Kathleen Valenti

Funny Business

A funny thing happened to me on the way to writing this post. I went to a comedy show.

As a writer—and reader—of mysteries that endeavor to tickle the funny bone while putting the spine on ice, I am a big fan of comedy.

Sitcoms. Romcoms. Dramcoms. Basically if -com is involved in any way, I’m in.

I saw the ever-funny, never-for-children’s-ears Taylor Tomlinson in Portland. At the tail end of her Have It All Tour, Taylor’s humor was on-brand: pointed, acerbic, “blue,” as my dad would say, and infinitely funny. I don’t think I laughed that hard since the last Taylor Tomlinson show I saw via Netflix, which covered such perennial favorites as therapy, bangs, and the Theory of Relative Attractiveness. Per Taylor, “I think I’m pretty cute, but in an accessible way, like when you see a shower curtain at Target. Like ‘I can afford that.’”

Many laughs were had. Or as I like to pluralize: lavvs.

Taylor’s show was a stark contrast to my previous big name comic experience: Jim Gaffigan. Gaffigan is known for his family-friendly material and Dad Next Door approach. Much of his material is self-effacing and derived from his Catholic faith (“Don’t eat meat on Friday. Unless you forget!”) and life with five children (“Big families are like waterbed stores. They used to be everywhere, and now they’re just weird.”). He even performed in my hometown of Bend, Oregon, which doubly endeared him to my heart.

Thanks to the wonder of social media reels, I have some new favorite comedians. There’s the hilariously relatable Kelsey Cook, delightfully ribald Sarah Millican, absolutely affable Jack Whitehall, all-around amusing David Nihill (in making this list, I’m realizing that there’s great representation from the British Isles), and oh-so-many more.

Of course, I don’t just leave my laughter-seeking to standup comics. I also enjoy the hilarity of comedically gifted authors like our very own Chicks, Dave Barry, and David Sedaris. Not to mention the funny men and women of film and television. Writing this on the heels of Matthew Perry’s demise, the big laughs I got from him on my small screen feel especially poignant right now.

Here ‘s the funny thing about comedy: the laughter lives long after the set (or show) ends. Whether it’s the set-up, the punchline, the callback, or the entire experience, the moments when others make us laugh seem to linger in the memory bank, ready for withdrawal on a rainy day or after your washing machine breaks and water pours through your ceiling. (Just for example.)  

For those who make their living through humor in one way or another—man, it’s a funny business. Mystery authors who include comedy into tales of murder and mayhem must balance tragic circumstances with lighthearted moments. (No mean feat.) Those who do standup for a living (as one of my friends did for many years), toil tirelessly on the road, giving their all– even when the proverbial gas tank is empty.

There’s so much power in humor. It connects. It soothes. It heals. It even defines us. Our sense of humor is often tied to our sense of the world, a laugh track to accompany the sound track of our lives. Are we Dad Joke aficionados? Slapstick devotees? Monty Python fans? All of the above? None?

Dear friends, what makes you laugh? Do you have a favorite comedian? A beloved comedic author? An oft-watched rom or sitcom? I promise not to laugh. Unless you invite me to join you.

33 thoughts on “Funny Business”

  1. You know I love and relate to this post, Kathy! But did you know that Taylor Tomlinson is going to be hosting the show after Stephen Colbert’s? I had no idea who she was until the other night when he introduced her. (He’s a producer on it.) And now I’ve heard all about her twice – with Colbert and in this post. I have to look up her set online!

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    2. [Wordpress is still making me piggyback on someone else’s comments, so TAG … Ellen is it!]

      I’m a regular at comedy clubs. I’ve seen so much stand-up, it isn’t even funny. (See what I did there?) (Or as an homage to Chandler Bing … could I BE at any more comedy clubs??) I rarely see someone I don’t love. I’m a huge fan of Taylor Tomlinson and Jim Gaffigan and a million others, but Kathleen Madigan is one of my go-tos. So funny and relatable. And so much great stand-up on Netflix, bless their hearts!

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  2. Hestia here.
    I love comedy. Most types, from slapstick to rom-come (the only rom I really like).
    But I’m old school. My fav? The best comedians of all times are Jerry Lewis and Rodney Dangerfield.
    You know I like a funny movie when I can quote it.
    “Ray, if someone asks you if you are a god, you say yes!”
    “Yes! Yes! *table bang* Yes!” “I’ll have what she’s having.”
    “Do bears bear? Do bees bee?”
    “This line is for emergencies only.” “Does it sound like I’m ordering a pizza?”

