'Paul Ryan magazine' is a 192-page periodical dedicated to the most unpopular politician in the country
Ah, Paul Ryan, the athletic, youthful, sharply-dressed former vice presidential candidate and current Speaker of the House. With all on Ryan's plate, it's impressive that the man has time to maintain his status as the most unpopular politician in America. And yet, somehow he does it!
It's this impressive feat by Ryan that inspired two writers and comedians to create a nearly 200-page long satirical magazine devoted to Ryan, the ideas he's brought to Washington, and the print industry at large.
Paul Ryan magazine is as dense a piece of political satire you'll find, featuring work by contributors from The Onion, The New Yorker, CollegeHumor, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and just about every other comedy institution in America. There's an article entitled "Get The Perfect Body For Escaping Your Constituents," an advertorial labeled "5 Full-Bodied Wines And How We Can Control Them," and a "30 Paul Ryans Under 30" list. We mean it when we say there's something in this for everyone (who doesn't like Paul Ryan).
Paul Ryan magazine is the passion project of editors Andrew Lipstein and James Folta who, together, gained attention in 2016 for The Neu Jorker, a dense and wide-spread absurd New Yorker parody, featuring theater reviews of a play about dead whales and a profile written by a horse that somehow still seems very much like something you'd find in the New Yorker.
With Paul Ryan magazine, the pair branches out to tackle the more sinister subject of Trump-enabling conservatism in Washington. In a letter from the editor, Folta explains the choice to direct their satire toward Ryan, instead of Trump.
Why Paul Ryan? After The Incident In November, why not aim a satire magazine at the hog men tottering around 1600 Pennsylvania like sadistic Rodney Dangerfield stereotypes?
Because Paul Ryan is the disease that made this nightmare possible. Trump is, and always will be, a dark anomaly and a mistake. But Ryan is the fever. He left the gate unlocked with his cold triangulations towards power and a bastardized conservative wish list of fiscal goodies. Money is merit, after all. Never forget that Ryan’s favorite book is a dumpy work of fiction about industrialists overthrowing the government. His eyes roll back in his head as he fixates on the rivers of capital sloshing about.
For Lipstein and Folta, the white-bread-lightly-toasted-by-the-hot-breath-of-a-Koch-brother style politics of Ryan and his peers is as worthy of parody as the White House.
The magazine has a limited print run but is available for purchase in print and as a digital file on the appropriately named wiscohunk.com.
Keep your head up Paul, at least they're talking about you!
Topics Donald Trump Politics
Max Knoblauch is the Assistant Humor Editor in the NYC office. He is a journalist, comedian and illustrator. More humor and art by Max can be found on his website.Follow him @MaxKnoblauch
