Fifty States of Grey
A trilogy of erotic novels are sweeping America, scheduled to sell 20 million copies this week. Here, a state-by-state guide on how the books are being adapted for local markets.
Alabama
Christian role-plays a Denny’s employee. Ana is a chicken fried steak.
Alaska
Christian is a bush pilot while Ana gamely plays a bush. The festivities are marred by the unexpected arrival of an aggressive Kodiak bear who wishes to make it a threesome.
Arizona
Ana illegally crosses the border. Christian, dressed as a border patrol guard, Tasers her in the butt.
Arkansas
Loyal, hard-working secretary Ana stays late on a Friday night, helping her boss Christian, a C-level Walmart human resources executive, “relax a little.” Security cameras film them doing unspeakable things with Sam Walton memorabilia.
California
Christian acts the part of an old-timey gold prospector. Ana shows up as a porn star. They check their texts to see where the misunderstanding might have occurred.
Colorado
Christian, as “Tim Tebow,” runs Ana, aka “the ball,” in for a touchdown. While booking the two for criminal trespass, security guards at Mile High remind them that Tebow is a Jet now.
Connecticut
Christian pretends to be a CPA from New Haven. Ana is a spreadsheet. The two sustain minor injuries while attempting to execute a particularly tricky “pivot table” maneuver.
Delaware
Christian plays chairman of the board to Ana’s limited liability corporation. After determining they have a quorum, taking a shareholder vote and wrapping things up with a little erotic spanking, the two fall asleep watching Game of Thrones on hotel cable.
Florida
Ana pretends to be an arthritic retiree while Christian lies in predacious wait as a very hungry crocodile.
Georgia
Christian “Wolf Blitzer” Grey traps Ana “Christiane Amanpour” Steele in his “Situation Room” for a little anchor-on-anchor hanky panky. The festivities are marred by the unexpected arrival of an aggressive Jim Cramer, smelling of Coca-Cola and peaches and wanting to make it a threesome.
Hawaii
Ana, pretending to be a sacrificial virgin, literally throws herself at Christian, playing the role of a volcano. His subsequent injuries are confined to a chipped tooth and sprained penis and assumed to be non-life threatening.
Christian plays the part of famed New Orleans musician and gourmand Dr. John. Ana, ravishing as a fried oyster po’ boy, doesn’t stand a chance.
Idaho
Christian role-plays a hungry traveling salesman. Ana is a baked potato. The Motel 6 in Pocatello levies a surcharge for the removal of sour cream and chives from the bed sheets.
Illinois
With Christian doing his best Rahm Emanuel impersonation, the two lovers get it on against the right field wall at Wrigley Field. Soon after, Ana discovers a hitherto unknown allergy to ivy.
Indiana
Ana, pretending to be NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, pulls her stock car into the pit for fuel and a tire change. Crew chief Christian gets carried away and attempts to install his ball joint in her trunk, completely ruining the mood.
Iowa
Christian and Ana do it like people from Iowa. While driving by, a family on vacation from Oregon mistake what they see in the field as an instance of cow-tipping; they pull over to take pictures.
Kansas
Ana and Christian perform a nude re-enactment of their favorite scene from the movie Twister, but the wind velocity generated by six Vornado room fans proves insufficient to lift a cow off the ground.
Kentucky
Christian has one too many mint juleps and deflowers Ana’s Derby hat.
Louisiana
Christian plays the part of famed New Orleans musician and gourmand Dr. John. Ana, ravishing as a fried oyster po’ boy, doesn’t stand a chance.
Maine
Ana pretends to be a lobster. Christian is a moose. Together they enact the most outlandish experiment in interspecies sexual relations the world has ever seen.
Maryland
Christian role-plays a Chesapeake Bay fisherman. Ana, tired from all the travel, interprets her role as “The Crab” by skipping sex and reading a magazine instead.
Massachusetts
With Christian doing his best John F. Kennedy impersonation, the two lovers get it on all over Plymouth Rock. Ana, uncertain whether she’s Jackie O. or Marilyn Monroe, is soon immobilized with a bad case of sand-induced chafe.
Michigan
Contract talks between “Chrysler president” Christian and “UAW negotiator” Ana come to a stalemate over compensation, benefits, and the fair and equitable distribution of handjobs. The stage is set for “binding arbitration” when Christian realizes he forgot his duffle of ropes and handcuffs on the airport baggage carousel.
Minnesota
Christian acts the part of a Mall of America security guard. Ana is a shoplifter. After an intense interrogation and compulsory strip search, they pick up his-and-hers matching hoodies at American Apparel and stop at the food court for an Orange Julius.
Mississippi
Christian pretends to be a catfish-noodler. Ana is the catfish. Their intimacy ceases abruptly when Ana realizes that “noodling” involves the insertion of fists.
