When I think of comedy, or what's funny--I always think of Jerry Lewis (1926-2017). As I write this, news outlets around the world are reporting that he has passed away early today, at the age of 91.
Lewis was best known for his comedy, though it did have some serious roles that got my attention. Many of the characters he portrayed were underdogs, the little guy who always had big potential--if only, if only...
As a person who has been misunderstood or unappreciated, those movies and their positive outcomes mattered to me when I was a kid. Learning to live with a vision impairment that will always-always be with me until the day I am no more, I found all those little quirky victories to be quite inspiring. In an era before the label of "nerd" was something you'd be almost glad to wear like a badge, Lewis gave us The Nutty Professor (1963, color, 1 hr. 47 min.).
I saw that film in the early 70's at a local movie theater--and--it wasn't lost on me that his character was wearing the same kind of glasses I had on at the time. I have never thought of myself as havening something--or someone--better than I really am, tucked away inside me. Even so, I can recall talking with my parents about the importance of unlocking the potential in all of us.
So, here I am, decades later and I've still got those glasses in a velvet case. They are tucked away. Every now and them, I have taken out just to hold those frames in my hand. All the while, remembering Jerry Lewis and the clever way he made us see the better things in ourselves.
All of us have the power to make our own future, if we can find a way to unlock who and what we really are. I can only hope for myself to live 91 years, it'll be interesting to see what I was capable of. Who knows? I may someday grow up to be a writer.