Saturday, April 12, 2014

Finding the funny

We've dissolved, over the years, into eating dinner in front of the TV.  Please don't tell the social scientists.  Everything I've read assures us that such a grave moral lapse in parenting will result in delinquent children. And don't think I don't remind my boys, every night (during the commercials) that they are destined for jail, or worse a career in politics.  Nevertheless, the kids choose (and we do too) to brave the consequences and settle down in front of the tube with the dogs curled at our feet. I have my standards, however.  We can only watch comedy.  Our criminally overpriced cable company replays The Daily Show and The Colbert Report every night at dinner time.  As my husband and I plate the food I call in to the kids to "find the funny".  They kindly go through the on-demand rigmarole and freeze Stewart in mid greeting until we're all gathered. Sometimes we change it up and watch Jimmy Fallon.

We need the funny.  I need the funny.  We need to laugh together.  My funny diet also includes "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!" which can be captured in podcasts to play later. When the whole family needs a hit we play and replay Brian Regan- any of his one hour stand up videos will do.

(If you are reading this on an iPHONE or an iPAD, CLICK THIS and THIS to see Brian Regan)







Regan, for me, is generally a two handkerchief comedian.  When we head to San Diego after our UCLA doc appointments, as we will next week, we take in as many consecutive nights as possible of the National Comedy Theater downtown.  It is sterling.  It is exclusively clean comedy (as is Regan, by the way).  So clean, in fact, that they have a paper bag rule: if a performer or audience member says anything off color they must wear a paper bag on their head. Both Cesare and Griffin have alternately been brave enough to climb on stage when invited to participate in a silly skit.  No bag, by the way.  They aren't delinquent yet.

(iPad and iPhone readers, click this to see the National Comedy Theater in action)


What do you do to find the funny?




5 comments:

  1. Yo, anonymous here! I find it funny that Ife had this iPad for three years now and never knew what the book shaped icon at the top of the page was for! Or how to comment on a blog! Ha!

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  2. Hi, I think it's wonderful that your family has a ritual to just be together and enjoy some light-hearted time. Epilepsy families are not like other families. We are already all so close and carry so much weight. What we all need is "the funny", just like you say!

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  3. http://books.google.com.sa/books?id=RbPB4XCqQSsC&printsec=frontcover&hl=ar&source=gbs_ge_summary_Hi,
    My son has had 3 febrile seizures - the last one was a month ago and he just turned 6 so they want to put him on meds. I am frustrated and stressed and one day I read a quote "there isn't much a good night's sleep and a good belly laugh can't cure". I them decided life needs to be as funny as possible. The kids and I make up funny games and I have created stories about some characters (complete with potty humor) that my son finds hilarious. Sometimes when I feel like he is looking strange and might be coming down with something I tell him these stories. He gets a good belly laugh. He has never seized when I have done this. Maybe it's nothing but I really think it helps :)

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  4. Sorry I don't know what happened that there is a link on the top of my previous post... Typing from my phone sorry

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    Replies
    1. No apology necessary! Thank you, Sonya, for sharing your laugh therapy. I've seen similar moments with Cesare.
      Keep laughing...it'll save us.

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