I bet so many people will crash out if Chris Pine isn’t on this list

Apparently, I was born in the range of the right years to be a part of Gen Z.

Frankly, I don’t get it.

I don’t understand the first thing about why people my age speak or act the way they do.

The thing that fascinates me, though, is the assortment of people that Gen Z has begun to collectively idolize.

So, that’s what I’m about to unpack — in order of popularity among the entirety of Gen Z.

#1. Ben Schwartz

He went from being crazy and chaotic on Parks and Recreation (2009 – 2015) to voicing Sonic the Hedgehog.

Gen Z just can’t seem to get enough of him.

#2. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Gen Z has developed a rather peculiar kinship with classical music, especially Mozart.

I have no reasonable explanation for it.

They just really love Wolfgang.

#3. Angela Giarratana

According to my sources, there’s a staggering contingent of Gen Z that forgets that 9/11 happened in 2001 (thinking it could’ve been in 2011) and occasionally tries to spell “xylophone” with a ‘Z.’

Crashouts are also increasingly popular with Gen Z, so that all explains why Angela is in the top three here.

#4. Joseph Stalin

Look, he’s definitely a polarizing figure in history, but that’s exactly the kind of persona the Gen Z crowd likes to get behind.

It doesn’t seem to matter that he was a communist asshole.

#5. Ben Johnson

Gen Z loves a good cheater — especially when they rebound with a hilariously meta sponsorship with an energy drink.

#6. Halle Bailey

As far as I’m aware, Halle Bailey’s Ariel in The Little Mermaid (2023) was acclaimed by all — especially Gen Z.

#7. Connor Hellebuyck

Gen Z loves a good comeback story… and by comeback story, I mean completely dishonour the contract that was signed with the Canadian team that drafted you and bitch about it until they trade you into an American market.

#8. Marie Antoinette

She loved to spend money.

It resulted in crushing debts and devastating food shortages.

I think that’s why Gen Z really takes to Marie Antoinette.

They seem to enjoy that fast and loose lifestyle.

#9. Rick Devens

First, he plays a ballsy game on Survivor (2000 – ) only to fall short.

Then, he turns down the opportunity to cameo in James Gunn’s Superman (2025) to be on Big Brother (2000 – ), which he ended up winning.

He’s a hero in the eyes of everyone in Gen Z.

#10. Rey Skywalker

Out of absolutely nowhere, Rey inexplicably became the granddaughter of Palpatine and made the rash decision to assume the identity of the Skywalker clan.

In our world where identity politics are at an all-time high, Rey symbolizes everything that Gen Z stands for.

#11. Perry the Platypus

Look, he’s got more than just mad skill.

He’s got a beaver tail and a bill.

He makes all the women swoon.

He’s won the hearts of Gen Z, dude.

#12. Cleopatra

She was a dangerous and manipulative seductress.

Her alliances with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony were pragmatic survival tactics used (mostly) to protect her place on the throne.

Maybe that’s why Gen Z loves Cleopatra so much.

There’s definitely not anything else that comes to mind that isn’t super controversial or not politically correct in today’s society that would make Cleopatra appear as an absolute lunatic.

#13. Steve Harvey

It’s mostly the moustache that does it for Gen Z.

The over-the-top reactions do contribute as well.

#14. Adam Sandler

Now, when I say Adam Sandler, I don’t mean the current cool guy he’s become in Hollywood.

I’m talking about the batshit insane Adam Sandler who made shitty comedy movies in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Gen Z loves that Adam Sandler.

#15. Plato

Plato taught that reality is divided into two parts — the physical world of changing appearances and an unseen world of forms or ideas.

It’s basic metaphysics.

Gen Z seems to really get into that dichotomy of thought engineering, and it totally justifies the fascination with Plato.

#16. Shohei Ohtani

No one says more about making a shit load of money just to play with balls for a living than Shohei Ohtani.

In December of 2023, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed him to a 10-year contract worth USD $700 million.

Gen Z inexplicably loves him for it.

#17. Olivia Rodrigo

I was surprised that she wasn’t higher on the list, since she’s kind of a big part of the Gen Z soundtrack.

I guess that speaks to the preference for more trivial figures in Gen Z culture.

I’ll admit, this is quite the eclectic group of folks for Gen Z to be enamoured by.

That said, you can ask any member of this generation and they will tell you how much they idolize the people on this list.

The Top 17 Most Adored by Gen Z Right Now was originally published in Doctor Funny on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Juggling life

Somewhere in the foggy mist of previous life, I remember not wanting to dance. Self-conscious, I did not want to make a fool of myself.

