It’s been a while. I’ve been under the weather, and still am; I’ve been battling a ton of stuff, but, I’m ready to share some of my thoughts again, about everything humor.

First, there’s nothing more important than laughing, and I don’t mean snickering, guffawing, or giggling. I mean belly laughing. I mean, at some event where you’re not supposed to laugh, a tax audit, colonoscope, or a funeral.

Listen. I believe when we’re creating laughter, it, should be our highest thought. I mean, we’re co creating with some of the best energy humanity has to offer ; it should be our higher power, if’ its our highest thought, whether that be God, Buddha, Siva, the Universe, Tito Puente.

Remember the last time you laughed so hard you had tears? Was that not the best, most healing moment we’ve had, since we got our Snuggie? (Think manatee onesie. A Snuggie is a fully body quilt that you wear while binging junk food, on the couch, binge watching “Connecting”)

Connecting, was a pandemic series, about being quarantined, where friends met via video chat, and discussed things like standing in line at a Giant Tiger, having to sell a kidney for morgue scented hand sanitizer, or watching someone buying the last roll of Toilet paper. Only 4 episodes, of desperate actors trying way too hard, being happy while locked down. What’s not to hate about that?

Once, we were in this ridiculously long line line, and this guy rips off his surgical mask, and starts shouting verses from the bible, about how we’re being punished, and we all deserved to catch Covid-19 for being worthless and weak. I said, “you obviously haven’t seen The Mist, because if you had, you’d known how it plays out when you soap-box Revelations.

Anywho, the guy goes on for several moments, when an old lady sashays up to the Swaggart, and swings her hand bag, full force into his chicklets.

Someone in the back of the line starts that one person slow clap, and then the old lady gets an applause break. Everyone laughed hard.

After all this time performing and teaching Stand Up; I’m going to say, your real life stories, being vulnerable, and as honest as you can, are the foundations of humor.

Story, (especially our secrets)+vulnerability+ truth=humor.

Yes, we can write topical material that’s “out there, “Always get something extra nice for your spouse on Valentines, if they’re clean freaks. They know how to clean a crime scene.”

The real trick to writing, is having the courage to share the things that will embarrass you when others read it. ( Author Arthur Miller)

In the book ‘I killed,’ There was a comic on a ferry with his parents, going to a comedy club where he was going to perform his first 5 minute set. He’s going over his notes, and rehearsing like he’s about to be shot. His parents are telling him to relax, be yourself, tell the stuff that makes you laugh. The guy eats a bowl of clam chowder, and gets food poisoning; and has a full-blown accident in his pants. The parents but him some new clothes. They get to the gig; the place is packed, and the son gets on stage and is tanking. There’s dead silence and the dad shouts: “hey, tell them how you shit your pants!”

If you want to write your best stand up, start with one of your stories, a moment that’s uncomfortable. Write it out, and start asking questions about the moment and then, answer them as honestly as you can. The question is the premise. The punchline is your answer. Now, the deeper you’re willing to explore your moment, the better the material.

It’s the truth.