Q&A
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Is illness comedy-worthy?
Seth Rogen (of Knocked Up fame) is working on a cancer comedy. Elton John is writing a musical about AIDS (he told GQ that "it doesn't sound funny, but it is.")
There have been lots of dramatic plotlines involving health diagnosis (Terms of Endearment, Philadelphia) but is comedy really the right format for this stuff? What do you think?
It totally depends. There still has to be respect at the core, but I also think those who have particular health issues "deserve" to be able to make fun of them. Like that Seinfeld episode, where Jerry's mad that some guy tells Jewish jokes but isn't Jewish.
Laughter definitely gets me through my health diagnosis, but it's balanced with a serious perspective on it too.
Great question. Comedians like George Lopez, Chris Rock and Bill Cosby have been making waves by making comedy of traditionally taboo subjects like race and class for decades. Making a comedy about health issues seems like a next logical step. I also think that laughter is great therapy. If these guys do a good job, their projects could help a lot of people.
