Make 'Em Laugh

I find it especially sad to hear the news of a comedian who has passed away. Someone who has made you laugh over the years now strikes a sorrowful note.

It was George Carlin, with his juxtaposed wit and silliness, that once made me think that I would someday want to try my hand at comedy. Throughout high school, I was always trying to say or do something to make my friends laugh. (Were they laughing at my humour or just laughing at me?)

In 2014, we lost another comedy giant, Robin Williams. My family and I were in Paris when the news broke, and it was a solemn day in the City of Lights at a time when we were supposed to be enjoying ourselves.

Me, in 2017.

A few years later, I actually tried my hand at comedy, enrolling first in a sketch-comedy class and later, in a stand-up comedy class. I enjoyed the classes so much that I enrolled two more times for the stand-up comedy class.

Three sets of classes, and in the end I discovered that while I could have some funny moments and would make an audience laugh, I really wasn't that funny.

But I've never given up trying.

With the news of Canadian Norm Macdonald's passing, on Tuesday, I once again feel grief over someone who has made me laugh for many years. I had the good fortune of seeing Macdonald perform, several years ago, at Yuk Yuk's in Ottawa. His ability to make me laugh will be missed.

And thinking about comedy, I once again wonder if I should try to make people laugh one more time.