joined the Promise Keepers because they thought they were just another group of straight edgers. There was the other one who joined the Gregorian monks because they wanted to include the chanting into their punk band, and finally I remember that one guy who accidentally joined NATO thinking it stood for Northern Anarchist Theater Organization. The point being: you’ll find anarchists in all sorts of strange places.

At press time, it was reported that Franks had accidentally become the libertarian candidate for President after going to the wrong anti-government convention.

How To Appear Sympathetic When Your Boss Complains to You About Their Home Renovation Delays

Posted on by Rachel Hein

There’s an old saying: many a man doth take his lord for a fool, but he who mocks his lord works hard, and he who fools his lord, works long. Okay, that’s not actually a saying, but it should be. This is as much as to say, unfortunately, your boss’s plight is your own. And there comes a point in every boss’s career when they begin complaining to subordinates about their home renovation delays. We’re not totally sure why. We know it has to do with a general sense of ennui and dissatisfaction in lifestyle, work, and partnerships that they believe can be remedied by privacy hedges and rain shower heads. Nevertheless, these remodels always get delayed which allows your boss to become the victim in their own life. And your life will become a lot easier when you join in to lament their asinine problems and praise their personal sacrifice as they undergo hardship in this unrelenting world that only affects them.

Repress thoughts, feelings, dialogue…
The most important thing is that your boss hears themselves talk as they fixate on their beleaguered state, subjected to await completion of their wife’s Pinterest board carried out by underpaid highly-skilled laborers. You might not even know what a louvered pergola is or why an entire staircase needs to be moved to make way for a particular light fixture, but this is not a time to ask questions. In fact, what you say seldom matters. What you don’t say matters much more. This is no time to tell them your thoughts on the housing crisis or why private property ownership is the root of injustice and the foundation of self-alientation. Bite your tongue. Literally bite it if you have to. Bite it until it bleeds, but do not under any circumstances share anything that conflicts with or invalidates their “suffering.”

Imagine they live with monsters
You might wonder why your boss spends so much time complaining to you when they could be doing frankly anything else. You must remember that any time they spend at work bemoaning the lack of plunge pool in their yard or heated tiles in their bathroom is time they’d otherwise be forced to spend with their families. So it’s best to imagine their family as sadistic, blood-sucking humanoid monsters. Yes, even his four-year-old daughter. Imagine she’s a shapeshifting snake and you’ll find it less arduous to pity their plight being sequestered with such demons.

Treat their enemies as your enemies
You’ll hear them bring up the same names ad nauseum—usually a contractor or interior designer. These people are fair game, so feel free to bully them or use them as an object of ridicule. A good bet is to roll your eyes any time they’re brought up and scoff in a way that suggests, “I can’t believe this person is in charge or tying their own shoes, much less designing a home.” Really lay it on. Projecting arbitrary blame onto a third party is a great way to make your boss feel closer to you and gain their trust that you “get it.”

Let it fuel your murder fantasies
Sure it can be hard not to reflect on the time you were told to “hang in there” when you asked for a marginal raise to afford rent in your studio apartment while they rattle on about new travertine floors or knocking down original architecture for an open-concept hellscape. But reframe that thinking as fodder for revenge fantasies that help you sleep at night. For instance, think of the space that will open up for you to choke your boss with your bare hands and watch him gasp for his last breath before falling limp on his new Tuscan-inspired flooring. See? Now it’s fun!

With practice, you’ll master the art of suppressing every authentic thing about your lived experience to create a safe environment for your boss’s navel-gazing woes. Eventually, it’ll become so routine, you’ll stop seeing it as emblematic of the inequities in income distribution and limitless consumption generated by late-stage capitalism. And once you’ve finally succumbed, that’s when you’ll be up for a promotion!

Estranged Influencer Couple Agree to Stay Together For the Algorithm

Posted on by Tim Sheard

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Estranged husband and wife lifestyle influencer couple known as “The Wilsons” announced they had reconciled and agreed to stay together for the sake of the algorithm, friends force to help film content confirmed.

“It was a tough three months of soul searching, watching YouTube videos about therapy, and failed attempts at going solo which made me realize that deep down, Stan and I love our brand too much to destroy the favorable algorithm that has us at the top of everyone’s feed. We didn’t spend ten years staging and filming every private and public interaction we’ve had just to throw it all away because he won’t stop DM’ing underage girls,” said Lauren Wilson. “We agreed to give it another go for the sake of monetization, and that we can try to tolerate each other in front of the cameras. At least until most of our followers are in college.”

Friends of the couple voiced their disappointment about the reconciliation.

“I was actually happy when Lauren told me she had enough and I thought I was getting my friend back, but now we have to deal with this bullshit again. My partner and I stopped inviting them over because whenever she wasn’t hauling recording equipment and ring lights into my house, she would complain nonstop about how Stan is too lazy to edit their ‘date’ videos,” said Kelly Jones. “I don’t know how they can keep up this farce. They literally don’t talk to each other unless someone is recording. But I guess since they rely solely on getting free shit companies in order to maintain their lifestyle, SEO comes first.”

Couples counselors have seen an unsettling uptick in influencer couples attempting to reconcile.

“Our priority is to help couples find middle ground and grow together, but any pair with a lifestyle brand that comes into my office is 100% irredeemable. Seriously, I actually encourage them to break up. It’s hard to get to the root of the acrimony when you’ve got people with made up personas arguing over who gets mentioned more in their posts,” said Dr. Miriam Stein. “My advice is always for the couple to get as far away from each other and get real jobs and hobbies without filming every second of their existence. But most importantly, no one gives a crap about their lives.”

Upon their return to social media, Lauren and Stan announced they’d be sending their children to live with their grandparents after being unable to garner sufficient engagement on TikTok.