Justin may be bringing sexy back, but Jon is bringing funny back

Jon Scieszka is my new favorite person. In fact, I am in love with his style and speeches! He is brilliant, yet easy to read.
In his intelligent and comic speech, “What’s so funny, Mr. Scieszka”, Jon Scieszka surfaces some truths:


- The tragedy is one of the only genres that is considered “high art”
- Many curriculums do not give children the opportunity to learn on their own: information and methods are pushed on children


MOST IMPORTANTLY:
- Comedic material is not receiving the credit it deserves! Al Franken, Chuck Klosterman, Margaret Cho, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert (definitely not an exhaustive list) are so damn funny, intelligent and politically aware that it is amazing that this form/genre of expression is not held in a higher regard.


A classic satirist is Jonathan Swift. Honestly, I enjoy his stories, but the message is so subverted and no longer relevant to current world issues that my question becomes, why is the material produced by the aforementioned writers/performers not considered to be as brilliant? Is it that they, the current day satirists, are too blunt? Is it that some of their material could not be distributed in schools because their ideas do not conform to the current conservative parties in power in North America?


When you are feeling blue because a loved one passed away, you have broken up with a partner, you can’t get your homework done, you are hung over or you have stepped in dog poo what makes you feel better:
- A good epic tragedy that deals with death, broken hearts and failures
OR
- A good joke that is about a guy ringing a bell with his head or a joke about “the shit hitting the fan”


I feel it is extremely important for children to learn sarcasm and other forms of humour when they are young. Developing an understanding of the juxtaposition of words and tones that are associated with humour equips a child with a set semiotics that are essential in order to effectively communicate.


How many times have you made a joke and no one laughs? (I know that never happens to me either!) Or, how many times has someone told you a joke, written an e-mail or instant messaged you something that is supposed to elicit a “LOL” or a chuckle and you have to give a “courtesy laugh”? It is one of the most uncomfortable things to do. Actually, I think the courtesy laugh is plain painful. In an effort to steer clear of telling painful jokes or future generations telling stories that receive a “courtesy laugh” we need to motivate our children, our friend's children, our brother’s and sister's children to read and to be taught humour. As Whitney Houston always said, “I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.”

Scieszka, Jon. 2005. "What's So Funny, Mr. Scieszka?: The Zena Sutherland Lecture," Horn Book 81(6): 653-667.