Greetings from sunny East End, Grand Cayman! While I am getting ready to go swim with the stingrays at Stingray City, Cuz’n Cindy (Aka, CindyIndie) has been kind enough to provide a guest post. Thanks SO much, Cuz’n! And without further ado, below is Cuz’n Cindy’s post for your consideration and amusement:
Who Makes You Laugh?
by Cindyindie
Cuzin Amy was kind to offer me a chance to chat with y’all…..and so I thought that with all of the depressing news going on right now, we’d talk about what/who makes us laugh.
One of my college roommates and I graduated at the same time (May 1969), and were hired by school districts in adjoining little Oklahoma towns. Becoming public school music teachers meant that we were broke as heck, and needed to share an apartment.
That was great….and everything was going fine UNTIL we bought a television. Oh, my.
At 10:30 every week night in 1969, discerning Americans had a choice: Cavett or Carson???? Well, since roomie had been a Russian History major (among her other majors), she was a little more serious than I. Dick Cavett was her choice.
I was definitely a Carson girl, and had watched him and laughed with him all through my Jr. High and High School years.
He was like one of the family, for chrissake! Johnny Carson was the one who could make me relax and belly laugh at the end of a tough day of teaching. And THAT’S what I wanted at 10:30 p.m…NOT a stuffy, intellectual high-brow (forgive me, Cavett-ites out there, but that’s how he seemed to me, when I was a 22-yr.old music teacher)
Anyway, roomie and I had many unpleasant evenings arguing over which show we would watch. Mercifully, (just kidding) she moved to Tulsa the following year, and it saved our friendship—LOL.
But seriously, all of that should seem silly to me now; but, looking back, I realize the experience was a defining one. I was (usually) a more carefree, laugh-it-up and enjoy life type than my roomie. She was always more serious, introspective and silly-intolerant. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that, as Seinfeld would say–LOL)
This isn’t to say that Johnny Carson had no depth and was just silly…..nor does it mean that Dick Cavett couldn’t be funny.
It does mean, however, that there was no way we two girls were going to abandon our late night viewing predilections.
So, I hope each of you enjoys whomever it is that makes you laugh, and understand why they make you laugh, and why it’s fun to laugh at/with them.
And good lord, we all need laughter, especially now, don’t we?
So belly-up to the laughter bar, y’all. It’ll make you feel better!
Thanks again, Cuz’n Cindy – much appreciated! And this is an Open Thread.
Rabblerouserruminations's Weblog 
May 30, 2014 at 11:06 am |
There are people and things that make me laugh and people whom I laugh at. My cat makes me laugh, which is why I love her. The ding bat spokeswoman at the Sate Dept. who said Obama doesn’t give himself enough credit is someone I like to laugh at.
May 30, 2014 at 11:23 am |
LOL—I just heard about the State Dept. woman…LOL—Now that IS something to laugh abt!
Thanks, Katherine.
May 30, 2014 at 3:05 pm |
Oh, my, now THAT is funny!! Obama doesn’t give himself ENOUGH credit? You mean like the maybe 15 seconds out of an entire speech when he isn’t talking abt himself? Good grief.
May 30, 2014 at 3:07 pm |
😆 Me too Katherine.
May 30, 2014 at 11:07 am |
I didn’t “like” either Cavett or Carson. Although the spouse would tell me when Buddy Hacket was on Carson and then I watched. Hacket made me laugh.
Your post made me think about what makes me laugh to this day. I never laughed much at smut therefore I didn’t like Eddie Murphey much, guess I was a racist even back then except Bill Cosby made me laugh out loud and often until tears rolled down my cheeks. And not one F-bomb in his whole routine. He still does, his “Still Alive” routine is hysterical.
I tend towards the silly. I love Jeff Dunham and Jalapeno on a stick makes me laugh til I hurt. ( Which is no big deal really since these days something always hurts.
Thanks for making me think about laughter Cindy. I am mad enough to chew nails so much of the time that this unusual excursion into laughter was very good for my system.
