There are infinite LOLs to be had on the internet, but only one book each year can win the Thurber Prize for American Humor. The contenders for an award that has in the past gone to David Sedaris and Jon Stewart this year include Sloane Crosley, Ian Frazier, Don Lee and Laurie Notaro. Among the unrecognized: the prevailing internet trend of LOLCats, which was translated into last year’s paperback I Can Has Cheezburger?: A LOLcat Colleckshun. Instead, this year’s nominations went to three essay collections and a novel. How did Crosley, nominated for I Was Told There’d Be Cake, take the news? She told us:
I’d be honored to be on the same e-mail chain as these other writers, so to be put up for the same prize is out of control.
As for Professor Happycat, there’s always next year.