HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_015393.jpg
1.19 MB
Extraction Summary
3
People
0
Organizations
0
Locations
2
Events
2
Relationships
6
Quotes
Document Information
Type:
Memoir excerpt / narrative text (contained in house oversight document production)
File Size:
1.19 MB
Summary
This document appears to be a page from a memoir or narrative (likely Richard Pryor's, given the reference to daughter Holly and peer Dick Gregory) included in a House Oversight Committee production (marked HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_015393). The text describes a summer visit from the narrator's daughter, Holly, where they practiced a 'silent day' using handwritten notes. It follows with a philosophical discussion between the narrator and comedian Dick Gregory regarding laughter and eating as manifestations of insecurity, and how their comedy careers depend on audiences not realizing this.
People (3)
| Name | Role | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Narrator | Author/Comedian |
Likely Richard Pryor (based on daughter Holly and conversation with Dick Gregory); discussing a 'silent day' and 'lau...
|
| Holly | Daughter |
Young daughter of the narrator; joined the narrator on a 'silent day'.
|
| Dick Gregory | Comedian/Activist |
Friend/colleague of the narrator; noted as being on a 'food-fast'; discusses the psychology of laughter and eating.
|
Relationships (2)
Discussing their audiences and 'business'; Narrator refers to him as 'Dick Gregory' and shares personal experiences.
Key Quotes (6)
"Does laughter count?"Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_015393.jpg
Quote #1
"Yes, but no tickling."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_015393.jpg
Quote #2
"I refined my appreciation of laughter as another whole language that could often be more revealing than words."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_015393.jpg
Quote #3
"children must be taught to be serious."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_015393.jpg
Quote #4
"That's two things people do out of insecurity... Eating and laughing."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_015393.jpg
Quote #5
"Brother, we'd go out of business."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_015393.jpg
Quote #6
Full Extracted Text
Complete text extracted from the document (1,214 characters)
When my young daughter Holly came out to stay with me that
summer, she decided to join me on my silent day. We communicated with
handwritten notes. Holly wrote, Does laughter count? Since we were
making up the rules as we went along, I answered, Yes, but no tickling.
Naturally she tried to make me laugh, but I held it in – and got a rush.
summer, she decided to join me on my silent day. We communicated with
handwritten notes. Holly wrote, Does laughter count? Since we were
making up the rules as we went along, I answered, Yes, but no tickling.
Naturally she tried to make me laugh, but I held it in – and got a rush.
All the energy that normally gets dissipated into the air with
laughter seemed to surge through my body instead. I decided to stop
laughing altogether, just to see what would happen. The more I didn't
laugh, the more I found funny. And, paying closer attention to others, I
refined my appreciation of laughter as another whole language that could
often be more revealing than words. Sometimes I would get a twinge of
guilt if I nearly slipped and laughed, and I remembered what I had always
known, that children must be taught to be serious. When I mentioned my
laugh-fast to Dick Gregory, still on his food-fast, it didn't sound so far-
fetched to him.
laughter seemed to surge through my body instead. I decided to stop
laughing altogether, just to see what would happen. The more I didn't
laugh, the more I found funny. And, paying closer attention to others, I
refined my appreciation of laughter as another whole language that could
often be more revealing than words. Sometimes I would get a twinge of
guilt if I nearly slipped and laughed, and I remembered what I had always
known, that children must be taught to be serious. When I mentioned my
laugh-fast to Dick Gregory, still on his food-fast, it didn't sound so far-
fetched to him.
That's two things people do out of insecurity," he said. "Eating
and laughing."
and laughing."
"Well, what would happen to us if everyone in our audiences
realized that?"
realized that?"
"Brother, we'd go out of business."
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_015393
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