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  5. My all-time favorite comedian is George Carlin. I got to see him twice and loved every minute of those shows. I also love the silliness of Steve Martin’s stand up work.
    Then there are the authors Elmore Leonard and Carl Hiaasen, absolute legends of humorous mystery. And, of course, the humor Jimmy Buffett wove into his songs and stories is the stuff of legend!
    I could go on, but you get the idea.

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  6. Great post, Kathy–so fun! I usually catch a late-night monologue or 2 to recover from the news. (Replay next morning isn’t the same). I’m still wary of live stand-up because my friends and I always got sucked into those places in the Village where you could grab a 12 am show for free (with a pricey 2-drink minimum). The comics were brutal in singling out audience members to reverse-heckle. (If you had to go to the ladies room it was better to just keep on going to the exit). Lately I’ve been watching funny reels on Insta. My faves are @champagnecruz (he plays office characters from Boomer through GenZ reacting to the same scenario), @everydaymaggie (New England comedy–earmuffs for language, ha), and @shannonfiedler13 (her girls from different cities are DEAD on!).

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    1. Haha! I hear ya on reverse-heckling! In Taylor’s show, she was very kind and asked an audience member, “Do you consent to crowd work?” lol

      I’m absolutely adding these new-to-me comics to my IG follow list!!

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  7. One of my all time favorite sitcoms is I Love Lucy. Still makes me laugh.

    And, thanks to a couple of rewatch podcasts, I’m making my way through Boy Meets World and Full House and enjoying revisiting them both.

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    2. Vickie: Mark, I caught a couple of I Love Lucy episodes after scrolling through Pluto. It made me so happy, I’ll be rewatching some more faves with my fave wacky redhead this weekend!

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  8. Laughter really is the best medicine. I’m a fan of comedy in movies, and I’ve gone to a few live shows. Usually, I’ll try to support up-and-coming folks, so how many laughs result depends on if I connect with the comedian. I also like improv (and think people who do it are so creative).

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  9. Terrific piece, Kathy; humor is so very important in writing–and life!

    And thanks so much for this list of new comics to check out, Kathy! I don’t often go to see live comedy. (Though I was lucky enough to see Steve Martin back in his arrow-on-the-head/King Tut days–hilarious!) But my fav stand-ups have to be Shelley Berman, Eddie Murphey, Sarah Silverman, and Ricky Gervais.

    As for TV shows, that would be “Frasier” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”

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      1. Vickie: Great post, Kathy! My sister, and a friend, and I went to see Joan Rivers at Mud Island amphitheater in Memphis in the 80s. I laughed so hard I hurt myself!

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  10. Tracy Hartman here, if it doesn’t name me, I’m so in love with comedy, old sitcoms, new and older comedians. But my greatest comic love is and will forever be The Golden Girls! I saw Bea Arthur’s one woman show- she said the eff word upon stepping on the stage, and brought the house down immediately! She was also barefoot. Seems that rumor was true- she hated shoes too- as do I.

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  11. A favorite comedian of mine way back in my college days was Flip Wilson. I got to see him in Austin a long time ago. Clean good comedy. And his female character Geraldine jones was a hoot! I never saw him in person but loved it when Steve Martin drove past some houses in LA Story and said, “Some of these houses are 20 years old.” Also, when describing the modern art painting and skating through the museum. But his King Tut was the ultimate. Who didn’t love “A Cheeseburger in Paradise?” A laugh out loud mystery/comedy book are Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, Grandma Mazur and Lula. I have read them all. Just lately I was given a Riley Thorn mystery/comedy book called Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door and it is so funny. A bit more ribald than Stephanie Plum. Made me go out and buy Riley Thorn and the Corpse in the Closet. “I Love Lucy” was the best growing up and her movie “The Long Long Trailer” is priceless.

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  12. We’ve been watching Jonny Harris’ Still Standing show on Freevee (from Canada). He travels to small towns struggling to survive all over Canada, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and while he brings their plights to the forefront, he does it with humor. (He plays Constable George Crabtree on Murdoch Mysteries!) He’s very funny.

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