So I’m sure this has been pointed out already by other folks who have dedicated vast amounts of their brains to cataloguing various bits of pop culture, but I’m going to do so here just in case you are not one of those people, and have not encountered one yet.

First, an Onion article from 2001.

And now yesterday, an actual news story.

I have linked to the Onion in the past, and I’m not going to stop. A new article entitled Activision Reports Reports Sluggish Sales for Sousaphone Hero just went up, and it’s quite a gas.

Players may also choose from 27 different fat-guy characters who can be customized with Alpine hats, epaulets, and a mustache editor with a wide array of options.

and:

Hendleman also emphasized the “fun” rewards players receive as they become more proficient. If they hit enough correct notes in a row, the on-screen crowd yells “huzzah” and “bully,” and the sousaphone controller’s spit valve will “drain.” Flubbing notes, however, makes the controller “fill” with spit, preventing further play and causing the crowd to throw rotten eggs at the hapless on-screen sousaphonist. If characters earn enough bonus points in career mode, they can spend their Liberty-head nickels on a red, green, or blue “sock” for their sousaphone’s bell, or an invigorating chunk of peanut brittle.

That’s pure gold right there, doubly so because it reminds me of Mr. Show’s take on Amadeus, which may be my favorite sketch of the four Mr. Show seasons.

I just read an amusing Onion story about Rafael Nadal and his predilection for clay. Something about it made me laugh, perhaps just because it reminded me of the classic mid-80s SNL Adobe commercial. That jingle has been in my head since about 7th grade (from a commercial special that aired sometime around then), and every time I drive by an Adobe In & Out restaurant it plays itself again.

To learn more about clay, check out the Wikipedia. Did you know that clay was used as the very first writing medium?