Tuesday, February 1, 2011

A LESSON FROM BETTY


I like to write humor…
Or at least I make an attempt at it.
I haven’t studied writing humor…
It's just how I think...
Because growing up, everything in my family…

Was fodder for a laugh.
Even now…
Nothing is more entertaining…
Than getting with my sister, cousins, or best friend…
And saying something that makes us double over and pee.
But the characters in my novels…
Can’t always be cracking up and peeing…
It would be tiresome, very annoying, not to mention, messy…
Like an overdose of whipped cream sprayed in your mouth
Though funny once in a while, not all the time.
And I don't believe it's how humor should be written.
Sunday night, Betty White won...
The Outstanding Female in a Comedy Series SAG Award...
For her role as Elka in Hot in Cleveland.
I didn’t actually see her acceptance speech when it aired…
But since have on YouTube clips…
And I was amazed at how she used humor…
Just perfectly in her sincere acceptance speech.
It worked because it was just the right amount of humor…
At just the right time.
Like a dollop of whipped cream on the tip of a strawberry.
If you haven’t seen the clip, the link is below.
I’ve also loved her rolls as Sue Ann in The Mary Tyler Moore Show…
Rose in The Golden Girls, and of course her guest appearance on SNL.
And I guess I missed this publishing news story from last summer…
That Betty White signed a two book deal with G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
Her memoir, Listen Up!  comes out this spring.
Can't wait to read it.
So?
Do you write humor? If so, how do you include it?
Or if you read humorous novels or non-fiction...
What author’s humor do you like?

Always, Em-Musing


http://www.tvsquad.com/2011/01/31/betty-white-wins-best-female-actor-in-a-comedy-series-at-the-17/

7 comments:

PM Kavanaugh said...

Hi Em, I don't write humor (suspense, instead!) But every now and then, I try and add in a humorous line of dialogue to lighten up a scene--or show the mental toughness of a character in a dire situation (that I've put them in). Because, if you can laugh when things are really tough, then you win!

Karen Baldwin said...

Excellent point. Humor is my survival tool.

Samantha Vérant said...

I love humor, need it. Even when I'm serious!

Stephanie Faris said...

I try to inject a little humor into everything I write, but I'm not sure I always succeed.

I love Betty White. What an inspiration. 89 years old and still truckin'!

Talli Roland said...

I love humour, too. Go Betty White go!

Erin MacPherson said...

Hi Em! You DEFINITELY write humor. I love this poem! I write non-fiction but I think my books would be boring if there wasn't some humor mixed in. So, I try to use my life stories and anecdotes to make important information funny and real. I'm not sure how often I succeed, but I try.

The Blogger Formerly Known As said...

I love humour. But, you’re right, to make it work there has to be something else as well.

Get the balance correct and it will work. Get it wrong and the funniest jokes/situations will fall flat.