Edmund Gwenn, the famous actor, observed 'Dying is easy. Comedy is difficult.' Well, any comic will tell you, comedy about dying is really hard. But necessary. For what greater triumph of the human spirit exists than to defiantly mock the grinning reaper, specter of our darkest fears? 'Hey Death--is that a sickle in your hand or are you just glad to see me?' -- by Anita Wise, stand up comedian/writer who has appeared on the Tonight Show and Seinfeld.
That passage from the Foreword of the book The Definitive Guide To Underground Humor sets the stage by capturing the morbidly amusing essence of the succeeding pages. This book dares to explore the comical depths of death and the black humor hidden deep within us all, featuring: Quaint Quotes About Death from such people as Robin Williams, Woody Allen, Johnny Carson, Dennis Miller and Anita Wise; Funny Funeral Home Stories from anonymous funeral directors, embalmers, pall bearers, limo drivers and others who work in the funeral service industry; Hilarious Headstone Epitaphs from graveyards in different parts of the world; and Funeral-Flavored Comics from Non Sequitur and The Wizard of Id.
And who better to unearth this type of humor than someone with 122 years of service in the funeral industry in his genes. Author Edward Bergin's family has owned and/or operated funeral homes in Connecticut since the 1800s.
To those of you who might be uneasy about the idea of a book that deals with the lighter side of death, Anita Wise offers the following for you to ponder: 'We enter the world crying, isn't it only fitting to leave it laughing? After all, death is not the final exit, but only a revolving door.'
. . . a light, humorous approach to a serious subject we all must face. Ed shows that even in the gravest of situations, humor can be found. -- Christopher J. Dodd, US Senator from Connecticut
What is going to happen to us when we die, if these anecdotes are any indication, will be pretty damn funny . . . -- Alistair Highet, Litchfield County Times
Yes, there is humor and human nature aplenty in this book . . . -- Richard Tambling, The Journal Inquirer