Comedy might be good for the soul, but it's no substitute for real medicine
The company that pitched this flamboyant foray into complementary medicine is Craic Comedy, headed up by Louisa Jackson, who has the facts and data at her elegantly manicured finger tips. Comedy-on-prescription, she says, is not just a bit of harmless fun – it could help reduce the costs linked to mental health issues in the country.
'Comedy is a cortisol decreaser, dopamine producer, and a potent releaser of serotonin, endorphins and good neuropeptides.' And no addiction, no adaptation, no shame. Sounds great. I should charge more.
My first thought flew to the joke familiar to all stand-ups, and which I first heard, or read, in The Watchmen. 'Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone… Doctor says, 'Treatment is simple. Great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go and see him. That should pick you up.' Man bursts into tears. Says, 'But doctor...I am Pagliacci.'
But even putting that opportunity for dramatic irony aside, I suspect I am not the only stand-up to be feeling somewhat ambivalent about being recruited into a wellness drive. Of course, one likes to think one's rants and musings cheer everyone up on the night, which can even have a knock-on effect on their mood the following day and ripple out to those they live and work with. We have long been proud to be reminded that laughter is the best medicine, which is why it was so jarring to discover during the Covid lockdowns that it was also quite a significant disease vector.
But still, stand-up comedy is entertainment, not therapy, and one that is licensed to go dark, if not actually kill. There is nothing that smothers a really good, wicked belly laugh faster than the earnest smile of the comedy facilitator, beaming with the saintly intent of a Thought for the Day.
'Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone.
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own.'
A short verse by Adam Lindsay Gordon, with a glycaemic index that could fell an ox, and was apparently Princess Diana's favourite. But I always preferred Kingsley Amis's parody:
'Life is mainly grief and labour,
Two things see you through:
Chortling when it hits your neighbour
Whingeing when it's you.'
And that version, frankly, is much more in tune with the very best, the soul of stand-up comedy. At the moment of conception, Schopenhauer lamented, the Devil's laughter is heard. But if you can't be around for that, the conception of a really vicious punchline is a good second.
Of course, I do believe that a really hearty cackle is chicken soup for the soul. It's just that it ideally has to have a little mischief in it really. And that comedy evenings planned as mental health treatment might lack a certain bite, might be a bit too much like getting your haircut by the council, or your lunch delivered by a charity.
But who knows? I might be wrong. And after all, a gig's a gig. You know where to find me…
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
28 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Andrew Flintoff backs campaign to increase helipads at hospitals
In December 2022, Flintoff sustained severe injuries while filming at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey for an episode of BBC show Top Gear. The former international cricketer was airlifted to St George's Hospital in Tooting – a major trauma centre. The helipad at the hospital was funded by a campaign with the Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads (Help) Appeal. As he backed the campaign, Flintoff said: 'When I was airlifted, that helipad wasn't just a safe spot to land on the hospital roof, it was a vital step in giving me a second chance as I had immediate access to the specialist care which helped saved my life. 'As every cricket pitch has a wicket, every hospital that needs one should have a helipad.' The Help Appeal said that there have been 30,000 landings on the 32 NHS hospital helipads funded by the charity across the country. It has also funded 23 major upgrades at other hospital helipads. The charity is aiming to fund 40 new and upgraded helipads. Robert Bertram, chief executive of the Help Appeal, said: 'We are incredibly grateful to have Freddie's support, especially knowing that his life was saved thanks, in part, to a Help Appeal-funded helipad. His story highlights exactly why the charity's work is so vital – seconds count in a medical emergency and that helipad made all the difference. 'Freddie's backing brings invaluable awareness to the importance of rapid access to emergency care for everyone, everywhere.' Sir Keith Porter, emeritus professor of clinical traumatology at the University of Birmingham, said the charity plays a 'crucial part' in getting patients to the right hospital at the right time. He added: 'Helicopter Emergency Medical Services have the ability to deliver critical care teams at or close to the side of a patient and then to transport them to the most appropriate hospital for their clinical needs, in the case of injury, usually a major trauma centre. 'Minutes count, particularly for patients with life-threatening bleeding, where the extra journey time can make the difference between life and death. 'The Help Appeal, by funding on-site helipads, helps facilitate the prompt delivery of patients directly into the emergency department with a trolley-push from the landing site.' Flintoff also recently visited the NHS staff who cared for him after the accident at St George's Hospital. He praised health workers in the NHS as 'superheroes' and described the aftermath of the crash as the 'the lowest I've ever been'. The 47-year-old praised the 'expertise, love and compassion' shown by staff at the hospital during his time of need. During a documentary about the accident, Flintoff described how he used the split-second decision-making from his cricketing days to try to reduce the impact of the crash. He said he was 'pulled face-down on the runway' for about 50 metres under the car. The former England star said he thought he had died in the accident. For months after the crash, Flintoff disappeared from public view and would leave his house only for medical appointments His recovery has been documented in a documentary, Flintoff, streamed on Disney+.
