Middle-Pause Pump-Priming Prompt

What Kind of Fool Are You? Nobody’s Probably, but You Can Still Play Along

After all, it’s April and this is the Pump-Priming Prompt

Back in 1966, Sammy Davis, Jr. had a hit with a song entitled, What kind of fool am I?

And his is not the only one. The list is long. Here are just a few:

Fool on the Hill: The Beatles Fools Rush In: Elvis Presley Why do Fools fall in Love?: Frankie Lyman and the Teenagers Ship of Fools: The Doors Chain of Fools: Aretha Franklin

As I write this, it’s April first.

So of course, I’m thinking about April Fools. Given what’s going on in the news, I venture a guess that foolishness is not limited to one day of the year.

But we do have one day where we get to play pranks and act silly with no holds barred. Or very few.

Can you imagine if the Oscars had been held on April 1? Will Smith could have gone up to receive his award and said clearly into the mic, April Fools! Instead of looking like one, or worse.

Sadly, we know pranks can get out of hand. And turn into razing, harassment or bullying. That’s not what we’re talking about here.

Which begs the question, what are we talking about here?

Which brings us to this week’s Middle-Pause Pump Priming Prompt: What kind of fool are you? Okay, we know you’re nobody’s fool. But if you were to make one up for an altar ego, which one would it be?

I’ll give you some examples to get the pump primed:

A fool for love might be a hopeless romantic. But then again she could be a hopeful romantic. Or just a romantic. Someone who remembers nice touches like soft music, candlelight, flowers, and slow dancing.

In my book, fool does not mean stupid or dim-witted. It could, but it doesn’t have to. It could mean clownish but doesn’t have to. It could just mean a fascination or obsession.

Bebe Nicholson might be a fool for a starry, starry night sky, for example. Debbie Walker might be a fool for her grandkids, or potatoes. Or both.

So another way to ask this might be: what are you crazy about? What makes you stay up way past your bedtime, or forget to go to the bathroom you’re so taken with it? Or them?

Just to get this party started, I’ll go first.

Because my favorite archetype is The Fool.

That’s why I love Commedia dell’Arte, clowning, and comedy in its many guises. Including both high brow wit-matching and low-brow–full of flatulence and slapstick, which Commedia certainly is.

Say what?

Commedia refers to that theatrical tradition hailing from the Italian Renaissance, Commedia dell’Arte. Most of the world’s physical comics and comedic actors get/got their shtick or inspiration from the stock characters of Commedia.

Including the Marx Brothers, Charlie Chaplin, Lucille Ball, and Carol Burnette, among countless others.

The characters and sketches of Commedia were designed to poke fun at the powers that be in their times. The pomposity of the educated elite plays well as Il Dottore, the bluster and blunder of the military is captured by Il Capitan.

But the most powerful Commedia characters are the servants — Arlechino, who presaged the harlequin with those diamond-patterned clown outfits, Columbina the wisest character of all, and Zanni, the lowest, basest, and dumbest.

I adore playing Zanni.

Embodying his country-bumpkin ways takes me out of my life into pure spontaneous creative play. It’s a mind-altering deeply mystical transformation process for me. I love it.

In my Monday morning Commedia class, I get to be so hungry as Zanni that catching and eating a fly becomes a gourmet meal. Catching the fly’s not easy for Zanni, but on the third swipe, I got it.

But then I as Zanni look at the fly and the fly buzzes for mercy. At first, Zanni is sympathetic toward the poor creature. He knows suffering. But then, the demon hunger kicks him in the gut.

After Zanni eats his new friend, gurgling and buzzing sounds erupt from his belly. Once Zanni’s stomach settles and the flatulence abates, he ‘flies’ away, completing his transformation–a dash of sacred fool mixed in with the profane.

Other days, I’m a regular red-nose clown. Or a humorous writer. And even once, a stand-up comic.

But the beauty of Commedia is, it’s 90% physical shtick.

You don’t have to memorize lots of lines. Or come under fire for an offensive joke. Unless farts are offensive. (Staged ones less so than real ones.)

Yes, we poke fun at puffed-up self-important officials. But then, doesn’t everybody? If you look at Shakespeare’s fools and court jesters from several of his plays, including Festre, Fallstaff, Pompey, or Puck, you’ll find something interesting.

They can speak truth to power, usually the king, without losing their heads. So being a fool can be a smart thing to do, acting simple-minded while spouting timely wisdom. In our day we have Trevor Noah, Stephen Colbert, and the other late-night shows that tell it like it is.

And right now, there’s lots to tell.

In the meantime, don’t forget our pump-priming prompt: What kind of fool are you? Okay, we know you’re nobody’s fool. But if you were to make one up for an altar ego, which one would it be?

Everybody plays the fool. Wasn’t that another song?

We look forward to hearing from you!

What are you ‘too old’ or ‘too scared’ to do? Let me show you how!

Marilyn Flower writes humor to laugh the changes she wants to see and make. She’s the author of Creative Blogging: Ninja Writers Guide to Character Development and Bucket Listers, Get Your Brave On: How to Do the Thing You’re ‘Too Old’ & ‘Too Scared’ to Do. Clowning and improvisation strengthen her resolve during these crazy times. Follow my Sacred Foolishness and Stay in touch!