2000-08-02 - 23:30 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

Funny !

Something in Sandy's journal tonight stirred my memories on humorous things. She is a neat lady. The bit "pigs is pigs," reminded me of the book by that title, Ellis Parker Butler's "Pigs Is Pigs." A story about a shipment of guinea pigs and a dingbat station agent. It was a complete hilarous comedy.

I would come home from the nabe after laughing at the Marx Brothers comedies until my sides ached. Some of the wit in those pictures still is great. For a devoted fan of old movies, this bit will probably be familiar. Groucho & Co. ring the doorbell of this fancy mansion and the aged and decrepit old butler answers the door, Groucho asks for the person he wants to see. Gee, it is a combination of words, sight gag and total mimicing. The old butler strains his brains a bit and the relays click into place and with that hoity toity way of speaking he said words to the effect, "Yes sir, please, walk this way," and crookedly hobbles off. Groucho rolls his eyes and makes a remark like, "Don't know if I can, but I'll try." He then follows, creaking along in exact imitation, timing perfect. Pause while I laugh my laugh out.

Mom and Dad noticed that I had a ticklish funny bone and contributed to the continuous agitation of same by buying me humorous books. If I remember, "Life In A Putty Knife Factory," and, "Low Man On A Totem Pole," were witten by Fred Allen a radio comedian we used to listen to. Robert Benchly came out with some pretty funny stuff. Thurber was super and e e cummings also.

In my low class mind the magazine "Judge," and "College Humor," were tops, although Mom would tell me to ask Dad to explain to me jokes that were not clear to me. Phew, I used to wonder why he sweated trying to explain those jokes to me.

The Saturday Evening Post had a humor page called, "Postscripts," a laughful schmear of smart-assery, including Colonel Stoopnagel's Spoonerisms and twisted rhetoric. Many magazines had jokes. I think that Ladies Home Companion had one frame for the little folk about the "Watch Bird," one panel had the title, "This is a Watch Bird, watching (some naughty act by a kid) and the next panel would show a Watch Bird full face, with piercing eyes, titled, "This is a Watch Bird watching YOU." We kids would run around our neighborhood playing, Watch Bird and mouthing some of the childish things we thought were funny.

Many of the radio programs were funny, sure did beat the daytime soaps - - - geez, most anything would beat them for me, even the Obit section of the newspaper would. Burns and Allen, God bless them. George and his dry style and Gracie playing the dingbat dumbo. Eddie Cantor, Jack Benny, Red Skelton and many more could make things funny for even a man out of work who in the daytime would be desperately looking for a job. Depression times were grim and fun was gathered where it could be heard, cuz it was cheaper than a Movie.

In some of my desperately crucial and troublesome times I would break out laughing because my troubles some times seemed to parallel what I had seen, heard or read. It sure beat crying and moaning. How grim life would be without a tee hee, giggle, chuckle or guffaw now and then.

Even today, in the Readers Digest there are several sections devoted to humor as well as the little blurbs after each article. And many of the trade magazines have in each issue something - - - - - - Funny ! . . . . . . .

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