Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Stringbean and Good, Clean Fun - August 9, 2011

"Stringbean" (Dave Akeman) was a long-time performer on The Grand Ole Opry and the long-running TV program "Hee Haw."  I used to enjoy watching him perform. Since I can now get RFD-TV on cable TV, I am able to watch re-runs of the old "Hee Haw" shows and enjoy those fun-filled times all over again.  Stringbean not only was a master banjo picker, but he was an entertaining comedian.    His stage costume itself  was the height of hilarity, consisting of a long shirt that came down to about his knees and a short pair of pants that finished out the "get-up," all designed to emphasize his tall, lanky frame.  He and his wife Estelle were senselessly murdered nearly forty years ago. 
Stringbean said someone once asked him, "String, do you know what good, clean fun is?"  String replied, "Nah, what good is it?!"  This was just String's way of being funny.  I don't recall ever hearing him tell a dirty joke or an off-color story.  We need more Stringbeans in the world today.  
I try to go through life spreading a little "Hugh-mor." I love funny people and funny stories.  I am old enough to remember when the comics were called the "funny paper."  I read the "funny paper" every day.  I enjoy hearing a good, clean joke, and I enjoy sharing such with others. It is better to have a sense of humor than to have no sense at all!
I think an occasional well-placed humorous story in the pulpit can be effective. However, a sermon is not an after-dinner speech and preachers should not try to be standup comedians.  The gospel is too serious to be trivialized.  People should not go to church to be entertained or kept awake, but to be informed and inspired by a message from the word of God.  Some church-goers need to work on lengthening their attention span.
A preacher friend of mine said he had recently received two complaints about his preaching: 1) He needed to preach more hell-fire and brimstone, and 2) he ought not to tell so many jokes.  He said his daughter had come up with a sermon idea that might answer both criticisms: "All you people who are not Christians are going to hell, and that's no joke!" 
The following "eulogy" has been around for quite awhile and most of my readers have likely seen it.   It still evokes a chuckle from me. 
"It is with the saddest heart that I must pass on the following news: Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community.
"The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and complications from repeated pokes in the belly.  He was 71.
"Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin.
"Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch.
"The grave site was piled high with flours.
"Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded.
"Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes.
"Despite being a little flaky at times, he still, as a crusty old man, was considered a roll model for millions.
"Doughboy is survived by his wife, Play Dough; two children John Dough and Jane Dough; plus they had one in the oven.
"He is also survived by his elderly father Pop Tart." 
The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes."

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