Comedians Are Essential Workers

“The role of Lear’s Fool reveals the true nature of all the characters using comedy, wit, and the permission to use them. The Fool is a vehicle to express true thoughts, and can be a dangerous character to those who don’t want to hear difficult truths.” — American Shakespeare Center

“Take my wife … PLEASE!” — Henny Youngman 

I think comedians are essential workers.

Not to take anything away from the doctors, nurses, first responders, utility workers, truck drivers, teachers, those who prepare and delivery our food and other essentials, the Amazon and FedEx and UPS people, moms and dads, and those who have been working Covid testing sites, and vaccination facilities. But these have been challenging times for peoples’ brains and spirits also. Isolation and deprivation of many activities that give us joy have left us drifting in a timeless torture time-warp. Depression is way up, as are suicides and suicidal ideation.

The comedians for me, have kept me from going off the deep end.

They have taken on the big, ugly crises of these times — the pandemic, the assault on democracy, the collapsed economy, the hatred — ALL immediate and horrific threats to our lives and sanity. And mostly, they have taken everything on with aplomb — with wit, irony, and scathing satire that cuts all the nastiness into small chunks. And sometimes it’s just silliness, which has been a welcome diversion from our preoccupation with our own mortality, the threats to our loved ones, and our society, everything we hold dear — our very lives. 

Foremost among the comic comforters for me have been the late night talkshow hosts, Trevor Noah, Colbert, Seth Meyers, and occasionally Kimmel and Fallon. But there are many others — Netflix and Comedy Central and the rest have given us some ingenious comedy programming — among the most novel are the home cooking shows with Amy Schumer, Iliza Shlesinger and their hubbies, but with a switch — the guys cook while the women wisecrack. You can relate because they are stuck at home too. Ricky Gervais is suicidal after the death of his wife in “After Life” and finds comfort in his dog and in his sad, silly job, and well, the “Shitt’s Creek” cast is exactly where we feel we are.

So thanks to all the funny people who have brought laughs, diversion, and have comforted and have made all this mess a bit more bearable.

“Smile” by Charlie Chaplin

“Smile though your heart is aching.

Smile even though it’s breaking.

When there are clouds in the sky …

You’ll get by if you …

Smile through your fear and sorrow.

Smile and maybe tomorrow …

You’ll see the sun come shining thru for you …”

Here’s to tomorrow. And many more laughs. Humor Heals!