Althouse: Megan McArdle's big lie.

June 14, 2011

Megan McArdle's big lie.

189 comments:

Shouting Thomas said...: A guy tried to pick up McArdle at a bar? I think that's McArdle's biggest lie.

Meow!; 6/14/11, 12:47 PM
Titus said...: I agree with ST. No guy ever tried to pick on that woman and therefore she is bummed.; 6/14/11, 12:49 PM
Tank said...: Which one is Megan?; 6/14/11, 12:53 PM
Wince said...: "Yea. Hold on. I have to stick-up for guys who actually have the courage to hit on people like you."; 6/14/11, 12:55 PM
MayBee said...: Is anybody else watching "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding"?

It's about the arranged marriages of Irish Travelers.; 6/14/11, 12:56 PM
DADvocate said...: Beer, getting ugly girls laid for 5,000 years.

Maybe the guy thought the only way Megan could find a guy to marry her was through an "arranged" marriage, such as a mail order husband or sucy.; 6/14/11, 12:57 PM
Oclarki said...: Megan used to be a libertarien. Now she hangs out with Matt Yglesias. Another victim of the DC vortex.; 6/14/11, 12:58 PM
Beorn said...: I thought Megan looked kinda familiar...; 6/14/11, 12:59 PM
MayBee said...: She is pretty. She's just got bad lighting and bad makeup there. Laura Ziskin, feminist though she was, knew women need good lighting and makeup.; 6/14/11, 12:59 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: Are those two related? To each other? To something from outer space?

It's starting to become funny that Glenn will link to crazies (Sullivan) and liars (McArdle) and fall for quackery, but he doesn't understand me when I've been/done none of those things, and have been right on most subjects long before most of the chatterati even knew they were important enough to comment on. It just goes to show you how being on the cutting edge of that "first draft of history" thing can both help and hurt a career.

I know:

Nobody likes me.

I'm going away now,...; 6/14/11, 1:00 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: The girls all get prettier
At closing time
They all begin
To look like movie stars; 6/14/11, 1:00 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Althouse throws Megan to the wolves.

That' not nice.; 6/14/11, 1:03 PM
Fen said...: WI Democrat in recall election threatens to "smack around" constituent.

http://pajamasmedia.com/tatler/2011/06/14/wi-dem-to-constituent-i-feel-like-calling-her-back-and-smacking-her-around/

Its the Union label.; 6/14/11, 1:04 PM
Dan from Madison said...: come on with the "like" like every like five seconds or like so; 6/14/11, 1:04 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: "Yea. Hold on. I have to stick-up for guys who actually have the courage to hit on people like you."

What are you talking about? There's no defense for 'em. They're more deserving of study,...; 6/14/11, 1:06 PM
shake-and-bake said...: Megan is hot.; 6/14/11, 1:06 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: OK, Althouse, enough is enough.

I apologize.

The target was so big, however, that I just couldn't help myself.

C'mon boys, quit picking on the poor girl.; 6/14/11, 1:10 PM
Hagar said...: And here I thought the idea that guys are afraid of women that are smarter than they are was so passé, and then you go and prove me all wong again.; 6/14/11, 1:11 PM
MadisonMan said...: fen, you might want to read this.; 6/14/11, 1:12 PM
windbag said...: She hints at something interesting with her comment, "This is before cell phones." Are people capable of grasping the subtleties of face-to-face conversation anymore? Can they take the cues offered and play off of them?

That may be what she was driving at or perhaps she was taking a more cynical angle and suggesting that someone who was able to play along would be assumed to have been contacted prior to the meeting. We live in a world that is so dissected we have a hard time accepting that people can fill in the blanks and don't need all the details to follow the action. Maybe that's what she meant.; 6/14/11, 1:13 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: And here I thought the idea that guys are afraid of women that are smarter than they are was so passé, and then you go and prove me all wong again.

This is a fascinating thesis, Hagar.

But, in my experience (limited as it may be), men do not pick up women in bars for the purpose of discussing the latest theories in intelligent design.

Maybe the Big Bang Theory.; 6/14/11, 1:22 PM
Toad Trend said...: Actually I believe that she was being 'hit on' was her second biggest lie...

wv - quackip; 6/14/11, 1:25 PM
The Drill SGT said...: I like Megan, but on the other hand, I think women with IQ's above room temp are hot :); 6/14/11, 1:25 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: How can you not like Megan McArdle? Some of you must be drunk.

Also, she looks great. You guys are so easily fooled by makeup. She's not wearing full makeup. Put makeup on the exact same face, and you'd all be going on about how hot she is.; 6/14/11, 1:28 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: I like Megan, but on the other hand, I think women with IQ's above room temp are hot :)

Room temp in most places is about 72 degrees.

That's not a big hurdle. How far above room temp are you aiming?; 6/14/11, 1:28 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: How can you not like Megan McArdle? Some of you must be drunk.

I wish. Because the girls all look prettier at closing time.

She'd better put on some makeup, particularly if she's going to discuss that subject.; 6/14/11, 1:30 PM
Julie C said...: What I can't like get over, is how like Megan McArdle can like write actually, like, intelligently about economics and whatever, but like can't help but sound like a Valley girl or something?

Dear God woman learn to express yourself verbally.; 6/14/11, 1:33 PM
Salamandyr said...: I've always found Megan McArdle attractive. That's not a good screenshot of her though.

So what is her big lie? I'm at work and left my headphones at home, so I can't watch the video.; 6/14/11, 1:34 PM
Revenant said...: Man, there is something wrong with the people who don't think McArdle is attractive.; 6/14/11, 1:34 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: Now, I'd try to pick up Freeman Hunt.

And, I wouldn't have to be drunk.

Not that this old man would stand much of a chance.

Tight Ass! Tight Ass! What do you think of Freeman?; 6/14/11, 1:35 PM
Toad Trend said...: @Freeman

"Put makeup on the exact same face, and you'd all be going on about how hot she is."

Makeup or not, the convoluted story, delivery, and tone are not necessarily enhancers of 'hotness'. Besides, what you consider 'hot' is likely different that what I or other people consider 'hot'.

I certainly would not pretend to know or assume what you consider 'hot'. Pretty subjective, no?; 6/14/11, 1:38 PM
chickelit said...: Revenant said...
Man, there is something wrong with the people who don't think McArdle is attractive.

Despite our differences, I agree with revenant here. Plus McArdle is considerably younger than Althouse and will probably be around blogging longer. Many of you may need some place to jump to one day. Y'all should be nicer to her.; 6/14/11, 1:39 PM
Titus said...: Althouse did throw her to the wolfs.

Women can be so cruel to other women some time.

