Laugh It Off

By Whit Whitley

If you need to escape the problems of the day, open this book and start a journey into absurdity.
Whit Whitley, a creative screenwriter and open-mike comedy performer who has performed in numerous film and theater productions, shares a compilation of his open mike monologues presented in character.
You’ll be entertained by a series on his comic travels, which have taken him to various destinations. His anecdotal stories will have your mind so redirected with extreme zaniness that you will have to take a break before going back to work.
The author’s situational comedies will also have you wondering where in the world he came up with such crazy stories. His parody songs, altered poems, and his monologues will delight anyone with a sense of humor.
Today, however, even the great Groucho Marx, who never used profanity, would be criticized by some for his humor and banter. So, if this analogy applies to you, put down this book because others will be laughing it off.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Mar 19, 2024
• ISBN: 9781665754873

Whit Whitley

This is my fourth book covering many years of writing and performing "open mike" comedy. My other three books were published by Outskirts Press covering my nine screenplays using the series "Stories Hollywood Overlooked.” I am represented by The Brock Agency, Hickory, N.C. as one of their creative screenwriters. Through this agency I performed in a Hallmark Extra entitled "The Confession." Commercially, I performed as Cale Yarborough, former NASCAR racer in a 2012 Legends of Racing. I performed in theater with the Piedmont Players Productions, Salisbury, NC for four productions: "Animal Crackers,” “Jekyll & Hyde The Musical,” “H.M.S. Pinafore,” and as the villain Dr. Ted B. Sears in “Lunch at the Piccadilly.” My education includes a B.S. degree in Biology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science, and two courses with the well-known "The Comedy Zone" in Charlotte, N.C. on Comedy Preparation and the Business of Comedy. I have produced and acted in my own original productions: a musical/suspense short entitled "A Mesmerizing Affair" in 2007 portraying the villainous, Svengali available on YouTube; a comic western short entitled, "Not(e) in My Saddle" in 2010; a comical/drama entitled, "Listen Hear, Mug" in 2012; a 30 minute TV pilot sitcom series entitled "Story's Students” in 2014. I also have a website called www.thewhitwhitleyshow.com for photos, films clips, a podcast, excerpts from my many short stories and screenplays. I was an oratorical coach for over twenty years with an Optimist Club and entertained for many years in local clubs and senior citizens organizations performing a 1920s revue and a singing cowboy called Black Bart. Now in my late 60s I am more athletic than ever playing golf, horseback riding, singing tenor at my local church, playing tennis, and racquetball at my local health club.

Book preview

Copyright © 2024 Whitley Footprint Media, L.L.C.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Archway Publishing

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.archwaypublishing.com

844-669-3957

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-6657-5486-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6657-5487-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023924400

Archway Publishing rev. date: 3/15/2024

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgements

Disclaimer from Intellectual Property Attorney

Chapter 1 Open Mic Monologue Presentations (in Character)

Chapter 2 Comic Travel Series

Chapter 3 Anecdotal Stories

Chapter 4 Situational Comedy

Chapter 5 Altered Poems (Making Boring Fun)

Chapter 6 Parody Songs (from Well-Known Tunes)

Chapter 7 Children’s Songs Altered by Friends Who Have Been Drinking

Preface

What makes something humorous? It differs for everyone and depends on how you were raised and educated. Think of the wide assortment of comedy: jokes, limericks, sight gags, satire, monologues, situations, stand-up, improvisation, clowning, and so forth.

Years ago, great variety comedy shows that began in the early days of television entertained many of us. Back in the 1970s, I vividly remember shows like Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-in, Hee-Haw, and Saturday Night Live, which were combinations of various types of comedy. But I could never forget the unique Dean Martin’s Celebrity Roasts, which used insults and poked fun of friends for charity.

If you name a celebrity of that time, a panel of prepared sidekicks roasted almost everyone to make people laugh. No one took offense whether that person was overweight, ugly, or of another race or nationality who became Americanized. Today, great comedians still like to share their wit and wisdom without resorting to agendas influenced by political ideologies.

More recently, what makes one person laugh may make another cringe. A guffaw belly laugh may make another person exhibit only a snide-like chuckle, or a crude off-color joke could make several people giggle while others perceive it as too offensive and walk away.

You cannot please all people with your flippant remarks. So many adjectives describe this process of entertaining: amusing, comical, witty, jocular, lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek, wry, hilarious, uproarious, zany, farcical, sidesplitting, absurd, and wacky.

