Tell Us About… Laughter!
This month’s blogger’s group prompt is something we can ALL use more of – laughter! I know I laughed a lot more as a child and a teenager than I do now, which seems consistent among adults. Are we surprised and delighted by fewer things? Are we more weighed down by our own worries and those of the world? And why do most of my memories of laughing hard come from the 1970’s and ’80s?
What I do know for sure is that endorphins are released when I have a good belly laugh. I haven’t been to a comedy club in years, but the last time I went, I was struck by how good I felt physically afterwards.
I thought back to some of the entertainment that had me roaring with laughter back in the day. The first thing I thought of was the Steve Martin King Tut sketch from Saturday Night Live. I did not miss a single episode of SNL in my teens (which tells you a lot about my social life, or lack thereof), and it was so totally unlike anything we’d seen before, it made everything extra-hilarious. The song went on to become a big hit on the radio. I find it just as funny today.
Another SNL alum, John Belushi, stole most of the scenes in Animal House, which happened to come out just as I started my freshman year in college. I had also completely forgotten that Kevin Bacon was in it as well!
At the risk of being too SNL-centric, Eddie Murphy also got his start on that show, and I have always found him hilarious. This is one of my favorite clips from Beverly Hills Cop. (by the way, I thought he was robbed of the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in Dreamgirls…)
A favorite of my parents’ generation was The Carol Burnett Show, where the major actors were constantly cracking each other up in front of the live audience. Probably the most famous sketch was their parody of Gone With the Wind (in which the major character, Scarlett O’Hara, has no money for a new dress and makes one out of an old set of drapes – cut to 3:20 in the video if you’re impatient). I had seen the original movie scene many times in the theater and on TV (remember when we couldn’t watch something any time we wanted?), and the audience would have known it well. It’s still one of the longest laughs ever on that show.
Books that made me laugh would have to include all the P.G. Wodehouse Jeeves & Wooster books, The Princess Bride by William Goldman (yes, the one they made the movie from), the new series The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (oh, PLEASE don’t mess up the movie version of this!), and the newspaper columns of Dave Barry (not a book, but still the printed word…).
If you’ve read this far, bless you, and I hope you have someone in your life who makes you laugh like these folks do!
Find out what these other ladies think about laughter:
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Marsha once again goes back to her school days and tells tales on her friends. Will you laugh until you cry? Or, will you shake your head at such silliness?
Leslie at Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After loves to laugh or cackle as her Prince Charming describes it. And nothing makes her cackle more than the loves of her life. https://onceuponatimehappilyeverafter.com/
In Suzy’s reflection on laughter, she dishes on her favourite TV comedies, applauds hubby Michael’s distinctive British humour, and introduces the quirky personalities of pals Sarah and Laura, alongside the charming antics of her furry companions, Myrtle, Shannon, Sadie, and Luna. Find out more at https://www.thegreybrunette.com/laughter
Debbie shares personal stories of laughter and the importance of being able to laugh at yourself. Plus the power of a smile. Link: www.debs-world.com
Penny began writing a review of fun television that made her laugh and then wandered through several definitions of laughter concluding that laughter was a very healthy thing to do. https://frugalfashionshopper.co.uk/
Sue from Women Living Well After 50 looks at he importance of laughter & feeling connected for a healthy lifestyle after 50 www.womenlivingwellafter50.com.au
Gail from Is This Mutton wonders why so little on TV is funny these days, and why we seldom see older women making us laugh. Link: https://www.isthismutton.com
Tell me in the comments if you remember any of these, and what your never-fail go-to’s are for a good belly laugh!?!?
16 Comments
Penny
Actually there have been some superb Amercian female comedians including Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers and of course, Lucille Ball. I must watch that sketch about the ‘curtains’as that looks hilarious – I remember the scene in Gone With the Wind. And Steve Martin’s and Eddie Murphy’s films were very funny. But don’t forget Jerry Lewes’s films as well – they were great and very funny too.
It really has brought back memories of many funny American comedians. I wonder if you remmber Victor Borge? he was brilliant.
Great post!
mkmiller
You’re right about those female comedians (“comediennes”?) I do remember Victor Borge – he was a great favorite of my parents, and awesome. I also think the whole ensemble cast of Friends was brilliant, with Matt LeBlanc being my favorite.
