What Do We Want…?

–What do we want?! –WAGES. –When do we want them?! –NOW. –What do we need?! –BATHROOMS. –When do we need them? –NOW. –Now, as in “without any further delay in negotiations” or now, as in “right this minute”? –NOW, AS IN RIGHT THIS MINUTE. –Is it an emergency? –YES. –One or two? – … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

I Cannot Believe You Heartlessly Threw Away the Sixteenth Craft I Brought Home from Preschool This Week

While on my way to dispose of a breakfast of which I only took three bites, I noticed something that has broken my heart: The sixteenth craft I made at preschool this week, stuffed into the garbage beneath a layer of yesterday’s trash as if I wouldn’t find it. No, not the one wit … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Sure You Can Regulate My Uterus, But You’ll Have to Find it First

Where’s my uterus? Wouldn’t you like to know. I’ll give you a clue. Last week my uterus was in one of the undisclosed locations where DICK CHENEY USED TO HIDE. But it’s not there anymore, SUCKERS. What’s that? You want to know what’s inside my uterus? Well, I hope you have a port … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

For My Next Death-Defying Stunt, I Will Walk Across This Crosswalk

Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves. For horror. For excitement. For a spine-tingling journey straight through the heart of hell, where all it takes is one mistake, one misstep, or one unhinged motorist barreling toward the Taco Bell drive-thru to send me hurtling into the a … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Bonnie Raitt or a Paranoid Recluse Talking to His Cat?

1. People are talkin’ 2. Talkin’ ’bout PEOPLE 3. I hear ’em whisperin’ 4. You won’t believe it 5. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm 6. They think we’re lovers… kept undercover 7. Uh-huh 8. I’ll just ignore it 9. But they keep sayin’ 10 twang twang twang guitar noise 11. Maybe they’re seein’… so … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

I’m Eliza Doolittle, and I’ve Made a Huge Mistake

As a British woman in the Edwardian era, I have to admit that at times I’ve been swept up in fantasies of Gilded Age splendor. Perhaps it was the allure of evening gowns and perfumed parlors that led me to Henry Higgins’s door for speech classes. It was certainly what made me sta … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Short Conversations with Poets: Jesse Nathan

The first thing one notices when one reads a Jesse Nathan poem is: one’s body humming along to the music of his words. How does such a thing work? It’s the sound patterns—rhyme, inner rhyme, alliteration, assonance—yes, but it’s also how the poet uses the sound patterns on the li … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

My Inner Monologue When I Listen to Live Jazz

Oh man, good for me. Look at me! I am listening to jazz. Here I am, just taking in the moment. Fully present. Just me and the music. Yup yup yup yup yup. Completely immersed. Thinking about nothing else. The rhythm. The musicality. The syncopation. Is that the right word? “Syncop … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

As a Corporation, I Support Socialism as Long as It’s for Me, But Not Everyone Who Works for Me

As a conglomerate entity, which the Fourteenth Amendment clearly defines as a singular person, I would like to cast my vote for socialism. For me. But not for everyone who works for me. The system I support is quite clear. If I drop the proverbial ball, it should be at your cost. … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Questionable Five-Star Customer Reviews of Mythological Objects

“As many as 30 percent to 40 percent of online reviews are fabricated or otherwise not genuine…” — The Washington Post - - -The Trojan Horse Best brought inside impregnable outer walls Thought it was a scam, but once we brought it inside our impregnable outer walls we really bega … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

[Staying at Home / Going Back to Work] After Having Your Baby Is a Terrible Idea

Oh, so you’re planning to be a [stay-at-home / working] mom once your baby is born? Ha! More like a [slacker who just wants an excuse to binge Real Housewives in her pajamas all day / heartless bitch who doesn’t care about her kid]. You might think that [staying home / working] i … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Taking a Bubble Bath: Fantasy vs. Reality

Setting Fantasy: My bathroom is four thousand square feet and bursting with natural sunlight. It overlooks my personal botanical garden, overflowing with exotic, lush plants. My vintage clawfoot bathtub is pristine and pairs perfectly with the art deco aesthetic of my entire high … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

