What in the World Makes Priceless Humor Priceless?

10/13/08

For centuries stories have been told and retold throughout the world. How come? For one thing, they are entertaining. Another reason is that they deal with the human condition, one way or another. Even animal characters in stories act out the situations of our own humanity.

For centuries as well, life has been a struggle. Conflict. Famine. Thorny relationships. All of which beg for some direction, some assistance. A resolution of some sort.

Needless to say, no one cares to listen to preaching. We desire to sweeten our bitter medicines. Enter laughter. Humor makes a hard message a bit easier to swallow. Priceless humor is filled with wit and wisdom. A unique combination.

As you know, everyone loves to laugh. Laughter enlivens the spirit. And everyone loves to laugh at the foibles of our own species (as long as it happens at the expense of another). This is priceless humor.

Look around you at the great humorists. Dave Barry. Mark Russell. Garrison Kiellor. Check out the humorists of history. Moliere. Ogden Nash. Storytellers all. Painting scenes with priceless humor.

Priceless humor... what makes it priceless? The answer is simple. Priceless humor revolves about common everyday experiences. The lost keys. The misunderstood comment. The consequences that follow are generally laughable.

The world of urban folktales is a rich source of priceless humor. My CD Parking in Manhattan illustrates many humorous circumstances. These hilarious comedies involve characters everybody can relate to and empathasize with. Priceless humor arises out of priceless situations.

World stories also capitalize on priceless humor. These stories always bring gales of laughter when they are told. Two good examples from my CD Fables in Four Minutes are "Rock Soup" and "Herschel in the Woods" Listen to "The Egg Seller" or "Hickory Dock" from World Full of Stories. These are just a few examples of priceless humor. These stories will stick with you long after you heard them. You can find priceless humor and more at www.jaystetzer.com.

I listen to lots of conversations. They are filled with catastrophes and disasters. And the life lessons are generally hidden from view. As a storyteller, my job is to sift through the data and sort out the meaning. To make the tale palatable, I inject a bit of humor. Making the story priceless with priceless humor!

Virtually every storytelling genre contains examples of priceless humor. What is the reason for it? Another simple answer. We learn best when we are laughing. A story with priceless humor often comes with a lesson attached. It just goes to show what a treasure priceless humor can be.

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