Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Laughing Your Cares Away

What tickles your funny bone?

Do you find the same things funny that you did as a kid or even as a teenager? Some things I do, some I don’t.

I think I may have lost my funny bone or my ability to enjoy most humor. A television show is the cause of my concern.

Earlier this week I watched a little of a program that is designed to make people laugh at silly and funny things other people do. Several of the clips were cute and funny little things animals did and a couple were adorable babies that you couldn’t help but smile at their expressions.

However, for the most part the show wasn’t funny to me. There were too many clips of children intentionally hitting other children or adults with sticks and other items that could have done serious harm. To me it was teaching the child to be a bully. These weren’t cute mishaps that were just caught by chance but looked staged or set up.

A lot of the clips were showing teenagers and young adults doing stunts that you knew weren’t going to work, but end in a mishap of some sort.

Maybe I’m just getting too old to understand what’s funny anymore. However, I still think Road Runner, Tom and Jerry, and Bugs Bunny are funny but they are cartoons.

I’ve been told I don’t watch enough comedy. Maybe so since there are only a
few shows that I keep up with anymore - "Castle," "Bones," "NCIS" and sometimes "CSI." Okay, I see a pattern here, but they all have funny moments in them.

What about you, what makes you laugh? Do you find video shows funny or do you miss comedy shows like “I Love Lucy” or “The Cosby Show?”

Some of the most enjoyable murder mysteries I’ve read had bits of laughter mixed in. Sometimes it was just a light-hearted moment, other times I’ve laughed out loud.

If you’re a writer, do you include a little fun dialogue in your storyline? Do you include bits of comedy to balance with the murder and mayhem? When you read, do you like to have a bit of humor mixed with murder?

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BTW, this is my 200th post. Not that I have written 200 post because I haven’t. I’ve been honored to have wonderful authors contributing with their guest post. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for stopping by and checking out the topics for these 200 posts. Without all of you, it won’t matter how many post were written. Thanks again, come back often as the door is always open.

20 comments:

  1. I really don't like things that are straight comedies. I'll watch a romantic comedy if I'm in the mood but I prefer shows that simply use humour to cut through tension or distract at just the right moment. I guess it isn't enough just to set up a singular scenario without a context and epect that I'll laugh but when thrown in to liven up an excellent story it can make my day.
    Thanks for sharing this post and congrats on the 200 posts.

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  2. I like comedy/humor in my mysteries.

    Congrats on the 200th posts.

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  3. I try to mix a little humour in! I do love Seinfeld-style comedy, I must admit.

    Congrats on the 200th post!

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  4. I think my sense of humor has *definitely* changed (maybe not for the better!)

    Those funny videos mostly just make me wince!

    Elizabeth
    Mystery Writing is Murder

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  5. Mason,

    Congratulations!!! You put so much work into your blog.

    You need to hang out with my daughter and me for a day. We laugh constantly. I've been told Dr. Lovely Daughter and I should take it on the road. I don't know about that, but we do keep ourselves and others laughing and have threatened (each other) to secretly audio tape our car conversations for extortion purposes.

    What I think is funny- is life. Every day I see the humor in things that I do and are done to me. So I laugh.

    PS The funny video show - I don't laugh much. Some of it hurts me.

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  6. For me, the best laughter comes when I'm laughing at myself, at something I did, some graceless step or innocent faux pas. I'm with you, there's not too much to laugh at on the tv. If it's canned or planned, it just falls flat.

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  7. Cass, I like romantic comedies too. I think you're right, putting a little humor in to get to a point helps.

    Dru, comedy and humor in mysteries is like an added bonus to me.

    Talli, a little humor in writing is good.

    Elizabeth, I'm with you on wincing at those funny videos.

    Karen, I couldn't think of any really funny shows on TV, but then I don't watch that much TV either.

    Teresa, your kind of laughter is what is needed. Be sure to let me know if you do make that audio, sounds interesting. :)

    Joanne, I tend to laugh at myself a lot too.

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  8. Happy 200!

    I see the Funniest Videos and end up cringing through most of them, rather than laughing.

    I don't write humor and yet I do put humor in my writing. Esp if you write mystery or something intense, it helps to break it a bit with a bit of humor, I think.

    Helen
    Straight From Hel

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  9. Mason - I think humor is such a personal thing. Everybody finds different things funny. I have to admit I don't watch a lot of comedy shows. My particular form of humor - the kind I like the best - is more cerebral (especially things like clever plays on words) than what's shown on a lot of T.V. shows and movies.

    When I write, I sometimes include a humorous moment or line. The fact is, though, that I was born without the humor gene. So, since I don't write humor very well, I generally don't include a lot of it.

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  10. Tastes in humor definitely change with age. My 9-year old son can be rolling on the floor laughing and I just shake my head! The only dependable laugh-maker in our house is the dog. Everybody thinks he's funny.

    Congrats on the 200th post milestone!

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  11. My kids mentioned a 'funny' movie. I asked if it was Dad funny or Mom funny, because I think there are some hard-wired differences. I think guys hold onto that 9-year-old humor a lot longer than women.

    I love comedy, but I'm not into slapstick.

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  12. I think I know what show you're talking about and I don't find it particularly funny either. My husband makes me laugh!

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  13. I love the shows you mentioned, especially NCIS (on tonight) but even NCIS teaches slapping - Gibbs slap. ha ha ha ha.

    I don't find it funny when children slap other children or adults that's not funny.

    CD

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  14. Congratulations on 200 posts! That's excellent.

    And humor? I love comedy. The old Tim Conway and Carol Burnett skits will still make me laugh out loud. I also like mysteries with quirky characters and silly situations.

    The world would be a better place if more people dug down and found where they've hidden their senses of humor.

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  15. Mason--Congrats on your 200th post. What makes me laugh? Some books--Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series (especially the early ones,) MaryJanice Davidson's first Undead book, and portions of other books, especially when humor is unexpected. Yes to reruns of I Love Lucy and also the movie Young Frankenstein. Nowadays, what makes me laugh the most is watching my grandkids. The things toddlers do! They are natural comedians (especially if you don't have to clean-up after them!)

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  16. I agree with Pat - Carol Burnett & co were the ones that made me laugh out loud the most. Big Bang Theory can have some of those moments too. Other than that, I don't watch a lot of comedies - I like most of the ones you mentioned though.

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  17. Hi all. Ya'll make me feel so much better. At least now I don't think my humor is too far off.

    Patricia, I'm so glad you mentioned the old Tim Conway and Carol Burnett skits. I miss those. Her take on Gone With the Wind is priceless.

    LSU, Young Frankenstein is another great example of good humor.

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  18. I love "Castle"! Nathan Fillion always makes me laugh, especially in Firefly. Not so much when he played the misogynistic evil priest in "Buffy" though.
    My other favorite funny shows: Futurama, Seinfeld, I Love Lucy..oh, and Glee! Sue Sylvester kills me.

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  19. Some things that people think are funny make me cry. Like David Sedaris--I like him, but often the stories he tells seem sad to me, rather than funny.

    I liked old slapstick humor--some was even embarrassing to admit to--Like Weekend at Bernie's HORRORS!

    But I really dislike humor that involves hitting.

    I have a sense of humor and laugh right out loud at some things--but if people try to make me laugh, it doesn't wrk.

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  20. I think my sense of humor has *definitely* changed (maybe not for the better!)
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I'd love to hear your thoughts on today's post. Thanks for dropping by.