Priceless Humor is Priceless!
01/12/09
For centuries stories have been told and retold throughout the world. How come? For one thing, they are entertaining. Another reason is that they deal with the human condition, one way or another. Even stories using animals as characters reflect the situations and actions of our species.
The struggles of life have been with us for centuries as well. Conflict. Pestilence. Thorny relationships. All of which beg for some direction, some assistance. A resolution of some sort.
Needless to say, no one cares to listen to preaching. We prefer to take our medicine with a bit of sweetener. Enter laughter. It is the honey in the brew. Priceless humor is filled with wit and wisdom. A unique combination.
As you know, everyone loves to laugh. Laughter enlivens the spirit. And everyone loves to laugh at the foibles of our own species (as long as it happens at the expense of another). This is priceless humor.
Look around you at the great humorists. Dave Barry. Mark Russell. Russell Baker. Check out the humorists of history. Moliere. Ogden Nash. All of them were storytellers. Priceless humor their brush.
Priceless humor... what makes it priceless? There is a simple answer to this question. Priceless humor involves situations which most of us have experienced. The missed appointment. The comic situation. The consequences that follow are generally laughable.
The world of urban folktales is a rich source of priceless humor. Listeners can readily find many humorous circumstances in my CD Parking in Manhattan. Folks can relate to and empathize with the characters involved in these hilarious comedies. Priceless situations create priceless humor.
World stories also capitalize on priceless humor. The retelling of such stories never ceases to bring gales of laughter to listeners. Check out "Rock Soup" or "Herschel in the Woods" from my CD Fables in Four Minutes. My CD World Full of Stories has many examples a listener can enjoy. There are many similar examples of priceless humor from virtually every country on the planet. These stories will stick with you long after you heard them. At www.jaystetzer.com you will find a rich source of priceless humor!
When I am out and about, I tune into conversations around me. They are filled with catastrophes and disasters. And the life lessons are generally hidden from view. It is my job as a storyteller to sort out the meaning from all the information I hear. To make the tale palatable, I inject a bit of humor. Making the story priceless with priceless humor!
Virtually every storytelling genre contains examples of priceless humor. Why? Another simple answer. Laughter makes learning easier. There is often a lesson to be learned through a story with priceless humor. It just goes to show what a treasure priceless humor can be.
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