The fact that our nation devotes the first day in April to pranks and jokes suggests the importance of humor in our society. But what exactly is American humor? It would be nice to describe it as intelligent and witty but fastidious channel-changing proves otherwise as shows like “Jerry Springer “Jersey Shore” and “Jackass” appeal to our less-refined sense of hilarity.
Unfortunately the universal trajectory of progress does not seem to apply to the film industry’s employment of humor. Will Farrell’s humor is a bit less classy than Clark Gable’s and the wit in “The Hangover” pales in comparison to Woody Allen’s “Bananas.”
At the same time there are a few glimmers of hope such as Tina Fey’s “30 Rock which has earned Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series annually since 2007. Well thought-out and ingeniously put together, viewers are hard-pressed not to receive an ab workout from nonstop laughter. Also receiving Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series during 2006 and 2007, The Office” provides a healthy dose of wit.
These shows have something in common other than their comedic value. They have a common setting— the workplace. We can only hope that our future jobs provide us with that much entertainment.
The Graphic staff encourages you to bring wit and humor to your workplace— whether it be class a summer internship or a full-time job. Professors are so much more engaging when they intersperse their lectures with wit and funny people are more enjoyable to be around in general. Laughing will keep you sane in stressful situations and provide a welcomed escape to a potentially stressful environment.
But how should we go about making people laugh? All too often we elicit laughter by making fun of others instead of delivering witty one-liners or simply making fun of ourselves. Most people have no problem laughing at Snooki’s antics on the “Jersey Shore but how many people feel comfortable making themselves the butt of a joke? Perhaps we take ourselves a bit too seriously.
Why not bring more humor to your life and to the lives of others? Try to find the humor in situations rather than focusing on their negative aspects. It will make you a happier person, as well as bring color to the lives of those around you. It will also instantly up your attractiveness. Pull a prank on your friend today— it might make her smile. Tell a joke to a stranger— even if you think it’s lame, it might make him laugh.
Strive for relationships where laughter is commonplace. Friendships are not supposed to be dramatic or stressful; they should be fun and light-hearted. A friendship void of humor, while perhaps substantive, lacks an aspect elemental to fun. Similarly, try to integrate wit and humor into your relationship with your parents. While the width of the generation gap may frustrate this effort, try to find subjects you can relate on— perhaps politics, history or Grey’s Anatomy.” Or just make fun of yourself.
As a staff we’ve strived to bring humor to the newsroom this semester. Staying up until 6 a.m. to churn out a coherent newspaper is more tolerable when you can count on laughs along the way. We plan to bring our eclectic senses of humor to future workplaces with the intent of making oppressively long workdays enjoyable.
So make today— April Fools’ Day— the day you begin striving to extend humor to others. And none of that “Jersey Shore” comedy please. Focus on crafting witty retorts and try making fun of yourself more often. Trust us— it’s incredibly endearing.
