Before I begin, and in the name of complete transparency, I’ve never listened to comedian Chelsea Handler or read any of her books. But last week, as I sat in my parked Spark at the Panera Bread in Southridge, the 75-degree outside temperature invited me to roll down my windows, and catch a bit of the refreshing breeze that wafted in from one window through the opposite window.
I unwrapped my tuna fish salad sandwich after enjoying a cup of broccoli cheddar soup, and visited the Apple News App. And there it was. Chelsea Handler had recorded a message to Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick and Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, on TikTok.
Now, I don’t know much about TikTok, but the headline invited me to take a peek. And since we’ve recently been advised to read “beyond the headline,†I opened Handler’s response. I was surprised to discover that I was more than moderately entertained.
Handler’s “Childless cat ladies†rant, in addition to roasting other JD Vance missteps, was uproariously hilarious and yes, scorching. It turned out to be the best minute-and-a-half commentary that I have heard in a very long time. I was actually happy that I was isolated from other vehicles in the parking lot, because, the more I replayed the tirade, the more I laughed, for the current times, unfortunately, seldom invite us to laugh at much of anything. Oh, how I’ve missed it.
And then I remembered a counseling session from years ago with Father Leon Alexander (whom many West Virginians knew and loved), who said with complete conviction, “Without a sense of humor, we will surely crumble.†He was right, of course.
Google Chelsea Handler’s verbal onslaught and listen and laugh, and then repeat and, for good measure, listen one last time. If you’re lucky, you might glean from this moment a reminder to lighten up and give yourself and your mental health a much-needed break. You’ll be refreshed and ready to tackle what is yet to come. Yes, I’m preaching to the choir.
