Two greats on the same stage. That would have been a show to see for sure.
I may have mentioned before that Dolly Parton was an early hero of mine. However, I discovered this video randomly when I went to YouTube to watch another video.
I talk about a lot of serious things but one lighter thing I also take seriously is comedy. We deal with a lot of heavy things in our lives but we absolutely need to step back from time to time and ask ourselves what are we so serious about all the time.
Working in the entertainment industry for the short time I did taught me this.
Not about comedy, but about not being serious all the time.
I believe that comedy keeps us grounded. Despite the popularity of certain forms of comedy that attacks others, I believe that the best kind of comedy does not beat up on others.That kind of comedy is cheap and there’s a good reason that it’s called base. It’s where a lot of people, comedians or not, start. The good ones rise above it.
Look at these two powerful ladies. They don’t need to punch down. They are comfortable in their place. They can be funny without being self-conscious and without attacking anyone else.
Life is funny enough as it is without poking fun at other people. Of course, I have a special hatred for this nasty kind of comedy because I have been the target of ridicule myself. Sometimes I’ve deserved it and those I will laugh at. However, mostly I have not.
I have been made fun of for being different, physically and mentally. This is one of the reasons why I work so hard to help other people. Even though I have been harassed I understand that there are many people who have had it a lot harder than I have. I strongly believe that old saying, “If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.”
I feel strongly that there is far too much cruelty in the world and it takes people like Dolly Parton, Carol Burnet and even myself even though I do not have the pull of these two legends. Every person in the fight matters, even when we are not up front and in the spotlight. Not everyone is capable of or good at that kind of thing.
I do believe that I have had a small influence on the lives of some. Even if I’ve been able to only help a few people in my life, that’s a few more people who can do good in their own way. Of course, if I help the right person, who helps a lot more people in the downstream from me, then my influence grows.
This is how I can help and this is why I refuse to give up.
People who believe that helping others takes away something from themselves are looking at it the wrong way. Sure, there is always risk. You could help someone who takes more from you, or takes from someone else. That risk is in everything we do.
In love, in community, and in comedy.
It’s all risky.
Also, sure, helping others takes energy and some people can give too much. You have to remember that there is balance. You can not help anyone else unless, or until, you take care of yourself.
Still, I decided a long time ago that I would rather try to do good, to make a positive impact, and not succeed than have never tried at all.
Don’t knock the necessity of recharging and unwinding. We can get overwhelmed with all the important causes, missions and important things that we do in our lives. All this energy going out can be a serious drain on our resources. The metaphor of us being a battery is appropriate. We need time to recharge, recalibrate and recuperate. This is a very important part of our job too.
Comedy is a great way to unwind, as well as to communicate.
Besides, bullies take themselves very seriously and they want us to take them seriously as well.
They lose effectiveness if we poke fun at their seriousness and their goals.
I say that the worst person to attack is a comedian, or a cartoonist. Why? All the bully is doing is giving them even more material to use.
The harder that they fight against it, the more you know you are hitting close to their heart.
This is why I take comedy very seriously. I salute anyone who has the power to stand up to bullies and laugh at them.
Music, film and even television have been very hard on women performers. All of them have been industries which will demand perfection and then throw you in a closet once you don’t line up with these demands. This has been so much worse for women than men.
Many years ago I talked with a Croatian news anchor who had the dream of moving to the United States to be an actor. I asked her two questions, “How is your English?” and “How good looking are you?” She said that she spoke with a very thick accent and that she was rather plain looking. I said, “I’m sorry, but you are likely to find it very hard to find work over here.”
I wish I could have said otherwise.
I know that this story is a bit of a downer when I started talking about comedy. However, comedy is how many of us deal with the harsh realities we live in.
Perhaps I should have asked her if she could be a comedian.
