Well, Duh!: Our Stupid World, and Welcome to It

In a world of bumbling idiots, stupidity is a growth industry. One smart strategy is to laugh at it all with this outrageous collection of hilarious tales about the stupid things people do in every field of human activity. Bob Fenster has combed the world of the intellectually challenged searching for tales of stupidity to entertain us with ... and he's hit the jackpot with Well, Duh! Our Stupid World, and Welcome to It. Consider these examples: When McDonald's opened its first franchise in Russia, the American bosses insisted that the Russian counter help smile at the customers. Russian customers were outraged at the McGreeting, insulted, and ready to fight -- because in Russia smiling at strangers means you are making fun of them. How did Mickey D solve the problem? They hired official Smile Explainers to shout into bullhorns at customers in line: "When you reach the counter, you will be smiled at. This does not mean we are making fun of you." What does a parent with a big ego do when his kid's shelf piles up with soccer trophies, Little League trophies, and swim trophies? According to a woman who runs a California trophy-making business, the proud dad (proud of himself, anyway) orders her to make up some old-looking trophies with his name on them so he can regain household bragging rights. Book jacket.