By Scott Graber
It is Tuesday, early, and I’m in Port Royal. This morning I have my coffee — Green Mountain Dark Magic — and The New Yorker Magazine. This issue (September 9) features a piece by David Sedaris that takes aim at Pope Francis and a recent meeting that included a group of stand-up comedians.
Apparently the Pope wanted to discuss humor with these well-paid purveyors of laughter inviting them to the Vatican for a sit-down session where he could yuk it up with Stephen Colbert, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jim Gaffigan, and others.
Apparently the Pope received each of these people sitting in a kind of throne-like chair while they approached, each in turn, having to bow, genuflect, kiss the Pope’s ring or just shake hands. Somehow it didn’t sound like a set-up designed to encourage a back and forth that would explain the fundamentals of humor or how to conjugate laughter.
It seems he might have offered the comedians a glass of wine — the Vatican having a ready supply of Chianti — but it doesn’t appear he provided any mixed drinks or Bagel Chips to elevate the mood.
His piece goes on to deal with decidedly serious, altogether unhappy topics like priest misconduct and homophobia that have come into focus lately, and explains why the Pope might be interested in bringing some level of levity into his speaking engagements.
When I was growing up, almost every adult I knew had a stable of jokes that were trotted-out whenever one spoke; even when it was casual conversation or one-on-one around the “water cooler.”
When Susan and I arrived in Beaufort, we routinely played tennis with Dr. Herbert Keyserling. Before, during or after tennis we could expect jokes — usually involving men of the Jewish persuasion — doing something foolish and funny.
If the talk was ceremonial, the featured speaker would thank his hosts for the fabulous tuna fish casserole, and then tell a joke that might have some slight connection with the audience. Sometimes these jokes were funny; but their purpose was to ease the audience into a sense of well-being and the notion that we were going to have some fun along with our Baked Alaska.
If the speaker was experienced, this introductory story involved the speaker himself; and was self-deprecating in that the speaker was usually the buffoon — his or her cluelessness being the way that he or she connected with the audience.
On Tuesday night we had our first “debate” between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. As my wife and I watched, we knew that neither candidate was going to tell a joke — neither candidate would start off with “a rabbi, a priest and a Presbyterian were sitting in a bar, …”
But then Donald Trump revealed that illegal immigrants were eating pets across the country, especially in Ohio, and that revelation brought howls of laughter just when we thought this man was incapable of self-deprecating humor.
David Sedaris gives short shrift to the actual “Audience” with Pope Francis; but spends time talking about what happened after the meeting. Apparently he and Julia went out into Rome and found the Pope’s tailor, Gammarelli.
Sedaris says he has always admired the magnificent garments worn by the Catholic clergy; and those of us who read this man know that he likes to shop, especially with his sister, Amy.
“What I wanted was a black cassock. That’s the ankle-length robe Catholic priests wear. I wanted one because they are slimming, they’re classic and they’re beautifully made, at least at Gammarelli, …
“Next came the Roman collar. The outfit’s fine without it, I thought, until I added it and realized, Whoa, you really need the collar. Then came the fascia, and I got two—the classic black and a scarlet model that a cardinal would wear.
“‘Is it against the law to dress like like a priest?’ I whispered to Julia as I did the last of the thirty three buttons each of which symbolizes a year of Jesus’ life and leaves you wishing he’d been crucified at twelve, especially if, like me, you’re developing arthritis in your fingers.”
I know there is a premium these days on seriousness. Whether it’s a trial or a presidential debate. But I am thankful that there are people like Sedaris who understand that we are foolish — at least some of the time — and can flip a switch that floods us with the notion that this is normal and sometimes funny.
Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist, veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. He can be reached at cscottgraber@gmail.com.
