A Little Bit of Humor

So for my creative writing class I have to write a humor essay. Wish I was a natural comedian, but unfortunately my writing tends to lie on the dramatic side, aka: boring! So I have been looking at pros for help and wanted to share a little excerpt from an article by Dave Barry from 2001 that I enjoyed. Hope it makes you smile!

"North Dakota Wants Its Place In The Sun"

"I'll give you another example. I live in Florida, where we have BIG cockroaches.

Q. How big are they?

A. They are so big that, when they back up, they are required by federal law to emit warning beeps.

These cockroaches could harm Florida's image. But we Floridians solved that problem by giving them a new name, "palmetto bugs, " which makes them sound cute and harmless. So when a guest walks into a Florida kitchen and screams at the sight of an insect the size of Charles Barkley, we say: "Don't worry! It's just a palmetto bug!" And then we and our guest have a hearty laugh, because we know there's nothing to worry about, as long as we do not make any sudden moves toward the palmetto bug's sandwich.

So changing names is a sound idea, an idea based on the scientific principle that underlies the field of marketing, which is: People are stupid. Marketing experts know that if you call something by a different name, people will believe it's a different thing. That's how "undertakers" became "funeral directors." That's how "trailers" became "manufactured housing." That's how "We're putting you on hold for the next decade" became "Your call is important to us."

And that's why some North Dakotans want to give the state a new name, a name that will give the state a more positive, inviting and forward-looking image. That name is: "Palmetto Bug."

No, seriously, they want to drop the "North" and call the state, simply, "Dakota." I think this change is brilliant, and could also work for other states with image problems. New Jersey, for example, should call itself, simply, "New.""

Have a great Thanksgiving!