IT’S ELEMENTARY CACTUS HEAD

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” That mushy sentiment was penned by John Holmes. When I first read those words I was somewhat ill at how sappy and meme inspirational it was. (I hate inspirational quotes). Yet at the same time, I was astounded that someone whom I assumed was shallow and lacking any emotional or spiritual depth said something so close to enlightened. Before reading that quote all I really knew about John Holmes was:

1. he appeared in 559 adult films
2. was the inspiration for the movies Boogie Nights and Wonderland (respectively)
3. flaunted a 10.5″ penis (oddly enough he still felt the need to inflate that number to 13.5″)
4. died from complications related to AIDS in March 1988.

After doing a little more research I learned that John Holmes the porn actor was not who said the aforementioned words, rather it is John Holmes, a dude who is still alive and likes making up inspirational quotes. Now that the quote has lost all of its pizzazz, I wonder why I spent the last few minutes typing this in the first place. No matter, what’s done is done, and I’m not thinking of another opening to this episode blog.

MOVE IT PEOPLE

I’ve been called many names in my life, some too foul to repeat. but never, have I been called  ‘a people person’. Sure people are handy when you need to move, but in my opinion, people are gross and annoying. If it weren’t for people I would never be late or have to wait in a line, or sit in traffic or have the grocery store tell me they are “out of Moose Tracks ice cream at the moment”. People are my number one problem. Yet for some unexplainable reason, I enjoy hearing people laugh. I enjoy helping people when I can and I enjoy meeting them as long as I have an escape plan in place in the event I get tired of talking to people.

It feels as if overnight I’m surrounded by a world who never wants their feelings hurt, they want everyone’s opinion to count (unless it directly conflicts with their personal beliefs), everyone’s feelings to be considered at all times, while at the same time wanting everyone’s speech to be meticulously monitored for buzz words that can be misconstrued as offensive. Additionally, if they are not offended they feel it their civic duty to feel offended for those they feel may have been offended were they there to be offended. We are reduced to a world where any numbskull with an internet connection and a phone can make their feelings heard throughout the world in an instant. A world where people no longer say hello, acknowledge one another’s existence, yet feel entitled to demand everything they desire in an instant. A world who feels they know something because they saw it on the internet. A world where someone can make a six-figure income by allowing other people to watch them play video games. Thank god Louis Armstrong is not here to see that it’s not A Wonderful World.

In this twisted fuckery we call life, it’s the comedians I want to speak to. Because they are the ones faithful to human nature. They are the ones who get heckled for voicing their opinions, yet they rebuke the heckler and continue to speak. The inadequate, self-loathing, bi-polar, goofballs that always find something to laugh about, no matter how sad and twisted the situation may be. The kind of people who will drive 3 hours to do a 5-minute open mic set just because they wrote a new joke and they need to hear someone sincerely laugh. These people are some alright people and it’s my privilege to get to know them better.

Charlie Chaplin was quoted as saying, “A day without laughter is a day wasted”. Ironically, he acted almost exclusively in silent movies, so what the hell does he know? But I have to look past my utter disdain for quotes and admit, that quote is not too shabby. His sentiments ring true today just as they did back then. Because a life without laughter is like a world without color, or taste, or smell, or touch. Sure I could only see the world as black and grey and live a long time. I could never smell a thing and not know what I was missing if I never knew of smell and I’d do just fine (unless there was a gas leak in my apartment). I could possibly survive many decades on water and alfalfa sprouts, but really, what would be the point? (To those that choose that diet voluntarily, I ask only this. Wtf?) Life is meant to be enjoyed and life is to be shared with other people, no matter how annoying they are.

52 Jokers Comedy Podcast Episode 6 features some uniquely funny dudes. Deece Casillas lives in Spokane, Washington, but his roots and family are from Los Angeles. He recently won Spokane’s Annual Inlanders Funniest Comedian Award and he hosts a podcast entitled The Social Hour, along with touring with his friend and equally funny comedian, Michael Glatzmaier. Just like all of the comedians I talk to, Deece genuinely enjoys making people laugh and works hard to make comedy his career long into the future. It was a pleasure to sit and talk with him about comedy and his perspective on life in general. If you would like to hear Deece Casillas listen to 52 Jokers Episode 6 and/or you can find him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @DeeceComedy; or you can listen to new and archived episodes of The Social Hour on Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts, along with many other podcast providers, or at www.socialhourpod.com.

Jokers Comedy Club Bonus Dial-In Interview features Rio Hillman. Rio is a veteran comedian living in Stockton, California. Last year I performed with him in 3 shows and it was entirely my pleasure. Offstage I found him engaging and upbeat. On stage he had the crowd going with his mannerisms and choice of wordplay. Not more than a minute into the interview I was felt assured that a year passing did not dampen his disposition or weaken his sense of humor. He does not put on airs or pretend to be something he’s not. He enjoys life’s simplicities and we found we had a few things in common, mainly our affinity for the old television show Columbo. Each year I anticipate the opportunity of meeting him. If you would like to hear Rio Hillman listen to 52 Joker Episode 6 and/or you can find him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @RioHillman.

To bring this Episode Blog full circle I leave you with this quote. “If you have no tragedy, you have no comedy. Crying and laughing are the same emotion. If you laugh too hard, you cry. And vice versa.” — Sid Caesar

#DeeceCasillas   #RioHillman   #52JokersComedy   #JokersComedyClub    #people