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Humor: What are some of the greatest examples of presence of mind?

 

In the world of humor, moments of extraordinary mental clarity that highlight the intelligence and fast thinking of comedians and performers frequently become legendary. One famous instance comes from a "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" episode in which Ryan Stiles skillfully worked an error into his act despite being put in a difficult improv situation. Stiles joked, "I always wanted to be a ventriloquist," while jokingly implying that the malfunctioning toy was deliberate. In improvised comedy, his ability to transform a possible setback into a humorous highlight is a prime example of the importance of presence of mind.

George Carlin, the late, great comic, is another famous example of presence of mind in humor. Carlin once ran out of jokes in the middle of a stand-up routine. Instead of faltering or losing his cool, he took a brief break, turned to face the crowd, and joked, "There must be a short somewhere in my head." This impromptu and self aware comment not only eased tensions but caused the audience to burst out laughing. In


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