# This Book . . . Tremor . . . (Bored of the Rings) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 5, 2008, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079 "2008-05-05T03:10:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/41 "2008-05-07T00:19:07Z")
I’ve remarked in the past that it’s amusing how _little_ parody is required to convert Tom Bombadil into Tim Benzedrineo. But I’d have to say that my favorite passage from the book is the one I think of everytime I can’t avoid being in the same room with a tv showing VeggieTales: “Rivers of red tomato juice ran over the stones, and a ghastly salad floated in the moat.” ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/42 "2008-05-07T00:24:54Z")
So am I alone in thinking this book is not even one bit funny? As in, I don’t even crack a grin at any bit of it that I have ever read? As in, I can usually hardly even understand why it’s _supposed_ to be funny? (Not that I don’t usually get what the joke is supposed to be–I just never get how it’s supposed to be _funny_.) Am I really all alone here? -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/43 "2008-05-07T00:37:19Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] So am I alone in thinking this book is not even one bit funny? As in, I don’t even crack a grin at any bit of it that I have ever read? As in, I can usually hardly even understand why it’s _supposed_ to be funny? (Not that I don’t usually get what the joke is supposed to be–I just never get how it’s supposed to be _funny_.) Am I really all alone here? -FrL- [/QUOTE] I found it funny as a kid, back around 1978 or 1979. I found it funny again in the early 80s. I tried reading it a few months ago and found it dreadful. So I think I can understand why you don’t find it funny. As I wrote above, it has not aged well. Think Laugh-In without the girls in Bikinis. It was funny in its day, but not so much any more. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/44 "2008-05-07T01:37:25Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I found it funny as a kid, back around 1978 or 1979. I found it funny again in the early 80s. I tried reading it a few months ago and found it dreadful. So I think I can understand why you don’t find it funny. As I wrote above, it has not aged well. Think Laugh-In without the girls in Bikinis. It was funny in its day, but not so much any more. [/QUOTE] I think Laugh-In holds up remarkably well, but that BotR doesn’t. Even so, it’s still better than [Doon](http://www.amazon.com/National-Lampoons-Doon-Ellis-Weiner/dp/0671541447/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210124152&sr=1-2). ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/45 "2008-05-07T02:07:51Z")
[QUOTE=Exapno Mapcase] I think Laugh-In holds up remarkably well, but that BotR doesn’t. [/QUOTE] Well yes, but it did have the girls in Bikinis. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/46 "2008-05-07T02:18:43Z")
BoTR humor is timeless, just like a fine watch! ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/47 "2008-05-07T03:00:39Z")
\*Honi soit, \*for sure. Also the boat-shaped swan and the plover’s egg the size of an emerald. ---
**Author:** ![MerryMagdalen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@MerryMagdalen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MerryMagdalen)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/48 "2008-05-07T03:47:49Z")
Heh. My dad had a copy of that book, and I read it in my early teens (late 80s-early 90s). Love it. No, I didn’t get a lot of the references at first, but I managed to figure a bunch of them out. I’ve never been able to get all the way through the LOTR trilogy though. I also have to stop myself from wishing people “regular, healthful bowel movements.” “Ve ist der merry gay Roi Tanners Ve like der boots, salutes, und banners…” “A mighty fortress is our Dickey Dragon…” ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/49 "2008-05-07T13:02:00Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] So am I alone in thinking this book is not even one bit funny? As in, I don’t even crack a grin at any bit of it that I have ever read? As in, I can usually hardly even understand why it’s _supposed_ to be funny? (Not that I don’t usually get what the joke is supposed to be–I just never get how it’s supposed to be _funny_.) Am I really all alone here? -FrL- [/QUOTE] Isn’t this pretty much the poster child post for “thread shitting?” :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/50 "2008-05-07T13:28:05Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] Isn’t this pretty much the poster child post for “thread shitting?” :dubious: [/QUOTE] Why? He is not making fun of or insulting other posters. This is just a discussion about a book and he did not like it. That would seem to be part of the discussion. Is every discussion in Café suppose to be everyone agreeing? If so that is news to me and bad news at that. Jim ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/51 "2008-05-07T14:41:22Z")