Freeman is definitely hot in a very natural way. She is lucky enough not to put any work into being hot, unlike most women who have to paint themselves up.; 6/14/11, 1:39 PM
Toad Trend said...: @Revenant

"Man, there is something wrong with the people who don't think McArdle is attractive."

Really?

That someone does not find her attractive only indicates they don't share the same preferences as you.

Nothing more.; 6/14/11, 1:41 PM
Bob_R said...: She's also taller than most guys - about 6'2". That works both for her and against her in the pickup game.; 6/14/11, 1:43 PM
Bob_R said...: She's also taller than most guys - about 6'2". That works both for her and against her in the pickup game.; 6/14/11, 1:43 PM
MayBee said...: Women can be so cruel to other women some time.

Women? Both Freeman and I said Megan is pretty!; 6/14/11, 1:45 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: What do you think of Freeman?

For all you people know, I'm a 400 pound man who never bathes and uses his sister's pictures in all his avatars.; 6/14/11, 1:46 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: Freeman, you should have seen me when I was 35!

Hollywood!; 6/14/11, 1:46 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: For all you people know, I'm a 400 pound man who never bathes and uses his sister's pictures in all his avatars.

That hurts! Lesbian, too?; 6/14/11, 1:46 PM
Toad Trend said...: @Freeman

"What do you think of Freeman?

For all you people know, I'm a 400 pound man who never bathes and uses his sister's pictures in all his avatars."

LOL! All that and best I can tell a good head on the shoulders...and a very cute sister.; 6/14/11, 1:47 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Mmmmmm, Cheetos. But now my hands are all orange. What to wipe them on? Thank God I'm wearing a shirt. There, that's better. Kind of a weird taste in my mouth though with the Cheetos and the Country Time lemonade. Where's my spit cup? I just need a little chaw.

(For your textual cold shower, you're welcome.); 6/14/11, 1:48 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: For all we know, Tight Ass is a pimply 16 year old guy in his mommy's basement, wanking to the latest spread on Guess Her Muff.; 6/14/11, 1:51 PM
Sprezzatura said...: "For your textual cold shower, you're welcome."

But, now I'm craving Cheetos. Or Pirate's Booty.; 6/14/11, 1:51 PM
Toad Trend said...: Interesting, awhile back just for grins and out of curiosity I sent AA an email playfully suggesting that it might be 'fun' to designate a day when commenters might optionally post an actual picture of themselves.

Never did get a response. Guess I got my answer.; 6/14/11, 1:52 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: I was told many lies like this out there.. A woman told me she had AIDS.. It didn't occur to me it could be a lie until I heard it again from another woman.; 6/14/11, 1:54 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: But we already have the option of posting our pictures.; 6/14/11, 1:55 PM
Martin L. Shoemaker said...: Freeman, if you think that was a cold shower, you underestimate the imaginative powers of the male mind. Here's how that might be interpreted...

Mmmmmm, Cheetos.

(Hey, she's a real, down-to-earth woman! My kinda gal!)

But now my hands are all orange.

(Hey, baby, I'll lick 'em clean!)

What to wipe them on? Thank God I'm wearing a shirt. There, that's better.

(Oooh... Her shirt is smeared with orange... Now she'll have to take it off... Wonder what else will get orange?)

Kind of a weird taste in my mouth though with the Cheetos and the Country Time lemonade.

(Hey, nice mouth!)

Where's my spit cup? I just need a little chaw.

(OK, I got nothin' here.); 6/14/11, 1:55 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Lem,

That means double love:

"Rod - Y'know who's gonna be there?
Joe - Uh, who?
Rod - My favorite cover band, Crystal Shit.
Joe - Oh.
Rod - Yeah, they do a Doors show, you'd be really impressed, in fact, it goes a little like this:

Love me two times baby
Love me twice today
Love me two times girl
Cause I got AIDS
Love me two times baby, once for tomorrow, once cause I got AIDS

Joe - Wow, Pretty good Jim Morrison impersonation there.
Rod - Yeah, I hope those guys have a good sense of humor and don't take us to court."; 6/14/11, 1:56 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Where's my spit cup? I just need a little chaw.

(OK, I got nothin' here.)

That's the easiest one.

(Awww, we could share!); 6/14/11, 1:56 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: What man doesn't dream of sitting on the sofa with his woman sharing Cheetos and chaw?; 6/14/11, 1:57 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: At least we're not beating on McArdle any more.

I was feeling pretty bad about that.; 6/14/11, 1:59 PM
ricpic said...: Drezner says, close as I can follow, her lie was that she claimed to be someone from Ireland brought over to have an arranged marriage and that cracks Drezner up?! I don't get the hilarity.; 6/14/11, 1:59 PM
Kirk Parker said...: Julie C,

Sure, it would be good if she could do that; but not everybody can.

The most boring radio interview I've ever listen to was Dave Barry on one of his book tours. Ok, scratch that, it wasn't exactly the most boring ever, but for sure it was the most disappointing ever, because I expected him to be at least moderately funny, and he Wasn't. The. Slightest. Bit. Humorous. At. All.; 6/14/11, 1:59 PM
Toad Trend said...: @Freeman

Pretty sure thats what AA said to herself just before she deleted my email.

wv - hummed; 6/14/11, 2:00 PM
ricpic said...: McCardle says, not Drezner says.; 6/14/11, 2:00 PM
Curious George said...: "Freeman Hunt said...
How can you not like Megan McArdle? Some of you must be drunk.

Also, she looks great. You guys are so easily fooled by makeup. She's not wearing full makeup. Put makeup on the exact same face, and you'd all be going on about how hot she is."

Uh, no.; 6/14/11, 2:03 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: I have never seen a post like this before seemingly intended just for the purpose of attacking someone's appearance.

I didn't think that was the purpose. I thought the humor was in the quaintness of McArdle's "biggest lie."; 6/14/11, 2:05 PM
ricpic said...: Book tours can be grueling. Barry was probably running on fumes.; 6/14/11, 2:05 PM
edutcher said...: Where's Troop when you need him?

The ultimate John Wayne post (right out of "The Quiet Man", for those who don't know) and he's off fitting brassieres.

PS Ms McArdle may not be not the best-looking woman in the room, but Sarge is right. A woman with a brain has so many more possibilities.; 6/14/11, 2:06 PM
Henry said...: It's snarkday, I guess. Windbag said something interesting. Freeman showed class, as usual. Revenant took a stand. But then, he's an atheist, so what does he know about Irish women? Actually I agree with Revenant and Freeman.

Back to Windbag, who wrote: "This is before cell phones." Are people capable of grasping the subtleties of face-to-face conversation anymore? Can they take the cues offered and play off of them?

