| Okay, I've spent like twenty minutes on Google (and when I say "twenty", I mean "two") trying to find out who originally said that, but opinions seem to vary. So...somebody famous said that, and they were basically right. I mean, I assume so, having never died before. Maybe death is like a really big pop quiz. On current events. And math. I hope it's not on math. I'm not good at math. But the problem with comedy is, if it's good, it seems easy. People laugh easily, they smile easily. A good joke makes people feel better than anything else (okay, almost anything else. I'm one of those writers Anton mentioned yesterday, where romance bleeds into urban fantasy, because there's boinking. But not funny boinking. Sex-ay boinking. Oh, yes.) But a good joke lasts longer. We meet people all the time who make us laugh, who are naturally funny. (But maybe they're crying on the inside. Bet you never thought of that, did you?) And we love them for it. But that doesn't mean we automatically respect them for it. See, people who make us laugh don't take things seriously. And life, as we all know, is supposed to be taken seriously. Just like fantasy. Because fantasy books are about Majestic Quests and the Battle Between Good and Evil and Perilous Times and Saving The Universe and Important Stuff Like That. We're atalking about big issues, when we talk about fantasy, because let's be honest. If the entire book was about, say, the Battle Between Good and Grumpy, and all that was at stake was one person getting a donut as opposed to a danish and they like both equally but are more in a donut mood that morning, you know, then it really wouldn't be much worth reading. And it's easy to misstep when you're mixing comedy with drama. It's hard to make people laugh when there's blood everywhere and people have died. (Especially if the knife is still in your hand. Why, I remember one time--OOPS! Never mind. Ha! Ha! Just kidding! See, I joke. That's what I do. I don't slice people up, not ever!) But see, I just made a joke. Or a few of them. Hopefully you laughed (or at least smiled), but maybe you didn't. And if you didn't, you probably think I stink as a funny writer. It's much easier to forgive someone a sour dramatic note, or a bad line in a book, when it's a Serious Work. But a few jokes fall flat...and you're probably putting the book down. So I'm resorting to bribes to get you to stick around and see if I can hit your funnybone again (okay, not literally, because that seriously freaking HURTS. I guess comedy is pain. Sigh.) I know Anton is giving away an ARC of his book, Dead To Me, as a prize to those who pimp us around teh internets. I don't have an ARC, but I do have a prize! A fabulous prize! It's a magnet! Ooooh.  What does it say? "The Yezer made me do it." What does it mean? The Yezer Ha-Ra is the Hebrew name for that inclination in all of us to do evil, to hate ourselves, to succumb to our desire to sin and create new sins, to give up on life, to dwell on bad memories, etc. In other words, the Yezer Ha-Ra is the Hebrew name for our personal demons. So don't forget to pimp us out, and be the first to get a magnet! Trust me. As David Ogden Stiers said in Better off Dead, "Everyone's going to have one of these." Come on...over to the dark side... |
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"It's much easier to forgive someone a sour dramatic note, or a bad line in a book, when it's a Serious Work. But a few jokes fall flat...and you're probably putting the book down."
Great line. Comedy is the true two edged sword of writing. It can propel a writer to success, or slice the author up like an onion in a blender. :)
I smiled when I read the post. I would have laughed, but I'm at work and after the last incident I've been advised they'll put me back on the meds if i chortle uncontrollable by myself in a dark room.
oh, and I put a link on my LJ to pimp this site out for day two.
Great post! And true, true.
:-)
Great blog!!!!
I got a laugh. I thought the section about the donut versus danish was great. Reminded me, though, of the war between the folks who cracked their eggs on the small end versus those who cracked them on the big end. People have the ability to make even the funniest things serious when it should be the other way around?
Thaks Bernard! And yes, an onion in a blender is about what it feels like when you've made a joke and nobody laughs. Or, you know, just a total idiot with no friends and everyone hates you. It feels like that too.
Thanks, tm! I'll take smiling. Smiling is pretty good! Thanks for the pimpage!
Yep, I know about those meds. That's why I'm not allowed out without my husband, generally.
Thanks, Sam! Yep, you know how hard it is--but you succeed too!
Oh, Charles. Everyone knows eggs should be cracked in the middle. :-)
But yes, it should be the other way 'round.
HOlY CRAP! I wants me a Yezer magnet. I'll trade you a vial of genuine zombie plague swag, yes?
Yes!
"(But maybe they're crying on the inside. Bet you never thought of that, did you?)"
Damn! now everytime someone makes me laugh, I'm going to be wondering that.
But yes, I laughed, I smiled, I might have rolled my eyes, lol.
You've been pimped - sassyjinx@LJ. :)
Congrats on the new digs- I can't keep up with you!
And I will only come to the dark side if you have cookies.
Hi! nice to meet you!
linking to my LJ.....
Bad Stacia! Now you've got me craving doughnuts and danishes... and naturally there're aren't any in the house, and it's raining so I don't want to go out walking...
Now what do I have to do to get my mitts on magnet? ;-)
Have a lovely day! :-)
Come over to the dark side? I've been here baking brownies for you all along ;)
The dark side is a wonderful thing, full of the sparkly goodness and we do fabulous chocolate. Hot doughnuts straight out of the fat, rolled in cinnamon sugar and eaten immediately are our specialty...
Stacia,
Please no more calls to the dark side. I have read the comments and gained three pounds. :P
Thou hast been pimped primely... actually, I felt kind of eloquent for a moment. You should check out it out as it is rare.
http://mela-lyn.livejournal.com/39068.html
But...but...what about your milkshake? It brings all the boys to the yard.
Thanks Wendy, you're so awesome! And muahaha on your thoughts fron now on. Because, you know, those of us who write humor love to spoil your laughter at every turn.
Thanks Robyn! We have everything here! Trust me. There are a number of Supersuckers lyrics I could quote but as this is a family blog, I won't.
Hi habibi! Thank you!
Heh heh heh Tez! We reel you in...
You've done what you need to do for the magnet--but don't worry, if you don't get it this time there will be plenty of other chances!
Aw, thanks Michele, I love brownies!
Hey there jd! You know, somewhere I got my hands on a container of "burnt orange cinnamon suger". It takes Snickerdoodles to a whole new level, I swear.
I'm sorry, Ilona, I must gain better control! And me on a diet...
Thanks Melissa! I'm sure your eloquence is not rare. (Which sounds kind of eloquent in itself, doesn't it?)
Lol Jill! Damn right.
Pimped at http://tezmilleroz.livejournal.com/20347.html
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=191425349&blogID=311594948&Mytoken=1DBC401B-9975-4ECB-BD662447B7B8203C30256201
http://tezmilleroz.blogspot.com/2007/09/me-pimp-you-ho.html
Have a lovely day! :-)
Dang, as soon as I get my website up, I'll totally pimp you all out.
And if you want to know who said that line, watch "My Favorite Year." I don't remember who it was, but Peter O'Toole attributes it to someone, and I'm assuming it's correct.
-kis