But somewhere along the line, I realized:

• I was already a fool, so no matter, or
• Acting foolishly is not at all correlated with being a fool, or
• Being a fool is great fun.

One of the many “benefits” of aging is that self-consciousness declines with each passing year. Who cares what an old fool does? No one but the fool himself, and he doesn’t care very much anymore. And if acting foolishly provides some much-needed entertainment, all the better.

I strive to keep company with fools who laugh at themselves and each other. It is so much easier to be oneself than to pretend otherwise. Pretending is the real foolishness.

I’ve also been working on learning or re-learning things that require me to concentrate and assimilate new skills.

We are told that such activities are good for old brains, and can forestall the onset of degenerative diseases that make coherent storytelling difficult. (How’m I doin’? Is coherence in the mind of the listener or the teller?)

At the food pantry, where we hand out food items to those in need, the patrons wait patiently in chairs. The line passing the tables of different foodstuffs would soon open.

I selected three onions of proper size and shape from the large pile. Taking my selections around the tables to the front of the “audience,” I tossed one into the air.

The second one followed. That toss was not great, so I caught both and began again. Juggling is a work in progress. The brain has to work hard to keep objects in the air. But I persevere since the muscles of the arms, hands, and the big one in the head need regular workouts to stay in shape.

Onions arced through the air for 21 tosses and catches until a rogue orb decided to bump off my hand and head to the floor. Show over, I caught the other two and reached down to pick up the third. But as I reached, I tripped over a box and almost went down.

Is one clumsy or athletic (or both) to trip and then find one’s balance with a flourish and shout, “Safe!”? The audience laughed.

Crystal had watched the show from behind the tables. As I moved to get back into position for business and put my props away, she asked, “Wow, did you go to Clown College?”

“Nawwww. No need. They just sent me a diploma.”

The folks lined up, and we were soon emptying the tables. After the supplies were exhausted and people were on their way, we folded up the chairs and tables and cleaned up the community center. As I helped stow the last table, Crystal came back over to me.

“Don’t do that again.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t juggle the onions.”

“Why? Everyone enjoyed it, didn’t they?”

“Not me. Every damn person asked me if the onions I was giving them included the one you dropped.”

Lighten up, Crystal. Let’s dance.

More fun:

• The Off-Planet Immigrants Are Coming!
• Chuckle-Worthy

Dancing Fool was originally published in Doctor Funny on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Giving the people what they want

Misdirection is a concept that many know frighteningly little of.

I’m going to explain how it works by simply not explaining it.

So, for your convenience, here is a list of questions that I think would be helpful for the bar exam.

🦵In which situation would someone require an ankle bracelet on each leg?

🚗 Is vehicular manslaughter legal in some parts of the world?

👻 Are supernatural beings obligated to pay taxes?

👉 Are finger guns considered a weapon in the eyes of the law?

🤳 Are phones considered tax-paying entities?

🐔 If the chicken came before the egg, are there grounds for the egg to sue?

🦚 Is peacocking a legal manner in which an individual can interact with another person?

💨 Is farting in someone’s face an act in which a lawsuit can be triggered?

🛞 If a Tesla Cyber Truck happens to break down in the middle of a highway, and the driver forgot to shower beforehand, can the distributor of the vehicle be charged for the lack of hygienic awareness of the driver?

🌮 Can Taco Bell be sued for destroying the butts of so many people?

🌋 Does a volcano count as a notary on any affidavits or certifications?

🎡 Who is liable for an individual falling out of a ferris wheel? The person who fell or the designer of the machine?

🧨 Are NDA’s eligible to be used in the presence of dynamite?

🪤 Can I give power of attorney to a mouse that steals cheese?

♻️ Do recyclable materials have to be recycled in order to get government funding for me to go clubbing?

🤪 Are there any bylaws preventing me from making a stupid face?

🦾 If a prosthetic cybernetic arm begins moving erratically on its own, who is liable for any potential injury or damages?

🐦 Should there be a better understanding of bird law?

🏆 If I can prove that the “winner” of a professional sports event used malicious tactics to rig the outcome in their favour, can I set forth a motion to overturn those results?

🎲 Is it possible to orate a letter of intent before playing a game like Risk or Monopoly or Kerplunk?

I think we all learned a valuable lesson here.

You can’t just say you’ll do something, and end up doing something entirely off-script.

That’s just not how misdirection works.

The Art of Misdirection was originally published in Doctor Funny on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.