I think so. It's native to the species, in various degrees. My four-year-old can play along with almost anything (faster than the nine-year-old).

I think Meghan's comment about cell phones is more of a generalization than a theory. It's the general idea that everyone is always in contact now.

I personally like McArdle's bloggingheads style. She's conversational and associative and generally a lot more interesting than the monomaniac bonepickers that usually bog down the show.; 6/14/11, 2:06 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: It's funny because the big lie is so tame. I don't even think that most people would think of it as lying if they did the exact same thing that Megan describes.; 6/14/11, 2:06 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: "....Also, she looks great..."

Yeah, for a zombie or one of the unread. I'm 44 years old Freeman. Women don't fool me with anything anymore.

I'll chalk it up to bad lighting.; 6/14/11, 2:17 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Megan McArdle is more attractive than that. She need Ann Althouse to do a blogging heads make over for her. Ann looked great in her last talking head stint.

And Megan--a little sunlight is a good thing (unless you are a vampire).; 6/14/11, 2:17 PM
Kirk Parker said...: ricpic,

Huh??? OK, *now* I've got to listen to this when I get home! McArdle has written openly, and often, about her growing up in NYC. How can that square with this???; 6/14/11, 2:17 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: Freeman Hunt,

You guys are so easily fooled by makeup. She's not wearing full makeup. Put makeup on the exact same face, and you'd all be going on about how hot she is.

I don't think so. Freeman, you know I don't usually do this, but I also don't usually scream when faced with a Bloggingheads.; 6/14/11, 2:18 PM
Sal said...: I see it's time for straight men to weigh in on Megan. She's definitely kinda cute and possibly very cute.

I'd like to know what Titus looks like.; 6/14/11, 2:20 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: Quick, Althouse, put up another post!

Call off the dogs!; 6/14/11, 2:20 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Man, there is something wrong with the people who don't think McArdle is attractive....."

I think she's looked better. At first glance I thought she was on oxygen.; 6/14/11, 2:21 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Freeman Hunt said...
What do you think of Freeman?

For all you people know, I'm a 400 pound man who never bathes and uses his sister's pictures in all his avatars.

6/14/11 1:46 PM

Freeman, say it aint so! Say it aint so!; 6/14/11, 2:21 PM
Sprezzatura said...: How about adding the Golds, Dana and Michelle?; 6/14/11, 2:26 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: Ok, here's my ranking, based on the assumption that what we see is the real thing:

1. Palin
2. Freeman
3. Althouse
4. Bachman
5. McArdle

That's my girlie worth chart.; 6/14/11, 2:26 PM
Carol_Herman said...: Well, if you're Irish, you can fling bullshit with the best of them.

There are no true bar stories! Got that? Unless the bartender is fessing up to something.; 6/14/11, 2:27 PM
Carol_Herman said...: Sarah Palin is going to walk away with the win!

Her adversary will be the press.

And, they'll be sucking her bus' exhaust fumes, across the American landscape, the press refers to as "fly-over country."

I think she has a plan.

Came to me when I saw her stopping off in NYC, to visit. And, have pizza with Donald Trump.

I bet Cain understood that pizza could be gold. But not the lamestream.; 6/14/11, 2:29 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: Sarah Palin is going to walk away with the win!

Wouldn't surprise me at all.; 6/14/11, 2:34 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Michelle Goldberg is quite the hottie. Clueless like all liberals but hot nonetheless.; 6/14/11, 2:34 PM
Ann Althouse said...: "Althouse throws Megan to the wolves."

Huh? Did you even watch the clip?; 6/14/11, 2:39 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: That's my girlie worth chart.

Oh, good. Because this is really important.

Now for the hunkie worth chart. Let's rank Mark Steyn, Charles Krauthammer, Eugene Volokh, Glenn Reynolds, and Ed Morrissey.

(Please do not miss the point and actually rank them.); 6/14/11, 2:43 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: (Oops, I just realized that that last sentence could be read two opposite ways. Clarification: Do NOT actually rank them.); 6/14/11, 2:44 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: Oh, good. Because this is really important.

Well, it's not really important, just somewhat important.

Important enough to kill the half hour until I get my equipment together for rehearsal.; 6/14/11, 2:47 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: The real political babe is Michelle Malkin.

Talk about diversity.; 6/14/11, 2:48 PM
DADvocate said...: For all you people know, I'm a 400 pound man who never bathes and uses his sister's pictures in all his avatars.

Can I have your sister's phone number?; 6/14/11, 2:54 PM
virgil xenophon said...: Well, ST, Malkin is hawt, but I've always been turned on by the typical straight-guys delusion of wanting to make conservative lesbo radio-babe Tammy Bruce see God..; 6/14/11, 2:55 PM
Sal said...: None of the beautiful five have to worry about this:

"Tibetan spiritual leader Tuesday referred to Australia's female prime minister as a man."

Michelle Goldberg might be mistaken for a snot, however.; 6/14/11, 2:56 PM
holdfast said...: In good light McArdle is presentable, possibly even cute. Of course, she's also a giantess and a faux-libertarian who is actually just another DC liberal.; 6/14/11, 2:58 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: Can I have your sister's phone number?

I have a gal
She lives on top the hill
Says she won't
But I think her sister will; 6/14/11, 3:02 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Well, at least she has the grace to feel bad about jerking, a probably pretty nice guy, around.; 6/14/11, 3:05 PM
Salamandyr said...: And shouldn't we toss a little Halle Berry into the mix, say, for diversity purposes and all?

What's with white ladies on parade only?

Halle Berry looks like an admittedly good looking white woman with a tan. If you want a beautiful, black woman, I think Gina Torres fits the bill much better.; 6/14/11, 3:08 PM
Salamandyr said...: And how come no one is addressing the relative pulchritude of Dan Drezner?; 6/14/11, 3:09 PM
CachorroQuente said...: McArdle looks fine to me.

What's with this obsession some people have with makeup, anyway. Do some men actually find it attractive? Consider, for example, Gingrich's wife. Is her makeup supposed to make her attractive? I'd much rather be with someone who looks like a woman (McArdle) than someone who looks like a clown.; 6/14/11, 3:13 PM
Anonymous said...: "Freeman is definitely hot in a very natural way."

Titus, you have really good taste.

Freeman Hunt is without a doubt the most sexy woman in this joint.

Not just because she's hawt (and I agree she's hawt in a natural, no-makeup-needed way) but because she's so intelligent and down-to-earth.

That's a very rare combination in a young woman.; 6/14/11, 3:15 PM
test said...: " holdfast said...
In good light McArdle is presentable, possibly even cute. Of course, she's also a giantess and a faux-libertarian who is actually just another DC liberal."