The people who come up with so-called laughable wordage are called neologists. They invent words or phrases not fully accepted into mainstream language and culture to put new meaning into old, trite conversations. My favorites were Norm Crosby and Rich Hall.

Laughter is good for the brain, body, and soul. It has been used in history, philosophy, and literature for ages to make knowledge more interesting and easier to learn new things.

Although I enjoy many forms of humor, I have some limits to my personal choices of laughable material. I will never use certain words or concepts in any of my creations.

1. I am a Christian who will never take my Lord’s name in vain.

2. I will never use the F-word, which has become so pervasive in our culture today.

3. I will not explicitly describe female or male body parts.

I view my material as PG humor using innuendos, references, or suggestions that will be targeted only to adult readers.

Fortunately, you do not have to pick up a book like this or buy it if you are not eager to feel better. In fact, today’s new woke culture with far-left radical views doesn’t know how to believe in humor. I guess even the great Groucho Marx, who never used profanity, would be criticized today for his humor and banter. So if this analogy applies to you, put down this book because others will be laughing it off.

Acknowledgements

I want to thank several people who have encouraged me through the years to pursue entertaining ideas for public enjoyment. First, my children always supported my open mic opportunities. My daughter, Elizabeth Whitley Carroll, performed karaoke songs on stage with me. Her husband, Arthur Carroll, still designs my website (www.thewhitwhitleyshow.com) and continues to update it for me. My son-in-law, Greg Whitcomb, always helped me with the technical parts of entertaining, such as sound engineering and lighting, to make my various variety shows exciting.

From earlier years, I want to thank Joel Pace, an instructor with The Comedy Zone in Charlotte, North Carolina, who taught me the basics of stand-up using the rule of threes, punchline strategies, and reversals. And I would like to thank Johnny Millwater, who taught the second course on the business of comedy. At our class graduation, after thanking everyone who participated in their presentations, he looked at me and told the audience, They don’t make them like that anymore, referring to my use of monologues on various subject matters.

Although a legacy now, I was influenced and groomed in comedy by watching past professionals like the Marx Brothers, especially the wordplay between Groucho and Chico, and the soliloquies of Jonathan Winters, Red Skelton, Norm Crosby, Rich Hall, Nipsy Russell, and countless others.

Lastly, I want to thank people in my life who helped me make a start and shine brighter. Reid Leonard, former director of Piedmont Players Theater, Salisbury, North Carolina, gave me my first community theater parts. Chris Wilson, owner/operator of Moving Pictures, Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina, helped me make my film shorts using his directions, expertise, and honest thoughts to make those visuals effective for viewers. The late Jim Austell, Charlotte, North Carolina, was a lifelong musician who ran his own entertainment business. He helped me create my first music video, A Mesmerizing Affair, in 2007, which can still be seen on YouTube. I became successful today because of all of them.

Disclaimer from Intellectual

Property Attorney

Stephen Loeb, doctoral degree in law with the following professional licenses—JD, BS, and BA—provided through Just Answer

Question

I am preparing my fourth book with Archway Publishing, Laugh It Off. It will be in the humor/comedy genre. I need to know what is considered a copyright violation to make parody/satire using older familiar songs like Happy Trails, Y.M.C.A, and Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh as the basis of new material.

Answer

Hello! Welcome to Just Answer! My name is Lawyer Steve. I will be the expert helping you today. I have been practicing law in the federal and state courts for twenty-five years. Just Answer is the preeminent online service for information regarding your legal issues. I will try to help you.

Right now, I am in the process of reviewing your question. My goal is to provide you with a complete answer and be available for any follow-up questions.

The key difference is copying versus satire. Parody is a protected form of fair use; therefore, it is not an infringement. A parody is a fair use of copyrighted work when it is a humorous form of social commentary and literary criticism in which one work imitates another. Although a parody falls under use of a copyrighted work for the purpose of criticism or comment, as provided under 17 USC 107, the determination of whether the work qualifies as a parody depends on the current law case. There is no concrete list of factors to be considered. Because of that, many famous satirists do seek consent from original copyright holders to make the use of material seamless. That being said, there is no legal obligation to do so.

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Chapter One

Open Mic Monologue

Presentations (in Character)

New Threat on the Highway

This monologue uses the voice of the late actor Robert Newton, known for his characteristic pirate voice with exaggerated facial expressions. The character is Buck, the truck driver.

You need to be on the lookout