Susan Sparks interview
Who do you get when you mix a lawyer, comedian, and preacher together? Susan Sparks! She's the author of the incredibly fascinating book called Laugh Your Way to Grace: Reclaiming the Spiritual Power of Humor, which teaches you to use the power of laughter to heal and overcome your troubles.
Susan Sparks was recently featured on Oprah Magazine and the New York Times, and here she is at Sonshi.com sharing her insights focused on finding humor in our lives where and when we need it most. That is, spirituality doesn't need to be serious; it sometimes needs to be lighthearted, especially when we become depressed or discouraged. So do not despair because Ms. Sparks has just the approach that not only tickles the funny bone but also inspires your entire body and mind.
Sonshi.com: As a trained lawyer, you may relate to this question. Perhaps the fear that people have in laughing in church (or in any holy place) is the same fear if people were to laugh in the courtroom. You might upset the Almighty and the judge for showing a lack of respect. But no God or judge would fault a child laughing in their presence. So do you suppose humor is more about the intent than the content?
Susan Sparks: I have never worried about God being upset with laughter. As Voltaire said, God is a comedian playing to an audience who is afraid to laugh. We were given the gift of joy at birth. And in fact, according to Genesis, we were made in the image of the divine, therefore this gift must also be an element of the holy. Judges… now they’re a different story.
Sonshi.com: When or in what ways can humor be inappropriate?
Susan Sparks: Humor can become dangerous when someone steps outside their“safe zones.” For example, my safe zones are women, ministers, lawyers, southerners, people who like onion dip, Christians, Caucasians, etc. However, the second I go outside those zones and use humor against someone who is different, that’s when it can be perceived as inappropriate or even dangerous.
People get especially concerned about humor in religious realms. True humor can certainly be misused, but so can sanctity. I am more concerned about the latter.
Sonshi.com: Reading your book is like going through an experience of healing, of letting go of anything holding us back from who we truly are. What has been readers' reactions so far to "LaughYour Way to Grace"?
Susan Sparks: I am very thankful that the book has received wonderful reviews and has drawn a wide audience from all religious and spiritual backgrounds. My greatest kick is reading letters and emails from people I have never met talking about how much the book meant to them. My personal favorite is this one: Wow! What fun to read … a "Breath of Fresh Air " … If I had the time, I'd fly to NYC and sit at her feet (Rev. Susan Sparks) and soak up her form of religion!!
You gotta love that.
Sonshi.com: Why did you have such a wide variety of careers and experiences? Is it because you want to live life fully, or is it because you didn't know exactly what to do with your life, or both?
Susan Sparks: I tell people that lawyer and minister are the same job just different clients. All three of my careers (lawyer, minister, standup) actually relate, as they all revolve around communicating a message. I just needed some time to figure out the right place for the skill set.
Sonshi.com: It's fascinating to read your fight with cancer (you kicked its butt!), and even you as a stand-up comedian at times struggled to find humor when you needed it most. What advice can you give us mere mortals during those similar tough times?
Susan Sparks: Remember that crisis is not who we are, it is what we are experiencing. In short, don’t let it define you. And that is where humor comes in. If you can stand in the face of crisis and find a way to smile or laugh, that is the moment you take life back and reclaim your power.
Sonshi.com: What do you do when you run into someone who is consistently serious? Would you lighten him or her up or do you lower yourself down?
Susan Sparks: In those situations, I do everything I can to maintain my voice and my view on the world. Humor is not for everyone, nor is it the end all be all way of communicating. However, if it is your way, don’t let the world take it from you. It is a gift.
Sonshi.com: One concept you gave in your book was about power and humor. You said they are not mutually exclusive. Are powerful people (like Mad Dog Murphy) humorous because they are powerful, or is it because they are powerful because they are humorous.
Susan Sparks: I would argue the latter. Humor is a very powerful tool that builds rapport, trust and understanding. Many people are threatened by humor.
