Laughter as Medicine
Breast cancer is no laughing matter, but that does not keep our guests in this episode from using and sharing humor to cope with their diagnosis.
For our first guest, NYC actress and comedian Jenny Saldaña, a life-changing diagnosis spurred her to write the play “Pink,” a dramedy that includes some of the more humorous moments of life with breast cancer.
Khevin Barnes, who lost his first wife to ovarian cancer and then was diagnosed with breast cancer himself, was inspired to write a song and then an entire musical exploring the dark comedy side of male breast cancer. Our podcast includes an excerpt from his musical—as well as Khevin’s introduction to “laughter yoga.”
Stand-up comedian and MBC patient Elaine Price has found that while her cancer-related jokes can make some “cancer civilians” in her audience uncomfortable, her fellow cancer survivors/thrivers are definitely in on the joke. And she believes that humor is an important way of bringing the reality of MBC out into the open.
OMBCL hosts Konner Kienzle and Victoria Goldberg put this question to each of our guests: “Do you think that laugher can be good medicine?” The consensus is an emphatic “Yes.” Or, As Elaine puts it: “It’s right after chemo! You bet!…I think one of the reasons I’m still standing is my ability to flip things on their head and find meaning.”
OMBCL is grateful to each of our guests for the gift of laughter. And we hope our listeners find many more reasons for smiles, chuckles, or belly laughs throughout the holiday season and 2023.
Ticket Link to Jenny Saldaña's new one-woman show "Desperate Digital Dating Diary" (January 15th @The Triad Theater in NYC):
https://www.instantseats.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=buy.event&eventID=3BD1A14E-E1FA-6764-B6BDE6940FE8FD30
Music Credit:
Saxophone Jazz Theme by:
Bensound https://www.bensound.com/
Meet the Guests of the Episode
Khevin Barnes
Male Breast Cancer Survivor/Advocate, Health Journalist, Laughter Yoga Teacher, Professional Magician, Musician
Khevin is a regular contributing writer for CURE MAGAZINE, a certified Laughter Yoga Teacher and the co-founder of “Laughter Yoga USA”. He wrote and composed a stage musical called “Sons of Saint Agatha”, a dark comedy promoting Male Breast Cancer awareness.
www.LaughterYogaUSA.com
www.LaughterYogaOnThePhone.com
Elaine Price-Lockridge
Elaine is a recent student of Tony Vicich’s comedy course at Tempe Center for the Arts. Originally from the L.A. area of California, she’s been living in Phoenix for 29 years. She is currently attending open mic nights at local bars and her comedy covers her life’s experiences with becoming single at 49, life with her “Gusband” (aka gay bestie) and finding humor and joy as she lives with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer.
When she’s not making people laugh she can be found at art groups, writing groups, comedy clubs, film festivals, traveling and countless happy hours.
IG: @lainbee2.
Cancer Support Community Arizona
www.cscaz.org
Jenny Saldana
Actor, Comedian, & Writer Dominicana
Jenny grew up the child of immigrants in Washington Heights, New York. Her mother cleaned houses and her father worked at a gas station to make a better life for Jenny and her sister, Jenniffer (yes, they are Jenny and Jenniffer - we’re the Dominican George Foreman’s). When Jenny was high school age the family moved to Miami, Florida where she attended Miami Senior High and met her friend, drama teacher and mentor, Marty Hancock. Marty encouraged Jenny to continue her love of theatre, leading to Jenny applying and being accepted to the University of Pittsburgh where she graduated with a BA in Theatre Arts. She soon returned to her beloved New York City after college to pursue her dreams. In 2001, she grew tired of just getting background acting work, in particular relevant material for Latinas. She wrote her first play, Dancing In The Mirror, a collection of monologues, modeled after John Leguizamo’s Mambo Mouth. It was produced by NBC and directed by Maria Escobedo in NYC. At the 2003 National Latino Playwright Festival, Dancing In The Mirror won a main stage production. In 2006, at the age of 34, Jenny heard the words that would change her life forever: “I’m sorry, but this is breast cancer.” Her treatment included a right-side mastectomy and reconstruction, followed by chemo. During this time, Jenny wrote her next play, PINK: The Chronicles of BC Jenny. PINK was produced and directed by Linda Nieves-Powell and Latino Flavored Productions at the legendary Nuyorican Poets Café. PINK then toured colleges, bringing breast cancer awareness nation-wide. In 2008, PINK won 3rd place in the MetLife Nuestras Voces National Playwriting Contest. With Latino Flavored productions, Jenny also starred in Yo Soy Latina and Jose Can Speak. Her third play, Please Hold was a mainstage feature at The Latina Theatre Festival in 2009. Five years after having a mastectomy, yet still ‘too young’ for a mammogram (thanks American health care system!) Jenny decided to pay it forward and became the peer breast cancer counselor at New York Presbyterian Hospital and began what her father lovingly calls her ‘ministry’ of being there for the next person beginning their cancer journey. After 11 years at NYPH, Jenny took another leap of faith and decided to quit the hospital to act and write full time. She co-starred with Sacha Baron Cohen in The Dictator and has been a guest star on: Bull, Blue Bloods, Search Party, New Amsterdam, and High Maintenance to name a few. In her comedy career, Jenny has opened and worked along comedy greats such as: Marina Franklin, Jim Gaffigan, Mark Viera, Keith Robinson, Pat Brown, and many more. Her latest play, A Desperate Digital Dating Diary is her love letter to ‘Latinaness’ and all women who have ever swiped right. And to top off everything Jenny has achieved in her career, she even once baked a delicious pie.
FB: Jenny L. Saldaña
Twitter: TheLBGirlShow
IG: LittleBrownGirlShow
