Nov 20

imageYour PC is lying to you.  John Hodgman, also known as “PC” in Apple’s catchy “Hello, I’m a Mac” commercials, has published a new book, “More Information Than You Require.”  It’s an almanac of facts ranging from the historical to the trivial, except most of the facts are actually absurd fabrications.

For example, consider this helpful folk remedy:

“If you have lost a finger, numb the pain with a poultice of goose grease and pine needles.  Leave the poultice on the finger stump until it becomes sticky.  Now find another finger.  Stick it on there and seek no further treatment.”

This is Hodgman’s second faux-almanac, and it’s his uncanny ability to lie convincingly that has turned Hodgman into a star.  His first book landed Hodgman a guest appearance on Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show.”  His funny interview led to a recurring gig on the show, which then led to his role as “PC” in the Apple computer commercials.

CNN interviewed Hodgman about his book and his improbable rise to the status of, in his words, “famous minor television personality.”

CNN: How do you go about researching your book?

Hodgman: I compile it by not doing any.  My research generally involves me sitting down and thinking of all the half-truths and common misperceptions I’ve picked up along the way, and then I’ll supplement that with a little bit of surfing the Internet, which is my favorite repository of dubious scholarship, and then I fuse that into the kind of world-complete knowledge that only my book can provide — unresearched, largely fictional and entirely true.

CNN: The Apple computer commercials in which you star have been a big hit.

Hodgman: Are you asking me for a free computer? Is that what this is all about?  

Check out the rest of CNN’s interview with John Hodgman

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Article published on November 20, 2008




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