Althouse: The Giving Tree needed a sassy gay friend.

July 14, 2010

The Giving Tree needed a sassy gay friend.

20 comments:

Scott M said...: My loves this story and has since childhood. I had never heard about it until we had kids of our own. She reads it often as a bedtime story and says it still makes her want to cry.

I can't get past the horribly creepy picture of the author that has adorned the book jacket of every copy we've ever owned. If he hadn't just killed something or someone when that pic was snapped, he was on his way to do so :); 7/14/10, 1:06 PM
Scott M said...: My "wife" loves...; 7/14/10, 1:06 PM
Wince said...: Paul Lynde had a son?

I'd like to put gifts from the neighborhood children inside of you.

Sassy Gay Blogger: What does Giving Tree look like, Sarah Palin's uterus? You're a stupid bitch. She's a stupid bitch!; 7/14/10, 1:07 PM
Trooper York said...: Certainly if there is any loaf pinching invovled.; 7/14/10, 1:29 PM
Unknown said...: EDH said...

Paul Lynde had a son?

With Harvey Fierstein, apparently.; 7/14/10, 2:26 PM
Unknown said...: LOL ! That video is hilarious.

I wonder what lesson little kids take from that book.

When I was a kid reading the book, I did love it. But I did find some parts of the book sad -- like when he leaves the tree for extended periods of time.; 7/14/10, 2:27 PM
traditionalguy said...: A large green Giving tree beats an overbearing purple tree every time. It is so refreshing to see this tree has a free will. We just need to treat trees like people. Pruning is another matter.Local anesthetics and liscensed arborists should be mandatory.; 7/14/10, 2:27 PM
Anonymous said...: The giving tree can cross pollinate with other trees. New trees spring forth.

Still, we should probably allow two deadwood adirondack chairs to marry.; 7/14/10, 2:54 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: By number of comments on this tread we appear to have less fear of advanced moral children, a giant global brain.. than a "giving tree needing a sassy gay friend" ;)

Just saying.; 7/14/10, 3:03 PM
blake said...: "The Giving Tree needed a sassy gay friend."

Don't we all?

I always found that story unsettling as a child.; 7/14/10, 3:04 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/14/10, 3:15 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/14/10, 3:17 PM
Methadras said...: Fake sassy gay man. Lame attempt at being sassy and gay. I'm tired of the smarmy, sassy, homosexual lisping douches. ENOUGH!!!; 7/14/10, 4:18 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Didn't knox write that she especially hated this story or was that someone else?

I don't like it either.

And I'm not buying it for my kids.

Bizarre, depressive, codependent, cross-biological-kingdoms-relationship story.

Perhaps we'll soon listen to tapes leaked by the tree to Radar Online.; 7/14/10, 4:27 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: Certainly if there is any loaf pinching involved.

My vote too.; 7/14/10, 10:09 PM
jamboree said...: Hahaha. I only read that as an adult - after I read an article where someone compared Steve Wozniak to a human Giving Tree. (They were comparing his generosity to Steve Jobs more, er, ungenerous nature.)

And true to my times, my reaction was that the story was heartwarming and all that, but it was unhealthy to teach this to kids. It was very old timey Catholic and pro-suffering, and they'd just tolerate abuse w/o speaking up - like Catholic kids used to do in the bad old days. Who is profiting from your selflessness?; 7/15/10, 1:47 AM
CyndiF said...: I call it the co-dependent tree.; 7/15/10, 9:46 AM
sonicfrog said...: Meh, I've seen gayer....; 7/15/10, 10:14 AM
sonicfrog said...: Meh, I've seen gayer....

Signed, the gay bass player.; 7/15/10, 10:16 AM
Known Unknown said...: Paul Lynde had a son?

I never knew Paul Lynde. I never worked with Paul Lynde.

However, this guy is no Paul Lynde.; 7/15/10, 12:40 PM