Printing. Funny?

So you think printing is boring ink on paper stuff. Ha. Printing is funny. Here are my two favorite typo stories from the last thirty years.

I’m visiting my good friends and customers at Redding Homes. The Publisher is a restrained military type married to a very sweet, quiet, shy woman who holds the title Assistant Publisher. She brings out a copy of their number one competitor, Redding Record Searchlight’s Real Estate Guide, and the husband reads what she points to. He starts giggling. They both go in the back and I hear peals of laughter. They both come out, laughing, crying, barely able to walk and hand me the paper. I read:

Lovely house on large lot. Remodeled 1998, close to downtown. Beautifully landscaped, huge d…

And here, since this is a family blog (only my family reads it) I need to say the writer meant to say “deck” and missed it by just one vowel. The beet red Assistant Publisher manages to say, “They may not sell it, but I bet a lot of people will want to see it!” Indeed.

I get a call from a publisher friend who says, “Have you seen our paper?” “Yes,” I said. “Anything catch your eye?” “No, not really.” He tries again, “Look at page 22.” I had a copy at my desk and did as ordered. “See anything?” “No.” “Look closer.” “Nothing.” He is laughing so loud I must hold the phone away from my ear. He says, “Would you order the special for lunch?” “Sure,” I said. I believe he dropped the phone he was laughing so hard. Eventually he read it out loud, with emphasis on the name of the special which was printed in 36 point bold type: