Skymaul: The Unauthorized Catalog Parody: Happy Crap You Can Buy from a Plane

The surrealist comedy troupe Kasper Hauser puts their unique spin on airborne shopping with this wonderful spoof of the utterly ludicrous offerings of SkyMall catalogs. I was especially entertained by the narrative of "A Message From SkyMaul's CEO..." extolling how shopping saved his life (in Las Vegas, of course) and kept his family ("lovely wife, Pfepfer," "two children, Horace and Candy," and "Labrador buddy, Melchus") together. With that premise firmly ingrained, the catalog moves from the twisted and bizarre, to the surreal and other-worldly. It's impossible for me to pick my favorite product in the catalog, though I think the Llamacycle would be near the top of the list. I also loved the concept of the "'Cut Above' Electronic Hair-Salon-Naming Computer," ("Hairly Legal," "Shave Me, I'm Drowning," "Banged 'n' Feathered," "From Hair to Eternity," etc.), which with additional modules can also help name your scone cart, coffee shop, or crepe restaurant. The scientific part of my brain loved the "Air Straightener," while the animal lover in me liked the "'Moby Dick' Hamster Coffin." Perhaps my favorite concept in the book is the collection of "motivational posters" from "Probletunity Knocks." I utterly loathe motivational posters, so mocking them was a certain hit with me. For the extremely deranged there's the "Hitler-Turning-into-Werewolf Nightlight," sure to be useful because it's "new monitor function allows the wolf's eyes to follow you or your baby around the room and emits a 'safety growl' anytime someone moves toward it." Although the type of humor in the catalog is occasionally a bit base, the book is funny across the board and is the definitive skewering of the excremental products in the actual SkyMall catalog.

I've seen Kasper Hauser live numerous times over the past 6 years. I've seen them play to sold-out standing-ovation houses. I've even cried during their shows. But this book is hands-down their most hysterical achievement in a long long line of hysterical achievements. Buy this book. Buy it for friends. Buy it for strangers. Just buy it. And then read it. Or make your friends read it. Or your strangers. Then come back here and tell me how right I am. I like to know that I'm right. Cuz with this book, I'm right. Selections from this book will be shown to guests at my house for years to come.

If you're a fan of any of the above: The Onion, The Daily Show, Colbert Report, Monty Python, Kids in the Hall, Strangers with Candy, Rosemary's Baby, the films of Todd Solondz, They Might Be Giants or Ween, you will LOVE THIS BOOK! It is the most original, ingenius piece of comedy I've seen in years. Just saying the word "Banana-Ganizer" sends me into a fit of feel- good hysterics. And I have my Christmas shopping done! Thank you Kasper Hauser!

The only bad thing about this book is that it isn't a real catalog. Sit back in your favorite chair, close your eyes, and imagine a world without camel toe.

I don't know who these guys are, but this is a really, really funny book. Are they with Saturday Night Live or something? The Onion? The products in their book, SkyMaul, are so twisted and unexpected and funny. I couldn't put this thing down. I read it all in one sitting. The Hitler/Werewolf night light! Who thinks of that? Whatever their next book, I'm in line to buy 12 of them. Very, very funny!