September 1, 2008
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What’s funny?
For me, thinking about being funny is like the centipede in the old story, who couldn’t walk when he thought about how it was done. It’s not that I can’t be funny. It’s just that my funniest words or actions are usually spontaneous, and sometimes accidental.
I think some of my difficulty with humor is a result of dyslexia. I know that when I was a kid and tried to tell jokes, I’d sometimes tell the punchline before the setup. I can never remember whether a comedian is the one who says things funny, while a comic says funny things, or the other way around. Whichever it is, I’m the one who says things in a funny way, rather than delivering funny lines.
I can’t blame the whole thing on dyslexia, though. All my life, I’ve had a tendency to get so tickled just thinking about a really funny joke that I spoil the telling of it by laughing so hard I can’t talk. Usually, I don’t try to tell jokes. Most of the time, if I can remember the setup, I forget the punchline, and arsy-versy.
I do have one longtime favorite joke that I have no trouble remembering in its entirety, but it does have a few other troubles, such as being painfully dated and in regrettably poor taste:
What did Jeffrey Dahmer say to Lorena Bobbit?No guesses?
He said,
“You gonna eat that?”
A clown once accused me of having no sense of humor. That was my friend Eugene Casteel, AKA Geno the Clown. He was a drunk, the kind of scary clown that kids scream and run away from. There was always a bottle of booze in the pocket of his baggy pants, and one in the door pocket of his Jeep. He kept a pocketful of lemon peels, too, and thought that chewing on one would mask the alcohol smell.
One night at my place, he was out of makeup, falling down drunk, and making an unfunny fool of himself. I wasn’t laughing, and as he made his exit he made that accusation about my having no sense of humor. I wrote him a three-page letter defending my sense of humor, telling him what sorts of things I thought were funny, and that I thought the mental and physical deficits accompanying alcohol intoxication were pathetic rather than funny.
Gene carried that letter around in his wallet for years, pulling it out occasionally to show it to someone, until it was falling apart at the creases. I thought that was funny.
My sense of humor is quirky and somewhat dry. Many of my attempts at being funny sail right over people’s heads. I wouldn’t say they fall flat, because I don’t pause for the laughter or feel any sense of failure when there are no laughs. Occasionally, I’m the only one who sees the humor in a particular situation, and I’m often the first in a crowd to get a joke and laugh, a whole beat ahead of others.
The two guys in my life laugh at me a lot. They get most of my jokes, and I get lots of laughs from things they say and do. We are a funny family. Years ago, while Doug was still in high school, he once said that life with Greyfox and me was like living in a sitcom. That’s really funny, coming from him, because Doug is the best comic in the family, with smooth delivery and exquisite timing.
This morning when I got to the computer, I found that he had left this on the screen for me:
I think that’s funny, in a mildly amusing way. It’s no side-splitter. I delivered one last night that got an immediate loud guffaw out of Doug at this end and, a beat later, a rueful chuckle out of Greyfox on the speaker phone.Greyfox had been ragging on me early in the evening, on an old theme, and I sighed and said to him that I was sorry I’d called, and I’d talk to him tomorrow. Several hours later, significantly later than the time he usually calls at night, he phoned, talking fast, in a hurry to cover some business. He said good night and broke the connection, and I hung up on my end.
A moment later, the phone rang again. Greyfox said that in the previous call he had tried to keep it under a minute but he went over anyway (earlier in the week we had used up three hours of cell time discussing car tires until we were both tired of the subject), and had cut me off mid-word. He asked what I had been starting to say, and I told him I was just saying good night. Then he said, “I don’t like hanging up on you… when I’m in my right mind.”
I paused for a perfect beat, then said, “…and that is… when?“
It was funny at the time, in our family. I guess you had to be there. Did I mention that most of my jokes are in-jokes?
This entry is in response to the first of two Featured Grownups topics for September, 2008.
Comments (25)
I do love a good laugh! Linked
that graphic is hysterical
Hmm never had a official clown friend, must somehow remedy this. Makes me think of the movie “Shakes The Clown“
I laughed out loud at the Jeffrey Dahmer joke. When you mentioned laughing at a joke while you were telling it, it reminded me of one of the funniest comedians of all time. Red Skelton would sometimes laugh so hard he would have to calm down before finishing the joke.
@dsullivan - Red, Freddie the Freeloader, Clem Kadiddlehopper, Gertrude and Heathcliffe… *giggle* …love ‘em all!
Depending on who you’d ask would be how funny I am or am not. I do find that I amuse myself far more than I amuse others. Doug’s comic is perfect with my humor and The King and I have conversations much like you and Greyfox I think. The other day we were at the store and I fed him a line that amused the line of people waiting to check out. The clerk said something about how it was hard to find a woman who had the same sence of humor. “After 30 years she knows how to drop a line and then reel me in,” said The King. “I’m just here for her amusement.”
PS – Just read the top corner quote from Cecile Richards. Now that’s funny!
@dsullivan - We own a collection of Red Skelton on DVD. My children think it’s the best humor they’ve seen in years. I agree.
I cherish an old Bill Cosby albumn of my Dads – yup an album of standup comedy ~ you just listen and laugh…too fun!
My humor tends to be a bit dry. Not everyone gets it, usually. Those that do you know right away… they usually end up spewing things out their mouth or nose, lol.
Interesting stuff about Palin… didn’t know anything about her. They said on the news today that her teenage daughter is about 5 mos pregnant…
Lol@ Jeffrey Dahmer joke.
Did you hear they wanted to convict Lorena Bobbitt, but the evidence wouldn’t stand up in court.
“and that is….when???” Now THAT’s funny! Dang..we get more and more alike…except I’m older than you are.
Now I’m going to read the rest of the comments.
You can be funny, in a mild-but-pleasantly-refereshing chuckle sort of way.
ya yes, inside jokes…..
Humor is often found only in “that” moment, the joke not being funny in just any setting or any time….
I would have loved to read the letter you wrote for the clown! I’m sure we could all learn from it!
Good one!
I loved it……..Your quirky……We all laugh differently at the strangest things……..You rock……
People think that I am hilarious and I don’t even think I am funny. I call it like it is and people think that is funny. I really can find humor in anything. I was devastated when my dog Blade had to be put to sleep. Some how I got everyone to laugh at his little funeral. It helped to lighten the mood.
Marcia
“A clown once accused me of having no sense of humor.” that cracked me up.
Aw I laughed at really inappropriate times in my life. nervous maybe or a twisted sense of humor mostly? Yes that is true about me too. I totally know what you mean about not being able to tell a joke! I tend to laugh all by myself a lot.
Dyslexia makes you think so differently it is hard to explain in mere words.
I love the graphic too! Very funny!
Heh Susu, I think you’re pretty funny, esp. when you’re being straight-forward and direct. Most people are funniest when they’re not trying to be, I think.
Nice entry I have enjoy reading it.
My husband uses that phrase “when I’m in my right mind” sometimes…..your response to that is GREAT!
LOL!!!!!!!
Love to yas………AbbeyC
I love that little cartoon! Good find
I am an absolutely useless joke teller, I can’t do it for the life of me. I too am an in joke girl.
I think your wit would be quick.
x
xkcd …
Nerd humor!