North Wales Chronicle
36 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Andrew Flintoff backs campaign to increase helipads at hospitals
In December 2022, Flintoff sustained severe injuries while filming at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey for an episode of BBC show Top Gear. The former international cricketer was airlifted to St George's Hospital in Tooting – a major trauma centre. The helipad at the hospital was funded by a campaign with the Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads (Help) Appeal. As he backed the campaign, Flintoff said: 'When I was airlifted, that helipad wasn't just a safe spot to land on the hospital roof, it was a vital step in giving me a second chance as I had immediate access to the specialist care which helped saved my life. 'As every cricket pitch has a wicket, every hospital that needs one should have a helipad.' The Help Appeal said that there have been 30,000 landings on the 32 NHS hospital helipads funded by the charity across the country. It has also funded 23 major upgrades at other hospital helipads. The charity is aiming to fund 40 new and upgraded helipads. Robert Bertram, chief executive of the Help Appeal, said: 'We are incredibly grateful to have Freddie's support, especially knowing that his life was saved thanks, in part, to a Help Appeal-funded helipad. His story highlights exactly why the charity's work is so vital – seconds count in a medical emergency and that helipad made all the difference. 'Freddie's backing brings invaluable awareness to the importance of rapid access to emergency care for everyone, everywhere.' Sir Keith Porter, emeritus professor of clinical traumatology at the University of Birmingham, said the charity plays a 'crucial part' in getting patients to the right hospital at the right time. He added: 'Helicopter Emergency Medical Services have the ability to deliver critical care teams at or close to the side of a patient and then to transport them to the most appropriate hospital for their clinical needs, in the case of injury, usually a major trauma centre. 'Minutes count, particularly for patients with life-threatening bleeding, where the extra journey time can make the difference between life and death. 'The Help Appeal, by funding on-site helipads, helps facilitate the prompt delivery of patients directly into the emergency department with a trolley-push from the landing site.' Flintoff also recently visited the NHS staff who cared for him after the accident at St George's Hospital. He praised health workers in the NHS as 'superheroes' and described the aftermath of the crash as the 'the lowest I've ever been'. The 47-year-old praised the 'expertise, love and compassion' shown by staff at the hospital during his time of need. During a documentary about the accident, Flintoff described how he used the split-second decision-making from his cricketing days to try to reduce the impact of the crash. He said he was 'pulled face-down on the runway' for about 50 metres under the car. The former England star said he thought he had died in the accident. For months after the crash, Flintoff disappeared from public view and would leave his house only for medical appointments His recovery has been documented in a documentary, Flintoff, streamed on Disney+.
Rhyl Journal
37 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Andrew Flintoff backs campaign to increase helipads at hospitals
In December 2022, Flintoff sustained severe injuries while filming at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey for an episode of BBC show Top Gear. The former international cricketer was airlifted to St George's Hospital in Tooting – a major trauma centre. The helipad at the hospital was funded by a campaign with the Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads (Help) Appeal. As he backed the campaign, Flintoff said: 'When I was airlifted, that helipad wasn't just a safe spot to land on the hospital roof, it was a vital step in giving me a second chance as I had immediate access to the specialist care which helped saved my life. 'As every cricket pitch has a wicket, every hospital that needs one should have a helipad.' The Help Appeal said that there have been 30,000 landings on the 32 NHS hospital helipads funded by the charity across the country. It has also funded 23 major upgrades at other hospital helipads. The charity is aiming to fund 40 new and upgraded helipads. Robert Bertram, chief executive of the Help Appeal, said: 'We are incredibly grateful to have Freddie's support, especially knowing that his life was saved thanks, in part, to a Help Appeal-funded helipad. His story highlights exactly why the charity's work is so vital – seconds count in a medical emergency and that helipad made all the difference. 'Freddie's backing brings invaluable awareness to the importance of rapid access to emergency care for everyone, everywhere.' Sir Keith Porter, emeritus professor of clinical traumatology at the University of Birmingham, said the charity plays a 'crucial part' in getting patients to the right hospital at the right time. He added: 'Helicopter Emergency Medical Services have the ability to deliver critical care teams at or close to the side of a patient and then to transport them to the most appropriate hospital for their clinical needs, in the case of injury, usually a major trauma centre. 'Minutes count, particularly for patients with life-threatening bleeding, where the extra journey time can make the difference between life and death. 'The Help Appeal, by funding on-site helipads, helps facilitate the prompt delivery of patients directly into the emergency department with a trolley-push from the landing site.' Flintoff also recently visited the NHS staff who cared for him after the accident at St George's Hospital. He praised health workers in the NHS as 'superheroes' and described the aftermath of the crash as the 'the lowest I've ever been'. The 47-year-old praised the 'expertise, love and compassion' shown by staff at the hospital during his time of need. During a documentary about the accident, Flintoff described how he used the split-second decision-making from his cricketing days to try to reduce the impact of the crash. He said he was 'pulled face-down on the runway' for about 50 metres under the car. The former England star said he thought he had died in the accident. For months after the crash, Flintoff disappeared from public view and would leave his house only for medical appointments His recovery has been documented in a documentary, Flintoff, streamed on Disney+.
