INTERVIEW How do you poach an egg? You just take it when the chicken isn't looking. AL: What has been the response to your book? JD: The response has been awesome. Lots of good feedback and support. The book was a number one bestseller Kindle on Amazon last week for puns and wordplay and broke the top 100 for paperback, and is the bestselling book of Humorist Books, my publisher. So those are all nice things. AL: Can you see the humor in any situation? JD: I can see the humor in any situation. But sometimes I don’t want to see it. I’m like a person who can see ghosts, but sometimes I’d like to just not see them. Being able to see the humor in every situation is a blessing, but it can also get you into trouble in a big way with friends, family, the law, etc. With great humor comes great responsibility. DUMB JOKES for SMART FOLKS An interview with Jessica Delfino By Amy Lyle AL: Describe your experience as a stand-up comic. JD: When I was younger, I had a lot of stuff to get off my chest—about sexuality and being a woman. I lived by the Mae West quote, “Those who are easily shocked should be shocked more often.” Kristen Schaal, Chelsea Peretti, Andrea Rosen, and Laurie Kilmartin were comedians I enjoyed sharing the stage with; at the time I felt like had similar sensibilities. I had a show I ran monthly with my friends Diane O’Debra and Stephanie Sabelli in New York City (NYC), and comedians like Jim Norton and Colin Quinn dropped by often. It was a really fun time for comedy in NYC. In 2016, I had a baby and my whole world changed, and my sense of humor and comedy perspectives changed, too. Then I had new things to talk about, mostly about parenting. The new things I wanted to talk about appeared to be lesser mined areas. And the cycle continued. After 40, women age in dog years. AL: What compelled you to write Dumb Jokes for Smart Folks? JD: I worked in comedy in NYC and as a touring comedian until 2016, when I had my son. I assumed I would keep doing comedy, but he provided a very rude awakening that I wouldn’t be getting to stay out on stages until 2 am for a long time to come. I had a hard labor and had Post- Partum Depression afterwards which was a big spiritual ouchie. Writing was a saving grace for me. I wrote about parenting at first and then slowly re-discovered my voice as a new mom and a changed person. I’ve been primarily focusing on writing satire with a parental slant and had the idea to write a joke book of “bad mom jokes” which was mostly one brand of the kind of writing I’d been doing, though a little different. I guess I was inspired by the idea that dads get to be the funny ones and that moms are the mean, tired ones, and I wanted to have fun with that idea. Moms can tell bad dumb jokes, too. Let me prove it. "Of all the literary greats, Jessica is my favorite. Jessica Delfino is the best writer to walk this planet! Wait, is it Jessica or Jennifer? How do I know you again?”– Jim Gaffigan, Comedian AL: On a scale of 1-10 how important is laughter during a crisis? JD: Laughter during a crisis is a solid 10 or beyond, it’s off the scale. Of course, there is a time and place for everything, but even inside our own minds or to our close friends, we might find comfort by sharing a laugh in the middle of crisis. <strong>My</strong> close pals and I, and of course all of my invisible friends, laugh a lot together. What do you call eggs that have reached enlightenment? An Ohm-lette From Dumb Jokes for Smart Folks AL: What's up next for you? JD: <strong>My</strong> next project is a compilation book called Moms Who Kill. It’s a book of true funny stories by comedian moms about being parents, and I am really excited about that. However, a lot of really awful things come up if you Google Moms Who Kill, so I’m going to have to work on that algorithm a bit. AL: Where can we find you and your book? JD: <strong>My</strong> book is on Amazon and some bookstores. Visit DumbJokesForSmartFolks.com for more information. <strong>My</strong> publisher is also giving away some free copies to anyone who tells a really good joke (are available on our website). 22 MYFORSYTHMAG.COM VOLUME XI | ISSUE 1
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