That’s Not Funny
Bored? Sad? Feeling low? Well, here’s a pick-me-up. Read my article The Deadliest Cancers, researched and penned for MSN as part of a recent cancer-awareness campaign.
Ever since publishing This Will Kill You with friend and co-writer HP Newquist, assignments along these lines have popped up more regularly. What’s always striking, despite the darkness, is that the research inevitably uncovers interesting facts and figures. For example, lung cancer kills almost as many people in the U.S. as all other cancers combined. And with smoking as the cause behind 90% of cases, lung cancer is also the most preventable.
When the material gets particularly dark, Newquist and I have always found it helps to have some fun with it. But cancer jokes don’t typically tend to get ‘em rolling in the aisles. We had to battle our publisher (and our consciences) to shoehorn one Big C joke into This Will Kill You. Went something like this:
Doctor: I’m very sorry to give you this diagnosis. It’s cancer. Not only that, but you have Alzheimer’s, too.
Patient: Phew — I was afraid it was cancer!
If you’re looking for us, Newquist and I will be sharing a rowboat across the river Styx.