FHSTheFlash The Flash Volume 46, Issue 4 February 2006 | Page 6

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Entertainment

February 2006

It’s Kind of a Funny Story The Gossip Game

Flash Staff Reporter
Ned Vizzini’s book, It’s Kind
of a Funny Story, is actually
kind of a really funny story. The
teen novel reflects on the life
of a young mastermind by the
name of Craig Gilner who, over
a series of two years, becomes an emotional train
wreck and finds himself on
the verge of taking his own
life. The story continues to
further examine the mind of
a suicidal teenager as he enters a psychiatric hospital in
which he hopes to regain his
sanity.
While reading this one
may wonder: how is a story
about a kid who wants to kill
himself funny in any manner?
But through the eyes of the
manically depressed Craig
Gilner it is a surprisingly enjoyable ride.
After dedicating all of his
time studying to get into
Manhattan’s Pre-Executive
high school, a school for New
York’s most elite teenage
minds, Craig begins to watch
his world crumble beneath him
when he realizes he is merely

average among the minds of his
peers, that he is not as special
as once thought. All the while
entangled in the constant battles
of being a teenager. Pressures
like keeping up in school, trying
not to disappoint his parents,
drugs, and, of course, frustrations of sex or the lack of suc-

cess in the attempt to have
some. The story would have
become unbearably depressing
had Vizzini not peppered it with
incredibly off the wall socially
unconscious thoughts that shoot

through the main characters
mind as the book progresses.
Eventually it all becomes too
much and young Craig finds
himself checking in at the
Argenon Hospital. He is told
that he will be admitted to the
adult psychiatric care center
because the teen section of the
hospital was already full. This
was slightly more depressing
in the eyes of Mr. Gilner, discovering he has also become
a common statistic in attempt
at suicide.
During his stay at the adult
psychiatric center, AKA Six
North, Craig befriends a
handful of mentally unstable
patients, which range from his
roommate Muqtata, an Egyptian man who fears to leave
his room, a transvestite teen
who constantly is seen attempting to pick up new patients, former heroin addicts
and a girl who has permanently scarred her face with
scissors. Craig soon realizes
his problems are minuet and begins a path of recovery.
The way Vizzini describes the
institution becomes so vivid at
points it gives the reader the imsee Funny pg. 8

By Robb Druzynski
Flash Staff Reporter
Below are five celebrity gossip stories. While four are completely true, there is one phony report. Take your guess as to
which one does not belong:
· If Apple was first, many fans found themselves asking
what the next name in the Paltrow-Martin family will be.
Well, Gwyneth and Chris have decided upon letting the
Coldplay front man name the next baby boy, and he has
chosen Capone as the name for their second child.
· While enjoying a nice cup of java in an L.A. coffee shop,
Jennifer Aniston began receiving many phone calls and
talking at the top of her lungs. As one annoyed customer
got up behind her and started to imitate her, the actress
angrily shot-back and stormed out.
· After leaving a boutique, Oscar-winner Renée Zellweger
was mistaken by a birthday girl fan as “Grey’s Anatomy”
star, Ellen Pompeo. Not wanting to hurt the excited girl’s
feelings, Renée ended up signing an autograph reading,
“Happy birthday, Love Ellen.”
· When the domestic diva Martha Stewart checks into any
luxury hotel, she always insists on double-checking the
cleanliness. Martha