Comedy

Recently I have been watching a lot of comedy. Like a lot. Like way more than usual. This is probably not surprising to anyone as we are all home a lot more at the moment, and watching more movies and TV shows than ever. I am usually primarily a comedy kinda of girl, sticking more to the laugh-out-loud funny, light-hearted, 22 minute TV shows. They help my brain to just shut off for a while and are super bingeable, which let's face it, is a quality we have all come to love and appreciate. Lately I feel like I've heard a lot of comedians make sarcastic jokes about their work being "really important" or "essential". I get what they mean, and I appreciate the joke. But it also made me think. While things that just seem to be funny, sometimes downright ridiculous, and staying primarily at surface level are thought to have no real depth or purpose, I think now more than ever they are in fact very important.

Joy and laughter, even for what seems like the stupidest reason, is more crucial than ever. "Laughter is the best medicine" is a cheesy cliche for a reason. Artists creating and making people laugh in a time when there really isn't a lot to be laughing about, is important. Characters representing ALL people, their walks of life, their struggles and being relatable in general, is important. Storylines reflecting what we are going through in our lives and helping us to process it in a way which makes us smile, is important. There are so many talented people in this world and thanks to technology, there are more platforms than ever on which to easily present that talent to people all over the world.

Right now in times of isolation, or pure exhaustion from working on the frontline, needing to recharge and sometimes just switch off from what is actually happening in the world for a little bit is important. I'm not talking about using it to completely numb everything or to switch off from important topics and stop fighting for much needed justice in our world. I am talking about finding some relief, solace and joy in allowing ourselves to be immersed into these other worlds. So many comedians, stories, characters and shows have been crucial to me staying sane these past few months. They have also reminded me how much I love to write, act, sing and create, and have inspired me to do just that. They have helped me to not only laugh and smile when there felt like there wasn't anything else to laugh or smile about, but through connecting with so many charcters and their journeys, they have helped to remind me that I have worth and purpose.

These shows and movies have helped me to smile through many tough times in the past, and now through this lonely, isolating and scary pandemic they have been there for me, (and I'm sure many others) once again. People's ideas, creativity, writing, jokes, music and talent do matter, and are important. Whether or not a piece of art is specifically meant to be deep, meaningful and thought provoking, which a lot of the time they actually are, it matters. Laughter, joy and hope matters, now more than ever. So to those brilliant minds who have had any part in creating something, purely to make people laugh and smile, you are important. Your art is import. And while for a time movies and TV shows haven't been able to be created in the usual way, it has forced creativity to come out in many other ways. There has still been so much new and incrdible talent to appreciate and make us smile in a time where it has been crucial. And we thank you.