Week number 578 is here.
Another week gone, another week I thank my lucky stars for Literally Stories!! It keeps me sane!!
We’ve been getting a lot of humour submissions lately so I’d like to revisit this topic. I apologise if you have read something like this before.
Humour is personal. Very few of the written works is universally funny as we all have different tastes. I think this is why the silent films were so successful in those times. Slapstick and visual humour did translate a lot better than the written word. My old grandfather would chuckle away at Chaplin, I still have a soft spot for Harold Lloyd, Laurel And Hardy and Buster Keaton.
Their legacies carried on through the likes of Lee Evans, Gregor Fisher, Rowan Atkinson, John Cleese and Norman Wisdom.
Nothing divides us as much as our preferences when it comes to written / spoken comedy. I adore Connolly, Boyle and Bridges. I despise Corden, not that taken with Phil Kaye. I find the literal humour of Milton Jones so stupid, and yet, clever and perceptive.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that I found to be laugh out loud funny. Some have their moments, but that comes down to what the individual reader takes from them.
I think the three of us groan when we read something like ‘…A hysterical look at…’ or the even worse, ‘I AM hysterical.’
I don’t think we’ve ever been able to publish any of these as they aren’t even close to what they prescribe to be!
Categorise these stories as ‘General’. If you get a laugh, good and well. The only time to mark these as humour, is if it is Pitch Black and that the readers need to realise that you aren’t serious!! (Although the same problem about personal preference is still there.)
Another thing that annoys me when I’m reading a story, is when, all of a sudden a ‘…Three weeks earlier / later…’ pops up. If it’s three weeks later a couple of paragraphs on what happened wouldn’t be so annoying. If it’s three weeks earlier maybe the story should have began with that!
I do blame all the TV dramas that we watch-now-a-days. The writers want to throw you as many curve-balls and red herrings as they can. All the backwards and forwards causes problems, you forget the jist!! I don’t know how many times I’ve asked, ‘Who the fuck is that again??’
Maybe I’m wrong but I reckon a short story is suited to the old idea of Beginning / Middle and End!
I watched one of the best documentary makers ever this week. You need to get used to his style though. He isn’t controversial or confrontational, he lets the fuckwits prove that they’re fuckwits!
‘Inside The Manosphere’ is a Louis Theroux documentary.
I don’t really understand what the Manosphere is but here are my thoughts in a few words. This is the idea that promoting, making money and having followers is what life and success is all about if you are a twenty something heterosexual male. I suppose some followers of influencers may agree with this. But it is an ironic ideology as most have a problem with women. They degrade, want to control and belittle, with no foundations what-so-ever except the idea of ‘What I say, is what you should follow.’ Their followers are mainly teenage boys…Maybe that says it all!
There are two ironies here.
1. They all have mothers and female relations (I would say friends – But NAW!!) – Could they disrespect them any more??
2. The income they enjoy is mainly from the fore-mentioned teenage boys and sponsorship from bigger wankers than themselves, with the odd con-scheme added in. It’s a bit strange that the income they receive is from the idiots that they’re preaching to and unscrupulous advertising wankers – In no way is their shit spouting ever going to reach anything other than the like minded.
I suppose there is one good thing, the name ‘Manosphere’ will piss off Sam Smith. He’d want it called a ‘Theyosphere’ but that would be defeating their purpose in so many ways!
Okay onto this week’s stories. We only had one of our old guard and four new folks.
We welcome all the fledgling writers and hope that they have fun on the site.
As always our initial comments follow.
First up was David Levine with his first story for us entitled, ‘Super Moon In Rome.’
‘This surprised me.’
‘I found this sad.’
‘I’m glad David worked on this.’
On Tuesday Christopher Ananias was published for the nineteenth time. He is putting together quite the back catalogue.
‘Relapse At The End Of The World’ was next up.
‘Definitely harrowing.’
‘I wonder if the MC is experiencing or hallucinating?’
