When I got home that afternoon, I cracked open Chuck Klosterman’s new book Eating The Dinosaur and read an essay about laugh tracks. In the essay Klosterman contends that Americans laughs most of the time not because something is funny but because it’s a way to fill silence.

2. In the very same book, I read an essay mainly about Garth Brooks and his failed alter-ego Chris Gaines. Klosterman makes a reference to David Johannsen, the singer of protopunk band The New York Dolls. He mentions his successful alter-ego Buster Poindexter.

Later that evening I’m listening to the podcast Never Not Funny and they bring up Buster Poindexter, joking about his hit song “Hot Hot Hot”.

I don’t know what to make of all of this.