Scrawler, Buzz:  I'm arguing that what makes it a compelling read is what makes it interesting for would-be I-bankers.  It's stuffed with anecdotes about getting one over on people, treating money like it's going out of style, about being really smart, confident, and making one's own way.  I mean, sure, drug/alcohol…

Yes, well, seeing as you're unfamiliar with facetiousness, I shall now close the register at this point.

Yes, well, seeing as you're unfamiliar with facetiousness, I shall now close the register at this point.

Barish:  He doesn't realize that his story is powerful and people are going to overlook the morality of the actions contained within and will instead use it more as a how-to guide - when you talk about people 3 years out of college making 6 figures without doing anything expressly illegal, it's going to get people…

Barish:  He doesn't realize that his story is powerful and people are going to overlook the morality of the actions contained within and will instead use it more as a how-to guide - when you talk about people 3 years out of college making 6 figures without doing anything expressly illegal, it's going to get people…

I just re-read 'Liar's Poker', which is basically about the same things, where Michael Lewis misses the point - these works all cast an image of unregulated masculinity, where winning is all about knowing more than the other guy and having the strength of will to take it from him.  It's an intoxicating image, one that…

I just re-read 'Liar's Poker', which is basically about the same things, where Michael Lewis misses the point - these works all cast an image of unregulated masculinity, where winning is all about knowing more than the other guy and having the strength of will to take it from him.  It's an intoxicating image, one that…

"(By the way, in case you’re interested, and since I’m obsessed with looking this stuff up when watching old movies: Blake’s $970K in salary and commissions would be roughly $1.5 million today.)"

"(By the way, in case you’re interested, and since I’m obsessed with looking this stuff up when watching old movies: Blake’s $970K in salary and commissions would be roughly $1.5 million today.)"

really?   I thought it was the mom of the kid that no one liked who Pamela and Louie blew off when she asked them to set up a playdate.

really?   I thought it was the mom of the kid that no one liked who Pamela and Louie blew off when she asked them to set up a playdate.

Godard's Week-End wants you to rage-quit it - it's intentionally irritating, boring, and shocking all at once.  When I realized I was just slowly being annoyed, and that my being annoyed at the film was wholly intentional, and that the film was entirely an arch joke that I wasn't all the way in on, I stopped it.

Godard's Week-End wants you to rage-quit it - it's intentionally irritating, boring, and shocking all at once.  When I realized I was just slowly being annoyed, and that my being annoyed at the film was wholly intentional, and that the film was entirely an arch joke that I wasn't all the way in on, I stopped it.

Yeah, I think the reality show parody would totally fall flat on a regular sketch-type show because it was kinda rote.  But since it's dropped into the middle of an episode and looks like what people on TV watch now, it took me until the 2nd time we see it to realize it was fake.  And then the third bit was absolutely…

Yeah, I think the reality show parody would totally fall flat on a regular sketch-type show because it was kinda rote.  But since it's dropped into the middle of an episode and looks like what people on TV watch now, it took me until the 2nd time we see it to realize it was fake.  And then the third bit was absolutely…

Oh, they are, but it's not sold by the performances.  Terry Jones is also great as the incongruous wife, part of what makes the joke is that she's playing a 'blue-collar' mother.

Oh, they are, but it's not sold by the performances.  Terry Jones is also great as the incongruous wife, part of what makes the joke is that she's playing a 'blue-collar' mother.

The Pythons were brilliant performers, but this to me could be the best sketch they ever wrote.  It's such a simple and great premise.

The Pythons were brilliant performers, but this to me could be the best sketch they ever wrote.  It's such a simple and great premise.

As the Internet and social media transform us more and more into narcissists, I suspect televised narcissism in the form of these shows will become more popular.