"I think being funny is not anyone's first choice."
Woody Allen
I got to thinking about this quote the other day while watching George Michael on Arrested Development explain (yet again) that his girlfriend Ann is "really funny" . . .
and I can only assume that what Woody meant is "as opposed to being good looking."
But I think number one on my list would probably actually be smart (I know, spoken like a not-necessarily-good-looking person, right?) I mean, I can stand not being the prettiest girl at the dance, but being the dumbest would just be excruciating.
Actually, given the amount of time I spend worrying about it (and in the interest of complete honesty), thin probably comes in ahead of good looking, too.
That's right --
1) smart
2) thin, and
3) good looking.
Then funny.
But if I were rich, then I could buy some of those other things (see also: Oprah).
So I guess the truly prudent list would probably look like this:
1) smart
2) rich
3) thin, and
4) good looking.
Then funny.
Of course, if I were THAT smart, I'd definitely care more about funny than about rich, thin or good looking.
Because funny automatically implies smart. . .
In fact, smart is funny's required operating system.
Funny is about making connections between ideas and events one step ahead of everyone around you.
And besides that, if you're REALLY REALLY funny then it can make you REALLY REALLY rich and you can still buy all those other things!
(Even if you have to buy thin a couple of times, that's okay. See also: Oprah)
So, although I usually agree with Woody completely and admire both his wit and his intellect, I think he got this one wrong entirely. Funny should be everyone's first choice.
As long as it's funny-ha-ha and not just funny/weird . . .
Oh dear!
I hope there's a place on the menu where we can specify which we'd like . . .
Or as Steven Wright said,
"If you tell a joke in the forest, but nobody laughs, was it a joke?"
(Hope your Friday's fab!)
Posts
10 comments:
Have you ever noticed people get much better looking if they are funny? I'd rather be funny than pretty. Course pretty and funny wouldn't be too bad, but I don't have that option.
I'll settle for being pretty funny.
Well truly, if you were dumb, would you know it? There's an awful lot of dumb people in the news and they don't seem to notice!
I think funny is a GOOD thing to be!
VO -- you are pretty funny. I can't comment on your looks, of course, so I mean your personality. In fact, you'd definitely be on my short list for "people I don't know but that I'd like to have lunch with."
My brother has never been terribly handsome, but he is incredibly funny and in high school the girls went wild for him. Funny is definitely its own kind of attractive.
Allie -- I think that would be the worst part about being dumb. Not realizing I was dumb. Which would make me even dumber. . .
The complication is that one person's funny-ha-ha is another person's funny-strange.
(My kids will verify this.)
I'm still hoping for pretty AND thin, but if I win the $$$ lotto I can probably afford enough therapy to finally get over that.
Next time you're in So Cal we'll have lunch. Do you like your guacamole mild, medium or with fire?
Medium, please. Now I simply MUST get busy thinking up an excuse to visit So. California . . . actually, "it's January" is probably a good enough excuse, isn't it?
January is absolutely a good excuse...it was 72 degrees here today. And the avos are ripe.
Thin, rich, smart doesn't usually do it for me. Funny and ya got my attention straight away. Also those that carry a bit more weight throw out more heat, and I'm a heat seeker- ask my husband, it's one of the main reasons I married him, annoying as it is for him.Cuddly and funny...that's nice.For me anyway.
I just hope the dumbest girl at the dance never knows she is the dumbest and can live in a happy little dumb bliss.
Haven't checked in lately, love the new look but sadly the blog brought painful memories of Steve Woodbury...there's funny fun and funny dumb...I'll take smart and thin any day of the week, gave up on rich years ago and since I find myself hilarious I must look pretty good to myself too!
Post a Comment