Asked Quote by Wavy Gravy
“I became a clown when these docs came to the house in Berkeley and asked me to come cheer up kids. I'd just had my third spinal fusion and I was looking for something to take my mind off the pain I was in.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Rolling Stone, Wavy Gravy, 1975
After a painful surgery, becoming a clown for sick children provided distraction and purpose, illustrating humor as healing.
In simple terms: Being a clown helped cope with pain and bring joy to others.
Key Takeaway
Use humor to cope with hardship.
Themes
healing
humor
pain
purpose
community service
Mood
hopeful
empathetic
inspirational
Type
humanitarian
psychological
When to use this quote
- hospital volunteering
- creative therapy
- support groups
- post-surgery recovery
Key Concepts
therapeutic comedy
pain management
volunteering
Questions to Reflect On
- How does comedy aid recovery?
- When is humor inappropriate?
A Different Perspective
Humor may not address underlying medical issues.
![“When your spinal cord freezes up, you're vulnerable to everything. But he [Chrestopher Reese] was tough as nails. And he kept a great, kind of dark sense of humor about it, but also was able to accomplish amazing things.” quote by Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/893/robin-williams-682_able_when-your-spinal-cord-freezes-up-you-re_173136.jpg)
