Although humor is present in every one of my films, it has always

In the grand odyssey of storytelling, the human experience is both vast and multifaceted, filled with moments of light and darkness, joy and sorrow, laughter and tears. Lynn Shelton, the brilliant director and storyteller, once shared her vision of how humor plays a unique role in her work: "Although humor is present in every one of my films, it has always been used as a way to make the darker, heavier stuff in my stories more palatable. I never set out to make 'Humpday' a comedy." In these words, Shelton reveals a powerful truth—that humor is not just a tool for amusement, but a bridge that allows us to confront the most challenging and uncomfortable aspects of life without being overwhelmed by them. Humor becomes a way to soften the blow of the heavy, to offer us respite from the weight of life’s complexities.

The ancients understood the delicate balance between light and dark, joy and pain, in the fabric of human existence. Aristotle, in his exploration of tragedy and comedy, proposed that the best stories are those that touch on both the sorrow and the laughter that define life. He argued that tragedy without relief would crush the spirit, while comedy without depth would leave us unfulfilled. In his writings, he suggested that the highest form of drama was one that blended the tragic and the comic, allowing the audience to experience catharsis through both tears and laughter. Shelton, in her films, follows this ancient wisdom, understanding that humor can serve as a necessary counterbalance to the heavy themes she explores, giving the audience space to breathe without diminishing the gravity of the story.

Consider, for example, the works of Shakespeare, whose plays often oscillate between moments of intense drama and lighthearted comedy. In Hamlet, the weight of the tragic events is interrupted by the foolishness of the gravediggers, offering a moment of levity amidst the grief and madness. Similarly, in Shelton’s films, humor is not an afterthought or a diversion, but an intentional choice to create a space where the audience can engage with difficult themes without becoming overwhelmed. In Humpday, the notion of humor emerges not from the absurdity of the plot, but from the awkwardness and complexity of the human condition. The humor in Shelton’s work allows the audience to look more deeply into the characters’ struggles, without retreating into cynicism or despair.

This technique of using humor to illuminate the darker aspects of life is not just the domain of the playwright or filmmaker, but a core principle of human existence itself. Consider the ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes, who, despite living in a barrel and rejecting the conventions of society, was known for his sharp wit and satirical humor. His humor was not a means of evading life’s hardships but a way of facing them head-on. Through humor, Diogenes exposed the absurdities of the world, showing that even in the harshest conditions, we can find lightness—and in that lightness, we may discover a deeper understanding of our circumstances. Shelton, like Diogenes, uses humor not to escape from the weight of life but to provide us with the tools to better understand it.

There is, too, a lesson to be found in this blending of the comic and the tragic—a lesson that transcends the realm of cinema. Life itself is a mixture of joy and sorrow, of light and dark. It is through our ability to see the humor in the darker moments that we come to accept them. Just as Shelton uses humor to make difficult stories more palatable, we must learn to use humor in our own lives to face the complexities of our emotions and experiences. Laughter, in the face of hardship, does not diminish the significance of our struggles, but it allows us to keep moving forward, to embrace the full spectrum of life without being crushed by it.

In the ancient tradition, humor was seen as a form of wisdom. Aristotle and the other philosophers taught that we must not only face life’s challenges with dignity and strength, but with clarity of vision. Humor helps to clear the fog, allowing us to see beyond the immediate difficulty and into the larger truths of our existence. When we laugh, we acknowledge the absurdity of the human condition and find in it a shared connection with others. Shelton’s recognition of humor as a way to deal with the darkness is a reminder that we, too, must use humor as a tool to navigate the difficult terrain of our lives.

The lesson that Shelton’s quote offers is one of balance and acceptance. It teaches us that even in the darkest moments, there is room for humor, and even in the lightest moments, there are deeper truths to uncover. We must not shy away from the difficult aspects of life, nor should we ever diminish the value of humor as a tool for navigating those difficulties. Like Shelton, we must recognize that humor is not a distraction from life’s challenges but a vital companion on the path to understanding and resilience. Through humor, we learn to embrace the complexities of the human condition, finding the strength to laugh even as we face the hardest truths.

As we move through our own lives, let us take this wisdom to heart. Let us approach the difficult moments with humor, knowing that it is not a denial of the seriousness of life, but a way to make it more bearable. Let us find joy in the midst of sorrow, and laughter in the face of hardship, for it is through this balance that we find the strength to endure. Like Lynn Shelton, let us use humor to make the heavier stuff of life more palatable, and let it be the light that guides us through the darkness, offering us both clarity and comfort as we navigate the complexities of our shared human experience.