Laughter is the Best Medicine.
- Quote of the Week: Laughter is an instant vacation. – Milton Berle
Recent posts have touched on some serious topics. The use (or misuse) of artificial intelligence (AI), heart disease, the vulnerability of Europe, bank failures, Boeing’s ongoing issues, etc. Those posts were top-of-mind for me and concerning as well. I do try to dig into the topic to provide my viewpoint, as it is important for me to try and spur response from readers of JustMyTake.
For this week, I am going in the opposite direction, keeping this post on the light side of things. My family loved comedy and comedians. Everything from ‘I Love Lucy’ to ‘Laugh In’ and everyone from Dick Gregory, Joan Rivers, Don Rickles, Tina Fey, Eddie Murphy, Rodney Dangerfield, George Carlin, and of course, Richard Pryor.
Here are a few quick examples of comedy at its best:
Spanning six seasons, I Love Lucy starred Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and follows the trials and tribulations of a young, middle-class homemaker, Lucy Ricardo, and her husband, Ricky Ricardo, who entertained at the Tropicana nightclub. Silly, slapstick, and downright funny, this show was the most popular show in the United States for four of its six prime-time seasons. Lucille Ball, for all one hundred-eighty episodes, was incredibly entertaining and funny.
You never wanted to sit in the first couple of rows when Don Rickles came on stage. He was the epitome of an “insult” comedian, forever going after everyone, no matter your race, creed, color, or religion. Everyone loved Don Rickles as he was no holds bar, no matter your significance or title. The “equal opportunity offender” was not shy, even with the President of the United States, the First Lady, and the Secretary of State. Rickles went after EVERYONE.
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are very funny. Together they have provided us with some great delivery from great content. It is not easy to make fun of George Clooney – these two made it look and sound so easy.
Talented, alarming, truthful, and relevant, Eddie Murphy entertained worldwide audiences on stage and on the big screen. Think about his acting prowess in Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop, 48 Hours, The Nutty Professor, and of course his Saturday Night Live craziness.
It is impossible to describe Rodney Dangerfield’s talent. The word awkward comes to mind as he gave us performances to remember. This is a quick video of his Back To School moments which does not do justice to Dangerfield’s talent.
Laughter is no joke. Research by the Johns Hopkins Institute, as published in Psychology Today, tells us that the benefits of laughter are widespread for both the mind and the body:
- Laughter is a potent endorphin releaser.
- Contagious laughter forms social bonds.
- Laughter forms brain connectivity.
- Laughter is central to relationships.
- Laughter has an effect similar to antidepressants.
- Laughter protects your heart (by relieving stress).
- Laughter changes our perspective.
Today’s world is filled with various barriers and hurdles to overcome. It is time for all of us to look for ways to laugh more. The old saying “Laughter is the best medicine” has never been more relevant.
- This week’s take on Pure Talent brings us to “The Nicest Man in Stand-Up” – the Grammy-nominated Nate Bargatze. This Nashville-based comedian has taken the world by storm with straightforward storytelling. Nate Bargatze is definitely Pure Talent.