BRING THE HOPE

A Lesson in Hope

This quick lesson in hope makes me laugh. Happy 40th Anniversary to all the great people at Sesame Street. You all have been bringing the laughs, the learning and the hope for four decades. That's cool.

My Guilty Pleasure

Over the last couple of years, I've become a fan of TV shows like "America's Funniest Home Videos". For whatever reason, I find all of these videos of people doing goofy things to be hilarious. And my new rule is that you have to have at least one good belly laugh every day. Here goes...

Hope in a Hospital

This is the second in a series of posts written by Bring The Hope Intern Matt Rodgers. We hope you enjoy them. Cheers to Matt for bringing the hope.

I have been a big fan of Scrubs ever since it was recommended to me a few years back. It isn’t overly cheesy, features relatable characters and avoids many of the typical sitcom clichés most shows run into. Even while displaying a truthful picture of life’s difficulties, it stays positive. It’s almost as if those responsible for it are saying, “Even when life is hard, stay strong. There’s always hope to cling to.”

This past spring, the show came to an end, at least in its current form. In the story the main character, John Dorian, decided to leave the hospital to move closer to his son. The episode celebrated both his past experiences at the hospital and the hope he had for a beautiful future.

Some of the last lines of the show ring with a truth I try and keep with me..."The truth is you should consider yourself lucky if you even occasionally get to make someone, anyone, feel a little bit better. After that it’s all about the people that you let into your life. And who’s to say this isn’t what happens? Who’s to say that my fantasies won’t happen just this once?”

Here’s a link to the last few minutes of the finale in case you want to watch it for yourself. (editor's note...if you get to the three-minute mark of this video clip, you get rewarded with a great song from Peter Gabriel).

 

Make 'Em Laugh

Looking for another reason to quickly flip past all of the reality shows on TV right now? I found one last night when I landed on a PBS program called Make 'Em Laugh.You've probably seen this program before, but it's new to me and I'm already looking forward to the next episode.

According to the network's web site, Make 'Em Laugh is a six-hour documentary split into several episodes. The subtitle of the show is "The Funny Business of America." Check it out if you get a chance. There's a lot of stuff on TV that's worth passing by, but this isn't one of them. A few good laughs are one of the best ways to bring the hope.

Robin Williams was featured during last night's episode. Here are some of my favorite jokes of his. Enjoy. 

"Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose."

"In England, if you commit a crime, the police don't have a gun and you don't have a gun. If you commit a crime, the police will say "Stop, or I'll say stop again.""

"I'm a very tolerant man, except when it comes to holding a grudge."

"Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"

"If it's the Psychic Network, why do they need a phone number?"

"We had gay burglars the other night. They broke in and rearranged the furniture."

"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it."

Super Bowl XLIII Brings The Hope

The football was great last night. But, for my money, the highlight of Super Bowl XLIII was the Pepsi commercial featuring Bob Dylan and Will.I.am. The spot was very well done and Dylan's 1974 release, Forever Young, really brought the hope. The lyrics and a video of the ad follow. Have a great week.

Forever Young - Bob Dylan

May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
And may your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

Superbowl Ads -- Go Batesville

I'm a football fan. So, I'll be watching the SuperBowl this weekend. I'll cheer for the Steelers, but I'll be most interested in watching the ads. Joe Herbert and Dave Herbert, from Batesville, Ind., are finalists in the Doritos Crash the Superbowl ad contest. I wish them well. Here's to all the funny ad people who makes us laugh. A few of my favorites follow.

"I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose." - Woody Allen

Race Relations Bring The Hope

"The single most spectacular educational experience in race relations in America," said Vernon Jordan, former president of the National Urban League. Can you guess what Jordan was referencing when he made that comment?

If you guessed that he was talking about the inauguration of President Obama, you missed the mark. But, if you said Mr. Jordan's comment was about the epic TV mini-series, "Roots," then you'd be right.

On this day, back in 1977, ABC started airing one of TV's most famous programs ever. The dramatic 12-hour mini-series about slavery captured the nation's attention and got people talking about race relations. When the program came to an end, nearly half of the country tuned in to see the finale. That still makes "Roots" the third-highest-rated TV program ever in the U.S.

According to Wikipedia, "Roots" won nine Emmies for successfully crossing racial lines and piquing the interest of families in all ethnic groups." The program also won a Peabody Award for its moving adaption of Alex Haley's novel Roots: The Saga on an American Family.

Fast forward 31 years to last Tuesday and Vernon Jordan said this while participating on Charlie Rose's PBS news program, "...this President has transcended race in America in the ultimate sense...this is the ultimate transcendent act."

And correspondent Al Hunt said this about the inauguration on the same program, "...it brought so much history flashing before our eyes and it profoundly changed America and positively changed America forever however his presidency turns out."

Toss in the fact that Monday was MLK Day and you have one historic week for race relations that spans the decades. I find that to be pretty cool and I love how it brings the hope for us all. Have a great weekend.

Christmas in Yellowstone

The winter solstice hit over the weekend and gave us our longest night of the year. Then, a wave of snow, wind and cold came along that made going outside a bit of a mess. So, just as winter was getting started, I found myself wishing that it was already over.

But, as I settled into the couch last night and started flipping the channels, I was reminded about how awesome winter can be. Specifically, I was reminded how awesome Yellowstone National Park can be.

If you get the chance, find some time over the holidays to tune into the PBS Nature series. Last night's episode, Christmas in Yellowstone, will re-air several times and it's worth checking out. My wife and I visited Yellowstone during the fall of 2000 and it was impressive. But, the footage captured during the Christmas episode makes me want to return.

Cheers to wildlife photographer Tom Murphy for sharing his images and his story. No matter the season, our national parks really bring the hope.

Jon Stewart is Most Admired

There was a great article about "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" in Friday's edition of The New York Times. Check it out if you have a minute.

With the national political conventions and the general election coming up, "fake news anchors" like Stewart and Stephen Colbert will be making us laugh more than normal in the months ahead. But, they will also be making us think.

According to the NYT article, a Pew Research Center poll found that Americans rank Stewart in a fourth place tie with Brian Williams, Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather and Anderson Cooper for most-admired journalist. Why? I believe it's because Stewart pulls people in with laughter and then sneaks in things we should question and ponder.

Another study suggests how Stewart is having a meaningful effect on how we view and discuss the political process. That's good. Keep it going Jon.

Best of the Top Ten Lists

If you are going to bring the hope, you have to stop to laugh every now and then. Here is a compilation of some of the best top ten lists in recent weeks from Ball State's favorite son, David Letterman.

Top Signs You Aren't Going to Win American Idol

1) "Even Hillary admits you have no chance"

2) "Most of the votes you received? Wrong numbers."

3) "Even Dick Cheney thinks what you do is cruel and inhumane."

Top Messages Left on Barack Obama's Answering Machine

1) "John McCain here, I...crap, I forgot why I called."

2) "This is John Kerry; are you interested in a subscription to Sports Illustrated?"

3) "Oprah here; I helped you get the nomination, now will you help me get rid of Dr. Phil?"

Top Answers to the Question, "How Hot Is It?"

1) "It's so hot, the Statue of Liberty is holding a Jamba Juice."

2) "It's so hot, Exxon is charing $4 a gallon for ice."

3) "It's so hot, President Bush is fanning himself with unread intelligence memos."