When you bleed everyday for your disease, gallows humor isn’t far behind. For diabetics—whether type 1 or type 2—diet, exercise, and insulin may be the best medicine, but laughter helps.
One of my favorite diabetic jokes comes from stand-up comic Carolyn Castiglia, who talks about her type 2 diabetic mother:
My mom says to me, “I hope you don’t think I have diabetes because I’m fat. OK, ’cause that’s not why. I have diabetes because it runs in our family.” I’m like, “No, mom, you have diabetes because no one runs in our family!” That would be the root cause. That and sleeping with a pizza.
I also love blogger Amy Tenderich’s post that puts diabetes living to the Dr. Seuss test: “Corrections, ouch. Corrections ooch. Injections 10x/day hurt my hooch.”
There’s a mildly entertaining diabetes rap floating around YouTube that makes me wonder if the producers weren’t drunk on the wooziness of hypoglycemia.
But the weirdest riff must be the rash of diabetes-related YouTube videos featuring disease spokesman and Hollywood codger Wilford Brimley: “Dia-Beetis,” “Testing the Beetus,” “Wilford Brimley—The Beetis,” “Wilford Brimley’s Diabetes Dance Mix,” and many more. These are mashups of Brimley’s public service ads, most set to an ’80s-style drum-machine beat, and all seemingly inspired by Brimley’s pronunciation of the disease’s name. In any case, Brimley hasn’t been this animated since Cocoon. It’s even better than his appearance on Family Guy.
But my favorite piece of diabetes humor comes from a young kid who apparently has type 1. He may not have meant to be funny, but I laugh every time I watch his YouTube video, in which he sums up living with diabetes in two short words:
“Diabetes sucks.”
‘Nuff said.
(PHOTO: YOUTUBE.COM)
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Comments (7)
Wow, it’s so great that health.com is able to point out all the nasty, negative websites that are making fun of people who have diabetes for being fat or stupid or both. Gives me just the confidence in health.com that I needed to take your information seriously.
Why has the JDRF denied funding to Dr. Faustman and her research to cure Type 1 diabetes? Phase 1 has become the burden of proof that the “Faustman Hypothesis” is the frontiers we must explore to cure type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases. JDRF – if you’re not part of the solution you are part of the problem! Here’s my call to action: Phase 2 of Dr. Faustman’s human trials are estimated to cost $25 million. If 1 million people watching this video have the wherewithal to donate $25 to Dr. Faustman’s human trials at MGH – the cure for millions is unstoppable! Do you have $25 to make a dream come true? Please donate to Dr. Faustman’s research
as the person who made the “mildly entertaining rap” on youtube, i wanna clear something up.
it was never my intention to make fun of diabetics, seeing as i’ve been one for over 8 years and on the pump for over 2. besides making people laugh, i wanted people to be a little educated about diabetes, and ya know, i think its ok to laugh about it every now and then, cause moping around all day about how much diabetes sucks doesn’t cure you.
all this to say, the reason i made this video was to have some fun and make others laugh, not to insult people.
also, as the other person who helped make the “mildly entertaining rap” on youtube, I want to throw in my two cents.
I didn’t realize that creating a fun and educational song about diabetes was “making fun” of it. I didn’t realize that because I was having a good time and dancing around in the video, I was “drunk on the wooziness of hypoglycemia”. Diabetes affects one of my closest friends (Mr. Widbin) and also my grandmother, so it wasn’t even in my brain to be making fun of it.
I’ll admit that I laugh at the Wilford Brimley stuff on youtube. I don’t laugh because I think it’s hilarious that he has a condition that seriously affects his health though. I really don’t think it’s cool that people make fun of it. It’s a serious thing, and I hope that they find a cure soon.
so, Mr. Kelley.. I’d reconsider mentioning us in another article and roping us in with the diabetes naysayers before you understand the motives behind our productions. we’re on your side.
Thanks for the comments guys!
But I never suggested you were making fun of diabetes in any way that’s negative.
Having had diabetes for 10 years myself, I appreciate how much fun you had with your “education project” and that you’re willing to comment publicly on it. And believe me, it’s okay to laugh about the disease—and I was certainly laughing with you not at you.
Keep up your efforts. I’d love to see the next video!
good to hear. we’re not mad at your article, if anything, i’m happy you mentioned us, just letting your other commenters know what our intentions were
Here’s another really funny way of looking at our diets…
Haha – it’s hilarious!!