Last night my disillusionment with life was made complete: reclusive author Thomas Pynchon "appeared" on The Simpsons. This wasn't a cool appearance (like Joey's). Pynchon had a bit part. His character wore a paper bag over his head. And his few lines consisted of self-deprecating humor. Unfunny humor -- commenting to Marge that her dessert was "V-licious."

That's it: I'm burning my tattered and dog-eared copy of Gravity's Rainbow (what the hell, I already gave away my hardback Mason & Dixon, that bomb).

Now, had he performed a modernized rendition of the Disgusting English Candy Drill, now that would have been funny.