Funny Business

When I was a kid in the '70s, I had different ideas of what I wanted to be when I grew up. At one point I wanted to be a carpenter, because I lived in a subdivision where there was always a house going up every other week or so, and building things looked like a fun job. Later, I wanted to be a highway builder - the guy who maps out and designs the highways. I mentioned that once on this blog. Needless to say, I pursued neither career . . . and I'm glad I didn't. We don't need any more subdivisions and highways in America.

Anyway, I more or less decided on some kind of career involving writing when I was in my teens. But what kind of writing? I suggested to my mother and sister that I could be a comedy writer.

My sister replied, "You'll starve!" Not very encouraging.

I still entertained the idea for awhile . . . until one weekend evening when we were returning from a family outing at the Jersey Shore. In the back seat of the car with my sister, I was tossing out ideas for "Saturday Night Live"-type skits to my sister to see what she thought. She grew vocally exasperated. From the front of the car, my mother said, "Steve - stop bothering your sister!"

That was the last time I ever considered becoming a comedy writer. Ultimately, I became a news writer, and, on this blog, I decided that I would comment on the news of the day and do so in straight fashion. No jokes. Just tell it like it is.

My writing has never been funnier.

P.S. I recently watched a whole episode of "Saturday Night Live." I only chuckled once or twice through the whole ninety minutes. I'm sorry the mothers of the writing staff didn't tell their kids to be quiet when they were considering comedy sketch writing as a career.