Those of us on the right need the moderates or centrists who insist truth and accuracy more than anyone else. Lumping her in the with idiots like Klein and Yglesias is unfair even if she does occasionally soft pedal her skepticism of their lunacy.

McArdle fits well with Althouse and Mickey Kaus in this group.

And Mickey is by far the least attractive.; 6/14/11, 3:16 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/14/11, 3:22 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: If you jump into discussing the attractiveness of every female commentator who appears anywhere, you discourage unattractive, average-looking, or shy women from participating in political debate. That's bad.

You may be inadvertently suppressing the expression of great brilliance.; 6/14/11, 3:23 PM
chickelit said...: Freeman Hunt wrote:

If you jump into discussing the attractiveness of every female commentator who appears anywhere, you discourage unattractive, average-looking, or shy women from participating in political debate. That's bad.

Agree. And I'll add that the female commenter I most admired around here never revealed a pixel about what she looked like. Of course there were rumors on Twitter that she was really a robot but I never believed that. :); 6/14/11, 3:34 PM
virgil xenophon said...: I'm into Freeman for her mind (tho she IS HAWT.) Her "He is Not Coming" is STILL, imho, one of the finest political essays written so far this Century/decade. And it's just not me. Everyone to whom I've recommended it has an equally high opinion of it.; 6/14/11, 3:42 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Freeman, please confirm you are not a 400 pound man who never bathes and uses his sister's pictures in all his avatars.

With all these digtial lesbians coming out as middle aged guys my faith in humanity is being shaken.; 6/14/11, 3:51 PM
Fred4Pres said...: What is next? Is Lem is going to disclose "he" is really a 20 year old female Asian contortionist who works for Cirque du Soliel?; 6/14/11, 3:54 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Freeman, please confirm you are not a 400 pound man who never bathes and uses his sister's pictures in all his avatars.

Okay. I'm pretty sure I bathed in February before it was so hot. Who wants to go and stand in a hot shower when it's so hot outside? Better to just stew until the season changes and it cools off again.

Plus, if sweat is running down you, is that really so different from a shower? It's all water.; 6/14/11, 3:56 PM
virgil xenophon said...: PS: And Freeman's comment here about "Chinese ponies for everyone" on a post about our national debt was/is a classic, also.; 6/14/11, 3:59 PM
MDIJim said...: AA, I'm sorry. I love you. I really do, but I worship Megan and have since she was at ground zero.; 6/14/11, 3:59 PM
Ann Althouse said...: "AA, I'm sorry. I love you. I really do, but I worship Megan and have since she was at ground zero."

Did you watch the clip? This is not an anti-McArdle post.; 6/14/11, 4:01 PM
virgil xenophon said...: "It's all water."

SOME molecules are more equal than other molecules..; 6/14/11, 4:02 PM
Ann Althouse said...: This is a really annoying thread! It began with Shouting Thomas making a remark that distorted people's perception of the post title, and that distortion got attributed to me. I almost feel like undisplaying the whole thread. Please watch the clip before commenting and get relevant.; 6/14/11, 4:03 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: Freeman Hunt,

If you jump into discussing the attractiveness of every female commentator who appears anywhere, you discourage unattractive, average-looking, or shy women from participating in political debate. That's bad.

You may be inadvertently suppressing the expression of great brilliance.

Oh, crap. Nobody gets the treatment every time, and political debate isn't a place for shrinking violets anyway. Because of Reynolds, we've read McArdle, without knowing she looks like Rosemary's Baby - that's all there is to it.

And for the record, attraction is waaay more than physical features, so none of this matters. As many have said, Megan also doesn't speak well, saying "like" repeatedly, which also undercut the image we've held about her. There's also the attention Reynolds throws to certain people - how much of it is based on intelligence and/or merit and isn't just that they're his favorite in the knitting circle? No one can deny that Megan and others can be smart, but I'd put my track record for correct calls against anyone Reynolds links to (except for, maybe, Prof. Jacobson and Stacey McCain) so what's Reynolds doing? And do we have to be nice to his AA babies just because they're propped up by him? (BTW, unlike the NYT, I use AA to mean Affirmative Action - not African American - but you probably knew that already since THERE ARE NO BLACKS IN GLENN'S CIRCLE!!!!!!**) We certainly don't go easy on Barack and Michelle - why Megan?

Anyway, cutie-patootie, I'm with Mary in saying you probably should sit this one out, because your obvious advantages over all of us "normals" might tend to skew the results of your observations. If not in what you say, then how they're received. Now, please, climb back on your pedestal and let BloodLust-O-Rama continue:

It's all we've got.

**ROTFLMAO!!!; 6/14/11, 4:04 PM
RuyDiaz said...: How did this turn into an anti-McArdle Jihad? I thought the story was quaint, not vicious.

As for discussing her looks... haven't we seen her enough that we should be used to what she looks like by now?; 6/14/11, 4:05 PM
virgil xenophon said...: Mary/

OF COURSE I only read Playboy just for the articles...what?, you doubt?; 6/14/11, 4:07 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: ANn,

This is a really annoying thread!

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!; 6/14/11, 4:07 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Lem, so what Cirque du Soliel troop are you with?; 6/14/11, 4:08 PM
Smilin' Jack said...: Megan looks quite attractive and charming and doesn't need makeup. But you guys who don't find her attractive shouldn't worry about it. These days, most people don't think there's anything wrong with you.; 6/14/11, 4:10 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Ann, get in touch with Megan and work with her on proper blogginghead lighting and make up. You are a pro, you look great and you can get her going in the right direction. And a wee bit of sunlight is actually a good thing. You would think Reynolds who is big on vitimin D would have turned Megan on to that.

And the "likes" and "uhuhs" are a matter of speaking training. Maybe Megan should consider Toastmasters?; 6/14/11, 4:12 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: If not in what you say, then how they're received.

Then you're missing my point.

My point is get the hell over it.

"She's too pretty for this conversation; she needs to shut up. She's too ugly for this conversation; she needs to shut up."

You would never pull that kind of bullshit with a man.

"Let's talk about Jonah Goldberg's lighting on Bloggingheads."

Give me a break.; 6/14/11, 4:15 PM
virgil xenophon said...: Mary/

LOL. "Human nature" in all its nekkid glory is what I had a subscription to National Geographic for..; 6/14/11, 4:16 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Oh, crap. Nobody gets the treatment every time, and political debate isn't a place for shrinking violets anyway.

That's awfully easy for a man to say. Is there a thread like this one except about Glenn Reynolds instead of Megan McArdle anywhere in existence? Is there one about Tyler Cowen? How about Brit Hume? Entire threads picking over their looks. Do they exist? No.

Did anyone even notice what the guy looked like in this Bloggingheads? I doubt it.

