http://mindhacks.com/2006/12/31/putting-the-fun-in-dysfunctional/ Neuroscience and psychology news and views. Fri, 24 May 2013 17:03:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://mindhacks.com/2006/12/31/putting-the-fun-in-dysfunctional/#comment-7623 Tue, 02 Jan 2007 17:34:41 +0000 http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/2006/12/31/putting-the-fun-in-dysfunctional/#comment-7623 It is an interesting piece of information.
(Haven’t yet though read the fulltext)
Brings to the mind Charlie Chaplin’s mother, who suffered from schizophrenia. And Kurt Vonnegut’s account on his son’s mental breakdown: http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/biography/0,,881628,00.html

]]> http://mindhacks.com/2006/12/31/putting-the-fun-in-dysfunctional/#comment-7622 Mon, 01 Jan 2007 21:01:56 +0000 http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/2006/12/31/putting-the-fun-in-dysfunctional/#comment-7622 It runs even deeper than this, I think; comedians not only (may) have higher rates of mental illness, but I think this causes, or is caused by, higher empathy. I’ve noticed that the most popular comedians of today differ from those of the past in that they reference themselves in the comedy. Not in a Jackie Mason sort of way (“I was on the psychiatrist’s couch…”) but referencing the act as if they are watching it like an audience member (e.g. Mitch Hedberg: “that joke didn’t make any sense…”)
I take this as a sign that the comedians unconsciously understand that the audience, narcissistically, isn’t satisfied with being simply audience; they want to be part of the act, and these comedians tap into that, and bring the audience in.
Unfortunately, this ability to key into a cultural zeitgeist probably means more suffering for them. Mitch Hedberg died of heroin overdose.
More here: http://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2006/12/comedians_tosh_gaffigan_and_he.html

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