Laughing burns calories. Let's focus on our funny bones.
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Subscribe to this Substack column for $5 per month or $50 per year to read political and cultural posts. For $90 as a founder, get full access to “Black Girl In a Doggone World™,” “Homegrown Tales,” "One Black Woman's Vote," "Tickled," “We Need to Talk” and “Window Shopping” too.
2023
8. The best dancer doesn't always win ~ While Mya's "Case of the Ex" was a first-place-winning performance, I understand why Air Guitars should be celebrated too
7. Weird way to become a fan of Run the Jewels ~ Imagine having to thank Republican Senators Markwayne Mullin and Sean O’Brien for tweaking your hip-hop playlist
6. That time I was mistaken for a prostitute ~ The 'Pretty Woman' moment that happened to me in real life
5. My first dance choreography was to an MC Lyte song ~ Homage to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop: One of two interviews that unnerved me
4. Kittens almost made me get kicked out of the dorms ~ Shamontiel's Halloween-themed stories for 2023: What happened when she almost got kicked out of college the first time?
3. I've never been a sore loser ... except for playing 'Memory' ~ The beauty salon visit that started a rivalry with me and my grandfather
2. When D&I may not be best: Sharing the radio ~ One of my funniest memories from a college road trip
1. Lesson learned from a tattooed busybody ~ Never bring a sidekick to your apple tree antics
7. Weird way to become a fan of Run the Jewels ~ Imagine having to thank Republican Senators Markwayne Mullin and Sean O’Brien for tweaking your hip-hop playlist
6. That time I was mistaken for a prostitute ~ The 'Pretty Woman' moment that happened to me in real life
5. My first dance choreography was to an MC Lyte song ~ Homage to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop: One of two interviews that unnerved me
4. Kittens almost made me get kicked out of the dorms ~ Shamontiel's Halloween-themed stories for 2023: What happened when she almost got kicked out of college the first time?
3. I've never been a sore loser ... except for playing 'Memory' ~ The beauty salon visit that started a rivalry with me and my grandfather
2. When D&I may not be best: Sharing the radio ~ One of my funniest memories from a college road trip
1. Lesson learned from a tattooed busybody ~ Never bring a sidekick to your apple tree antics
2022
9. Mos Def may be the only rapper I’m a superfan of ~ And the tale of my ankle can tell you why
8. Yes, my parents danced on Soul Train ~ The coolest press pass I ever got while working for a newspaper
7. Please stop scratching your butt in public ~ How have I become the Weirdo Whistler?
6. Funniest moments with my 100-year-old great great aunt ~ Not every comedian is standing onstage
5. Two random memories of my favorite Usher songs ~ One from an ex-boyfriend, the other from my dog
4. Round 2: Filtering out the oddballs on Craigslist and Freecycle ~ If it’s free, why are you so entitled?
3. Top 5 moments I did not ‘play it cool’ ~ Rom-coms often make men the goofy one in the relationship — then there’s me
2. Please stop laughing during the funeral ~ Everyone copes differently, don’t judge me
1. My job: The comedy pilot that never got picked up ~ Fact: “Abbott Elementary” is as delightful as “A Black Lady Sketch Show”
8. Yes, my parents danced on Soul Train ~ The coolest press pass I ever got while working for a newspaper
7. Please stop scratching your butt in public ~ How have I become the Weirdo Whistler?
6. Funniest moments with my 100-year-old great great aunt ~ Not every comedian is standing onstage
5. Two random memories of my favorite Usher songs ~ One from an ex-boyfriend, the other from my dog
4. Round 2: Filtering out the oddballs on Craigslist and Freecycle ~ If it’s free, why are you so entitled?
3. Top 5 moments I did not ‘play it cool’ ~ Rom-coms often make men the goofy one in the relationship — then there’s me
2. Please stop laughing during the funeral ~ Everyone copes differently, don’t judge me
1. My job: The comedy pilot that never got picked up ~ Fact: “Abbott Elementary” is as delightful as “A Black Lady Sketch Show”
2021
5. I’m not saying Zoom Escaper is right, but I understand ~ Getting out of boring Zoom calls the best way ever
4. Best piece of self-defense advice I received … for the woman who comes home late at night
3. Pretty sure I’m going to Hell after that Uber experience ~ When two priests got into my car while I played Teyana Taylor
2. Married people, you need better PR ~ All the wrong lessons I learned about weddings and married life
1. 2021 could not possibly be bad when Trump gets kicked off Pinterest ~ When my social media account for fireplace and waterfall photos says ‘Enough!’
4. Best piece of self-defense advice I received … for the woman who comes home late at night
3. Pretty sure I’m going to Hell after that Uber experience ~ When two priests got into my car while I played Teyana Taylor
2. Married people, you need better PR ~ All the wrong lessons I learned about weddings and married life
1. 2021 could not possibly be bad when Trump gets kicked off Pinterest ~ When my social media account for fireplace and waterfall photos says ‘Enough!’
