The Laughter Plan Exemplo

What is Funny?

God designed us to enjoy the benefits of laughter. He knew we’d need laughter to pull us through when frustrations, difficult people, and shopping carts with wheels that don’t turn or spin in opposing directions get us down. It’s not easy to drop everything and run to the movies to watch a comedy, and comedies aren’t always as funny as their trailers make them out to be. 

Remember when comedy was just plain funny? It didn’t make you squirm in your seat, and it wasn’t mean-spirited, even when it was a “roast.” The humor was good-natured and fun. The guest of honor was treated with respect, and a heartfelt tribute usually wrapped up the evening. 

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 17:22 that “a merry heart doeth good like a medicine,” and that’s true. A good comedy show can make you forget a dreadful day, just like a couple of aspirin can get you through the night until the doctor’s office opens in the morning. Humor is healthy. 

Comedy doesn’t have a political preference. In the good old days, even political satirists kept it respectful and relatively equal between the different politicians and political parties. Politics were not at the center of the humor of comedians like Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, and all the way back to Mark Twain. Their goal was simply to make the audience laugh. The comics were equal opportunity jokesters. The first joke would hit the Democrats, the next would hit the Republicans, and the last would hit Congress. 

Marriage humor was covered by the likes of Lucille Ball, Jackie Gleason, George Burns, and so many talented others. No matter what they said, you knew love, tolerance, and respect was at the core of their humor. For family life comedy, we had Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, and The Brady Bunch, or we could just Leave it to Beaver. Even the offbeat characters of The Addams Family and The Munsters gave audiences plenty to laugh about.

For the foibles of life there was Bob Newhart, Rodney Dangerfield, and a host of others who could make us guffaw at the drop of a punchline. For pure zaniness, there was Jerry Lewis, Phyllis Diller, and Robin Williams. Domestic complaints? Joan Rivers. Senior life? The Golden Girls. Small town? Andy Griffith and Don Knotts. 

There are far too many comedians and comic actors of yesteryear to list here, but they all had one thing in common: Their comedy was the kind that made you feel good. You dwelled on your own problems a little less. You laughed along with people of opposing political beliefs and different life experiences, and it didn’t matter—not one iota. Barriers were dropped, not erected. Hearts were opened a little, not slammed shut. There was a lot more laughter and a lot less offense.

Who among us couldn’t use a healthy dose of that “merry heart-making, God-prescribed medicine” right now?

Some of today’s comics understand the gift those legendary comedians gave us, and they try to replicate that family-friendly, non-offensive brand of humor. They know that life is tough for everybody, and laughter is a biblical prescription for much of what ails us. Most importantly, they realize that humor’s most noble and greatest mission is simply this: to make us all laugh. And preferably together.