‘The ugliness that follows problem drinking was well observed.’
J.S. Watts was our next new writer with her story, ‘By The Colour Of Our Coat Shall You Know Us.’
‘Great tone.’
‘Some of this is difficult reading.’
‘A story of comeuppance.’
The newsters kept coming! On Thursday we published Stan J. Wild’s short, ‘Bleeding Seamonster.’
‘This definitely has something.’
‘A sort of Fagan gang here.’
‘Well written and interesting.’
And we finished off on Friday with ‘Blossoming Neon’ by Robin Linden.
‘I found this quite mesmerizing.’
‘There’s integrity in Robin’s work.’
‘Very interesting.’
Well that’s us for another week.
Usual reminders…Please keep submitting. Keep commenting and say ‘Thanks’ if someone takes the time to comment on one of your stories.
I was ‘talking’ earlier about Louis Theroux, I’ve watched a lot of his work. I would suggest having a gander at, as well as, ‘Inside The Manospere’, ‘My Scientology Movie’, ‘The Most Hated Family In America’, ‘A Place For Paedophiles’, ‘Louis And The Nazis’, ‘Louis And The Tiger King’, ‘When Louise Met jimmy saville’
If you have seen any of his work, I’d love to know what you think.
Mentioning that freak saville, I read that this week, his cottage near Glencoe was finally torn down. That reference made me think on Scots Squad.
This is a really silly bit of satire / sketch show. Ideal viewing when three sheets to the wind and enjoying a Kebab.
Just before some music, I was saddened to read that Chuck Norris had died a week or so back. There was a glut of Chuck Norris jokes over the years as he was considered to be formidable and indestructible. His death fucks that idea right up!
I’d like to share my favourite:
When doing a push up, Chuck Norris doesn’t push himself off the earth, he pushes the earth away from him!!
I have heard this band a few times in some of those Rock Compilation Stations and I really did like this one.
I wondered where their name came from and what I found was that they named themselves after a seventeenth century prostitute who chopped up her victims.
…I hope she got the money first!!
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay – multicoloured laughing faces.
literally stories 
Hello Hugh
Ah the manly boys, which should be a contradiction, but no, it describes them. They do not make me any more angry than I fear finding a Scorpion in my house, since I do not live where those buggers are found. Then again, if I do find a Scorpion in my house it will have been placed there by what Steinbeck referred to as a “boyman.”
Yet on the flip side you have the preachy Themmers who are not anywhere as interesting as the boymen because they do not believe in anything except in saying stuff to people. Boring people are the last to know it about themselves. You’d think that they would notice how often invitees have other engagements. Moreover boring people do not understand that the reason why they always see the people they know across the street is because the people who know the boring person saw them first. It is always good to keep the radar active.
There is no such thing as a funny human being. Some human beings say more funny things not because they mean to do it, but because they are seeing something that is absurd and are able to get it across. There are no stupid people capable of saying such things without a writer. Carlin, Pryor, Williams, etc were funny because they were smart and could describe absurdity. That’s what Billy Connolly does–he rarely tells jokes, mainly stories or situations based on life (although he has retired from performing he still has a mind and I imagine he still describes absurdities to the point of making people laugh).
I recall seeing the big time comedians on interview shows. Bob Hope without the team was as funny as childhood cancer, yet Rodney Dangerfield, with his wit and intelligence could sell the dumbest jokes and make you laugh. Although his stuff was written, he wrote it and it was his personality that got it over. If you read the stuff on paper it would not be as good.
The point is: Stupid Fuckers are not funny, but when they step on a rake, well you have to smile.
That tune was in the background of my youth–and it still rocks after fifty years!
Great post,
Leila
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Hi Leila,
We continually find away to annoy or fuck each other up. We look at the self too much and consideration for others goes out the window. I wonder how society would be if we couldn’t converse with each other?? Not sure if it would still be called society though??
