From The President

When I first heard Steven Slater’s story, I thought it was a joke. Didn’t you? Surely a tale involving a rude passenger, an irate flight attendant, a couple of beers and the attendant’s unscheduled exit down the plane’s emergency slide, ended with a punch line. But no – it was an all too true story, a meltdown moment in a stressful situation that clearly resonated with people all across the nation. 

The punch lines came later. We can laugh – but as students of humor and human nature, we can’t ignore the lessons that are coming out of this story. When a story has this much resonance, this much public appeal, there’s a larger picture to see than we might get at first glance.

Everyone is talking about what Slater did. Even JetBlue, in a statement on their website, acknowledged that the episode may “feed your inner Office Space”. I’ve heard “Take This Job and Shove It” three times today alone. Steven Slater’s got over 187,000 Facebook fans, which is the type of number you’d expect from someone handing out free money.

Talk about the power of comedic timing. Slater’s actions took place in exactly the right opportunity, at exactly the right time. The masses of people identified with his position. They, too, feel stressed out and overburdened. Who hasn’t wanted to say, “Forget this!” and slide right out of a tense workplace? But would the public have found the story as funny if his meltdown had happened in relative isolation?

Perhaps not, but it might not matter. We’ve no way to check. What I do know is this—we find humor where we connect. Where we come together and reach beyond the edges of our individual experiences, mirthfully mingling our histories. A shared laugh is an intimate moment. We laugh together because, in at least some small way, we are alike.

Steven Slater reminds us that it feels good to laugh at the absurd stress in our lives, to point at the place where common sense gave way to chaos and confusion and say, “Yup! That’s it. I’m out of here!”

We’re doing so much great work. It’s important to remember and recognize the value of what we do. The answers to the questions that spring up, every time there’s a Steven Slater, every time a story connects our community in laughter, will someday have answers. We’re finding them every day. How cool is that?

Faithfully yours in laughter!

Karyn Buxman
AATH President 2009-2011

 

 

Humor Connection:

 

EDITORIAL GUIDELINES

The official member publication of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH), The Humor Connection is electronically published 12 times a year and sent to your e-mail address.  The e-HC contains informative features, Member News, and our e-zine with links to the latest news and research . Its purpose is to educate AATH members about the industry, to represent AATH before an international audience, to communicate Member News, and to have fun in the process.

While our members are diverse in their backgrounds, they are united in their passion for the values, application, and therapeutic uses of humor, laughter, and play. Targeted audiences hail from educational, business, faith community, health care, psychology, social service, and family science backgrounds.

Manuscript Submissions
Articles that specifically address the needs and concerns of our members are favored over generic articles that could appear in a multitude of publications.

Content should target the professional, personal, or ethical development of readers and should represent a standard of excellence and expertise consistent with the purpose of AATH.

The Editorial Advisory Board accepts material written by AATH members in good standing. In the future, the editor (or someone assigned by the editor) may invite submissions from authors outside the membership.

Bylines and Author Credit
Bylines will accompany each contribution. In addition, author contact information will follow each article, op-ed piece, and review.

Manuscript Content
Submissions to The Humor Connection may be in the form of articles, book and website reviews, editorial opinion (op-ed), letters to the editor, and Member News.

Articles
Subject matter may include (but is not limited to) the following:

•   Humor and Health
•   Humor and Relationships
•   Humor and Business
•   Humor and Aging
•   Humor and Religion/Spirituality
•   Humor and Education
•   Humor and Diversity/Culture/International Issues
•   Humor and Ethics
•   Clowning
•   Humor Applications
•   Humor Research
•   Member Interviews
•   Book Reviews

Book and Web Site Reviews

Written by knowledgeable persons selected by the editor, book and Web site reviews inform readers in areas relevant to the discipline. Reviews deemed hurtful to authors will not be printed.

Reviews are limited to 350 words and submitted as an attachment in Microsoft Word format.

Opinion/Editorial (Op-Ed)

Op-Ed pieces reflect the view of the author. We welcome opinions about the association, its communication devices and educational activities, and the humor field. Opinions considered potentially damaging to an identifiable individual will not be considered.

Op-Ed pieces are limited to 500 words.

Letters to the Editor

We encourage communication from readers. Anonymous submissions will not be considered. Letter selection remains at the editor's discretion .

Member News

Member News recognizes individual achievements. Member News has limited space in The Humor Connection , and we will print as many as space permits. Submissions must be 50 words or less, in press release format, and should describe an event/achievement that has already occurred. Member News items may be of the following type:

• National (in the United States or abroad) award/recognition. The award must be bestowed by a national association, organization, corporation, etc. Local chapters of national organizations do not fit in this category.
  
• National TV/radio coverage, including syndicated and cable networks with national coverage.
• Association-related activities, including chapter highlights, regional events, special projects, and the like.
• Books and tapes published and distributed nationally or internationally. This does not include books, tapes, or manuals given or sold to audience members, or materials produced for a particular company. It also does not include printed, audio, or video anthologies, even those published by national publishers. We will not accept notices of upcoming events; we will only run notices after a book/article has been published.
• Speeches, tapes, books, manuals, videos, and the like created for clients are considered work contracts and will not be mentioned in Member News.
• Speaking engagements will not be listed in Member News.

Manuscript Preparation

Length

• Articles: 750 words or less, not including references
• Reviews: 350 words or less, not including references
• Op Ed: 350 words or less, not including references
• Letters: 100 words or less, not including references
• Member News: 50 words or less, not including references

Format
All submissions must be sent electronically as an attachment in Microsoft Word format (or ASCII format). Submissions should be directed to the editor at hc@aath.org

References
The Humor Connection is edited according to American Psychological Association (APA) style. References are encouraged and must be included when words have been quoted exactly from a source. Full text citations will be placed at the end of the submission.

Writing Style
Our membership has a wide range of specialties. Please avoid jargon and technical terms specific to a particular industry. Acronyms should be spelled out on first use.

Ethical, ethnic, and prejudicial statements and implications should be carefully scrutinized prior to submission. All self-promoting references must be omitted (e.g. "for more information, contact." "I'm offering a special discount on my services...").

Gender-inclusive language is essential (e.g., "he or she" rather than "he"). Use plural pronouns to avoid the awkwardness of he or she whenever possible.

Write succinctly and clearly. Be positive and conversational in your approach. Favor the active voice over the passive.

Review Process

Upon electronic submission, you will receive confirmation of receipt of your manuscript. The editor and his/her appointees will review the manuscript. Submission of an article or news item does not guarantee publication. Submissions will not be returned. We urge authors to keep a file copy when submitting an article or news item to AATH.

Contact The Humor Connection Editor with any questions: hc@aath.org, or the AATH office at 888-747-AATH (2284) Toll Free or 949-715-4681 International.

Conditions of Acceptance

AATH has a one-time use and author retains the copyright and has the right to publish articles on our website.

Because of time constraints, we do not send galley copies or edited forms of manuscripts to authors. Manuscript submission implies author agreement with this policy.

The Humor Connection does not pay for manuscripts. Published articles from members are considered contributions to the discipline.