Dalton RobertsYears ago I first saw a bumper strip with the message “It’s never too late to have a happy childhood.” It has been popularized since then, but the message it carries still has not been taken to heart by most people.
If you doubt the truth of the message, watch the Rodney Dangerfield bio on Biography Channel. It clearly shows that becoming childlike can heal almost any set of disabling memories.
Rodney’s mother was cold and had a mean streak. She simply could not love the boy. His father traveled most of his life with a comedy troupe, and when he and Rodney finally became friends, he discovered his father stayed away from home just to escape his wife. Rodney completely understood.
He soon developed his “I get no respect” theme, and many of the jokes about his abuse and lack of respect were true. Somehow it helped him to tolerate the memories to use them in his routines.
The stage became his playground where he became a child again, and many comedians talked about his childlike behavior during his routines. He finally became fully aware that his comedy had become his therapy.