I’ve always been in awe the intelligence that comediennes have. Their perception, understanding, vision and honesty is what lifts from any other communicators!
Thanks as always!!
Hugh
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Hi Hugh
It’s good to be reminded that a short story comes in three parts. And where to start a story vs this remembrance angle. Something to keep in mind–when the beat of the story gets interrupted. Or the beat takes over a story.
Great observations about the silent film era and the art of humor and body language. This literal pandering for the camera was probably a new and lost art form. Sort of like acting for a crowd of deaf people. Or the hearing impaired or whatever “sounds” less offensive.
I’ll have to check out “Manospehere.” It sounds like a scathingly accurate portrayal of this age group and this money making schism. So-much-so I want to watch it!
This is yet another intellectualizing and compelling post!
Thanks for the kind words on my story this week!
Christopher
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Hi Christopher,
I wonder if you have seen ‘Babylon’ the film with Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie??
It is one weird film but it does touch on the difference for the actors when the ‘talkies’ came into being. It’s an obvious observation but one we don’t consider. Now, there is a contradiction in terms!
The manosphere thing. When any idea causes any form of lack of respect for others, I’m not sure it should ever be allowed to grow. HAH!! That would fuck capitalism right up!!!
Thanks as always my fine friend.
Hugh
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I must watch that Manosphere one, the film Adolescent was what all this stupid male idiocy is about. It just seems that when we’ve gone as far as we can into insanity some numpty will come up with something else. Another interesting post Hugh – thanks dd
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Hi Diane,
I should have mentioned ‘Adolescence’ within this posting but The Louis Theroux documentary was at the forefront of my mind. Excellent call though!! If anyone is reading this I’d say, watch the documentary first then the brilliant ‘Adolescence’
Thanks so much Diane.
Hugh
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Good post and roundup. TVs get carried away with flashbacks and forwards. Especially confusing when the time jumps are big enough they have a different cast playing the same characters. Of the old comedians, I also like Abbott and Costello and was disappointed to read they didn’t get along at all in their personal lives. Two good videos. I’m going to add the axe one to my playlist.
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Hi Dave,
I’d forgotten about Bud and Lou!!
I think there will be a lot of double acts who had colourful relationships!
Thanks as always for your time and comments, much appreciated my fine friend.
Hugh
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Goodness me – I remember Molly H. Saddened but not so surprised to learn that all the original members are now dead. So it goes.
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Hi Steven,
There aren’t many bands left with all members alive.
It shows our age when we know of more dead musicians than ones that are alive.
But the great thing is they are still alive when even one person discovers them for the first time.
Thanks my fine friend.
Hugh
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Hugh
Ah, humor. My favorite joke was a story a friend told our foursome on the golf course near the end of a round. It was awful! The four of us just stood in place to consider its awfulness and the absurdness of the setting and our expectations. Then we all lost it simultaneously. We fell laughing on the grass like idiots.
That was over twenty years ago. All of us remember the event almost exactly. Why is that? Who knows? It’s never happened before or since. NEVER try to be funny. If something happens to be funny, so it is. It’s not humanly accountable.
Great post. — Gerry
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Hi Gerry,
You have hit on something. The same joke at a different time, in a different place with the same audience may not have had the same reaction. Not sure what that means though!!
I find that alcohol keeps a joke funny…To the teller that is!
Hope you are tolerating life my fine friend and thanks for the comments – They always mean a helluva lot to me!!
Hugh
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I think we share a similar taste in humour given your list. I’m reminded of the ingenious Bob Monkhouse joke “When I told my family I wanted to be a comedian they all laughed. Well, they’re not laughing now.” My favourite Chuck Norris one is “When Superman goes to bed he wears Chuck Norris pajamas.”
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Hi Paul,
Thanks so much for your time and comments.
What I love about humour is it can be quite complex or just plain stupid and both can make you laugh!!
Hope all is well with you and yours.
Hugh
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