Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension….for comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episode interposed in the midst of serious or tragic elements in a drama. Comic relief often takes the form of a bumbling, wisecracking sidekick of the hero or villain in a work of fiction. A sidekick used for comic relief will usually comment on the absurdity of the hero’s situation and make comments that would be inappropriate for a character who is to be taken seriously. Other characters may use comic relief as a means to irritate others or keep themselves confident. Sometimes comic relief characters will appear in fiction that is comic. This generally occurs when the work enters a dramatic moment, but the character continues to be comical regardless.
However, the organization Comic Relief, Inc. was a non-profit charity organization….whose mission is to raise funds to help those in need….particularly America’s homeless….as it has raised and distributed nearly $50 million USD toward providing assistance…. including health care services….to homeless people throughout the United States….and although Comic Relief’s charity work is continuous….its fundraising events were held and televised at irregular intervals….primarily by Home Box Office (HBO), with comedians Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, and Whoopi Goldberg as the hosts each time….as they along with many other comedians, celebrities and occasional politicians performed various segments….both of general purpose and specific to homelessness….of standup comedy, sketch comedy, speeches, live music, and impressions of persons and characters….and all in order to entertain and enlighten. There are also documentary segments dealing with real-life problems of homeless people, in order to raise awareness of not only the grim realities….but also how many hard-working “ordinary” people can wind up or grow up homeless. In exchange for contributions exceeding certain key amounts….T-shirts, sweatshirts and other merchandise are typically for sale.
In this Comic Relief video clip….the viewer gets to experience the thoughtful humor and comedy as performed by Whoopie Goldberg, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and Harry Anderson….which simply is a piece that is loaded with humor and laughs….but always keeping a “humorous ear” to the realities of being homeless in America in 1985 and today…..and is well worth the watch.
