Doing A Bit More Than Just Joy

Looking for ways to keep the metaphorical bus on the road. Plus recs for Octavia Butler, Nate Bargatze, and Kelsey McKinney

There’s a headline from the comedy website Reductress that’s been making the rounds this week:

It’s a great joke. But I have to admit, that it hits a little close to home for me.

I’ve been trying to figure out how I can stop the world from getting worse without getting destroyed by the news and feeling like I need to be consuming updates 24/7 about the minutiae of each and every terrible policy.

When I talk to people smarter than me, the suggestion is often to start with your local community, which seems like good advice. I feel like volunteering at the food pantry is a helpful thing but it’s not really resistance, per se.

As immigration becomes one of the flashpoints and vulnerable people are being dehumanized, that feels like a necessary area to find ways we can all get involved. One small thing I’ve been working on for a few years now is learning Spanish, so I can communicate and understand my neighbors. As always, when you learn a language, you’re not just learning the words, but also picking up on the small turns of phrase that represent a bigger way of seeing the world. One example that I’ve been thinking about a lot in the past two weeks is that, while English speakers sometimes debate over terms like “undocumented” or “illegal immigrant,” every Spanish speaker I’ve talked with her in LA has used the term “sin papeles” (without papers).

To me, “without papers” hits at the arbitrariness of immigration status in a way that none of the terms I hear in English really do. The difference between a person who is able to live and work here without fear and a person whose entire life could be destroyed by a random interaction with a law enforcement officer truly is a question of whether they have a piece of paper or not. In some ways that’s obvious, but it hit home for me differently when I thought about it like that.

Ok, so learning Spanish (or any language your neighbors speak) is a small step in the right direction, but it’s still not all that direct of a resistance. I found an idea online that I love and I’d like to share, which is that people like me who are not at any risk of deportation, can be prepared and know the law to help those more vulnerable should we encounter ICE when we’re out and about. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center prints “Red Cards / Tarjetas Rojas” which list important rights and protections that all people in the U.S. have, regardless of their immigration status. I’m planning on printing some out and carrying them with me in my wallet and car. Here’s a thread with all the ways you can jam up the works and protect people if you find yourself at an ICE checkpoint or see a search.

A related comedy piece to all this is that ICE is no longer allowed to board Greyhound buses to check immigration status without reasonable suspicion because of a time they (illegally and wrongfully) pulled the comedian Mohanad Elshieky off a bus and harassed him. Here’s him hilariously telling the story that led to an ACLU lawsuit.

Mohanad’s lawsuit also made this interaction possible, which has gone viral many times over:

All in all, I guess my point is that you can do a lot more than simply find joy in troubling times. If you get the opportunity, you can also say something hilarious to overreaching government officials who are trampling on civil rights!

My projects and upcoming events:

PODCAST: How to Be a Better Human (TED/PRX) - Nadia Bolz-Weber and I had a long conversation about the role of faith, religion, and prayer in a world that’s falling apart and where spirituality is often exploited for nefarious ends. I think she’s a really brilliant person and her perspective and story were fascinating to hear. You can check out the episode here (or wherever you get podcasts).

LIVE IN LA: Wrong Answers Only at Dynasty Typewriter - Monday, February 10th at 7:30 p.m. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’re going to be interviewing a professor who studies love and attraction. Join me, Karen Chee, and Lisa Gilroy as we uncover the comedy and mystery of romance. Tickets are onsale now.

LIVE IN NYC: How to Be a Better Human live at On Air Fest - Thursday, February 20th at 3:30 p.m. I’m excited to be part of one of the biggest podcasting festivals and even more excited to be interviewing the new host of Normal Gossip for a special live taping all about how to tell a juicy story. Details here

This week’s list

GREAT:

I started reading Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower for my book club and I couldn’t believe how good and how relevant the book was. Originally published in 1993, it’s set in 2024 (and beyond) and it features a world dealing with climate collapse, increasing violence, and the election of an authoritarian president who is dedicated to rolling back civil rights. Much of the book takes place in a Los Angeles that’s suffering through devastating fires. The whole thing is shockingly on the nose. It’s so well-written and so prescient that I tore through the first book and I’m just finished the second last night. The Earthseed series

FUNNY:

If Octavia Butler’s books feel like they speak to this current moment in a weirdly direct way, Nate Bargatze’s comedy feels like a welcome escape. He has somehow managed to put together a special that is truly hilarious, extremely well-written, and feels like a total break from the news and current events. There’s a reason he’s selling out arenas all over the country. Here’s a fun sample: Nate goes to career day at his daughter’s school. I strongly recommend the whole special though! Your Friend, Nate Bargatze

INTERESTING:

Kelsey McKinney, the original host of Normal Gossip, is currently on a press tour for her new book. She wrote a very thoughtful piece about what it means to be an artist and to try to put your work out there in the current climate. Selling Art At The End of an Empire

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That's it for this week. Thanks for reading! Please share Bright Spots with anyone you think might enjoy it.

Thanks for reading,

Chris Duffy

This has been Bright Spots, a newsletter.

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…wait, who are you?

I'm Chris Duffy, a comedian, TV writer, podcast host, and both a former fifth grade teacher and a former fifth grade student. I’m currently writing a nonfiction book about humor for Doubleday.