Here's a disclaimer in case you haven't figured it out: This week's paper, the Fun Star, it's completely made up. Yeah, that's right, it's the April Fool's edition.

In fact, the only stuff that's not fabricated are the ads (including Say Ah) and the one letter to the editor from Joe Miller (who is not, as far as we know, a prisoner in Arizona as I incorrectly mentioned last week). We have now officially published every letter to the editor for fall of 2005 and every letter so far from spring of 2006. Hoo-frickin'-ray.

If I don't sound excited, it's because the Fun Star isn't really about publishing letters from wackos. That and it's 5:30 a.m. Monday, the Deftones are blaring at me, and I'm on my third Coke (after three cups of coffee). The word "excited" was erased from my vocabulary about two hours ago.

The reason we're up so late is the need to continue the tradition of the Fun Star. The art form we call parody was invented centuries ago, and I'm guessing the first Fun Star was published shortly thereafter. Either way, it's been around longer than I, and hopefully the tradition of an April Fool's issue will outlive all of us.

Thanks to everyone who worked so hard on putting out a great paper, even if it's all fake news. John Wagner toiled until the wee hours of the morning editing photos and creating a Weekly World News-esque cover in between cracking up every five minutes. Photographers Mike Ward and Kay Koerner also worked hard on a couple photos for us. Thanks to writers Lacie Grosvold, Matt Emmons and Henry Cole for making me laugh so hard I almost peed my pants, and thanks to Alex Grantham who came back out of retirement and wrote four stories that made me laugh so hard I did pee my pants. Kate Adlam sold plenty of ads to make a huge Fun Star possible, and Walker, you are one hell of a cowboy, my friend.

I can't finish without mentioning the dedicated Ms. Amber Wilson, who at this very moment (it's now a quarter till 6 a.m.) is staring bleary eyed at the paper's layout. We're almost done, and it looks great, so it can't be too painful on the eyes.

Have a happy April Fool's, don't get your ass glued to a toilet seat, and long live the Fun Star!