A Brief Overview of the Sámi Presence in Viking-Age Scandinavia for Bostonians

Art by Matt Smith - - -So now what yah got tah undahstand is that no one even knew where Sweden n’ Nahway n’ Finland n’ Russia ended back in the Viking days ‘cause back in those days those fuckin’ countries didn’t even prahpahly exist yet! Which actually sounds pretty good in Rus … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

I Am Still Scrolling and Would Like Very Much to Stop Feeling Things

I have not stopped scrolling. Kids in cages, irreversible climate change, fighting in Ukraine, the Capitol insurrection, state violence against minorities, poisoned water supplies, corrupt police, rising fascism, voter suppression—I’ve scrolled past it all, for years, and have no … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Alternatives to Girl Math

“A new personal finance trend has TikTok users recommending humorous new ways to rethink their spending habits. We’ve all justified unnecessary purchases before, but now social media has labeled the habit as ‘girl math.’” — CBS News - - -US Government Math If you run out of money … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Reviews of New Food: Eggo Brunch in a Jar Sippin’ Cream

As a parent, my mornings are spent trying to appease my children’s finicky and inconsistent food preferences, digging mashed, soggy Cheerios out of carpeting, and overriding the time controls on the kids’ tablets over and over again as my wife and I attempt to eke out a moment of … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Well, I May Have Debased Myself to Become Speaker of the House, but At Least I Didn’t Accomplish Anything

“House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his leadership position in a historic vote on Tuesday after a far-right revolt over his reliance on Democrats to pass funding to avert a government shutdown.” — CBS News - - -When I was elected Speaker of the House, the smarmy media c … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Short Conversations with Poets: Cathy Park Hong

Cathy Park Hong’s first book, Translating Mo’Um, made poetry out of a representation of Asian American life that skewers the exoticizing currents in American culture while, at the same time, ironizing and breathing life into the twisting singularities of dialect like few other li … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Lady, I Don’t Care How Good the Food Is, You Cannot Have an Orgasm in This Restaurant

Katz’s Deli has been serving New Yorkers our delicious food for over a hundred years. As the general manager for the last twenty of those years, I’ve seen my fair share of odd customers. And it goes without saying that we welcome people of every race, creed, and sexual orientatio … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Due to Falling Enrollments, We Will No Longer Offer Courses in Romulan at Starfleet Academy

Stardate 59963.2 Welcome to a new school year. In the coming days, a cohort of cadets will begin arriving on campus, and I look forward to continuing our centuries-long tradition of preparing students to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations, and bol … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

I Am a Dainty Little Rings Person Now

Attention, everyone! I have decided to start wearing dainty little rings. For those wondering, “How many dainty little rings? How many fingers?” I am excited to announce the answer is multiple fingers across both hands. Currently, I am up to three total dainty little rings: the m … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Thank You for Submitting Your Homeless Shelter Application, but We’ve Decided to Use City Funds for Thirty-Five New Pickleball Courts Instead

Thank you for submitting your grant application for a homelessness shelter expansion. We received many competitive proposals, including yours. With the limited funds available, we were forced to make some difficult decisions. Consequently, the city’s budget committee has not reco … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

If Burger King’s Jingle “Whopper Whopper” Were the Only Literary Form

If you aren’t familiar with the tune, here it is, but be warned, it will be droning on in your head for the rest of the day. - - -“‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers” by Emily Dickinson Hopey, hopey, hopey, hopey, Feathered thing when I am mopey, Perched in my soul—man, I hope she … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

I’m Your Three-Year-Old Interior Designer and This Is Your New Home Makeover

So, what do you think? Never in your wildest dreams, right? It’s hard to know where to begin, because the house is almost unrecognizable, but let me show you around. You won’t believe what I’ve done to the place. I really wanted the living room to come alive, so I reimagined this … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Job Posting: Lead Bro for Vivek Ramaswamy’s Campaign

Job Summary The Vivek Ramaswamy campaign for US President seeks a red-blooded, Ford-driving, Bud Light-drinking, Bass Pro Shops hat-wearing American who is cool with being yelled at all the time. As Lead Bro, your primary role will be to make sure that Vivek stops getting called … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

A Template for Right-Wingers Upset with Taylor Swift

I can’t believe that Taylor Swift is [encouraging people to vote / dating someone who did a Bud Light commercial / dating a woke Illuminati vaccine zombie / not complying with my expectations of a pretty, blond-haired white woman]. Taylor Swift’s popularity is clearly a sign of s … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Maura Quint’s Presidential Debate Recaps: The One with Reagan’s Ghost

2024 REPUBLICAN 2nd GOP PRIMARY DEBATE SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA SEPTEMBER 27, 2023 - - -9:00 PM: Fox Business host Stuart Varney welcomes the audience. “I’m Stuart Varney, my British accent makes tonight’s disgust toward working people and minorities sound intelligent. I’m thrille … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

McSweeney’s Books: A Conversation with Dave Eggers About His Book, The Eyes and the Impossible

Dave Eggers’s latest book, The Eyes and the Impossible, is the story of a dog named Johannes. Johannes is a free dog, a fast dog—such a fast dog! He lives in an urban park by the sea, and every day, he runs through the park, seeing all, missing nothing, and reporting what he sees … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

The Geriatric Pregnancy Hero’s Journey

1. Positive Pregnancy Test The Geriatric Pregnancy Hero is over thirty-five and ready to embark on this adventure. She’s armed with a healthy lifestyle, a jar of Kirkland Signature prenatal multivitamins, and the statistic that older moms are more likely to live longer. 2. Meetin … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Short Conversations with Poets: Ben Lerner

Ben Lerner’s first book of poems in thirteen years, The Lights, gathers several kinds of lines and sets them talking to one another, several styles intertwined so that the play of forms itself is a poem. One form—one thread—is the waterfalls of prose, unparagraphed and sometimes … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Just to Confirm, We’re All Still Wearing Shorts Tonight, Right?

Hey, bud. I’m just checking in to see if everyone’s still wearing shorts to dinner later. I distinctly remember us all agreeing tonight would be way too hot for pants. So in case you were wondering, I’m still 100 percent committed to that pact. - - -The forecast is holding firm a … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Seeking Representation for My Unbannable Book

Dear Literary Agent — As you know, it’s a tough time in the publishing industry right now. Concerned citizens are demanding that certain books be pulled from school and public libraries, and it seems no writer knows which books will be left on the shelf for children to read. Exce … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

The Faculty Mental Health Fair Has Been Postponed Again

Dear Faculty: Due to concerns expressed by the students, parents, and staff, you are invited to attend a mandatory emergency mental health fair in the amphitheater on Friday at 4:15 p.m. Faculty will enjoy complimentary cotton candy, popcorn, and balloons while roving jugglers an … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Thanks to a Generous Donation, the United States Supreme Court Will Be Renamed the Koch Center for Justice

“[Supreme Court Justice] Thomas has attended at least two Koch donor summits, putting him in the extraordinary position of having helped a political network that has brought multiple cases before the Supreme Court.” — ProPublica, 9/22/23 - - -The Supreme Court is a venerated inst … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

What I’ll Do with the One Week I Can Wear My Sensible Fall Jacket

When the Hunter’s Moon approaches… When the flowers begin to wilt with chill… When the coffee shops begin unveiling new and exciting lattes… That’s how I’ll know it’s the one week of the year it’s seasonally appropriate for me to wear my Sensible Fall Jacket. I’ll claw my way to … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Welcome to Rosalita’s Boarding House for Girls and Women Rescued by Bruce Springsteen from Dead-End Small Towns

