Carol has kindly done another post which seems quite fitting while we look at her romantic comedy books, it’s all about…laughter. I think you knew that though from the header 😉
Laugh and the world laughs with you
Many people ask why I began my career writing comedies.
Are you sitting comfortably? Well, here’s the reason.
Imagine a lonely army child who has to wear ridiculous glasses (way before Harry Potter made them fashionable), has long plaited pigtails and who speaks in a plummy accent that makes Miranda Hart sound common. She struggles to make friends as she moves from school to school. Most of them poke fun of her with her daft hairstyle, sensible Clarks shoes, specs and stupid posh voice. Some even try to bash her accent out of her by banging her head against a brick wall. Just when she thinks she’s reached rock bottom and hates her life, she manages to smash her front teeth out and has false teeth fitted—tough going for a child about to hit puberty—especially as these teeth are loose and bounce up and down in her mouth when she speaks.
One day, her mum and grandfather take her to Scarborough to see Ken Dodd who has sticking-out hair, sticking-out teeth and who makes the lonely girl snort and guffaw with laughter throughout the show at the jokes, especially his opening one, “What a beautiful day for sticking a cucumber through someone’s letterbox and shouting, Help, help! The Martians have landed!”
What she likes most though, is the energy that surrounds him, and the fantastic feeling she gets from cackling and crowing with laughter throughout the performance, embarrassing both her mother and grandfather.
At the end of the show, Ken Dodd sings a song called Happiness, in which are the lines:
“I thank the Lord that I’ve been blessed, with more than my share of happiness.”
In the mind of the child, the words “happiness” and “laughter” get fused and she decides the only way to stop being picked on or be laughed at is to laugh first. So she does. She pokes fun of herself and laughs at the banality of situations, like when her teeth are left stuck in a bread roll at lunch, or when she sneezes they launch into the air only to land at her German teacher’s feet. Before the class can erupt into laughter, she raises her hand and asks in German if she can retrieve them, causing a different sort of laughter.
She becomes a joker and entertains classmates with jokes, usually aimed at herself. She doesn’t let anyone bug her and hey presto, a humorous writer and comedian is born.
Yes, that lonely child was me and Ken Dodd’s first joke still makes me snort with laughter.
Laughter is the most powerful weapon in our arsenal and I have written at length about the benefits of laughter. (see this post) Indeed my day is not complete unless I have made at least ten people laugh. Why? I don’t know. I guess I’m addicted to laughter and to seeing people giggle.
Books afford escape from reality but one that can make you laugh so much your stomach muscles ache as if you’ve done 100 sit-ups, well, that’s even better, right?
And that is why I began this journey by writing humour. At present only four of my comedies are available but I have plans to rewrite some of my original ones and a couple of new ones in the pipeline. After all, he who laughs… lasts!
I will say you definitely have me laughing when I see your posts especially about Mr Grumpy or going to the dark side!! I am glad you have some more in the pipeline!!!
Until next time xxx
nickimags @ The Secret Library Book Blog says
Wonderful post! That Ken Dodd joke had me laughing out loud, I’d forgotten how funny he was! xx
Zoé says
I loved Ken Dodd him and Jasper Carrot use to crack me up and got me through some days at university. Lol xx
carhicks says
Wow, just wow. Wonderful post, thanks for sharing it with us Carol.
Zoé says
Isn’t it just! She is just such a fab lady! X