Essay On Comedy And Depression
What exactly is the deal with comedians and depression?
This question has been mulled over, torn apart, tossed about and dissected so many times that there’s not really much left to poke and prod at; and yet, with the recent passing of well-known comic Robin Williams, who spent much of his life battling depression, journalists have dug out their embalming tools in an attempt to preserve the age-old question and try to figure out why the happiest people seem to be the most miserable. As someone who has dealt with her fair share of depression served alongside a bad case of inappropriate and uncalled for humor, it’s a topic that has always interested me. While I do agree that comedy typically seems to go hand in hand with troubled childhoods
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The death of a loved one? Certainly. A drawling lecture given by a prestigious figure? On most occasions. The frantic pleadings of a young child to check for monsters under the bed? Only on Wednesdays. A bad breakup between a good friend of yours and their significant other? Not in the least--any opportunity to laugh at another’s expense should always be taken advantage of. But I digress. Humor is a way of life. From the quiet kid in the back of the classroom who can shock an entire class with a well-placed joke, to the scrawny little red-head whose knock-knock jokes everyone pretends to appreciate, to the loud and jeering class clown whose antics are the envy of his peers and a headache to his teachers, everyone can find some value in being funny. Whether you prefer slapstick, satire, dry humor, sarcastic quips, or a healthy dose of cynicism, you should always appreciate and make room for a little amusement in your daily life. Anyone is capable of being humorous. That’s not to say that everyone has to be the poster child for hilarity; but it doesn’t take much to get a laugh out of most people. One of the most satisfying feelings in the world is cracking a joke or making a witty remark that just so happens to strike a chord with everyone in the room, resulting in
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