07
Dec

Why “Working Folks” Enjoy Humor On Television…Texas Twins Events Team

At the end of a weary day- folks need a laugh.  The reasons are many but at the end of the day, everything about lighthearted entertainment has a fan at my home aka WorthamWorld.

Every night my husband, Matthew Wortham comes home and flips on the TV.  He doesn’t watch the news or drama television, he watches reruns of old classic comedy including:

Everybody Loves Raymond, Seinfeld, Mike and Molly, Modern Family and other “lighthearted” shows for the same reason that millions of other viewers who are “working for a living” do- to relax and unwind at the end of the day as they prepare to face another one doing the same job, punching the same clock and looking forward to coming home at the end of the day to relax and unwind without “all the drama!”

Older working Americans don’t spend a lot of their viewing time on reality tv- younger audiences do.  Why?  Because the “younger” viewers love to watch reality stars getting drunk and fighting without any REAL repercussions.  It’s a dream life for them to envision themselves to be either “rich or famous.”  

Our Little Pawners, Maryssa and Makenna Mahaney love the Disney Channel and have their “favorites” on every show. 

Maryssa and Makenna Mahaney

 Although I rarely watch TV, my twin sister is a television “connoisseur” of American Television  who recently told me that CSI failed after doing so well because “viewers loved the characters and at the time, it was something new and different.  The problem was replicating it in every other city and ruining the concept after Gill left.”  For years, Cindy “tuned in” hoping her favorite character would return.  

What draws people to a favorite show?  The characters!  Watching people in situations that you can relate to is a simple concept that is becoming scarce.  Everyone has a favorite character- even if they hate them.  I read a lot of books but, I follow authors who keep the same characters because I enjoy the familiarity.

I Love Lucy was “always into something” you were tuning in to catch up every chance you had.  Raymond was always arguing with his brother and his brother jealous of Raymond.  Sibling rivalry is “relatable.”  Viewers love to “know” their characters, to have those they cheer for and feel they relate to.

Let’s skip to reality shows,  watching rich people squander money and treat the working class (waiters, cashiers, etc) with blatant disrespect isn’t something that interests me or anyone that I know. Working as a waitress at a very young age, I over tip and call everyone Sir or Ma’am. 

Going out to dinner is a “big deal” for hardworking Americans and they want a pleasant family experience by bonding over a meal- not fighting or throwing a drink in someone’s face.  That isn’t my idea of humor or comedy.  The fact is that many blue collar workers can’t afford vacations and going out to dinner is a luxury.  My husband and I rarely go out to dinner because I cook and we budget our grocery shopping in order to save money.  Frankly, we couldn’t afford to eat out every day. 

Wendy and Matthew Wortham

 Why is comedy prevalent in a down turned economy?  Because laughing gives you a release of worrying what is to come in the future.  Lay offs, and unemployment are the reality of many Americans as they struggle to pay their bills.

Whether you are blue collar or white collar one thing is for certain, you work hard for your money and enjoy a laugh just as much as the next guy.

Humor is the best medicine after a long day at work knowing you’re going to turn around and do it all over again.

My husband watches the same reruns he’s seen a million times because they comfort him with the time he spends not thinking about news reports of unemployment, shootings and other political news coverage. 

Wendy and Matthew Wortham

The news is depressing and my sister, Cindy Daniel refuses to watch after seeing her husbands convoy in Iraq on TV at our grandmothers house.  Steve Daniel was a victim in the “Good Friday Roadside Bombing.”  Watching TV while visiting with my grandmother, Cindy Daniel returned home to find Fox News at her home eager to interview her about “how she felt” knowing her husband may be either dead or kidnapped. Watching the news would forever cause my sister to be depressed and anxious regarding events that she knew she couldn’t change.

 My adventures with a multigenerational family in the wedding and events industry are often funny.  While I’m not exactly “rolling in the aisles” about it, it’s my life.  Working with your family isn’t easy or predictable when everyone has their own agenda. 

 Offering low cost weddings brings with it the working class and a range of personalities that occasionally include “country folk.”  After all, we live in Texas!

When I merged my businesses to create The Pawning Planners for families who couldn’t afford budget cetemony pricing, the humor went through the roof with the crazy adventures my sister and I share finding a “flip, swap or trade.”  We take trades for services, submit yours.

As I watched my husband laughing last night watching Modern Family, it becomes apparent to this Texas Twin that I’m glad he isn’t watching five hours of a hostage situation and depressed about being unable to change anything he sees on the news- he gets depressed every time something else happens and worries about being able to protect me at the mall, the movies or an airport.

Laughing with my husband, it becomes clear that he watches comedy reruns to put the stress of his day behind him as I sit down for a moment and watch with him, I’m thankful for the networks that continue to broadcast reruns for folks like my husband. 

 As I prepare for a budget wedding- I’m glad that I decided to reach back and give the gift of a Dream Event to families who had nowhere else to turn and I’m glad for the laughs shared with my sister and my family during an unexpected “crisis” or “incident.” An “incident” often involves my twin forgetting something or a minor disaster that poses a “bump in the road” for my team of family members but, we work as a team to overcome the “crisis” and remarkably after all these years are becoming experts at last minute emergency situations at our events and weddings with quick fixes and a dash of humor (of course). 

Wendy Wortham and Cindy Daniel with our second generation twins Makenna and Maryssa Mahaney

 Wendy M Wortham Travels of two sets of twins