My Life is Terrible presents: Politt and Dudrey's The Life Terrible: MLIT in Review
Politt: Hello, friends and associates, and welcome to our inaugural installment of Politt and Dudrey's The Life Terrible: MLIT in Review. I'm Politt.
Dudrey: And I'm Dudrey.
Politt: And we're here today to talk about a subject that is close to our hearts, and to yours...
Dudrey: Shuffleboard?
Politt: *laughs* No, Dudrey. It's Tony Mansourian's webcomic, My Life is Terrible.
Dudrey: Oh, ha ha. I knew that. But I still want to talk about shuffleboard some time.
Politt: Maybe another time, but not today.
Dudrey: We're going to be writing this column together every week. We'll be discussing the events in the world of My Life is Terrible for that week, and we'll be updating on Saturdays.
Politt: Shall we get started, then?
Dudrey: Maybe we should introduce ourselves a bit, first.
Politt: Well, I'm still Politt.
Dudrey: *laughs* And I'm still Dudrey. Or am I?
Politt: You are. Who else could have a face like that? *laughter*
Dudrey: I guess we can talk about the comic now.
Politt: Thanks, I'm glad we agree. So anyway, this week, we've seen Slumpy interacting with various guests at Paulie's "Loser Party". Specifically, we've been introduced to "Greg-san", a fascinating caricature of the general subculture of Japanese cartoons. Or, as Greg-san would inform us, "Anime".
Dudrey: Now, Politt, I have to take exception to your description of this character as "interesting". Frankly, Greg-san comes off, at least to me, as one-dimensional and exaggerated. Now, to be sure, this is the nature of the caricature, but in this case I just can't behind it.
Politt: Well, the interesting thing about Greg-san is that, if you have any experience with the sorts of people that watch these cartoons, he's really not that exaggerated at all.
Dudrey: Got some friends you are a little ashamed of, Politt?
Politt: Only you, Dudrey. *both laugh* But in all seriousness, my son-in-law considers himself a member of this subculture, and in what limited glimpses I've had of his friends and relations, Greg-san seems fairly accurate.
Dudrey: I find it hard to believe that any significant stratum of the general populace could seriously endevour to such a lifestyle. I mean, certainly in my day, we had our burn-outs and fringe members of society, but they generally restrained themselves to smoking marijuana and scrawling slogans on public installations.
Politt: Perhaps a little too much marijuana, in your case? *laughter*
Dudrey: But seriously, you expect me to believe that the repulsive subculture embodied by Greg-san is, in fact, a reference to actual reality? I suppose, hard as it is to believe, that this would indeed make the character a more vivid addition to the My Life is Terrible mythos.
Politt: He is indeed, Dudrey. The world of youth today is not like it was for you and me.
Dudrey: Indeed not. It's a lot faster! *laughs*
Politt: Now, if we can move on to our next topic, I'd like to talk for a bit about another fascinating new character this week - the mysterious man in the striped sweater.
Dudrey: I'd like to point out that this character is not, in fact, new. Although he does not have a name, and is not a regular member of the cast, the man in the sweater has appeared previously, in MLIT #s 37 and 38.
Politt: I am, of course, aware of this. But we, as readers, know precious little about "Sweater Man" - and it seems we may find out more in the near future.
Dudrey: Indeed. The events of next week will hopefully shed some light on this mysterious character. Who is he? Why does he seem so... unearthly? Why does he appear to be fixated on Slumpy?
Politt: And where did he get that fantastic sweater?
Dudrey: Maybe you should try the Freddy Krueger Surplus Outlet, Politt. *both laugh*
Politt: "Sweater Man" is a fascinating character, to be sure - but maybe we'll have more to discuss about him next week.
Dudrey: We're almost out of time, now, but I'd like to mention our last new character this week before we go - Chuck, the man with no limbs.
Politt: Now it's my turn to point out that this character, like Sweater Man, has in fact appeared before.
Dudrey: Number 44, if I'm not mistaken - the renowned Brick Hardgut arc, a personal favorite.
Politt: Only because Brick Hardgut embodies the physique you only wish you had.
Dudrey: You wouldn't be saying that 20 years ago! *laughter*
Politt: Anyway, as I was saying, Chuck has appeared before, but in Friday's comic we were re-introduced to him, and given a name.
Dudrey: And in an interesting twist, he turns out to be a highly successful individual. Do you suppose we'll be seeing more of this character, Politt?
Politt: Hard to say. He could fill a certain role in the comic - despite his handicap, he's one of the "normal" members of the cast, and so could stand in as a sort of straight-man to the weirder characters.
Dudrey: A positive character, in my MLIT? Get out.
Politt: Ha, how right you are. Unfortunately, that's all the time we have this week.
Dudrey: Aw, I never got to talk about shuffleboard.
Politt: There's always next week, Dudrey, when we'll be back next Saturday with more fresh and insightful discussion about the world of My Life is Terrible.
Dudrey: Until then, stay borderline depressed!
