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Sunday Night
MaryHelen Swanson, editor

I know laughter is good for the soul. I know that laughter has been a healing potion for many seriously ill people. Iíve had some good laughing fits where tears have been streaming down my face and Iíve had difficulty catching my breath.
But some things are not funny.
Iím sorry to see that Jay Leno, a man who was so sensitive to the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, that he found it difficult to get back in front of his audience and tell a joke, has recovered so well that he finds humor in this yearís tragedies.
Monday night he went overboard trying to make the Colorado fire near Denver into something funny to amuse his audience.
People lost their homes. I mean, lost as in going back to find a pile of ashes where once you lived your everyday life. All possession - gone. Photos, creative handiwork - gone. Heirlooms - gone. Clothing, books, perhaps even pets - gone. Lives could have been lost, both firefightersí and residentsí. Wild animals more than likely died. The majestic wilderness of Colorado mountains will take years to recover from this tragedy and all, apparently, because of an act of carelessness on the part of an angry, hurting woman.
Whatís funny about that?
There have been other times when he and other late night comedians have gone too far, also. And yes, I do turn the channel, understanding that some things donít amuse me that others find amusing.
I would say everyone has the right to be entertained at their own comfort level, but we still must be sensitive to the plight of those who have lost much, from personal property to life.
I usually use late night TV programming as a background while I check my e-mail and do other work on my computer. At that time of the night I donít tie up the phone line and itís essentially the only time Iím home.
Besides Lenoís insensitive remarks, I also recently heard some very raw humor from another show host. In fact, he noted that his particular comments were not suitable for Minnesota audience ears.
My goodness, what has happened to good, clean humor?
It is still possible to have a good laugh without criticizing, ridiculing, demoralizing or diminishing the severity of a tragedy, isnít it?

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