May 30, 2014 at 11:31 am |
oops—Marge, my reply is below. 🙂
May 30, 2014 at 11:29 am |
Thanks for your comment, Marge!
You are so right about Bill Cosby. I had his records, too….and when I was younger, our family had all of Andy Griffith’s routines on vinyl.
And of course, Jonathan Winters’, along with Bob Newhart’s.
Those were the days when a family would sit down, listen to great comics, and all laugh together. And all smut-free! Imagine!
May 30, 2014 at 12:19 pm |
Jonathan Winters!!!!! How funny was he. When my father worked the 4-12am shift my mother and I would stay up (even on a school night) to watch Jonathan Winters on the Tonight Show.
And there was this hysterical piece on Taxi where Rev. Jim was taking his driver’s license exam and Alex was trying to slip him the answers. Rev. Jim doesn’t know what the yellow light means and Alex says, “Slow down.” So Rev. Jim asks him again what does the yellow light mean only he’s talking slower. This went on over and over again with the Rev. Jim talking impossibly slowly. It was just so funny.
Thanks for stimulating the memories.
BTW, Shinseki just resigned.
May 30, 2014 at 12:35 pm |
Wasn’t Jonathan W. incredible?! Oh, gosh, just loved him.
Oh, yes, I remember that episode of Taxi—hilarious!
That era had some fabulously funny sitcoms… and very smartly done.
Thanks for the news about Shinseki—-I’m cleaning my house for afternoon company, while watching our 3 yr. old grandson, so not listening to news too much.
Thanks for your comments, Katherine.
May 30, 2014 at 1:54 pm |
Yes, yes – Jonathan Winters was a genius. I just loved him.
May 30, 2014 at 1:56 pm |
I loved Bob Newhart! Not his television programs so much – I’m not much for situation comedy – but his stand up routines. I had all his records. And IMO the “Driving Instructor” is still brilliantly funny.
May 30, 2014 at 2:16 pm |
Marge,
When I was a pre-teen and teen, we lived just north of Rice U. (in Houston). On the other side of Rice from our house was an historic night club, (and Motor Inn) called The Tidelands. It was historic because so many of those early stand-up comedians cut their teeth at the Tidelands, first.
The accountant for the Tidelands just happened to be a soprano in one of my daddy’s church choirs…..So she would tell my parents when someone was coming to do a show that she thought they might like.
Mama and Daddy would go to hear the entertainment, and then come home and tell us ALL about how fun it was …and how funny those novices were! They especially loved a new guy named “Bob Newhart” (in fact, Newhart I believe recorded his first album there, with my folks in the audience!)
I also remember the night they came home from the Tidelands, raving about these two brothers who were a scream and had a funny name: Smothers.
May 31, 2014 at 12:08 pm |
Lucky you to get first-hand accounts of three comedy geniuses like Newhart and the Smothers Brothers! The Smothers Brothers were so funny.
The first song of theirs I ever heard, I was just a little nipper – well maybe not so little – was “Chocolate”. Remember that one?
May 31, 2014 at 1:24 pm |
OMG Marge…Thank you! Haven’t heard that in years!!!
It was so funny that my parents went to that night club, because they were tee-total-ing Southern Baptists, but they LOVED funny people, and loved to laugh….So they’d sit there, sipping their Coca Colas, laughing their little Baptist fannies off! LOL—
I always thought they were very open-minded, because so many of their Baptist brethren wouldn’t go anywhere near a night club. And daddy was on the church staff!
Thanks again for that great video!
May 30, 2014 at 3:12 pm |
Cosby was/is awesome. We watched Andy Griffith religiously in our household, and my younger brother had his girls (who are now teenagers) watching him, too as they grew up, along with Lucille Ball. Now SHE was funny.
I always liked Ellen Degeneres, though I wish she had refrained from her foray into the world of politics by jumping on the Obama bandwagon. Still, she is mighty funny.
One of our other faves is Kathleen Madigan. Here is a clip I think y’all might enjoy:
May 30, 2014 at 5:38 pm |
Cuz—yes, I always liked Ellen D…..and like you, wishes she hadn’t become so political.
