Gerontology Humor by Don L F Nilsen and

Gerontology Humor by Don L. F. Nilsen and Alleen Pace Nilsen 1

Two Perspectives on Aging 2

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Fritz Coleman: Pasadena Conference on Aging: https: //www. youtube. com/embed/LR 2 q. Z 0 A 8 vic? rel=0 4

That was Then This is Now 5

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The Effects of Aging Peugeot: Before and After 8

Do you remember the Johnny Carson Show on Television? The Great Flydini (Steve Martin on the Johnny Carson Show): http: //rubytooth. com/link/45516 9

An Old Tree 10

Four More Old Trees 11

Old Car and Old Tree 12

Music for People Who have Been Around the Block: Fifties and Sixties Jukebox Hits: http: //www. 1959 bhsmustangs. com/Video. Jukebox. htm# Lookin’ for my wallet and my car keys: http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=p. JDNs. JEn. Wqk Mayo Clinic Music Recital: http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=d_14 wbmb. M 5 A&feature=related 13

“Senior Moments” 14

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An Old Person Returning to Work: http: //www. youtube. com/embed/qteu 4 ld_SCE? rel=0 17

Old Age and Death Are Serious Dilemmas • The search for eternal life is a popular theme even in children’s books, e. g. • Rick Riordan’s Percy and the Olympians • J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books • Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight books • Most religions promise an afterlife, a resurrection, or reincarnation. • Think of all the stories about Heaven and Hell and about ghosts and the undead. • Also what euphemisms do we use in place of “old”? 18

But Most Importantly, We Make Jokes as a Way of Coping 19

Geriatric Traffic Jam: http: //biggeekdad. com/2013/08/geriatric-traffic-jam/ 20

Seniors on the Golf Course: 21

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Did you ever have a little red wagon? http: //www. youtube. com/embed/-1 w 48 q. PF 5 hc 23

Alleen Nilsen’s “Little Red Wagon” This is a bucket made from a truck tire that we brought back with us from Afghanistan in 1969. She made it into a White Elephant for a Del Rio Ward Relief Society event. It’s now in Marilyn Brown’s yard with a plant growing in it. 24

THE YOUNG DON’T ALWAYS WIN • A young college kid in a sports car whips into a parking lot and sees an older man trying to maneuver his car into the only space available. The college kid deftly slips his little car around the bulky Cadillac and into the space. He jumps out of his car and says, • “See what you can do it you’re young and quick? ” 25

• By now the older gentleman has his car in position to drive into the space, so he puts his Cadillac in gear and crunches forward to the sounds of breaking glass and metal. He climbs out of his newly parked car and says, • “See what you can do if you’re old and rich!” 26

Mary Maxwell’s Deadpan Prayer: https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=v. PFCn 3 it. BFE&feature=youtu. be 27

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General Douglas Mac. Arthur’s response to being fired by President Truman was “Old soldiers never die, they just fade away. ” • Old teachers never die; they just lose their principles. • Old athletes never die; they just lose their supporters. • Old robbers never die; they just steal away. • Old editors never quit; they just write away. • Old blondes never fade; they just dye away. • Old deans never die; they just lose their faculties. 29

Gerontological Paradox 30

My Blackberry’s not working: http: //www. flixxy. com/my-blackberry-is-not-working. htm 31

In his 1988 Too Funny to Be President, Mo Udall defended humor as necessary to the health of our political discourse and our private lives. It… • Leavens the public dialogue. • Invigorates the body politic. • Uplifts the spirit. • Brings a diverse society closer together. • Helps individuals roll with the punches. • Is an antidote to selfimportance. 32

Author Max Shulman’s Rule: • Max Shulman, the author of The Lives of Doby Gillis and Barefoot Boy with Cheek, said that if he told a joke that made listeners say, “Ah ha, I know someone like that, ” he would get a laugh. • But if he told a joke that made listeners say, “Oh no, that’s me!” he would not get a laugh. • How does this work in relation to our own telling of “old people” jokes? 33

John Mc. Cain called Leisure World “Seizure World. ” Steve Benson responded. 34

Age-Activated Attention Deficit Disorder: http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=6 o. HBG 3 ABUJU&sns=em Pam Peterson’s “Memories” Parody: http: //www. youtube. com/embed/Hz. Sao. N 2 Ldf. U 35

HUMOR AND THE AGING PROCESS • Psychologist Lucille Nahemow suggests that humor is a vital part of the aging process, because it can change our perspectives. • For example, there is a proverb that reads, • “An old maid who gets married becomes a young wife. ” 36

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE: • The doctor of an 83 -year-old woman says to her, “There are some things not even modern medicine can cure. You know, I can’t make you any younger. ” • “Who asked you to make me younger? ” she replied. “I want you to make me older!” 37

STILL ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE • A doctor tells an 80 -year-old man, “You’re in excellent health; you’ll live ‘till you’re 80!” • “I’m already 80, ” says the man. • “See, what did I tell you!” exclaimed the doctor. 38