Gail
It’s funny you mention not having had a good belly laugh since the 70s/80s, I feel the same. Interesting that we had our “own” TV comedies without much crossover, probably because there was no streaming a few years ago.
mkmiller
In the meantime I’ve remembered Friends, Gail, which I still think is the funniest thing of the ’90s. I started watching it while living in England, too! It is odd to think we can watch virtually anything that’s been produced, any time we want now.
jodie filogomo
The Princess Bride….YES. One of my absolute favorites. I read the book after seeing the movie, and it was just as funny.
In fact, I saw the movie with 300 other college students in the big auditorium and thus there were many parts of the movie that were repeated out loud. I’m sure you know a few.
“Inconceivable”
“My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die” for example,
OXOX
jodie
mkmiller
Have fun stormin the castle!!!!!!
mireille
I’ve enjoyed everyone’s take on laughter. I love to laugh and I think friendships really help!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
mkmiller
It was such a fun one – glad you enjoyed it, Mireille!
Marsha Banks
I agree with you about SNL! I think those early years were definitely the best. Remember the Shark skits? They weren’t really even that funny, but there was something about them that made you laugh out loud! And, what about John Belushi as a bee? Actually, John Belushi as anything…his scene in Animal House in the cafeteria…gaggy, but so doggone funny!
I haven’t watched Carol Burnett in years, but I always loved how they would crack themselves up and try to restrain themselves then finally give in to it! I wonder if it has worn well…if I’d find it as funny today.
I think we have to figure out ways to laugh more as we get older. Do you think it’s a societal thing? It’s just not done in polite society to laugh out loud? What I do know is that I laughed more when I was teaching, but I was surrounded by 9 and 10 year olds who thought toots were hilarious! I retain a little bit of that fourth grader humor today!
Thanks for a fun post, MK!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
mkmiller
Toots are STILL funny, Marsha!
Leslie Clingan
Oh, that Steve Martin and the whole SNL crew about that same time…weren’t they just the best? The show was never as good after they left. We saw Steve and Martin Short in Austin last spring and were disappointed by the show. Much of it was a video of highlights from SNL and movies they had done. The rest was a repeat of skits they have done since. Very little fresh material. And they are showing their age, like I am. I’m just not going around the country on tour!!
I like Eddie Murphy, too. Have never seen Dreamgirls or at least not from beginning to end. Will have to check it out.
I had planned to mention Carol Burnett in my piece but got wound up and forgot. That Gone With the Wind skit was adorable. My second granddaughter is very slow at doing everything…not mentally challenged/slow but just never in a hurry. My daughter calls her Prissy from GWTW that makes me laugh every time she says it.
mkmiller
The original SNL cast can never be touched, in my opinion, Leslie. I also did not think Only Murders in the Building, with Martin & Short, was as funny as I wanted it to be. Ah, the perils of peaking early in one’s career…
Debbie Harris
This was a great reminder of comedians from the past MK, some I’ve heard of and others not but I get the gist! I agree we all need to laugh more and what’s being produced on TV and screens at the moment doesn’t really appeal to me for some reason. There are some funny bits and I keep an eye out for these bits a lot of the time. A great post and anotehr great prompt for Tell us About!
mkmiller
Deb, I also wonder if it’s just harder to make us laugh as we get older? On the other hand, I do find myself laughing hysterically at reels and YouTube videos – maybe we’re just looking in the wrong media?!?!
Bettye
Oh gosh, Steve Martin! I’m not usually a fan of silly, corny kind of humor, but HE KILLS ME. I cannot NOT watch The Jerk if I see it somewhere.
Somehow I feel that more TV shows can make me laugh than movies…even though I always think of movies as “better.” But movie comedies rarely make me really laugh. Funny. Ha, no pun intended.
I can remember watching The Carol Burnett Show with my mother and just laughing and laughing…but can’t think of anything specific now.
Bettye
mkmiller
Bettye – what I remember most about the Carol Burnett Show was how they would all crack each other up, especially Harvey Korman & Tim Conway, and watching them all trying to keep it together in front of a live audience. Hoping you’re enjoying non-stop Korean TV over there!