Christopher Reeve's Humor

[Patient (imported)]

I've long known that Christopher Reeve was a particularly brave man, but I am just now discovering what a fine sense of humor he had. Here are a few of the jokes he told on himself in Nothing Is Impossible (ISBN 0-375-50778-7).

Dialog between his twelfth-grade English teacher and a student:

T: Why weren't you in class yesterday?

S: Sir, I wasn't feeling very well.

T: The only excuse for non-attendance is quadruple amputation. But even then, they can still bring you to class in a basket.

While a nurse was turning him in bed to prevent bedsores:

R: How's my butt?

N: It looks great to me.

R: I know that. But what about my skin?

On operating his wheelchair:

Sometimes I would pull up to a door and then bark like a dog to be let out.

N: How do you like your wheelchair?

R: I don't exactly like it but it is a good thing to legally drink and drive.

Reeve told the legendary show-business anecdote about the comedian on his deathbed. Asked how he was feeling, the comic replied, "Dying is easy; comedy is hard."

I suspect that Reeve meant that anecdote as an allusion to how and why he chose to continue living after his accident.

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[Riverwind (imported)]

I did not read these, theres something about making fun of a person who just died that is a bit upsetting to me.

But keep posting.

River

[colin (imported)]

I did not read these, theres something about making fun of a person who just died that is a bit upsetting to me.

But keep posting.

River

River,

If you had bothered to read them before you jumped on your keyboard you would have found that they do not make fun of him.

The Eulogies delivered at the time of his death all mentioned how he retained his sense of humour in spite of his difficulties. Whilst I cannot vouch that these quotes were genuinely made by him the impression is that he certainly could have made them.

You may consider your wrist (or other suitable part of your anatomy) soundly slapped.

LOL

[Riverwind (imported)]

I Stand corrected.

True I did not read them, but I will do so now.

River

[Riverwind (imported)]

Well, I did read them and now wish I had not. I think of Reeve's as an actor, like in his roll "sounds off".

River

[colin (imported)]

River,

It is no criticism of you that you wish to remember Christopher Reeve in a favourite role, but the quotes show another side - a man coming to terms with his injuries and still finding time to smile.

LOL

[Patient (imported)]

Hi colin,

Many thanks for your replies to Riverwind. I would not have been so tactful and could not have been so objective.

You made exactly the right point in your last post: showing a different aspect of his character. Until I read Nothing Is Impossible I knew Reeve only as an actor who had played Superman, and as a prominent amateur horseman who had a particularly tragic accident. I still have never seen or read any of his work but that one book. But that one book has left me tremendously impressed with the strength of character of a man who turned such a tragic experience into something very constructive for other paraplegics as well as for himself. My purpose in making that post was to call to everyone's attention what a thoroughly admirable person Reeve was.

I am sorry that Riverwind does not like my post, but I have for many years been reconciled to the fact that I will never manage to please everyone.

Thanks again, and best regards,

Patient

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[Paolo]

Hey, he had the guts to joke about himself...that's saying something.

I saw him in a movie once, don't know if it's on DVD or not, but here's the IMDB link to it:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117740/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117740/)

"A Step Towards Tomorrow"

A great show with a great actor.

[colin (imported)]

Patient,

I have known River through his posts for a long time now and have usually found him fair minded. On this occasion he chose to exhibit his prejudice without even taking the trouble to check his facts. It says a lot that having been ticked off by me, River then went and checked and admitted such.

One of the purposes of this board is to combat blind prejudice. We can all make the similar mistakes but I have found that a gentle rebuff often gets through where something stronger is ignored. I hope that when I get things wrong people will point out my mistakes too.

LOL