Women face judgement about their looks constantly. In the political arena, that's stupid. It should be about ideas. And not everyone with a great idea is either attractive or clad in rhinohide to fend off the abuse.; 6/14/11, 4:21 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Don't respond to Mary. She knows I delete all her comments. Unread.; 6/14/11, 4:23 PM
Roger J. said...: Ms Hunt--I have always appreciated your insights from the distaff side.
But more important, how his your baby doing? thanks for posting and maintaining a great sense of humor and insight.; 6/14/11, 4:24 PM
RuyDiaz said...: That's awfully easy for a man to say. Is there a thread like this one except about Glenn Reynolds instead of Megan McArdle anywhere in existence? Is there one about Tyler Cowen? How about Brit Hume? Entire threads picking over their looks. Do they exist? No.

Hold on a second. You may be right on the particular point that it is more common to talk about it, but men are judged on their looks all the time. And we can't even complain about it.

I was fat growing up. I know this very well.; 6/14/11, 4:25 PM
Derve Swanson said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/14/11, 4:27 PM
Shanna said...: Women face judgement about their looks constantly.

Witness Sarah Palin. Witness Hillary Clinton.

I do think men have some judgement on their looks (tallest wins!) but it doesn't seem to be as vicious. And nobody gets accused of not liking Romney because they're jealous.; 6/14/11, 4:29 PM
Palladian said...: " This is a really annoying thread! It began with Shouting Thomas making a remark..."

You really could have stopped at that point.

Every thread around here seems to end up smelling like stale farts and androstenone lately. It's amazing how just 2 or 3 gasbags can really stink up the place.; 6/14/11, 4:30 PM
CachorroQuente said...: I almost feel like undisplaying the whole thread.

Don't respond to Mary. She knows I delete all her comments. Unread.

What happened to the Althouse interpretation of freedom of speech?

(Help! Help! I'm being repressed!); 6/14/11, 4:36 PM
Penny said...: "DADvocate said...

Beer, getting ugly girls laid for 5,000 years."

Thank you, brewmeisters!

I would also like to thank god for inventing sports. It gives the guys something to talk about when there's more than one of them, and they're within earshot of a single one of us.; 6/14/11, 4:44 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Actually I would comment on Jonah Goldberg if he came on bloggingheads looking "a whiter shade of pale." And if he did lots of "likes" and "ums" there would be comments too. I would assume he was nursing a massive hangover, but I would comment.

By the way, I have seen Garafalo, for example, mock Jonah Goldberg for being fat and doughey. Not that she should talk, because she is really unattractive. But I have seen it.; 6/14/11, 4:46 PM
Lyle said...: That's a pretty good bar story. I can't say it was totally mean and cunty of the lady McCardle to do that, but the dude should have known she was pulling his chain.

Some dudes truly are douche bags.; 6/14/11, 4:47 PM
Palladian said...: "Actually I would comment on Jonah Goldberg if he came on bloggingheads looking "a whiter shade of pale."

When he did a Bloggingheads episode with Althouse, his face was the color of corned beef most of the time.; 6/14/11, 4:50 PM
Penny said...: "But, now I'm craving Cheetos. Or Pirate's Booty."

Booty please!

Jack Sparrow's got hisself a FINE booty.

It'd even look good on Bloggingheads without make-up; 6/14/11, 4:54 PM
Smilin' Jack said...: Please watch the clip before commenting and get relevant.

Yes, please ignore the appearance of the guests in the clip (even though that's what takes up most of the bandwidth in these stupid bloggingheads things) and stay relevant to the really important issue of what Megan McArdle said to some guy who tried to pick her up in a bar ten years ago.; 6/14/11, 4:56 PM
chickelit said...: Penny said: Booty please!

Here ya go: Professor Booty (1992).; 6/14/11, 4:58 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: Best comment thread ever on AA!; 6/14/11, 5:12 PM
Trooper York said...: When I was a kid I used to go fishing all the time with my uncle. We would go all the way out to Peconic Bay or the Long Island Sound in the summer but in the winter we often took a "party boat" out of Sheepshead Bay. You used to pay about five bucks and get on this boat with a bunch of other people and go out into the Atlantic ocean and fish for whatever was in season. You often went out for fluke or flounder or blue fish. But in the dead of winter only the really hardy souls would go out and catch the winter fish. Mackeral and cod. And what they called the "whitefish" which were mainly whiting and ling.

In all the many years of fishing and all the many fish we caught....we never pulled onto the boat a paler white piece of bacala than this bitch.

I never thought boringheads could get any worse. But I have to admit. They always top themselves.; 6/14/11, 5:37 PM
Palladian said...: What about Coney Island whitefish?; 6/14/11, 5:42 PM
Trooper York said...: I also will stand second to none in the amount of time I spend making fun of how Bob Wright looks.

So enough with the sob sister bullshit.

You can't go around looking like an extra in "Twilight" and expect that nobody is going to bust your horns.; 6/14/11, 5:43 PM
urpower said...: Why are men who approach a woman (in a bar) held up for belittlement?- the more so as they drink to loosen up, adding to their awkwardness. A vicious circle, which the female enjoys mocking for years, it seems. What a creep she is, and a liar. The sense of entitlement & indifference to his greater humanity, is indeed made ironic by her present unattractiveness.; 6/14/11, 5:43 PM
Trooper York said...: Dude somehow I don't think that Megan has to worry about finding Coney Island whitefish under her bed.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.; 6/14/11, 5:44 PM
Trooper York said...: I do think she probably has a big problem with cat urine on her rug.

I bet she was thinking about cats throught that whole video.; 6/14/11, 5:46 PM
themightypuck said...: The hottest bloggingheads are Annie Lowery and Kristen Soltis.; 6/14/11, 6:09 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Trooper,

I used to party all night in the City, then drive out to Sheepshead Bay to go fishing with a construction superintendent I worked with (he would drive in from Staten Island). I would get there around 5:00 a.m. We would fish all morning for black fish. You get a fun mix of people on the party boats, my favorites being the Puerto Rican girlfriends who show up in high heels and skirts for a day of fishing. But we were generally fishing for black fish--so we were not out that far.

If I wanted to go serious fishing, tuna and such, I was taking a boat out of Montauk or Belmar.

Good times. Good times.; 6/14/11, 6:15 PM
Fred4Pres said...: I missed Jonah looking like a corned beef. But had I saw it I would have mocked him for it. And BTW, the cause is almost certainly boozing.

God bless them, but that NRO crew has to learn to drink with the grace of WFB Jr. That man had style and he was a professional athlete when it came to liquor.; 6/14/11, 6:18 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: Freeman,

That's awfully easy for a man to say. Is there a thread like this one except about Glenn Reynolds instead of Megan McArdle anywhere in existence? Is there one about Tyler Cowen? How about Brit Hume? Entire threads picking over their looks. Do they exist? No.

