JULY 8TH IS NATIONAL SCUD DAY

BY SUZIE WELLS

July 8th, National SCUD Day, has nothing to do with Cold War missiles the name may evoke. e idea is to Savor the Comic, Unplug the Drama (SCUD), which is apropos advice year-round. Research shows that humor is good for physical and mental well-being.

e Mayo Clinic says, “Laughter lightens your mental load [and] induces physical changes in your body such as enhancing oxygenrich air intake, which in turn stimulates the heart, lungs, and muscles, and increases endorphins released by the brain. Laughter also activates and relieves stress responses, decreasing the heart rate and blood pressure, resulting in a good, relaxed feeling. Laughter can also have signi cant positive long-term bene ts on the immune system, pain responses, mood and feelings of personal satisfaction.” across the nation and world make their way to Western NY, so there is usually ample opportunity to nd live shows around town. Perhaps even consider checking out one of the local open mic nights to lighten your day and take a break from the drama and weight of human existence.

Why not try to infuse comedy and fun in life, right?! So, in honor of National SCUD Day, turn down the drama and intentionally seek a good laugh.

National SCUD Day’s founding goes back to 2007 with Stephanie West Allen. An author and lawyer, Allen also studied psychology and knew that people were too stressed and needed time away from that stress. She hoped to encourage folks to forget being so serious, relax a bit, and infuse humor into life.

Lisa Fybush manages and hosts two open mics around Rochester, one on the rst and third ursday of the month at Rosen Krown (875 Monroe Avenue), and the other more casual Comedy on Deck with her husband, Scott, in their back yard (at an address privately available – nd her on FB for details), typically on the ursdays she’s not at Rosen Krown. is year, the Fybushes are having people vote for their favorite comics, and the winners will be in our Fringe show, Comedy On Deck Comes Inside.

“Life can be very di cult and bleak and if we weren’t able to see the funny side we would be miserable most of the time. ere are some religious philosophers who consider comedy a sacred profession because it helps people forget their troubles for a while,” Fybush says. She continues: “Savor the comic every day by not taking [yourself] too seriously and trying to be open to the funny side of situations. is world is crazy. Sometimes you just have to laugh.”

Shane Allen hosts the ROC Cinema Open Mic each Friday night (957 S. Clinton Ave.). Allen says, “ ey say laughter is the best medicine. I don’t think it can cure bunions, but I believe comedy is like a pressure valve for your soul. Comedy helps the audience confront uncomfortable truths, helps the comics work through their demons, and is a great reminder for us to never take ourselves too seriously.”

Allen says Rochester is “absolutely stacked with hilarious people – and the comedy community is engaged, supportive, and constantly growing. ROC Cinema have been amazing hosts and have gone all out to make the movie theater an amazing space for comedy. e open mics give the comics a real stage, a sound system, and the experience of performing in a theater.”

Focus on the positive, eliminate the negative, and simply enjoy life, even if only for a day. Allen says, “Celebrate by getting yourself out of the Drama Zone and into the Comic Zone! Try avoiding all the drama in your life – leave all that noise behind for the day.”

National SCUD Day is an ideal time to take a break from national/global news or even ctional dramas, and instead intentionally insert silliness into life. Consider scheduling time with fun/ny friends, watching a comedy lm or sit-com, even clicking on funny videos and memes when you have only a moment. Or simply keep handy a funny greeting card or comic strip, a website of jokes, or a humorous podcast. Find a way to laugh about situations you encounter, and stress will fade away.

Jamestown, NY, just a couple of hours from Rochester, is home to the National Comedy Center, drawing incredible acts celebrating small and big names in comedy. What a treasure! Comedians from

Allen and Fybush encourage everyone to attend open mics, follow local comics on social media, and share their content, all free but bene cial ways to support the local comic scene. For the latest in comedy events around Rochester, check out Rochester Comedy on Facebook.

Whatever you do, try to intentionally unplug from the day’s drama and I’m sure you’ll nd the weight of the world li ed, even just for that moment.

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