Her sitcom with Jeremy Piven, et al, was so clever!
Don’t know Kathleen M….I’ll have to watch!
May 30, 2014 at 5:42 pm |
P.S. Cuz—-Yes! Lucille Ball was wonderful. She was my idol/role model when I was 5 yrs. old!
May 30, 2014 at 10:34 pm |
I agree, the Ellen Show was so good. Loved it. Her sense of humor was/is one that does not put people down, or make fun of them, which I appreciate.
Hope you like the Madigan clip. There is a part in there abt her retired parents that had us cracking up…
May 31, 2014 at 11:14 am |
Thanks Cuz—Love the clip….She is hilarious!
May 31, 2014 at 11:38 am |
Glad you liked her, Cuz! I think she is funny…
May 30, 2014 at 12:40 pm |
BTW, an observation I made back in the good ol’ days of stand-up and sit-down (talk show) comedians was this: Unless they were “ethnic” comics, most of them seemed to be from the Midwest.
Anyone else notice that?? Just thought it was interesting.
(Johnny Carson–Iowa and Nebraska; Dick Cavett–Nebraska; Jonathan Winters–Ohio–I think; Bob Newhart, either Ohio or Illinois, etc.)
May 30, 2014 at 12:46 pm |
Laughter is the best!
May 30, 2014 at 12:51 pm |
Ain’t it the truth, mcnorman?!
Thanks.
May 30, 2014 at 3:09 pm |
Indeed it is Mcnorman and these days I give myself lots of laughs all daylong.:lol:
May 30, 2014 at 1:00 pm |
Talking about things that make you laugh, Drudge has a headline under the picture of Shinseki that says, “Off the Waiting List.”
May 30, 2014 at 1:31 pm |
tee-hee–that’s a good one!
May 30, 2014 at 1:57 pm |
Now that’s funny! But poor Obama – who can he blame now?
May 30, 2014 at 3:04 pm |
It is a what this time Marge Computers. : 🙂
May 30, 2014 at 3:13 pm |
LOL – good one! And it was right for him to resign. Still, heads should roll…
May 30, 2014 at 2:33 pm |
Another reason for a chuckle – Jay Carney is resigning as Press Secretary to be replaced, at least temporarily, by some guy named Josh – wait for it – Earnest. I’m so sure that means he do nothing but tell the truth.
May 30, 2014 at 3:16 pm |
Ahahahahahaha – the spokesweasel is stepping down? Holy smokes, didn’t see that coming. Who will he be all snarky with now that he doesn’t have Ed Henry to kick around? Ahem.
Here’s a link to The Hill article on the resignation: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/207763-carney-resigns-as-white-house-spokesman
May 31, 2014 at 12:18 pm |
A twofer love it 😆
May 30, 2014 at 3:12 pm |
I loved Carson and Winters and all of the old comics. Not so much these days. 😦
May 30, 2014 at 5:39 pm |
Foxyladi—-They don’t make ’em that good anymore, do they?!
Good to “see’ you.
May 31, 2014 at 12:21 pm |
It is good to be seen too Cindy. 🙂
And please call me Foxy All my friends do . 😀
May 31, 2014 at 1:26 pm |
LOL–Will do, Foxy!
May 31, 2014 at 3:12 pm |
just dropping in for a minute
I am very proud of me. i am having a garage sale and a man came in wearing an obama hat and I did not charge him triple for what he bought.
May 31, 2014 at 3:46 pm |
LOL Helen—You’re a better woman than I !!!!!
May 31, 2014 at 6:05 pm |
No kidding – that was very nice of you, Helen. So, um, did you at least charge him double? 😉
May 31, 2014 at 6:07 pm |
My immediate thought upon seeing that Obama was gloating abt this servicemember being released from the Taliban in exchange for terrorists at Gitmo is that we are now negotiating with terrorists. Turns out that what he did is also against the law because he did not notify Congress. As a couple of Reps noted, now ALL of our servicemembers are targets for kidnapping thanks to Obama: http://thehill.com/policy/defense/207835-republicans-blast-obama-for-negotiating-with-taliban
June 1, 2014 at 12:57 am |
Great points and observation, Cuz….!
