Hilarity Ensues

April 15, 2012
Expensively educated child-of-privilege-turned-professional-asshole Max (Assholes Finish First, 2011, etc.) ends his "fratire" series with another memoir full of binge drinking, upchucking and general unhinged misanthropy. Here the author cuddles up next to blowhard Bill O'Reilly, crackpot psychologists, Hollywood gossips and psychotic Army snipers. There are also plenty of repetitious barhopping stories involving Max and the angry gynophobes he hangs with, all out for some good old-fashioned recreational hate sex (or often just hate, period) with clueless sorority-type chicks. The Tucker Max formula for success? He interacts with people who have the rare disability of being even more moronic than he is--and so-called hilarity ensues. Beyond the predictable mouthing off about his "awesome" life, in this latest book we also get sections featuring Max's boring "sexting" transcripts, a self-righteous diatribe against the mother of Miss Vermont (who sued him for libel), some routine white-trash strip-club experiences and a proud recollection of the time he beat up a frail European guy. There's also a fond remembrance of his homosocial maritime bromance with one of the macho crab fisherman of Deadliest Catch fame: Although he vomited from seasickness during much of his Alaskan fishing expedition, he seemed to be much more at ease with the rough boys on the Time Bandit than with the unfortunate females he hits on in yuppie bars. We also learn some further startling new information about the author--he likes Southern rap and hates the French! Although there's no telling how much honesty there is behind any of Max's chauvinist bluster, undoubtedly the most believable statement in the book comes in the penultimate chapter, where he reveals the fact that he has no girlfriend or wife. Shocking. The 18-year-old fraternity pledge's guide to life.

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