What makes me laugh

If you haven’t noticed, I haven’t been blogging as much as I normally do. I’ve been watching too much tv I must confess. Well, that and writing and yelling at my computer, and working, and raising 3 kids, and eating. I should be reading more, I know, but I like to laugh and the Fall always brings with it some new comedy shows that I feel obliged to watch. I haven’t been laughing too much at the shows though.

On the screen (the little one that comes with reasonably priced popcorn) there are a few interesting, sorta funny new shows. Gone are the days when sitcom on television meant real laughter (goodbye Friends, Seinfeld, Arrested Development), now is the age of the almost-funny.

 First of all,  I will give 3 laughs to 30 Rock which has done a good job at making me smile all the time and laugh 78.9% of the time. 30 Rock isn’t new this season though so back to the new shows. After hearing that Kelsey Grammer (Frasier) was back on tv in a new show with Patricia Heaton (Everyone Love’s Raymond) I got my hopes up for Back to You. It has been humorous.  Heaton and Grammer have great comedic timing so that helps where the writing misses.  It’ not hilarious, but most shows aren’t the first season. You have to give the cast time to gel or fall apart.

After Back To You is ’til Death. This show tries hard to be funny. It knocks on the door to funny, but just never crosses the threshold. I’ve tried it and I’m gonna have to spend those 30 minutes reading from now on.

The previews of Samantha Who? starring Christina Applegate, looked interesting, so I was hopeful when I sat down on my butt next to my husband with my bowl of ice cream (very small bowl).  I have to say the writing was good, and I think it has potential. I don’t know how they can keep the idea going on–woman has amnesia doesn’t remember her life–will she eventually remember more things and then die a slow death? It was the most watched new comedy according to ABC, but I think it was because there were so many viewers watching the Dances with the Stars show.  Okay, since I mentioned Dances with the Stars I have to ask, why do people watch this show? Why? Is Dances with the Stars the Baby Boomer’s version of The Lawrence Welk Show?  It did make me laugh a couple of times when I watched it once and then my husband explained it wasn’t a comedy.

I must confess, the thing that makes me laugh the most right now is a radio commercial. I can’t even tell you what it is for — because it’s not very effective at selling but it makes me smile every time I hear it. It uses this voice that sounds like the Texas Instruments Speak and Spell toy I owned when I was in elementary school. You know that computer voice?  If you don’t know what I am talking about you must click on those links, and if you do remember you still should click on those links to remind yourself why you can’t spell.

I read an article somewhere that said that it is harder to get women to laugh than men. I don’t know if that is true. I am curious, have any of you seen these shows? No, my readers are too sophisticated for television. If you happen to have accidentally watched one or two –I would like to hear your opinion.