The Doctor Funny 12-Word Challenge

Summary

The article presents a creative writing challenge using 12 random words to craft amusing or disturbing headlines and short stories.

Abstract

The "Doctor Funny 12-Word Challenge" is a humorous exercise proposed by the author to readers and fellow writers. Participants are encouraged to use a list of 12 words, such as "seductively," "dickwad," "blamed for," and "cheese," to create entertaining or unsettling story headlines and then develop a brief narrative based on those headlines. The article provides examples of potential headlines and a sample satirical news story to illustrate the concept. The author invites readers to engage in this creative endeavor, suggesting that it could become a regular feature, possibly with prizes for the best contributions. The challenge is open to a variety of writers, including those mentioned by name in the article.

Opinions

The author expresses a casual attitude towards the readers' participation, acknowledging that they will make their own choice about accepting the challenge.
There is an emphasis on flexing one's creative muscles with a touch of humor and absurdity, as evidenced by the use of words like "demented, rotten melon."
The author's personal favorite example suggests a preference for satirical content, as seen in the "Hot Phlegm Blamed For Stupid Haircut" story.
The author playfully criticizes their own examples as subpar, encouraging others to produce more creative outcomes.
The possibility of the challenge becoming a recurring feature indicates the author's desire to foster a community of humorous writing and engagement.
The article concludes with a direct call to action, tagging specific writers to participate, showing the author's eagerness for community involvement and interaction with fellow creatives.

See what you can make of this mess

Here is your challenge, should you choose to accept it. (I don’t care — you’re gonna do what you want anyway.)

I have a mountain of words I select from a bag. Today I picked 12 random words. Take the following words and use them to make an amusing or disturbing story headline, then write a short story about it. Flex your demented, rotten melon and see what you can do. Here are this week’s 12 words:

Seductively

Might Be

Dickwad

Blamed For

Disorder

Phlegm

Stupid

Hot

Children

Haircut

Hard

Cheese

Without ruining it, some examples might be:

Children Blamed For Stupid Phlegm Disorder

Dickwad Delivers Stupid Children

Hot Phlegm Blamed For Stupid Haircut

Then, perhaps a short story in the first person:

While getting a haircut the other day, a coughing fit by my stylist caused a slip of the trimmers. I needed a haircut for a wedding next weekend, and now I have a reverse mohawk. I was there so I could look sexy for a wedding this weekend. My wife is going to have a stroke when she sees this. To make matters worse, a lump of phlegm landed on my shoulder, and now I have to burn my shirt.

Am I too old for a buzz cut? I don’t wanna look like one of those old bastards trying to not look old by shaving their heads. Maybe I should get a hair piece. My children laughed hysterically at me when I got home. Assholes.

I mean, we’re just coming out of a pandemic, so we think we’re in the clear, and then this happens. People hacking all over each other. What kind of dickwad barber forgets to shut the trimmers off in a hacking fit and doesn’t cover his mouth? Hope he didn’t give me his death breath, too…

Or, my personal favorite, a satirical news-type article:

Hot Phlegm Blamed For Stupid Haircut

Local man files suit for a bad haircut caused by a coughing fit. Steve Jenkins says that a lump of phlegm caused a coughing fit that threw his stylist into a violent fit while trimming his hair.

While at Supercuts for his monthly haircut, Jenkins says, “I heard that dickwad start to clear his throat loudly, which was upsetting enough, but he didn’t stop. He wheezed and barked away at the back of my head, never stopping the cut. Then it sounded like he had been possessed by the god of phlegm himself. Gurgles and burbles followed by choking and gagging noises. The trimmers went rogue and gouged up the back of my head when he coughed up a massive lump of lung-butter. I have to go to a wedding this weekend, and my wife is going to murder me.”

The stylist made a statement as well. “Sure, I cleared my throat, but it wasn’t exactly a ‘fit’. It was more like one jerk. Man, that phlegm lump was massive, though. Disgusting. It was like I had been attacked by that slimy little ghost from Ghostbusters. What was his name? Slimer? Yeah. It was as if Slimer took residence in my throat and hocked that loog himself. I should have stopped the cut, I know. I feel terrible about it now. But it can’t be undone. I’ve offered him free haircuts and dry-cleaning for a year, but he’s having none of it.”

The suit seeks $5,000,000 in damages for physical and emotional trauma. Both parties will be entering therapy for incident-resultant PTSD.

My examples suck balls, but not Burg’s balls. Do some crazy stuff with it. See what happens. Maybe we’ll do this weekly. Maybe not. Maybe you’ll win a prize! Probably not. Let’s start here and see how it goes.

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HUMOR PROMPT

The Doctor Funny 12-Word Challenge

See what you can make of this mess