Missouri
Christian pretends to be Tom Sawyer. Ana is a picket fence. Needing a break from all the kinky sex, Christian pays a couple of bums to whitewash her and takes in a Cardinals game instead.
Montana
Christian and Ana re-enact Custer’s Last Stand. In the process, “Little Big Horn” replaces “Mitt Romney” as the new favorite euphemism for Christian’s penis.
Nebraska
Ana role-plays an ear of corn that Christian husks quite lustily.
Nevada
Aroused after an evening watching Cirque du Soleil, Ana and Christian transform their Caesar’s Palace hotel room into a flying circus. Ana suffers a bruised coccyx when the drywall anchors give way and their improvised sex harness/trapeze pulls down part of the ceiling.
New Hampshire
Ana and Christian are drawn to a spot on the map called Pinkham Notch, mostly because its name sounds kind of kinky. Anticipating an Eden for solitude and outdoor sex, they are instead disappointed to discover a bustling visitor center overrun by pasty New Englanders wearing socks with their Tevas.
New Jersey
Christian and Ana reenact that infamous scene from The Sopranos where Tony dresses up as a Furry and Carmela, in full dominatrix gear, gives him the “bada bing” with the business end of a Cuban cigar.
New Mexico
Christian pretends to be an Area 51 security guard. Ana is an alien visitor from a distant planet. Together they enact the most outlandish experiment in intergalactic-species sexual relations the universe has ever seen.
Christian pretends to be Tom Sawyer. Ana is a picket fence. Needing a break from all the kinky sex, Christian pays a couple of bums to whitewash her and takes in a Cardinals game instead.
New York
Ana and Christian explore bondage in the back of a New York City taxi cab. The driver confuses Ana’s safe word for their destination and mistakenly drops them off at the “Guggenheim.”
North Carolina
Christian is a down-on-his luck tobacco farmer. Ana is a Krispy Kreme donut.
North Dakota
Christian plays the part of a grizzled paleontologist. Ana is a dinosaur fossil. Her titillation wanes during the excruciatingly slow “excavation process.”
Ohio
Christian pretends to be Congressman Dennis Kucinich. Ana, in a red wig and dangerously tall platform shoes, role-plays his much younger wife Elizabeth. Together, they discover the real reason Ohio is called a “swing state.”
Oklahoma
Ana role-plays a Native American. Christian is a 19th-century settler. Their portrayal of “Manifest Destiny” includes more anal beads and ball gags than is historically accurate.
Oregon
Christian and Ana do it like people from Oregon. While driving by, a family on vacation from Vermont mistake what they see in the bike lane as an instance of pickling; they pull over to take pictures. Our heroes later realize the next town over is named “Beaverton” and kick themselves for missing a golden opportunity.
Pennsylvania
Ana and Christian are Amish teenagers on rumspringa. Community elders disapprove of their experimentation with alcohol, marijuana, and bondage mittens.
Rhode Island
Christian swaggers about like an ascot-wearing yacht captain. Ana, unfamiliar with the term “WASP,” pretends to be a sexy stinging insect of the order Hymenoptera.
South Carolina
Christian plays a God-fearing man with uncontrollable appetites. Ana is pulled-pork barbecue. The number of moist towelettes consumed in the post-coital clean-up is jaw-dropping.
South Dakota
Ana and Christian, growing a little tired of one another, have sex with coyotes instead.
Tennessee
Christian’s “Dolly Parton” fantasy is spoiled when an avalanche of tissues, toilet paper and gym socks tumble from Ana’s bra as he’s attempting to attach the nipple clamps.
Texas
Plans for surreptitious sex at the Alamo are scuttled when Christian realizes he left the lubricant back at the hotel. Fifth-graders on a school field trip are treated to a new variation of the old story when they overhear Ana screaming, “Remember the Astroglide!”
Utah
Christian and Ana role-play Donny and Marie. She’s “a little bit country,” he’s “a little bit rock and roll.” The sex is a little bit icky.
Vermont
Ana and Christian do it like people from Vermont. While driving by, a family on vacation from Iowa mistake what they see in the covered bridge as an instance of liberal guilt; they pull over to take pictures.
Virginia
Christian and Ana engage in prolonged and salacious tickling at the sites of many national historical landmarks. Docents around the state are notified via APB to be on the lookout, with the judicious use of deadly force authorized if necessary.
Washington
Ana is a barista. Christian role-plays an espresso macchiato. They end up in a Seattle hospital emergency room when she steams the milk too long, resulting in a nasty scalding incident.
West Virginia
Christian and Ana have sex with miners. No, not minors—miners.
Wisconsin
Ana is a giant wedge of cheddar cheese which Christian, role-playing a Green Bay Packers fan, melts on a brat and inhales between downs.
Wyoming
Ana, lying very still, pretends to be Grand Teton. Christian, as a mountain climber, takes the role-play too far when he summits her peak in his crampons.