The Laugh-Cry Formula

I recommend a few things that I have found powerful, sweeping, funny, and intimate.

• “This Is Us” is the TV equivalent of spending an hour reading in a hammock with a long, cold drink. This theatrical film celebrates the ordinary rhythms of family life, and it is a winning combination of twists and misdirection that keeps you hooked and blindsided while you tear up. The show excels in developing multidimensional, relatable characters whose stories intertwine in surprising and emotionally charged ways. I might have waited too long to start watching this show, as huge, messy, and delectable as life itself, but I am glad I finally did. It is an exceptional reminder of how the tiniest events we face impact who we become and how the connections we share can transcend time, distance, and even death.

“I know it feels like you have all the time in the world. But you don’t. So, stop playing it so cool. Catch the moments of your life. Catch them while you’re young and quick. Because sooner than you know it, you’ll be old. And slow. And there’ll be no more of them to catch.” - William Hill (Ron Cephas Jones)

Photo: NBC

• Jim Gaffigan - Barely Alive Tour. In this case, who would not like to laugh for almost two hours? I have been a Gaffagan fan for a long time, and recently saw him live. There is never a sense that decades into his career, he is done developing. His humor centers on the shared experiences of family and marriage, as well as observations we all share but would be hesitant to say aloud. He is an everyman trying to make sense of the defects of everyday life. Gaffigan’s self-deprecating style makes him one of the most successful comics of his generation.

“Whenever you correct someone’s grammar, just remember that nobody likes you.”

- Jim Gaffigan