No one has mentioned food yet? It was so clear to me that these were college (or just post-college) guys who were always thinking about food and drink. Frito, Spam, Gimlet, Leg-o-lamb… ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/52 "2008-05-07T14:47:21Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Why? He is not making fun of or insulting other posters. This is just a discussion about a book and he did not like it. That would seem to be part of the discussion. Is every discussion in Café suppose to be everyone agreeing? If so that is news to me and bad news at that. Jim [/QUOTE] Quoting what he says, “Am I really all alone here?” This line, along with the tone of the post, is intended to interject into this thread the idea that the book is stupid, and the rest of us lot should be ashamed for thinking it funny. And yes, it’s thread shitting. Thread shitting isn’t calling the people in the thread stupid, it’s the idea of dropping by in a thread that is praising something to say how stupid that something is. Now if the thread is to the effect of: what do you think of Bored of the Rings?, then no, it’s not thread shitting. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/53 "2008-05-07T14:48:37Z")
[QUOTE=NoCoolUserName] No one has mentioned food yet? It was so clear to me that these were college (or just post-college) guys who were always thinking about food and drink. Frito, Spam, Gimlet, Leg-o-lamb… [/QUOTE] Goodgulf Greyteeth. oh, wait, never mind. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/54 "2008-05-07T14:52:42Z")
Nah. That wasn’t thread-shitting at all. There is nothing in the title or in the OP anywhere that says “Praise BotR.” The OP started a discussion, and **Frylock** replied. He’s entitled to his (wrong) opinion as much as the rest of us are entitled to our (right) one. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/55 "2008-05-07T14:53:56Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] Quoting what he says, “Am I really all alone here?” This line, along with the tone of the post, is intended to interject into this thread the idea that the book is stupid, and the rest of us lot should be ashamed for thinking it funny. And yes, it’s thread shitting. Thread shitting isn’t calling the people in the thread stupid, it’s the idea of dropping by in a thread that is praising something to say how stupid that something is. Now if the thread is to the effect of: what do you think of Bored of the Rings?, then no, it’s not thread shitting. [/QUOTE] Well from the Op, “Open to any and all commentary and opinion” Why don’t we either drop this or ask a mod, your post and my replies are bigger distractions then **Frylock** ’s post. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/56 "2008-05-07T15:07:34Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] Isn’t this pretty much the poster child post for “thread shitting?” :dubious: [/QUOTE] > [@The Glossary](#): > > Threadshitting – basically, shitting on a discussion, by belittling the topic or the people discussing it. It typically takes the form of a dismissive comment, like “Who cares?” or “This is stupid!” or similar. The implication of the threadshitter is that discussion of such a topic is beneath them, and should be beneath everybody else. If you really do think that a discussion is inane or pointless, the appropriate thing to do is to not participate in it. And, of course, if you see someone threadshitting, please do not respond in kind, but REPORT the post to a Moderator. If what I wrote was taken to do any of the above, then I was misunderstood, and I would be interested in learning how to avoid such a misunderstanding in the future. -FrL- ETA: From the above definition, it appears to me that even if the stated purpose of the thread _were_ to praise BotR (which it is not), posting a contrary opinion would not necessarily be threadshitting. Further comment should probably be taken to a different thread BTW. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/57 "2008-05-07T16:53:34Z")
I believe it’s already been mentioned, but I’d love to see Mel Brooks film it as he did _Spaceballs._ Boogie Peril…disliking tools more complicated that a garotte or Luger…a hundred may dry gulch a lone farmer or hunter. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/58 "2008-05-07T16:56:55Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] I believe it’s already been mentioned, but I’d love to see Mel Brooks film it as he did _Spaceballs._ [/QUOTE] Not worth the risk. Remember _Men in Tights?_ (Hard to believe this is the same Mel Brooks who did _When Things Were Rotten_ back in the '70s. What’s happened to him?!) ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/59 "2008-05-07T20:17:02Z")
"We boggies are a hairy folk Who like to eat until we choke; Loving all like friend and brother, And hardly ever eat each other. Sing: Gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble…" ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079/60 "2008-05-07T20:27:52Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Boogie Peril…disliking tools more complicated that a garotte or Luger…a hundred may dry gulch a lone farmer or hunter. [/QUOTE] Any slow or dim-witted creature that turned his back on a pack of boggies was just looking for a stomping. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-book-tremor-bored-of-the-rings/448079.md?page=2)