“Gleefully wacky and irreverent.”

–The New York Times

“Line by line, Mr. Rudnick may be the funniest writer for the stage in the United States today.”

–The New York Times

“Deeply funny musings and adventures elevate Paul Rudnick to the highest level of American comedy writing.”

–Steve Martin

“One of the funniest quip-meisters on the planet.”

–The New York Times

“Paul Rudnick is a champion of truth (and love and great wicked humor) whom we ignore at our peril.”

–David Sedaris

“Quips fall with the regularity of the autumn leaves.”

–Associated Press

March 20, 2015

A YA Glossary

booksPopular = Shallow and evil, especially if the character is blonde and/or rich

Orphan = Downtrodden, noble and reluctantly heroic

Depressed = Sensitive, bookish and secretly cute

Gay = Even better than depressed

Suicidal = Even better than gay

Jock = Bully, unless gay

Multi-racial friends = Absolutely necessary, especially for hugging

The future = A barren wasteland, thanks to the behavior of grown-ups

The past = Nonexistent unless there are teenagers present

The only person who can defeat the nasty grown-ups and save the world = A teenager

Playlist = The only true measure of a character’s soul

Slavery, Nazis, climate change and famine: Things grown-ups have created to deliberately hurt teenagers

A hot boyfriend = Something only a popular girl wants

A cute boyfriend, preferably with a crooked smile = Something awarded to a depressed, slightly chubby or dystopian warrior girl

A hat, personalized with buttons, fabric flowers or macabre doll parts = Proof of a female character’s intelligence and disdain for the popular girls

Divorce, drug abuse, alcoholism and parents with sex lives = Things which grown-ups do to prevent teenagers from studying and/or reading their favorite comic books

Social media = A tool for bullying

Vampires, zombies, unjustly accused criminals, people of other religions and races, people with disabilities or fatal illnesses = Potential boyfriends

Love = Something which only outcasts truly appreciate and deserve

Death = Almost as bad as having to switch to a new school

 

 

 

 

Blognick