“Everything is funny, if you can laugh at it.”
~ Lewis Carroll
I never thought that I could be funny. Sure, on rare occasions I have elicited a chuckle or two from a group of people but never when I meant to be funny. It was always at my expense because I did or said something that was well, odd. I could never tell jokes. My timing is about as off as one can get. Life’s little ironies that made me giggle quietly to myself never were very funny to others who couldn’t seem to get my strange humor. I excepted this. I mean how many people are really truly funny, even most comedians, who attempt to be humorous for a living aren’t very funny.
It is a rare thing when someone or something can be funny. Imagine my surprise when MM upon reading a bit of this or a bit of that started to laugh at something I wrote. Of course I thought he was laughing at my funny strangeness and not at my funny hahaness, but he was. I couldn’t believe my ears.
At first I thought it was some sort of cosmic joke on me or some mistake perhaps an odd fluke that I could never repeat, but then it happened again and again. Others would comment that a post here and there was funny.
Sometimes I can take myself way too seriously and at other times I think I don’t take myself seriously enough.
And then that awful depression hit and I found I couldn’t be funny anymore. I tried and tried and all I could do is sound well, sad and pathetic. Sorry about that. I wasn’t as though I wanted to be that way. I tried to snap out of it. I watched funny movies, I scoured the internet for jokes. I tried to be funny and it would work. It was like OK, now be funny..ok now…do it now! UGH! Is this mic on?
Dammit, Comedy is hard.
I started to think about what people, especially what we who are Americans think is comical. Making fun of others seems to be high on the list, most notably celebrities and politicians which seem to say the wackiest of things. I can think of several incidences. One recent one that came to mind is Pat Robertson, the TV Evangelist who recently admitted that he believes demons live in used sweaters which is kinda funny on the surface but also sort of sad.
The leader of North Korea is the butt of many recent jokes including the whole Unicorn thing. Personally, I wouldn’t want this guy angry with me, no matter how ridiculous he appears.
I googled “funny images” and most of what I saw was disturbing to say the least and many images were of cats. I shudder to think how many doctored cat photos they are online. It just seems…well, wrong.
Really any animal doing anything vaguely human seems to tickle many funny bones, especially when they wear clothes and say smart things. Perhaps it is the element of surprise that comes into play here. For me it is the Homo sapiens saying smart things that surprise me.
I confess that I just don’t get many of the ‘comedians” that are out right now. Personally I like the old stuff like the Marx Brothers, especially the funny one, you know the one…
I am automatically suspect of anything that has a laugh track or of any movie that claims itself to be a comedy. Those usually hit a wall in what I call the dip and turn morose and sad. In my opinion anyone who is trying to be funny isn’t.
What I find laughable is people who are trying too hard not to be, the one’s who take themselves and what they say, way too seriously. Now these people are hilarious!
I will try not to be so hard on myself; when I am funny and I am and when I am not, I guess I won’t be….but I promise you one thing; no more depression, no more sadness no more of any of that crap. The world is too full of THAT.
So…I choose to go to make you laugh in this decade and do the other things. Not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
😀
Thanks for listening,
Strawberryindigo.
“I believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade… And try to find somebody whose life has given them vodka, and have a party.”
~Ron White
Related articles
- Lazy Comedy: Why I’m Not Laughing (jmuwomensstudentcaucus.wordpress.com)
- In life and love, keep a sense of humor (wcpo.com)
- What’s Funny? (mejonez.wordpress.com)
Well if you can laugh about depression, you are on the road to a recovery. Feeling better not cured. 😀
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Hello Seeker, I am feeling much better, life is good, it always has been but sometimes I get blinded to that fact. 😀
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I really like this post, I love that you aren’t trying to be funny, you are being authentically you and seeing the weird quirkiness of life and fellow human beings and situations and sharing that with your readers. Life really is pretty darn weird, and it is wonderful to whistle in the dark with someone else who sees and enjoys the strangeness.
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Thanks Janet. I really value your feedback and I learn a lot from you. Life is pretty darn weird and I’m glad we can see eye to eye on the strangeness. Whistle away my friend!
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Thanks for the pingback.
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Interesting post and thoughts to reflect on… This reminds me of the fact that I’ve always believed that I was too shy to even be considered funny, but then one day my friends confessed to me that I was indeed funny… when I was natural, at ease. Comedy should not be too forced or else it will sound too fake… and not funny. Just relax and… make people laugh with your true self 🙂
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True, in acting they say comedy is way harder than drama. I have to say though, demons, in clothing…it is a funny thought on the surface. You have made me giggle with that, thanks:)
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“For me it is the Homo sapiens saying smart things that surprise me.” You’re right on with that one!
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Thanks Joanne, I appreciate that. 🙂
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A great post. I agree with Ms. Hamilton about people who wear a permanent smile – one needs to be cautious!
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Thanks James, I appreciate that and I too agree with that quote. 🙂
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Now be funny…ok, now…hahaha. I also love the fifth Marx brother. Thanks for making me laugh this morning, Strawberryindigo. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
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Thanks Kozo….I love to make people laugh, the world needs more of it. {{{HUGS back}}}
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I think people should laugh everyday, because lauhing is healthy.
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Hello Pishky: You are so right about that! 😀
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Well, you have certainly made me laugh many a time over the last few months, Strawberryindigo! Thank you for that, and love the post! 😀
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Hey Cathy, thanks for thanking me…it makes me very happy to be able to make wonderful people such as yourself laugh. 😀
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If life gives you lemons … throw them back .. who the hell wants lemons?
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haha…thanks for the laugh….Alastair! 😀
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Great, really loves this post… 🙂
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Thanks so much Drake! 😀
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I really liked this post and it made me chuckle (does that count?)
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Hey Gunta, thanks…yes chuckles do count!
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Indeed my friend, ’tis to laugh’ is one of my saving grace mantras
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Hey Caimbeul, laughter is essential so are friends and friends who laugh are the best! Nice to see you! 😀
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