Laughing Matters
It's an intuitive belief: Laughter makes us feel better. But there is also tangible evidence that comedy can, in a very real way, heal our wounds. Humor has the power to provide an emotional catharsis, build empathy, and unite communities. These selections from the National Comedy Center’s “Laughing Matters” exhibit in Jamestown, NY explore how comedy has galvanized us – through personal traumas, political upheavals, and times of war.
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Healing Power
Laughter is essential to human happiness – and human health. Being able to laugh about an emotionally charged topic or event can diffuse its power. Comedians including Tig Notaro, Jim Gaffigan, Maria Bamford, and Patton Oswalt share deeply personal tragedies and challenges in their stand-up sets....
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The USO
Few experiences are as physically and psychologically trying as war – and no one feels that more profoundly than a soldier on the frontlines. Founded by Franklin Roosevelt in 1941, the United Service Organization has buoyed the morale of deployed troops for seven decades. From the Marx Brothers a...
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Bob Hope
For more than fifty years, perennial entertainer Bob Hope crisscrossed the globe performing comedy for deployed military troops, in partnership with the United Service Organizations. His first USO show was at March Field in Riverside, California in 1941, and his final tour was in 1990 in Bahrain ...
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Topical Television
Topical comedy has moved into the American mainstream, and comedians have laid claim to cultural spaces once owned by news anchors. Though Jon Stewart may have called himself a “fake newsman,” The Daily Show launched a generation of smart, socially-conscious comedians like Stephen Colbert, John O...
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The Smothers Brothers
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour debuted in 1967 and quickly became a counter-cultural lightning rod. Tom and Dick Smothers satirized politics and combated racism, while pushing the boundaries of what was considered permissible on network television. After harshly decrying the government’s handl...
