Top Dog?

[Roger Bissell]

The Library of Congress sponsored a nationally televised event focusing on Objectivism, and they invited the three top recognized spokesmen for Objectivism to speak. Miracle of miracles, all three accepted!

When asked how they wanted to be introduced, David Kelley said, "I want to be referred to as the most knowledgeable Objectivist in America." Leonard Peikoff upped the ante and said, "I want to be referred to as the most knowledgeable Objectivist in the world!" Nathaniel Branden, in his characteristically jovial, relaxed manner, smiled and said, "You can just say that I'm the most knowledgeable Objectivist in this room."

[Jody Gomez]

To borrow a quote from a dear friend of mine:

LOLOLOLOL.

That's great Roger!

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Roger,

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL...

(That even sounds like Nathaniel.)

But don't get me started. I'm just now getting friendly with the guy. Once I get cranked up and going with these jokes, I'll simply make a mess of everything!

(Q. Why is Nathaniel not concerned with the Objectivist movement?

A. He prefers stronger challenges. As a movement, he thinks official Objectivism has peiked off.)

Michael

[Dragonfly]

Nice, but it is of course a joke with long whiskers...

[Roger Bissell]

Dragonfly, I am a jazz musician and a musical arranger -- it is my stock in trade to take pre-existing material and re-work it for my own and others' enjoyment and entertainment. I occasionally do the same with jokes, rather than always making up my own lame jokes. :-)

BTW, I saw Nathaniel yesterday (no joke), and he said he wanted to ask me a riddle as an experiment. He said, "A skeleton walked into a bar, and asked for a beer and a mop." I had heard the joke before, but (being a crass Social Metaphysician) I couldn't help laughing anyway, and he said it proved I had the mentality of a 10 year old. Had I not laughed and just puzzled over the point of the joke, it would have proved my mind was on a somewhat higher level. I said, "That's the real joke, right?" We both broke up laughing. :-)

Then I told him one: "A grasshopper wearing a vest and a beret walked into a bar, and asked the bartender 'whaddaygot?' The bartender said, 'I've actually got a drink that's named after you,' and the grasshopper replies, 'You've got a drink named Schlomo?'" I'm not sure what mental age that one indicates, but Nathaniel laughed, even though, as he said, he had heard that one before, too.

Nothing else of consequence happened during our get-together.

I'm joking, of course, but this is not the place to report on it. :-)

REB