I have commented, in a variety of ways, about Glenn.

Did anyone even notice what the guy looked like in this Bloggingheads? I doubt it.

I mentioned him, in my first post, as looking like Megan.

Women face judgement about their looks constantly. In the political arena, that's stupid. It should be about ideas. And not everyone with a great idea is either attractive or clad in rhinohide to fend off the abuse.

You know I know this - and have questioned why - but this particular post practically called for it, and I think the comments reflect that.

As far as this "abuse" (which I don't think it is) if I can take it - for a variety of reasons - Megan can, too. It's nobody else's fault about the amount of interest women put in their appearance. I see it as a failing.

And, finally, there's the issue addressed by urpower:

Why are men who approach a woman (in a bar) held up for belittlement?

Am I supposed to be sympathetic to this story? Or the teller? If so, you've got the wrong guy,...; 6/14/11, 6:18 PM
Steve Koch said...: Guys are just wired completely differently from women. When it comes to women, we mostly don't think with our big head. I'm sure that many women are appalled when the thin veneer of civilized behavior cracks and a man's true neanderthal nature is exposed in inappropriate contexts.

The wonder is not that men sometimes behave like cave men; the wonder is that men don't behave like cave men much more often.; 6/14/11, 6:34 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Did anyone even notice what the guy looked like in this Bloggingheads? I doubt it.

Actually, I remember a thread where we were discussing Micky Kaus' eyebrows (I think it was him) and how they looked like woolie caterpillars.

I'm pretty sure we have made fun of their looks. Probably not with as much gusto as the guys do in deconstructing the women.

It was a cute story about being an Irish mailorder bride or in an Irish arranged wedding. And as I said. She had the grace to feel a bit bad about putting the guy on.; 6/14/11, 6:36 PM
mike said...: Megan said "like" fifteen times in this segment.; 6/14/11, 6:47 PM
mccullough said...: After seeing 140 comments on a post about blogginheads, which I almost always skip because everyone on blogginheads looks like you're seeing them through an apartment door peekhole, I had to read the comments on the thread.

McArdle's little story about lying to guys in bars to get them to go away deserves the reaction it got from the boys here. A couple members of our sex showed some interest in her back in the day and she blows them off and does an insincere apology about now. So she deserves the collective "Fuck her, she's too tall and ugly anyway." That douchebag co-blogginghead should have told her the same thing. Fuck him, too.; 6/14/11, 6:53 PM
Palladian said...: "I'm sure that many women are appalled when the thin veneer of civilized behavior cracks and a man's true neanderthal nature is exposed in inappropriate contexts."

The neanderthal failed as a species. We don't have a neanderthal nature.

Listening to McArdle... What happened to American women's speech? Their intonation, their word choice, their vocal control? It has always interested me to hear vernacular recordings made in the 30s or 40s or 50s, of young women speaking and comparing them to how, generally, young women speak today. Where did the plague of ending every sentence with an upwards tonal inflection begin? When did the incessant use of speech fillers ("like... like... like... like...") begin? When did so many young women start having that weird, sing-song rasp in their voices? And it's not restricted women of certain educational levels— I attended and have taught at an Ivy-league school and the terrible vocal habits are just as prevalent there as in a public high school. Did something change in how speaking or English is taught? Is it the pervasive and pernicious influence of California on the entertainment industry? I've always been curious.; 6/14/11, 7:07 PM
Tom DeGisi said...: Actually Glenn Reynolds tends to look a little bug-eyed and very stiff on TV. Plus, when he grins really big he has the whole Alfred E. Newman vibe. Me, my eyes are too small, my nose is too big and my neck is fat. He writes really interesting Law Review articles, even to this layman. The company I work for does not publish my Application Design Documents. I'm told that my reviews of them are interesting, but I think that's because I tell occasional jokes. But you'll never know, right?

Yours,
Tom; 6/14/11, 7:08 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Attractive women complain about comments about their looks, until the comments stop coming... then they get sad.

Just an observation.; 6/14/11, 7:11 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Palladian, while Nenderthals may be a failed species, they are not extinct. Rumor has it they all joined the Republican party. At least that is what I hear from from some liberals.; 6/14/11, 7:21 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: You have to cut her a break for making up the story. She says at the end that she did try to get the guy to go away without the story at first, but he wouldn't quit.

She doesn't owe any time to a total stranger.; 6/14/11, 7:23 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Did something change in how speaking or English is taught?

Yes. They stopped teaching speaking skills outside of specialized speech classes.; 6/14/11, 7:26 PM
rcocean said...: Men are judged by their attractiveness particularly in politics. Before women's sufferage, & TV, we had fat presidents, ugly presidents, bald presidents, and guys that looked like TR and Woodrow Wilson.

Now you can't be *elected* President without a full head of hair, a BMI under 25, and a mesomorph look. The only exceptions are War Heroes and guys running against Barry Goldwater.; 6/14/11, 7:30 PM
rcocean said...: Let me talk about Drezner's looks. He somehow manages to look like a smug Know-it-all AND a stupid caveman - all at the the same time.

No doubt a nice guy - just commenting on how he comes across.; 6/14/11, 7:33 PM
Synova said...: I don't think that anyone is taught to speak anymore. And I don't know how much they used to be taught to speak, but I think that it was fashionable for young women to sort of assume a particular accent. If someone does that now, they are more likely to seem foolish than polished.

Used to practice walking, too, with books on your head. Some people slouch and some people don't slouch, but who actually thinks about not slouching?; 6/14/11, 7:35 PM
fivewheels said...: Men are judged and criticized for their looks instead of their ideas all the damn time. They just haven't been trained to whine about it since birth, so they don't, and it's never a big issue.

Think back to what happened when Al Gore gained a couple of pounds. Michael Moore, whose ideas are 100 times uglier than he is, still takes crap for how he looks. Think about goblin-man Dennis Kucinich, or Gollum himself, James Carville. Do people ever call Rush Limbaugh fat, or write books about that fact?; 6/14/11, 7:36 PM
rcocean said...: And regarding Megan's looks. Men need time to get past a woman's looks and focus on what she's actually saying.

Sadly, if a women is too beautiful, this never happens. Which is why women who are TOO good-looking aren't taken seriously.; 6/14/11, 7:38 PM
Trooper York said...: I dated some fish belly white Irish girls like Megan back when I was single.

Nothing is more disconcerting than having a full breast in your hand where you can trace the blue viens running through it like the scars on Frankenstiens neck.

