The world of comedy lost one of its legends last month. On March 24, Garry Shandling, 66, passed away due to heart-related complications. Shandling is mostly known for his role on The Larry Sanders Show, which ran on HBO from 1992 to 1998. In it, Shandling plays his alter-ego, Larry Sanders, a talk show host who interviews real celebrities playing themselves.
It was one of the first TV series to satirize the entertainment world and the figures who populate it. Shandling drew on his own experiences guest-hosting The Tonight Show in the 1980s. As comedian Marc Maron puts it, he was “truly an original comic genius,” and the most innovate comedy shows today are indebted to Shandling’s work.
It might not seem that Shandling—whose comedic persona was cynical, sarcastic, self-loathing and neurotic—would have much wisdom to offer about finding peace. I certainly don’t look to my favorite comedians for guidance.
Read more amazing stories! Click here to subscribe to Mysterious Ways
I more or less assume that behind their funny personas are dark, tortured souls—which is perhaps what gives them their sense of humor in the first place. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that a podcast with Marc Maron and Shandling from 2011, rereleased to commemorate his death, shows otherwise. In fact, Shandling has some insights that I (and probably a lot of us) should think about.
As with many comedians, Shandling obsessed a lot–over his performances, interactions with people, his work, etc. “I get indecisive about which thing to do, because I have a voice in my head that says ‘you should do this’ or ‘you should do that,’ and I think that these are things I’ve tried to rise above. It’s the issue of being free to be exactly who I am,” he told Maron.
Later in life, Shandling took up boxing—““I wear head gear that goes from my head down to my knees,” he joked, because it took him out of his comfort zone. “You don’t have time to think. It’s completely intuitive. You should live like that,” Shandling said.
Sometimes we all feel like we’re in a boxing match with ourselves. “You can’t win a welterweight belt for beating the…out of yourself,” Shandling said. “There’s no narcissistic boxing belt to win.”
For a man who’s made a career out of pointing out his own insecurities and perceived flaws, that’s remarkably sage advice. Roll with the punches life gives you… and drop the gloves when you discover your biggest opponent is yourself.
What advice do you live by? How did it change your life? Let us know!
