Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

Many aspects of our character develop through exposure to examples offered to us in our early formative years. I am convinced that my off-beat sense of humor was formed through my young years by the reading of Mad Magazine. Both my sixth- and seventh-grade teachers, Sister Silvana and Sister Eleonore, claimed that Mad Magazine would pollute my mind. They may have been right since my sense of humor gravitated in the later years to the Far Side, seeing the comic depictions as an offshoot of Mad.

I would save my nickels and dimes in order to buy the magazine that Alfred E. Neuman, the magazine’s comic image, stated was “cheap.” There were later knockoffs like Cracked and Sick, but nothing was, if I can use the term, as “sophisticated” as Mad Magazine. The writing was thoughtful, the satire was spot on, the illustrations were the best and the social commentary was funny but not cruel. I would learn in my later high school and college years that the English had a famous satirical magazine called Punch. But British humor, like fine wine, takes a refinement that I as an American lacked. I didn’t have the patience. I wanted my humor fast and direct, although I do admit an admiration for Jonathan Swift (well-known for Gulliver’s Travels) and A Modest Proposal, a commentary on the Irish potato famine.

Mort Drucker, the illustrator of Mad Magazine, brought popular movies and television series to life. The popular figures were mercilessly teased to the delight of the audience familiar with their movie or television personas. Even the iconic John Wayne was satirized in the pages of Mad Magazine as they portrayed the movie True Grit as True Fat, with John Wayne prominently drawn with an open button over his belly, exposing his gut. The Godfather became The OddFather, and Superman became Superduperman. Nothing was free from the pen of Mad Magazine – everything was scrutinized.     

As a Chicagoan, I always enjoyed The Second City and would try to attend their Main Stage production. Like all humor, some was a hit and others a miss. But the comedic talent was obvious. When Saturday Night Live (SNL) emerged, I saw it early as good satire poking gentle fun at major figures. But in the last 10 or more years, SNL started not to be funny, but cruel. Perhaps I am getting older, but often I don’t get it. I don’t believe that I have lost my sense of humor; we all need to be able to laugh at ourselves. But we don’t need bitter sarcasms masquerading as humor.

It has always been strange to me that the individuals who bitterly lash out at others are the most sensitive when it comes to their own characterizations. All satire has an element of truth, but the satirist is careful not to cross a line, which fails to respect the subject or demean the object.

I have seen humor diffuse a tense situation and a humorous sleight of hand can leave individuals with their jaws dropping. Once when I was the new disciplinarian at the high school seminary, I walked into a library study hall filled with freshmen who were diligently at work in various carrels. As I strolled through the library, I stopped at one carrel that had a pencil statement scribbled at the top. It was a derogatory remark about the new disciplinarian. Since these were freshmen I knew that it probably belonged to the seniors who were there before them. The scrolled writing stated: “Lystecky reeks.”

I yelled at the top of my voice, “Who wrote this!” My voice sounding like the Wizard of Oz. The freshmen were quaking, realizing that as the disciplinarian, I could keep them after school for the rest of the semester. I repeated again, “Who wrote this!” Silence. Finally, I said, “Remember, the name is L-I-S-T-E-C-K-I,” and I pronounced each letter of my name, “so spell it correctly. If it’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s ignorance. Now clean it up!” The teachers who were monitoring the study hall walked out of the library trying to contain their laughter.

Perhaps my grade school teachers were right; my mind has been polluted. But I have come to believe that Jesus also enjoyed a laugh. After all, He is True Man and True God. Remember, if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans and LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
 

Note: This blog originally appeared as the April 18, 2017 "Love One Another" email sent to Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. If you are interested in signing up for these email messages, please click here.