Pictured (L-R): Conan O'Brien, Chris Rock, Mike Birbiglia, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tig Notaro, Whoopi Goldberg, & Ramy Youssef. Credit: Mike Birbiglia/Instagram
On Friday, June 14th, Pope Francis gathered over 100 comedians from across 15 countries to encourage their work which, “unite[s] people, because laughter is contagious.” The Pope prays everyday in the words of Saint Thomas More, “Grant me, O Lord, a good sense of humor.”
Pope Francis honored comedians Jimmy Fallon, Chris Rock, Jim Gaffigan & more in a speech where he says their craft is needed in these dark times. Laughter spreads “peace in our hearts and among others, helping us to overcome difficulties and cope with everyday stress,” adds the Pope. The Pope even praises political comedians as they, “denounce abuses of power,” “give voice to forgotten situations,” “highlight abuses” and “point out inappropriate behavior” without insighting, “alarm or terror, anxiety or fear, as other types of communication tend to do.” In a fear-filled world, we must combat darkness with the light that comedy can bring into it.
Among the rest of the comics in attendance were Conan O’Brien, Whoopi Goldberg, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Stephen Colbert, Mike Birbiglia, Tig Notaro and Ramy Youssef.
Colbert spoke with The National Catholic Reporter that he would love to interview the Pope but beyond that he would love to have him on a cooking segment, “Evidently he makes a great tortellini en brodo.”
Pope Francis posed the question of if we can laugh at God, to which he replies, “Of course, we can, just as we play and joke with the people we love.”
Watch the full meeting of Pope Francis with comedians here!
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