Hello, [Wendy / Mary / Sherry / Sandy / Kitty / Candy / unnamed “little girl”], and welcome to Rosalita’s. No doubt you were brought here because Bruce Springsteen wrote an incredible song whose sole purpose was to convince you to [quit this scene / drive deep into the night on t … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Things That Count as Writing

Jotting down some ideas? That counts as writing, since brainstorming is an essential part of the writing process. Taking a shower or bath? That’s letting your unconscious brain do some work, so it definitely counts as writing. A long walk? Yes, same as above, totally counts as wr … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Take Us to Your Leader, the One They Call Jake from State Farm

Greetings, Earth farmer. We come in peace. Take us to your leader, the one they call Jake from State Farm. Snake farm? This is not State Farm? Dammit, Todd, I told you to use Google Maps. Where is State Farm? Take us to State Farm. What do you mean State Farm is not a farm? Then … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

New York Times’ Connections, Toddler Edition

Click puzzle for the solution. | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Let’s Sell Your Basic House for More Than a Million Goddamn Dollars

Folks, I’ve got three questions for you… What do you mean “how did I get in here”? I’ll ask the questions, sir. I opened the door. But I didn’t open the door to your house; I opened the door to a goddamn financial windfall. Speaking of the door, PAINT IT SUPER FUCKING BRIGHT RED. … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Our Docuseries Horrible Person Sheds an Important Light on Our Streaming Service’s True Crime Offerings

There are so many terrible things happening in the world today—things that the public deserves to know about. We feel it’s our duty to tell eye-catching, high-production-value stories about those terrible things. That’s why we’re pleased to announce our new prestige docuseries, H … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

A Review by the Couple That Only Rented This Airbnb to Bang

We had a lovely stay at Josh and Brandon’s cozy mountain cottage. Our hosts included many thoughtful touches that made the place really feel like a home away from home. We just had a few things we’d like to note for future travelers considering booking this place. The bed frame c … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Who Made This Hummus?

Elaine, did you make this hummus? No. It’s really good. Okay, but I didn’t make it. - - -David, did you make this hummus? Nope. Well, who did? I don’t know. I just want to compliment the person who made the hummus, but no one will tell me who made it. I wish I could tell you who … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

If People in Other Professions Talked About Their Jobs Like Poets Talk About Poetry

I am the fire that I fight. You don’t craft customized soap bars made from organic goat’s milk because you want to craft customized soap bars made from organic goat’s milk; you craft customized soap bars made from organic goat’s milk because you have something to say. Being a lib … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Son, You’re Old Enough to Know the Truth, There is No Such Thing as the “Invisible Hand of the Market”

Son, you’re eight years old now, and you’ll probably hear this soon enough from the other kids on the playground anyway, so I might as well tell you. Santa isn’t real, the Tooth Fairy is imaginary, and there’s no such thing as the “invisible hand of the market.” Why did your moth … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Knight of the Round Table or Involuntary Grunting Noise I Make Getting Up from a Deep Chair?

1. Agravain! 2. Aglovale! 3. Bagdemagus! 4. Chuffachoo! 5. Lancelot! 6. Galahad! 7. Sagramore! 8. Oompazaz! 9. Dinadan! 10. Esclabor! 11. Caradoc! 12. Ungtchypow! 13. Lamorak! 14. Huggadog! 15. Gingalain! 16. Segwarides! - - -Knight: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 Noise: … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

I Am the Lord Your God, and I Want You to Know That I Invented Boners

Hear ye, My disciples, for I speak upon you a great truth: It has come to My understanding that many of you who would love Me do not understand My true and fearsome nature. And so I say to you thusly: I, your God, the one true God, invented boners. Verily, I speak it unto you. Ev … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago

Our Kitchen Renovation, Which We Started Five and a Half Years Ago, Is Back On Track

When we first met Richard Ballard of Ballard Design & Construction, my wife and I were incredibly excited to get started on a kitchen renovation. After we saw how prompt and professional Richard was in returning a comprehensive estimate, we knew he was the general contractor we w … | Continue reading


@mcsweeneys.net | 1 year ago