Is Laughter Really the Best Medicine?

They say laughter is the best medicine. I don't think so. I think it's morphine.

I have had many surgeries, and the last thing you want to do is laugh. It doesn't make things better, it hurts! My younger brother, Fred, is a very funny guy. We've always made each other laugh. He called my hospital room and I told him not to make me laugh. Impossible. He couldn't do it. After we hung up, I didn't ask for more laughter, I asked for morphine.

Laughter can certainly lift the soul. "I never lend money to my brother-in-law. It gives him amnesia." That joke, written by Henny Youngman, is very funny. It makes me laugh each time I think of it. It lifts my soul, and I think that is what people are talking about. 

Here are some jokes from other famous comedians that will make you smile. 

"I'm old. Yesterday, I walked past the cemetery and two guys started chasing me with a shovel." 

"I spilled spot remover on my dog. Now he's gone."

"I saw a commercial, and they said you could make three easy payments. Forget that. I wantto mmake two easy payments and one really tough one."

In very difficult times, even attempting to write something funny can be a challenge, but I'm hopeful that I made someone smile during what is certainly a stressful or personally difficult time of year. Life is too short to be gloomy, which is really a weird word. 

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season. If you're struggling, go see some comedy. If it's good, you'll feel better. If not, there's always morphine. 

See you tomorrow.

Check out my books on Amazon.com! Just search for my name. There is still time to treat yourself or others to the gift of laughter! 

Mark David Chapman

Chapman was so deranged, he thought he was John Lennon. Theoretically, he was committing suicide.

It happened on this date, and it was a Monday. I was a disc jockey at a college radio station. A guy called and asked me to play John Lennon's last song, which was "Starting Over", if I'm not mistaken.

"Last song" hit me as strange because it's the only time anyone has called me to request someone's last song. Latest, yes. Last, never.

Mind you, this was prior to the shooting. When I got home, and turned on the tv, the story was breaking news. I got chills. What a strange night.

Reminiscent of JFK's shooting, or the passing of King Elvis on his thrown, I would think that everyone who is old enough to remember that night, can tell you exactly where they were when they heard of the dreadful news.

Chapman was clearly out of his mind, but that doesn't mean he isn't still hated by millions. I'm not one of them. It's hard for me to hate anyone, let alone someone who was certainly insane. I don't blame all of the Lennon devotees who do hate him. I can empathize. It was truly horrific. The end of an era. Robbed of not only a great song writer and guru.

I was not a huge fan. My younger brother is. He loves the Beatles. I don't know if this anniversary will hit him hard, but I suspect so.

The real irony is that I think Lennon would have forgiven Chapman, had he survived. Yet so many Lennon followers hate Chapman.

See you tomorrow.