Have you started laughing and been unable to stop? Most likely this has happened when you weren’t supposed to laugh at all.
Years ago, I went with friends to Steve Martin’s film LA Story. In one scene, Martin’s character, Harris, stops to talk to one of those highway signs that light up and give drivers information, like slow down, heavy traffic. But to him the sign flashes, “Hug me.”
“What?” Harris asks.
“I’m a sign post.”
Only a few people in the theater laughed. There weren’t that many people anyway. But I started laughing and couldn’t stop. Several minutes later my friends asked me if I was okay or if I needed to leave. But the more I tried to stop, the more I laughed.
I couldn’t even repeat the story without laughing and tears.
Nobody else thought it was that funny.
“Hug me! I’m a sign post!”
My friends would give me that look. You know. That look you get when you’ve said something people don’t know how to respond to.
“But it’s a sign post!”
Other than Sara Jessica Parker writing her name on the palm of her hand, I don’t remember anything else about that movie.
This week I’ve been reading a novel I wrote. (Unpublished!) I haven’t looked at it in a long time. Some scenes I love. What was happening to the characters was awful, but I love certain scenes. Reading them I feel happy, like I can write, like I could actually be published one day!
And I want to hand those scenes to someone and say read them! (Hug them!)
But I think the sign post is funny, and nobody else does.
This worries me.
Read me!
What?
I’m a writer!
Marta Pelrine-Bacon 
I might’ve guessed you’d like L.A. Story, or even just the one scene you remember. For some reason, almost no one ever brings that film up when the talk turns to Steve Martin films. (Er, by which I mean I’m not surprised that you are an exception.)
As long as no one watching bursts into unstoppable laughter when you say, “I’m a writer,” eh? I don’t think I could stand that. (Whether it was happening to you or to me.)
Funny, I brought into work today a floppy which I believe contains the only remaining electronic copy of my first novel. It’s probably the only way I’d want to re-read it, because it will be easier to look up scenes/passages I know I liked. I’m afraid I’d have to plow through too much cruft in between. I say “I believe it contains…” because the floppy is quite possibly ruined; it’s been sitting on my desk for maybe 10 years, collecting dust and magnetic corruption.
Not sure what it says about me that I find that scene so perfectly funny. Whatever it says, glad you can recognize it.
That’s just crazy! I mean I’d be in tears if I couldn’t open my first manuscript. And I can’t make myself believe that because it is my first novel it is bad. Besides, the agent who I’ve exchanged a few emails with, who asked to see pages of my novel, ended up asking to see the first novel instead of the novel I sent to her. AND she likes the first novel better so far. So. See? Not bad!
Anyway, are you going to go through that floppy? Do you have plans for what you might find? What inspired you to get it out after all this time?
I’m SO glad I’m not the only one who laughs and laughs and simply CANNOT stop over bits of humour that (I think) are meant to be amusing bridges to the truly funny stuff – not moments in their own right.
My husband will have to stop the show and wait me out, of course, then we have to re-watch the part that made me guffaw until I cried and fell over. Usually I also provide a replay. Somethings are just that funny. My two favourites are SNL’s Kenan Thompson’s “Grady Wilson” character’s moves on his self-published video. The Bumble Bee KILLED me. It’s here if you’re bored: http://www.hulu.com/watch/42022/saturday-night-live-grady-wilsons-put-the-fire-back
Also, we watched the Craig Ferguson “Does This Need to Be Said?”
comedy special on Netflix the other night and I thought if it was possible to die of laughter, I was about to die happily. My favourite part was when he talked about the idiocy of sending sexy vids to your partner – ParTICularly male senders. He mimed out a guy jumping back and forth on the stage furiously masturbating with this ridiculous, smarmy look on his face as he’s saying, “Hey, Honey! I’m thinking of you. Can’t wait to get ho-o-me!” I laughed and cried for over 10 minutes.
Please watch it. He’s so dang funny. And he’s Scottish [ like me:) !!! ] and doesn’t do anything sexually explicit. He actually has this riot of a routine in which he talks about how Scots never discuss sex & are incapable of telling each other that they’d like to hook up. It’s so bad, he says, that his science teacher taught them sex ed by bringing in two slimy brown toads going at it. Each and every student was quite disgusted… and the cultural norm goes on.
Hmmm, I guess I think guys trying to be intently serious about their sexual prowess to be hysterical. Thinking. Thinking. ….. still thinking. Yup, still funny.
I also guess that means I take artists of all sorts quite seriously and pay close attention to their work for maximum appreciation.
(((Hugs))) to the writer you are. You deserve maximum appreciation.
xoxoxoxo
I love Craig Ferguson. I rarely get to watch him, but he is so funny. And I’d forgotten I wanted to see his “Does This Need to Be Said?” I’m going to look for it!
I watched the SNL clip. The Bumble Bee was hysterical. I also liked the storming Normandy bit. I’d love to see a movie with you. You would’ve been more sympathetic to my crying-I’m-laughing-so-hard moment. Really, I like that I laugh at what I do.
Okay, must go find Craig…
Watched Mr. Ferguson, Sophie. My favorite part was about Fabio and the goose.
FABIO AND THE GOOSE!!! Holy crap that was F-U-N-N-Y!!! I’d never heard that story before. So glad Craig told me first.
BTW, saw trailers for Torchwood for 1st time ever on a Previews of other shows sort of show and watched keenly knowing how much you adore it. I’ll be doing the Starz thing, too, as long as I can seen the previous seasons on Demand. It looks bloody brilliant.