2020
21. When Trump goes from voter fraud to chicken bullying ~ The exit-in-chief angering animal rights activists is so on brand
20. I dance in the dressing room ~ The college life habit that never wore off
19. Who told comedians we’re required to laugh at all their jokes? ~ When comedians grew more sensitive than their audiences
18. New Year’s Eve 2020 is going as expected ~ When the last day of 2020 sums up the ridiculousness of the year
17. 10 funny moments on TV and social media in 2020 ~ What cracked me up in a 2020 world
16. What really pissed me off about getting burglarized … is not what you think it is
15. We can get married, but you can’t live here ~ Pretty good chance I’ll be 'Ms.' forever — cause I don’t like you like that
14. Gen Y and Z are missing out on landline fun ~ How my brother messed up my love connection
13. To woo me, he gifted me a pocket knife ~ The virtual dating gifts that I do not understand
12. My dog knows more about men than I do ~ Two men I wish my dog would’ve saved me from
11. Bring curse handwriting back in style so I don’t feel old ~ Generation Y and Z keep reminding me to grab my invisible cane
10. Mom, I know your name isn’t ‘mom’! ~ The reason my grandfather wouldn’t pay his parking ticket
9. Dear business owners, stop asking me to get a fax machine ~ It’s 2020, update your B2B and B2C technology
8. Why do my beauticians like everything but hair? ~ My bad luck with finding the perfect beautician
7. Tall, dark and handsome is cool, but funny gets a bedroom invite ~ Men versus women: Make me laugh vs laugh at me
6. What Kevin Hart and my mother taught me about exercise ~ Never underestimate your funny friend as a workout partner
5. Laughing in the hospital ~ No medication will fight off my grandfather’s sense of humor
4. Xfinity is the boyfriend who doesn’t know it’s over ~ Your TV wants to see other people but Comcast wants a monogamous relationship
3. Don’t judge Trevor Noah for his dead plant ~ When did YouTube users become interior design experts?
2. Go to White Castle on your honeymoon ~ Marriage advice from my grandfather, a real romantic
1. Be less weird during Craigslist pickups ~ Why do Freecycle people bring out their “inner weirdo” when getting free stuff?
20. I dance in the dressing room ~ The college life habit that never wore off
19. Who told comedians we’re required to laugh at all their jokes? ~ When comedians grew more sensitive than their audiences
18. New Year’s Eve 2020 is going as expected ~ When the last day of 2020 sums up the ridiculousness of the year
17. 10 funny moments on TV and social media in 2020 ~ What cracked me up in a 2020 world
16. What really pissed me off about getting burglarized … is not what you think it is
15. We can get married, but you can’t live here ~ Pretty good chance I’ll be 'Ms.' forever — cause I don’t like you like that
14. Gen Y and Z are missing out on landline fun ~ How my brother messed up my love connection
13. To woo me, he gifted me a pocket knife ~ The virtual dating gifts that I do not understand
12. My dog knows more about men than I do ~ Two men I wish my dog would’ve saved me from
11. Bring curse handwriting back in style so I don’t feel old ~ Generation Y and Z keep reminding me to grab my invisible cane
10. Mom, I know your name isn’t ‘mom’! ~ The reason my grandfather wouldn’t pay his parking ticket
9. Dear business owners, stop asking me to get a fax machine ~ It’s 2020, update your B2B and B2C technology
8. Why do my beauticians like everything but hair? ~ My bad luck with finding the perfect beautician
7. Tall, dark and handsome is cool, but funny gets a bedroom invite ~ Men versus women: Make me laugh vs laugh at me
6. What Kevin Hart and my mother taught me about exercise ~ Never underestimate your funny friend as a workout partner
5. Laughing in the hospital ~ No medication will fight off my grandfather’s sense of humor
4. Xfinity is the boyfriend who doesn’t know it’s over ~ Your TV wants to see other people but Comcast wants a monogamous relationship
3. Don’t judge Trevor Noah for his dead plant ~ When did YouTube users become interior design experts?
2. Go to White Castle on your honeymoon ~ Marriage advice from my grandfather, a real romantic
1. Be less weird during Craigslist pickups ~ Why do Freecycle people bring out their “inner weirdo” when getting free stuff?
2019
3. Blog 4 of 8: Toastmasters, what’s so funny? ~ The ‘Engaging Humor’ Path launches in Toastmasters Pathways
2. Barry Brewer: Chicago comedian keeps us laughing ~ Blog 5 of 8: Actor/comedian gives tips on humorous public speaking for Toastmasters
1. The hat catastrophe ~ How my smoothie made me so not smooth
2. Barry Brewer: Chicago comedian keeps us laughing ~ Blog 5 of 8: Actor/comedian gives tips on humorous public speaking for Toastmasters
1. The hat catastrophe ~ How my smoothie made me so not smooth