Wait that's too much information.; 6/14/11, 7:53 PM
virgil xenophon said...: Palladian/

It's the triumph of "Valspeak." Nothing less and nothing more..; 6/14/11, 7:54 PM
Trooper York said...: The guy in the blogging heads looks like what you would expect their typical commenter to look like.

A jerkoff.; 6/14/11, 7:54 PM
Trooper York said...: Fred4Pres you are exactly right about the crowd on the party boats. It was a real slice of New York. Mostly working class guys from every race and ethnicity. All out drinking beer and fishing.

The used to be about thirty boats. Now I think there are two. Regulations and taxes and environmental bullshit killed the industry.

Bloomberg and Weiner and Schumer and Liu and Cuomo only want you to get your fish from Whole Foods.; 6/14/11, 7:57 PM
Steve Koch said...: "The neanderthal failed as a species. We don't have a neanderthal nature."

I used neanderthal as a synonym for uncivilized, like a cave man. My point is that the behavior that women, that civilization expects of men is not close to the true natural behavior of men WRT women. My point is also that men are naturally more promiscuous than women (with lots of exceptions, of course).

Monogamy is much more natural for women than men. By demanding that men conform to a code of behavior (i.e. monogamous marriage, for example) that violates man's essential nature, it is guaranteed that men will violate this code more than women will.

On a blog where men post anonymously, some men are going to be less constrained by societal norms and will post in a way that is more true to their real nature.; 6/14/11, 8:01 PM
Trooper York said...: I remember how you used to go to Sheepshead Bay and wait for the ships to come in and buy the fresh catch that they made that day. They would dicker with you but the price was always pennies compared to the fish store.

Another slice of the real New York that the hipster dofous/yuppie/liberal do gooders killed.

Because what was happening was the authorities would come in and measure all the fish and had out ridiculous fines to the point where the captains had to just give up when you factored in the insurance and the taxes and the fees and all the bullshit.; 6/14/11, 8:01 PM
Trooper York said...: I remember how we used to go to the Captree pier and the back of the Korvettes store which had a dock that faced the Narrows. Guys would go with a rod and reel and a white bucket and a sandwich and maybe a bottle in a brown paper bag. Old guys mostly. Some blacks, Chinese, Italians, Greeks, Puerto Ricans and Filipinos. They would swap lies and sandwichs until a school of porgies would hit and then we would be pulling them up two and three at a time. A full bucket could have twenty or thirty fish in it.

They have a big fence and barb wire there now. There is a $500 fine if they catch you fishing there.

Why should a poor man be able to suplement his diet when it breaks the rules that Bloomberg and some burecrat made.; 6/14/11, 8:06 PM
ken in tx said...: Freeman, I once kissed a girl who chewed tobacco. Alcohol was involved.; 6/14/11, 8:37 PM
rcocean said...: Used to go out on Charter Fishing boats when younger. Cheap Salmon and lots of old guys talking about the old days.

Went a couple years ago, same old guys, same fish, just different faces.

Good times.; 6/14/11, 8:42 PM
Palladian said...: "They have a big fence and barb wire there now. There is a $500 fine if they catch you fishing there."

Probably because you'd die if you ate the contaminated fish you caught there.; 6/14/11, 9:04 PM
Patrick said...: She is attractive. Has depth. Can talk. I'm probably a hick but this is the first I have heard of her. The clip seemed more of a sentimental one to me.; 6/14/11, 9:07 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Roger, thanks. The baby is great. He is two now and less a baby all the time.; 6/14/11, 9:20 PM
Chip S. said...: ken in sc wrote: I once kissed a girl who chewed tobacco.

So, ken, I'm guessing that the "sc" doesn't stand for Southern California.

Bonus points if she was chewing while kissing.; 6/14/11, 9:20 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Fuck those politicians. I hate them.

Those fishing trips were a blast. The guys and the Puerto Rican girlfriends were a trip. The black fish are really good eating. Asian ladies would be waiting at the dock trying to buy your catch.

I did once call up Frank Mundus once to book a fishing charter. He was the guy that Benchley modeled Quint on. His boat was out of Montauk. I negotiated a date and price and then Mundus (who was an old son of a bitch) said: "What kind of sharks do you want to catch?"

I answered: "Sharks? No I want to go catch pogies."

He swore and hung up. Damn, I wish I taped it.

I used to use a surf rod and catch blue fish off the docks in Newark. That was a trip too, but I am sure Homeland Security put an end to that.

Good times. Good times. Damn, I feel like Steinbeck talking about Cannery Row.; 6/14/11, 9:48 PM
Anonymous said...: Palladian: Listening to McArdle... What happened to American women's speech? Their intonation, their word choice, their vocal control?

I've been wondering that for a long time, myself. (In general. Didn't listen to the video and have never heard McArdle's voice.) American women have the most godawful nails-across-the-blackboard speaking voices - and as you note, they didn't always. It's a mystery how women who spend billions on cosmetics and plastic surgery can be so oblivious to how much they wreck their own attractiveness every time they open their mouths. (Quality of speaking voice and content of speech is the only "appearance" issue I think I've ever pestered my daughters about - to good effect.) British and Australian women often have very unpleasant voices, too, so maybe the screeching-disease has infested all anglophone nations.

Steve Koch: I'm sure that many women are appalled when the thin veneer of civilized behavior cracks and a man's true neanderthal nature is exposed in inappropriate contexts.

Nah. Some men like to think that women find their natural selves "appalling". Shocking, disturbing, whatever. Makes 'em feel like badasses with deep, dark primal secrets, I guess. (It's not a secret. Sorry.) But most of the time we have the same reaction to your "real" behavior that men have to the "real" deep dark uncharming truths of women's nature - boredom and irritation.; 6/14/11, 10:23 PM
blake said...: What a panoply of, like, stuff, on display here!; 6/14/11, 11:09 PM
chickelit said...: blake said...
What a panoply of, like, stuff, on display here!

Petards, retards, e-tards...all on display and for sale...what bid ye, brother maelstrom?; 6/14/11, 11:53 PM
Methadras said...: MayBee said...

Is anybody else watching "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding"?

It's about the arranged marriages of Irish Travelers.

Yeah, these people are fucking nuts. The utter gaudy lavishness of their wedding affairs is retarded.; 6/15/11, 12:00 AM
William said...: Megan is suitable for all moral purposes. There's the Ferrari/Honda Civic theory of choosing women. If you're just driving down to the station or supermarket, the Civic is the way to go. Reliable, low insurance, good mileage, gets you there and back. If, on the other hand, you wish to race in the Monaco Grand Prix or make an impression when you pull up in front of the Grand Casino, then the Ferrari is the way to go.....Plus I bet that Megan would be more fun to grow old with than, say, Paris Hilton.; 6/15/11, 12:12 AM
Sprezzatura said...: Sheesh.

