Yesterday I saw on Twitter the sad news that comedian David Brenner had passed away. I remember his comedic stand up act and appearances on
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. I always thought he was very funny with his keen observational
humor and distinct vocal delivery. He
definitely paved the way for other comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Paul Reiser.
However, my most vivid memory of him is quite serious. When I was in grade school, I saw an interview
with him on television. He mentioned
when he was a child, he cried so hard that his tears were blood. Now I
wonder: why does this snippet stick in my memory?
As I mull it over, I suppose
it was my introduction to empathy. At this young age, I had never heard of
anyone being so emotionally distraught that they would cry so hard to draw
blood. I found his flashback story about
this so out of the blue. I thought the interview would be primarily showcasing is
comic flair. Instead, there was a small glimpse into his personal life. In my
mind’s eye, I pictured him as a small boy, with crimson tears streaming down
his face. I could actually feel the corners of my eyes hurting from the
imagined pressure. I felt very sorry for him having gone through this, because I
knew I wouldn't want this to happen to me—epitomizing the very meaning of
empathy.
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