The consumingly violent novel-turned-cult classic, Fight Club, had millions of Average Joes across North America thinking about clearing the dusty cardboard boxes from their unfinished basements to start an underground fight club and grind their neighbours annoying stupid face into the cement floor among the cheers and blood-smeared smiles of co-workers. [1] In an attempt to make his R-rated novel capture the imaginations of a more youthful demographic, Chuck Palahniuk adapted his masterpiece into what is undoubtedly perched to become an instant children’s classic. [1] There’s nothing particularly child-friendly about Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club, but, as he explains, now that his readership is “growing older, having children, and dying,” he’s “decided to reintroduce the book to a whole new generation.” That’s why Mashable and Palahniuk have teamed up to create Fight Club 4 Kids, an animated retelling of Fight Club read by Palahniuk himself. [3] Though the children’s version omits hallmarks of the film adaptation like the sex-crazed Helena Bonham Carter character, Meat Loaf’s bosoms, and the whole shooting-yourself-in-the-face thing, there’s still plenty of action. [11] How can one change a story about an unhinged insomniac man with a violent alter ego with an extreme hatred of consumer/capitalist society? Well, you change the words “Fight Club” to “Horsing Around Club”. That’s about it actually since the story plays out relatively the same. Even the rules are pretty much the same. [9] Still not quite rated G, the adaptation stars a “boy with no name” who becomes a member of the “horsing around club.” [3] “The two boys liked to horse around, flicking and pinching and rough-housing on the ground. “Let’s start a club,” said the spiky-haired friend. “We’ll call it the ‘Horsing Around Club.'” [6] The story quickly goes from Robert Munsch to David Lynch. [1] The video has Palahniuk reading aloud while the adorable cartoon versions of The Narrator and Tyler Durden just beat the crap out of eachother. [9] Now you can share all of your favorite Fight Club moments with your children, without fear of scarring them. [5] The fact that Palahniuk seems to be on the brink of laughter each time he derails from the narrative and lets loose with expletive-ridden commentary is part of the reason this video is so darn fun. [9]
Fight Club 4 Kids has all your favorite classic characters, like the crazy insomniac of a narrator… [12]
And his spiky-haired (potentially non-existent) BFF, Tyler Durden! [12]
That’s about it actually since the story plays out relatively the same. Even the rules are pretty much the same.
1. You do not talk about Horsing Around Club.
2. You DO NOT talk about Horsing Around Club.
3. Stop = Yelling Stop, Going Limp, Passing Out
4. Two at a Time.
5. If this is your first time, you have to horse around.
[4] Watch Chuck Palahniuk Read Fight Club 4 Kids, Electric Lit, June 23, 2015
