Maria Shriver on Alzheimer’s humor
April 26th, 2009
From the New York Times magazine:
Maria Shriver’s father, Sargent Shriver, is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She answers questions about her four-part series for HBO, “The Alzheimer’s Project.”
An excerpt:
Q: You are the co-producer of a four-part series for HBO, “The Alzheimer’s Project,” and I wonder if you’ve noticed that Alzheimer’s has become a popular and probably overused punch line now that baby boomers are turning gray and becoming more forgetful.
A: I like to make jokes; I consider myself a funny person. I just think making jokes about people who are in a situation beyond their control is not funny to them or their families.
Q: But is it permissible to joke at your own expense? As in: “I can’t find my keys. I must have incipient Alzheimer’s.”
A: If someone says to me, “I’m worried because I can’t find my keys,” I say, “You should only be worried if you put your keys in the refrigerator.”
(New York Times photo)
Our RSS Feed