Chuck Shepherd: NOTW Milestone

Friends: the post immediately below this one is Chuck's 1500th weekly column! Do the math, kids: Twenty-eight-plus years of brilliant curation and commentary. What else began in 1988 that is still going strong and undiminished? Oh, sure Afghanistan is still wracked by war. But is that an honorable achievement? No! The Phantom of the Opera debuted in 1988 and is still running. But I'll take Chuck over Andrew Lloyd Webber any day!

Please weigh in with your own thoughts and applause and appreciations. Perhaps your 28-year-old child somehow owes his or her birth to NOTW? Your marriage was saved by NOTW? You went to Washington as a humble Senator and conducted a noble filibuster by reciting NOTW columns? No? Well, in any case, Chuck has brightened many a day and life. That's what really matters.

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Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Paul - Mon Nov 07, 2016
Category: Anniversary | Weird Universe | Chuck

Comments

I have been here for 28 years, awaiting the "News" every week. Could it get any weirder?

I mean, need it get any weirder? But thanks Chuck.

Posted by Bill Romey on 11/07/16 at 10:52 AM

Discovered NOTW over 20 years ago. I've been enjoying it and related stuff it lead me to ever since.

So...thanks!

Posted by crc on 11/07/16 at 11:36 AM

First started reading in high school, haven't stopped since. Still use the old NotW site sometimes when I want to take a dive through the absurdity of the past decades. The world is such a serious place and it really needs people like Shepherd to point out that its fly is open.

Posted by Michael Watson on 11/07/16 at 12:12 PM

The world is so full of fear, horror and negativity, it has been such a wonderful break to read NOTW! For just a moment, we can laugh, smile and know that, with a look at the 'other side', we can sigh and go on, knowing that sometimes all the craziness is just normal ... at least to somebody 😊 Thanks so much Chuck!!

Posted by Dianne on 11/07/16 at 05:51 PM

Started with the newspaper itself and moved on to the interwebnetthingy. Time flies when you're noticing weird stuff.

Posted by Greg on 11/07/16 at 07:12 PM

Thank you for all the chuckles Chuck, and being a Sheperd in herding the absurd and insane with one concise and well contained pen. This election year I really needed your dedication more than ever over the past 20 I have enjoyed your research. Best to you and all at NOTW.

Posted by Mark on 11/07/16 at 08:46 PM

Thanks for making the effort to keep it going, Chuck. I have been reading your News for 10 years - something I look forward to each week!

Posted by James on 11/07/16 at 08:55 PM

Thanks for finding all the weird news we can't get anywhere else. I have been looking forward to your column for almost 15 years and following W.U. since its inception. I have always read the comments but never left one. However, just the other day I thought to myself "what happens when you stop"? So I wanted to make my appreciation known. Thanks again I am looking forward to many more editions to come!

Posted by Chris on 11/08/16 at 08:31 AM

Just enjoyed NOTW just so much over the years. And being a resident of Florida, the weirdest state of all makes it just so much more fun. Thanks for the great job of keeping us all happy. In this weirdest of election years ever, I retreat to NOTW to keep my sanity. Well, perhaps the year of the hanging chads was stranger. Keep up the good work.

Posted by Gator Guy on 11/08/16 at 06:37 PM

I teach law. I try to have one ex news of the weird law thing (American law, god bless them, and its likely to get stranger) in every lecture. There are so many that give such a wonderfully ludicrous example of what I am teaching, and laughter is such an important part of learning.
Thank you so very much Chuck

Posted by Steve Shaw on 11/09/16 at 04:35 AM

Congrats, Chuck! I began reading it when it was printed on actual paper - the Chicago Reader, to be exact - way back in the eighties. I've endeavored to never miss a column ever since. And, the fact that my name has never appeared in your column is perhaps a testament to the edifying influence of your work. Keep it up!

Posted by sudon't on 11/10/16 at 06:25 AM

Discovered the newspaper column in what MUST have been the early days and it led me to a lifelong enjoyment of and quest for odd news stories. Chuck is the cultural reverse of Louella Parsons. The LAST thing you want to do is have your name appear in NotW! Thanks Chuck and here's looking forward to the next 28!

Posted by PupTentacle on 11/10/16 at 12:25 PM

Chuck, I have been teaching since 1988, and I have been using News of the Weird once a week to bring light into my student's dark lives. Thanks for helping provide me with the material needed to mold the leaders of today and tomorrow. 😉

Posted by Dan Jardine on 11/16/16 at 04:44 PM

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