They feel that humor might make them seem less important or serious. In fact, the ability to wield the tools of a comedian makes you a much stronger leader.
[End of interview]
Susan Sparks was recently featured on Oprah Magazine and the New York Times, and here she is at Sonshi.com sharing her insights focused on finding humor in our lives where and when we need it most. That is, spirituality doesn't need to be serious; it sometimes needs to be lighthearted, especially when we become depressed or discouraged. So do not despair because Ms. Sparks has just the approach that not only tickles the funny bone but also inspires your entire body and mind.
Sonshi.com: As a trained lawyer, you may relate to this question. Perhaps the fear that people have in laughing in church (or in any holy place) is the same fear if people were to laugh in the courtroom. You might upset the Almighty and the judge for showing a lack of respect. But no God or judge would fault a child laughing in their presence. So do you suppose humor is more about the intent than the content?
Susan Sparks: I have never worried about God being upset with laughter. As Voltaire said, God is a comedian playing to an audience who is afraid to laugh. We were given the gift of joy at birth. And in fact, according to Genesis, we were made in the image of the divine, therefore this gift must also be an element of the holy. Judges… now they’re a different story.
Sonshi.com: When or in what ways can humor be inappropriate?
Susan Sparks: Humor can become dangerous when someone steps outside their“safe zones.” For example, my safe zones are women, ministers, lawyers, southerners, people who like onion dip, Christians, Caucasians, etc. However, the second I go outside those zones and use humor against someone who is different, that’s when it can be perceived as inappropriate or even dangerous.
People get especially concerned about humor in religious realms. True humor can certainly be misused, but so can sanctity. I am more concerned about the latter.
Sonshi.com: Reading your book is like going through an experience of healing, of letting go of anything holding us back from who we truly are. What has been readers' reactions so far to "LaughYour Way to Grace"?
Susan Sparks: I am very thankful that the book has received wonderful reviews and has drawn a wide audience from all religious and spiritual backgrounds. My greatest kick is reading letters and emails from people I have never met talking about how much the book meant to them. My personal favorite is this one: Wow! What fun to read … a "Breath of Fresh Air " … If I had the time, I'd fly to NYC and sit at her feet (Rev. Susan Sparks) and soak up her form of religion!!
You gotta love that.
Sonshi.com: Why did you have such a wide variety of careers and experiences? Is it because you want to live life fully, or is it because you didn't know exactly what to do with your life, or both?
Susan Sparks: I tell people that lawyer and minister are the same job just different clients. All three of my careers (lawyer, minister, standup) actually relate, as they all revolve around communicating a message. I just needed some time to figure out the right place for the skill set.
Sonshi.com: It's fascinating to read your fight with cancer (you kicked its butt!), and even you as a stand-up comedian at times struggled to find humor when you needed it most. What advice can you give us mere mortals during those similar tough times?
Susan Sparks: Remember that crisis is not who we are, it is what we are experiencing. In short, don’t let it define you. And that is where humor comes in. If you can stand in the face of crisis and find a way to smile or laugh, that is the moment you take life back and reclaim your power.
Sonshi.com: What do you do when you run into someone who is consistently serious? Would you lighten him or her up or do you lower yourself down?
Susan Sparks: In those situations, I do everything I can to maintain my voice and my view on the world. Humor is not for everyone, nor is it the end all be all way of communicating. However, if it is your way, don’t let the world take it from you. It is a gift.
Sonshi.com: One concept you gave in your book was about power and humor. You said they are not mutually exclusive. Are powerful people (like Mad Dog Murphy) humorous because they are powerful, or is it because they are powerful because they are humorous.
Susan Sparks: I would argue the latter. Humor is a very powerful tool that builds rapport, trust and understanding. Many people are threatened by humor.
They feel that humor might make them seem less important or serious. In fact, the ability to wield the tools of a comedian makes you a much stronger leader.
[End of interview]