Last night David Letterman shared a news story as part of his usual current events review.
The story was about himself, being blackmailed by a producer (from 48 hours) and was not intended to be humorous.
Or was it?
People laughed. Many were uncomfortable.
As artists, many of us use the pain in our lives to create the work we do.
Several of my friends write songs about bad relationships so often, that has become their trademark.
People laugh.
Channelling that pain & sometimes anger into song is better than channelling into guns & violence, yet often we're so used to making light of a situation in hopes of lifting each other up, the healing can be forgotten, & the entertainer with the broken heart is dragged along before they're really ready to move on.
I remember reading the lyrics to "Smells like Teen Spirit" & thought about the times I've gone on stage with a cold or after a relationship problem with the expectation that the energy flowing back & forth from the audience would get me through.
And it usually did...'till load out, when coming down was so bad I couldn't even stand.
Yet, because I know there are people, friends & fans, who are having a worse time than me, I will get up & do it again, because I know they are there to hear the music & experience the healing power themselves.
Sure some of them are there just to have a good time, but in fact, the REASONS they want a good time deep down are really the same even if they don't realize or admit it.
We all need a lil' fix for what happens during the day.
There's a second part to that old cliche: "Don't cry over spilled milk"
..."get the cat."

Maybe that's why jazz musicians are refered to that way.
:)