Germaine Greer closely examines a rude Sir Ian McKellan. Chris Lilley's "Ja'mie" takes us inside the bedroom of princess bitchface. Shaun Micallef recalls how his father sat on Winston Churchill's knee. John Clarke and Bryan Dawe dissect Peter Garrett and the environmentClive James calibrates the perfectly bad sentence. Barry Humphries delivers Dame Edna's Christmas message to her loyal Aussie subjects. Alexander Downer survives an audience with Keating the Musical.In "The Best Australian Humorous Writing", Andrew O'Keefe and Steve Vizard corral some of Australia's most whimsical, acerbic, energetic, witty, thought provoking, absurd and down right funny writing into one densely entertaining anthology.Our funniest minds and canniest observers bring our unique antipodean mirth to everything that has touched our lives in recent times - from watching Sir Ian McKellan unrobe on stage to busting up the Logies, from the privatisation of Telstra to contemplating the curves of Nigella Lawson and Julia Gillard.This diverse selection from our most acclaimed commentators showcases Australia's unique humorous writing.