I've recently started creating and illustrating my own comics. All of which, I've hidden from friends, family and the internet. There's something that scares me about finding out that no one will understand my humor. It's a strange fear, given that I don't find myself to be funny nor do I ever picture myself being a comedian. But that fear is still there. Being a creator on the internet can be hard sometimes. Yes, everyone is entitled to their own opinions. But I also feel like everyones an expert at something on the internet, and they have to make sure the world knows it.
There's something about making comics that helps me cope with my stress, depression, and the curveballs life loves to throw at me. It helps brings light to a otherwise distraught situation. After thinking about these two things together; depression and comedy, I realized that I wasn't the only one using this coping mechanism.
It's quite ironic that depression and comedy are topics that are so distant from each other but are able to be expressed without concern in stand-up. Dark comedy is widely accepted as a form of entertainment. It holds a lot of truth that many can relate to and laugh at without others expressing concern as to why they found it funny.
While some laugh because of the context, many find this genre of comedy to be relieving because of it's reliability in their everyday struggles. We often forget that every great punchline holds an even greater truth.
I say it's ironic because generally discussions on depression, anxiety, and mental illnesses aren't a laughing matter. These are serious issues that many people deal with on a daily basis. It might be hard to associate a mental illness with a comedic matter, but many comedians deal with depression on a daily basis. Like the great Robin Williams, we might not even realize a comedian might be struggling with a mental illness util it's too late.
When I think about stand-up comedy, it's hard for me to associate depression with any given comedian. It just doesn't seem to correlate. But I've come to realize that my favorite jokes tend to be the ones that aren't usually discussed in day to day life. I enjoy dark humor because of the incredible skill that comedians posses where they are able to draw materials from personal struggles and turn it into laughter.
Until I starting diving into this topic, I didn't think much about the difficulties of becoming a professional stand-up comic. It's just another form of entertainment. But it's a lot more complex than just that. Generally most comics don't end up making it professionally because of all of the hurdles they have to jump over. Professional comics not only have to deal with the competitive business, but they also have to deal with the constant travel, insecurities and economic struggles that come with this freelance work. Unlike musicians and actors, stand-up comedians don't have a union protecting them, no higher education to train them, and there aren't any publicized award shows like the MTV Video Music Awards, Grammys or Oscars to recognize their achievements. It's freelance work where they are responsible for not only inventing and performing their work but also maintaining their own publicity, bookings, and reputations. It takes a certain set of characteristics to succeed as a stand-up comic.
Maybe this "sad clown paradox" isn't a big deal to most people. Maybe you're thinking that yeah we all agree that depression is no laughing matter, as you crack a punny smile, and move on with your life. But the next time depression takes one of our favorite comedians, a friend, a co-worker, or maybe even a family member, chances are we will have wished we had taken mental health issues a little more seriously. Laughter is a good medicine that can do wonders as a tool to cope with our issues. But on the other hand, an incredible stand-up skit doesn't solve a comedian's deeper problems; keep that in mind as we continue these incredibly important discussions.