I thought this thing was nutty when I left a long time ago. But, that was only scratching the surface.

Yes, Althouse, I did watch it. But, just like that diavlog (in a part you didn't show) went after "backdoor bragging," I knew that your commenters would go after Meagan for the same offense. I (mistakenly) thought that you knew your commenters well enough such that you would also have seen the backlash coming. Sorry for overestimating your awareness. /my-own-backdoor-bragging

BTW chicklit, it is true that the Bestie Boys rock, but my Dead Milkmen quote in this thread rocks more.

And, not only has this thread left me jonesen for Cheetos, now I need some corned beef too. Thanks Palladian.

And re hot (or hawt) BHTVers, I really think that Michelle and Dana are up there w/ Annie and Kristen.

P.S,
I really wish I'd seen Mary's deleted posts. [And, that's because I'm actually curious, i.e. my interest is not only because I'd like to know what it will take to be banned when this place goes Swedish.]; 6/15/11, 12:13 AM
d-day said...: Megan is adorable. This thread sucks.; 6/15/11, 12:26 AM
chickelit said...: Trooper York wrote: They have a big fence and barb wire there now. There is a $500 fine if they catch you fishing there.

and Palladian wrote: Probably because you'd die if you ate the contaminated fish you caught there.

Tough call, because I like youse two, but I'd wager that litigious fears of mercury poisoning rule here. (Occam's Razor).; 6/15/11, 12:53 AM
Penny said...: Ooooh, don't get me going, pb&j. Now you got MY tongue hanging out, and not unlike that tie of yours.

Thing is...I'll be damned if I'm running out for some rye this time of night.

On the other hand? Always good for some cole slaw.

Nothing quite like creamy sweet and sour cabbage on your corned beef...assuming it's all wrapped up in wry... with thousand island dressing... otherwise known us "special sauce".; 6/15/11, 1:05 AM
Penny said...: I know this is Wisconsin, but would anyone REALLY miss the cheese?; 6/15/11, 1:07 AM
Trooper York said...: Hey I am not Ari Gold. I ain't a scared of a little Mercury.

I would much rather eat a porgie than a fishy piece of bacala that was on display here. Just sayn.; 6/15/11, 2:11 AM
Trooper York said...: The PCB's and Mercury are more a problem in the fish you get in the Hudson or Delaware. The shad and other river fish are the ones that wallow in that crap.

The ocean going fish are not a big problem if you don't make that the only source of your diet.; 6/15/11, 2:12 AM
Trooper York said...: When you put yourself out there you have to take whatever shit is thrown your way. If I ever have a TV show I expect to get a lot of grief over my looks. And I would deserve it. I earned everyone of those grey hairs and wrinkles and extra pounds by disolute living and bad intentions.

Own it baby.; 6/15/11, 2:14 AM
jamboree said...: @Palladian asked:

Is it the pervasive and pernicious influence of California on the entertainment industry? I've always been curious.

Yes, yes, yes to the above. You got it.

I'm Californian and I find it strange how everyone now has our accent. Not to mention our current accent is starkly stoner-surfer influenced. Even if you weren't into the weed yourself, everyone in junior high imitated the cute guys who were, and then came Keanu Reeves, and there you have it.; 6/15/11, 5:00 AM
Paddy O said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/15/11, 6:36 AM
AllenS said...: Ann Althouse said...
This is a really annoying thread! It began with Shouting Thomas making a remark that distorted people's perception of the post title, and that distortion got attributed to me. I almost feel like undisplaying the whole thread. Please watch the clip before commenting and get relevant.

I think that a lot of people, myself included, would watch the clip before commenting, if you said how long it was. Most of us are not going to watch a lot of these because they are so long, and the longer they are, the more boring they become.

Hi, Mary. You did it again, didn't you.; 6/15/11, 6:55 AM
Fred4Pres said...: I am going to blow off work and go fishing today. Thanks for the inspiration. Maybe I can catch one with a mouth like Megan;s (she has a really big mouth).; 6/15/11, 8:21 AM
Fred4Pres said...: Jonah does have a face like corned beef in this video.

Did he spend too much time at Fukushima Daiichi?

Did you see that? I made fun of Jonah. It is not sexism. We can mock people of any gender.; 6/15/11, 8:51 AM
blake said...: Petards, retards, e-tards...all on display and for sale...what bid ye, brother maelstrom?

400 quatloos on the newcomer!

Or something. I dunno. I heard it somewhere.

Thought #1: It's a cute story. I don't know if I count big fish stories as lies, exactly.

The other day I said to a friend: "Hey, you're a WWII expert. Why were there so many people named 'Adolph' before WWII, but afterwards—nothing?" The trick is to see if you can spin a convincing story that someone listening in believes. And do it without laughing.

A better trick is to gull someone who does this sort of thing themselves.

Thought #2: We all have a wide range of aesthetic appeal, let's call it. McArdle is no different. I saw her on a Fox panel, I think it was, and she was almost unrecognizable.

But I've seen enough celebrities in person to know that's pretty much true of everyone. And really, there are too many before/after pix of supermodels around for anyone to be ignorant of this, yet guys will pick apart a particular image like a grad student searching for The Great Truths in Moby Dick.

I don't know that you can call it being fooled, since there seems to be a conscious desire to be "fooled". (On the other hand, when I see heavy makeup, I think "transvestite".)

Thought #3: McArdle doesn't seem to care to gussy up for these things. I think that's practical and even endearing.

Thought #4: Guys are going to pick over what girls look like, especially on the web. It's as big a waste of energy to chide them as it is to lament the advent of ATMs ruining the economy.

McArdle can't possibly care, at this point, what random 'net people say about her looks.

Thought #5: That said, I run hot and cold, or maybe various shades of lukewarm, on her actual writing. She may not be the worst libertarian ever, but she seems to approach every problem from a liberal/statist mindset.

Thought #6: Since there's video of Freem and she's been listed as one of the top 10 hottest conservative bloggers, she (?) has outdone the fauxbians with her scam. Nicely done!

Thought #7: I think the phrase "face for radio" quite often when I watch a bloggingheads—which isn't often. Micky Kaus may be the exception to #2. He looks exactly the same in person.; 6/15/11, 10:42 AM
Strelnikov said...: OK, but why have a twelve year old on there at all?; 6/15/11, 1:54 PM
Jason said...: Put me down as someone who thinks that Megan is beautiful and sexy.

I also enjoyed the account of her and her friend applying the tale of her arranged marriage to her inebriated suiter in a firm, pre-emptive manner.; 6/16/11, 8:10 AM