Dave Barry's latest "Today's Topic" post uses an intentionally absurd opening before settling on a familiar problem: why we're not getting enough sleep. In the description available with the post, Barry says he had first considered writing about explosive diarrhea because it had been appearing in the news so often, then shifted to sleep instead.
That setup suggests a comic pivot rather than a straight health report. The contrast between a gross-out news subject and the everyday issue of sleep deprivation gives the piece a playful tone, with Barry using the surprise factor of the first topic to introduce the real one.
From the limited excerpt, the central theme is lack of sleep and the question of why so many people seem to be missing out on enough rest. Even without the full text, the premise points to a broader lifestyle concern that many readers immediately recognize, especially when framed through Barry's trademark humor.
The post appeared on Dave Barry's Substack on July 24, 2026, and was later shared on Free Republic. Based on the available material, it reads as a light, personality-driven commentary that turns a bizarre news hook into a more relatable discussion about modern sleep loss.