The Taliban must be extremely happy today!!
Thanks, Obama! aarrrrghhhh! What an IDIOT.
June 1, 2014 at 8:46 am |
Oh, it gets even worse, Cuz. Obama was preening in the Rose Garden yesterday claiming that this is all awesome because QATAR will make sure these terrorists are monitored. You know, the country where Sec. Clinton made sure the Taliban can have a presence. (For some reason, I cannot grab the links on the iPad, but TheHill.com has it.)
In another bizarre twist is what the soldier’s dad tweeted in response to the Taliban spokesman abt the hunger strikes at Gitmo. It was sympathetic. He has since deleted it, according to,BizPacReview.com. They added he might have been saying whatever it took to get his son released, and may not have intended it to be public, but still…
That same article goes on to say a number of oeople have always wondered why the sergeant left the base, many thinking he deserted and was AWOL. Check out that article, it is telling…
June 1, 2014 at 9:11 am |
Oh, thank you for this info, Cuz—Jeeze!!!!
Big doin’s here today on the Ponderosa, so won’t have time to read anything until this evenin’…
BUT I will say that Obama and all of his little Taliban/Muslim Bro. cheerleaders might belong in D.C. but they’re at the wrong location!
They should all grab their pleated skirts, pom-poms, and megaphones and get their little Benedict Arnold butts, post haste, over to St. Elizabeth’s, because they’re all INSANE! Seriously insane!!
June 1, 2014 at 9:20 am |
It is seriously insane, Cuz’n. I have never seen people so willing to get into bed with the bad guys this then Administation.
I booted up Suzy’s computer so I can put in the links. Here is th eone from Bizpacreview: http://www.bizpacreview.com/2014/06/01/pow-dads-bizarre-deleted-tweet-raises-questions-about-obamas-prisoner-swap-122571
And here is the one from The Hill:http://thehill.com/policy/defense/207838-obama-released-soldier-never-forgotten
Oh, and a friend at Facebook put up this interesting article detailing how Qatar and Saudi Arabia gave a ton of money to the Clinton Foundation. Oh, and a Muslim Brotherhood member who had been arrested recently worked there for years: http://www.clarionproject.org/analysis/clinton-foundation-received-millions-saudis-qatar-iran
WTH is going on?? Why are the Dems, big time Dems, in cahoots with those who wish to do us ill? I am not a big conspriacy theorist person, but when you have a top Muslim Brotherhood operative working at the Clinton Fdn for YEARS, an organization that wishes to do us grave harm, and the MB rises to power while Clinton is Sec. of State, that raises some questions for me.
Dang, I cannot believe how much I believed in her…
June 1, 2014 at 2:58 pm |
Birds of a feather Amy. 👿
June 1, 2014 at 3:02 pm |
He thinks HE is law Amy. 😡
June 1, 2014 at 3:46 pm |
Good point, Foxy. He sure does.
Oh, and just saw this article at The Hill. This explains why Obama was so willing to break the law (again): http://thehill.com/policy/defense/207856-bergdahl-bumps-va-from-spotlight
June 1, 2014 at 4:28 pm |
To get back to the comedy direction, Cuz, is this ever the video for you. A friend posted it to my Facebook page. It combines both humor and FANTASTIC musical ability:
June 2, 2014 at 12:13 pm |
WOW!!!! Cuz, I’ve NEVER seen anything thing, anybody like them!! Especially that pianist UPSIDE DOWN…incredible!
Thanks so much for that!!
June 2, 2014 at 2:01 pm |
I knew you would like them! Aren’t they amazing?? 🙂
June 2, 2014 at 10:43 am |
😆 Awesome Amy Thanks. 🙂
June 2, 2014 at 11:38 am |
My pleasure! 🙂