Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

If you are still in the GOP, you are an extremist.

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

T R E 4 5 O N

“woke” is the new caravan.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

Come on, man.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

The willow is too close to the house.

“Squeaker” McCarthy

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

In my day, never was longer.

You are here: Home / RIP, Al Weisel

Reader Interactions

56Comments

  2. 2.

    Cain

    My condolences to the family. Especially considering having lost their father and a son all at the same time.

    cain

  8. 8.

    Leelee for Obama

    I only read Swift occasionally, but he could be coffee-out-the-nose funny and also, correct. What a shame for his family and for those who loved him.

    Makes you realize, with great clarity, how important it is to let people know you love, admire or just plain like them.

  11. 11.

    Bubblegum Tate

    Very sad news. His blog was freakin’ hilarious and always a good read (and yes, that takedown of Noonan is pure, uncut classic material). All the best to his family and friends.

  12. 12.

    Loneoak

    He really was one of the funniest writers on the tubes and will be missed. I always wished he had a higher traffic spot to blog in, like BJ or S,N!.

  13. 13.

    JenJen

    Rest in peace, Jon Swift/Al. Such a great blogger, and for my money the funniest, too. Such a tragic circumstance surrounding his death. His poor mother..

    Our own Libby Spencer has a nice eulogy up on her site, here.

  14. 14.

    Anne Laurie

    RIP, ‘Jon Swift’ and Mr. Weisel. For once, to say that this cruel world broke a great heart goes beyond the metaphoric.

  15. 15.

    JGabriel

    Compounding the tragedy, Weisel was on his way to his father’s funeral. His mother and siblings must be devastated.

    My condolences to the family.

    .

  19. 19.

    ACS

    That’s too bad, he was one of the funniest writers out there.

    Just take a look at his second to last post (about Bristol Palin). When you get the real conservatives (in this case, NR’s Lisa Schiffren) taking your ridiculous arguments at face value, you know you’re doing satire right.

    He’ll definitely be missed.

  22. 22.

    Violet

    Very sad, especially losing both a father and son at the same time. He was a wonderful voice.

  23. 23.

    Loneoak

    I just noticed a PayPal link up on his site. I sent a little money his way, so maybe his family will realize how much we loved his writing.

  26. 26.

    Alan

    My heart goes out to his mother for losing both her husband and son at practically the same time.

  27. 27.

    BombIranForChrist

    An aortic dissection from his heart to his pelvis? Jesus Christ. As a parent, my thoughts and prayers are with his mother and family. I would lose my mind if I lost one of my children.

  32. 32.

    Chuck Butcher

    Jon’s last post was in regard to me, I’m sorry that also got his mother’s announcement in the comments. I’d vastly prefer the last show cased his wit and humor.

    He was a particular friend to the small blogger, I want his family to know how much I appreciate them sharing him with us.

  33. 33.

    Warren Terra

    I read him rarely, but enough to recognize his talent and to admire the humanity that underlay his satiric pose. A tragic loss, doubly under the circumstances of his father’s funeral.

  34. 34.

    WereBear

    I’m so sorry. I always loved popping over and catching up.

    He was a wonderful writer.

    It’s a terrible thing all the way around.

  35. 35.

    dr. bloor

    Jesus Fucking Christ. Someone like Al–and his family–has this happen to him/them, and scumsucking shitheads like the Cheneys continue to slime the Earth. There is no God.

  37. 37.

    Objective Scrutator

    This is really sad. Al inspired me to write parody articles. When he quit writing, I kind of lost interest in blogging altogether.

    I could have sworn that Colbert plucked some of Al’s quotes for his own usage.

  39. 39.

    Leelee for Obama

    There is no God.

    On the other hand, maybe God likes better company. Admittedly, it’s selfish, but I’d pick someone who made me laugh over someone who made me vomit.

    Just sayin”

  41. 41.

    Cris

    @Chuck Butcher: Jon’s last post was in regard to me

    Which prompted me to re-read your post about your son, still as heart-rending as it was a year ago. You expressed your pain and resignation so fully, so clearly, yet without ever resorting to cliches or sentimentality.

  44. 44.

    Lit3Bolt

    He was a giant wit, a superior blogger, and dedicated comic. He brought so much laughter and joy to me for years for free and I feel shamed to learn of his death after the fact.

    I hope all of us remember compassion in the days ahead and that there are real human beings who live lives and have families beyond the words they post on the magical glowing rectangle. Godspeed, Al.

  45. 45.

    Mark S.

    My heart goes out to his family. Losing two loved ones like that must be terrible.

  46. 46.

    Zuzu's Petals

    @Loneoak:

    I just sent a request to join the “Friends of Al Weisel Unite!” Facebook page his mother cited. Looks like it was set up while he was still in the hospital, so am guessing there might also be a way to donate there.

    What a very sad loss for his family and friends, and his readers. Rest in peace indeed.

  48. 48.

    LiberalTarian

    Oh shoot. I recall when he was guest blogging/hosting at Crooks and Liars.

    Rest in peace JS, and may your family find comfort in the knowledge that you touched many.

  49. 49.

    someguy

    I’ll miss him. He had the right idea about how to beat the Rethugs. Reduce ’em to caricature, dehumanize ’em, then ridicule the shit out of them, and be funny along the way. Wish we had more like him.

  50. 50.

    Betsy

    What a loss. Most profoundly for his family and friends, of course, but also for the world at large. We NEED a wit like his, deployed the way he did, to make this world better.

  51. 51.

    Chuck Butcher

    @Cris:
    Jon was a part of the community who helped support us through something very difficult, I owe him. It may not seem quite right that blog comments can help in a tragedy – they do. I suggest that leaving word on Jon Swift would be appropriate. Particularly in light that the announcement was made in comments to “Sometimes There Are No Words.” There aren’t, but we do our best and that counts because the recipients know this.

  52. 52.

    slag

    Just tragic. A great blogger, that Jon Swift. Even though he hadn’t posted for almost a year, I still checked in on his blog periodically. If he came back, I didn’t want to miss it. Now that I know it won’t be coming back, I’ll be combing the archives along with everybody else. He made the world a better/funnier place.

  55. 55.

    Comrade Sock Puppet of the Great Satan

    Very sad, a great wit: let’s hope Fafblog stays healthy.

    I have A Modest Proposal: let’s throw a BBQ in Jon Swift’s honor. Where can we get Papistburgers?

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