Funny

What happens when a fascist can't take a joke? FUNNY, a long-read short story by Peter Hanson, explores that provocative question. Here's the premise: In an America very much like our own, a dictatorial president declares jokes against her illegal, so an incensed Vietnamese-American comedy promoter based in Albuquerque pursues a long-shot crusade against the president's ban. FUNNY explores the timeless yet also topical theme of attacks on free speech by demagogues who believe that policing how people express themselves is the first step toward seizing total control. Sometimes, fighting that sort of authoritarian overreach requires something just as precious as courage—a healthy sense of humor.