Librarians Love a Good Joke—They Always Get the Reference
International Joke Day is upon us on July 1. Where would any of us be without a daily dose of laughter to brighten the day? Since I was a kid, I have had a soft spot for puns and dad jokes. Back then, my friends and I would crack ourselves up recording our own comedy radio show on a handheld cassette player. My friend and I listened to one of these tapes recently, and this gem stood out:
Why did the jelly roll? Because it saw the apple turnover!
Fifth grade us thought we were hilarious. Don’t worry, I won’t mind if you use it.
As the saying goes, laughter is the best medicine. Scientists have been studying laughter, and the data has supported both the short- and long-term benefits of laughter. Laughter is a positive sensation, and seems to be a useful and healthy way to overcome stress. A 2017 study in the Korean Journal of Adult Nursing looked at the effects of laughter therapy on patients in long-term care facilities. It showed that patients who received the laughter therapy saw greater improvement in feelings of depression and sleep quality than those who did not. The ability to laugh can be used as a coping mechanism to help a person get through difficult times. Several studies have also shown that laughter can help boost immunoglobulin production for a stronger immune response.
Laughing releases endorphins, and other neurotransmitters such as dopamine and oxytocin that bring a feeling of euphoria. Dopamine can boost learning, motivation, and attention, and oxytocin, known as the empathy hormone, can create feelings of relatedness, relaxation, and trust when it enters the bloodstream. Laughter can also reduce stress hormones, increase pain tolerance, decrease blood pressure, and increase brain function and memory from the oxygen boost it gives. Take some time today to appreciate humor and all the ways it can bring levity to our lives.
Pro tip from a librarian—I am a huge fan of comedy on audiobook and many times the author is the narrator. This can make for an even more entertaining reading experience with some extra humor straight from the author’s mouth! Here are some suggestions that I hope hit your funny bone.
Books
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Before Liz Lemon, before "Weekend Update," before "Sarah Palin," Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on television. She has seen both of those dreams come true. Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.
The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee by Sarah Silverman
Comedian Silverman's memoir that mixes showbiz moments with the more serious subject of her teenage bout with depression, as well as stories of her childhood and adolescence.
Furiously Happy, a Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
A hysterical, ridiculous book about crippling depression and anxiety? That sounds like a terrible idea. But terrible ideas are what Jenny does best. The popular blogger presents a humorous and candid memoir about her lifelong battle with severe depression and anxiety, discussing how embracing both the flawed and the beautiful parts of life have enabled her to find joy in outrageous ways.
Barely Functional Adult: It’ll All Make Sense Eventually by Meichi Ng
A hilarious and poignant [autobiographical] collection of beautifully illustrated short stories that perfectly captures the best and worst of adult life; and the joy, terror, fun, and pain that comes with learning to navigate its complexities and conundrums.
Hello, Molly!: A Memoir by Molly Shannon
A candid, compulsively readable, hilarious, and heartbreaking memoir of resilience and redemption by comedic genius Molly Shannon. Filled with behind-the-scenes stories involving everyone from Whitney Houston to Adam Sandler to Monica Lewinsky, many told for the first time.
Magical Thinking by Augusten Burroughs
Whether he's describing a contest of wills with a deranged cleaning lady, the simultaneous thrill and self-disgust that comes from killing a rodent in your home, or the instinctive desire for fifteen minutes of fame in a Tang commercial, these stories give voice to thoughts we all have but dare not mention. What makes the collection so original is Burroughs’ sharp-eyed observations about things that are unique to him, but somehow universal to us all. Magical Thinking is contagiously funny, heart-warming, shocking, and absolutely magical.
Yearbook by Seth Rogen
From the author: “Hi! I’m Seth! I was asked to describe my book, Yearbook, for the inside flap (which is a gross phrase) and for websites and sh*t like that, so… here it goes!!! Yearbook is a collection of true stories that I desperately hope are just funny at worst, and life-changingly amazing at best. (I understand that it’s likely the former, which is a fancy “book” way of saying “the first one.”) I talk about my grandparents, doing stand-up comedy as a teenager, bar mitzvahs, and Jewish summer camp, and tell way more stories about doing drugs than my mother would like. I also talk about some of my adventures in Los Angeles, and surely say things about other famous people that will create a wildly awkward conversation for me at a party one day. I hope you enjoy the book, and if you don’t enjoy it, I’m sorry. If you ever see me on the street and explain the situation, I’ll do my best to make it up to you.”
DVDs
A bank teller, who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, decides to become the hero of his own story, one he rewrites himself. Now in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way, before it is too late.
Reagan was in the White House, the malls were filled with New Wave fashionistas, and the Goldbergs were living large in the '80s. Documenting his hilariously combative, yet loving family with a video camera nearly as big as he is, eleven-year-old geek Adam is witness to all kinds of insanity from his overprotective, over-the-top mom, quick-tempered dad, rebellious sister, high-strung brother, and super-suave grandfather.
When filthy-rich video store magnate Johnny Rose, his soap star wife Moira, and their two kids suddenly find themselves broke, they are forced to live in a small, depressing town they once bought as a joke. With their pampered lives now abandoned, they must confront their newfound poverty and discover what it means to be a family, all within the rural city limits of their new home.
hoopla
Warren Schmidt is about to taste the not-so-sweet slice of life. When he retired, he and his wife, Helen, had big plans—but an unexpected twist changes everything. Now, all of Schmidt's attention is focused on his daughter's upcoming wedding to a loser waterbed salesman. From meeting the groom's hippie parents to sponsoring a Tanzanian foster child, Schmidt embarks on a search for answers, only to discover that life is full of trick questions.
George Carlin Stand-Up Comedy Specials hoopla collection of 15 different George Carlin stand-up specials.
Dive deep into the world of comedy with America's funniest comedians performing from the legendary Gotham Comedy Club in New York. Includes six seasons.
A young Brooklyn couple heads to an upstate cabin to unplug from their phones and reconnect with each other. Blissfully unaware of their surroundings, they are left to their own devices as the planet falls under attack.
- by Rachel, Twin Rivers Branch
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