WHAT MAKES ME LAUGH

I love comedians because I love to laugh. The question we have at The Home is where did they all go. It all started with a question of who planned to watch the Last Comic Standing. As you might expect — no one! That led to a few blasts at contemporary so called comedians. All the ones we could remember took a beating. Admittedly we couldn’t remember that many. It was interesting that even the ones whose own language is a little salty had the same frustration. Too blue! When trying to think of a comic show, sketch or movie that didn’t have something suggestive or just plane vile. And the language! If you have been to the theater lately you already know what we are talking about.

As we were talking there are one-liners right after the other. Naturally we all thought we were funnier that those being paid to be funny. We have no illusions. Not one of could sustain five mf the stage alone. But we have a question for those who are: Don’t you have any family friendly material?

As conversations usually go, memories were pooled. All agreed that The Carol Burnett was out favorite and that Tim Conway made the show. He constantly tried to make Harvey Corman and Carol breakup. He made us all crack up. That was must see TV, and most everyone did. We know there were only three choices a night, but it was always talked about the next day. We each had a different favorite episode. I loved that Gone With Wind take off when Carol came down the stairs in a curtain with the rod in her shoulders. It became even funnier when I learned the costumer for her show was Bob Mackie (designer to the stars today)

As the list of outstanding comics developed there was Red Skelton, Victor Borge, Jack Benny and only Bob Hope came close to the suggestiveness of today. We could not forget Jackie Gleason. I guess knocking your wife to the moon has lost something over the years. But among the great were George Burns and Gracie Allen, Lucile Ball, Eve Arden, and countless others. There was sexuality in some of their material, but not obscene, not grotesque, not embarrassing.

Maybe it’s just the generations. Maybe tastes have just changed and we haven’t kept up. But maybe real humor has not changed. Have you ever attended a spontaneous comedy family friendly show such as Sportz Comedy? That laughter is nonstop. I have seen some pretty raunchy comedians and the audience is in an uproar, much like our generation and our hero’s. But for us, there are huge loses to all generations.

As for me, I’ll stick to puns, play-on-words, or just plain stupidly. I’m not smart enough for much more. But I want to laugh at something that does not embarrass me.