Recognizing that laughter really is the best medicine, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of South Florida (USF) held a new, 16-hour program that has 65 seniors rolling in the aisles this fall term.

Entitled LET'S ALL HAVE A GOOD LAUGH, the study group includes student participation, guest speakers, live performances, and multimedia.

Recognizing that humor is not only subjective, it is highly personal, the intent has been to survey contemporary American humor and humorists primarily from the perspective of the participants. A 2’ by 3’ sheet of foam board serves as the class cartoon board, where participants are invited to bring and post their favorite cartoons at every session–it is mostly entirely covered every week.

Guest speakers have included a clown, professional magician, a nurse humor-therapist, and emeriti professors on the musical comedy. Member performances included a presentation by a participant who is a member of the Laurel and Hardy Society, OLLI-USF’s Reader’s Theatre presenting Lysistrata, performances of classic comedy skits as well as readings from the poems of Dorothy Parker.

Movies and TV clips were provided by the participants and the USF Media Resource Center. Movie clips included classic comedy by Bob Hope, the Marx Brothers, W.C. Fields, Mae West and others suggested by the class. TV clips ranged from Burns & Allen and Ernie Kovacs to Belushi & Ackroyd and others.

Each session begins with presentations by participants of their favorite cartoons, jokes and funny stories. Study Group Leader Ron Hurst comments, “I deliberately set up each class meeting with possible movie / TV clips in the event that members were shy or reluctant to contribute. Instead, member participation has been so high and of such high quality that the video clips are kept brief and sometimes left out altogether for lack of time. There have been such wonderful contributions from the class that I can hardly wait to see what they come up with next,” said Hurst.

This is the 17th program created and presented by Ronald A. Hurst, 75, the newly-elected chairman of the OLLI-USF Learning in Retirement Board of Advisors.

For questions about this program, or for a copy of the course syllabus, please contact Ara Rogers at OLLI at USF, Arogers@admin.usf.edu.