‘Snide Remarks’ Classic: ‘Zombie for Mayor’
Our year-long celebration of the 10th anniversary of “Snide Remarks,” in which we spotlight a different column each Wednesday, continues apace with “Zombie for Mayor.” This “Snide Remarks” Classic, #290, was published May 29, 2002, and it was met with a lot of blank stares and head-scratching because it was the first time I’d ever written a column that was a work of complete fiction. Usually I talked about news stories, or related things that had happened to me, or just rambled about whatever was on my mind. But this time, I made up a fictional character and a fanciful situation, and the abrupt shift from the norm threw a lot of people off.
I really liked the character, though, and have brought him back on two subsequent occasions. I’ve also done a few complete-fiction pieces since then, and messed with the traditional “Snide Remarks” format quite a bit, so I think readers aren’t as baffled by it as they once were.
June 27th, 2007 at 3:04 am
I love the late Roger Hunsaker and all the Zombie articles!! The world truely is lacking in flesh eating political leaders.
June 27th, 2007 at 9:23 am
I have no problem with a column that’s complete fiction. But for some reason, zombies just don’t interest me.
Something that doesn’t seem right: aren’t zombies far less articulate than their alleged leader, Mr. Hunsaker?
Something that does seem right: the aftermath of the zombie invasion. “Most of us can remember — it was just a few years ago — when downtown was a bustling, exciting place, brimming with shops and restaurants. Now, one is hard-pressed to find anything open after 6 p.m. The few brave souls still on the street after dark walk quickly and glance nervously around them….” That’s a good description of my city’s downtown area. Who needs zombies?
June 27th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Slim pickins for the classics I see, and only June!
June 27th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
But ads for pics of the “girls of Maxim” are sure to spice up any dullness! And I thought this was a nice mormon hangout. . .
June 28th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
How did I miss the continued adventures of Roger Hunsaker? The “Zombie for Mayor” column is one of my all-time favorites, and yet I had NO idea there were two more! Hurrah for Snide Remarks Classics, for behold, a wealth of hilarity has been revealed!
…Yeah, I’m going to bed now.