Bill Murray Skydiving Fantasticness

If you've been checking out this site since late last year, you know I have respect and affection for Bill Murray - he has his own tag here, which is rare for me. And, really, everyone should love this guy. He's basically the only comedian from my younger days who never really "lost it" - lost his comedic mojo and ability to make people laugh (see for comparison Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Jim Carrey (mostly)...).

And, as an amateur comedian myself (so many people have asked why I won't do standup), I must love the fact that this guy seems to live a healthy and happy life. Only Jerry Seinfeld has fewer known "dark periods." George Carlin had to go in for alcohol and Vicodin rehab at 68, embarrassing to occur at such a late time in his life. And many comics - for whom Dave Attell is basically the posterboy - are dark, unhappy folks who are never really joking about being bitter drunks or drug addicts - their comedy genuinely reflects a deep anger/self-loathing.

Lots of people say that comedians are often born from sadness and tragedy - maybe Steven Colbert wouldn't be quite so funny if he hadn't lost a parent and two siblings to a plane crash, and lost an ear to another one - and it seems to often be the case. Sam Kinnison did a lot of hard living, as did Bill Hicks. Andrew Dice Clay went from a controversial misogyny comic (which could've just been a performance), to a bloated, unfunny, supremely angry person; dude could barely handle an on-air interview without flying into a rage. But some lovely people out there remind us that the gift of comedy can present itself without any signs of severe psychological damage - and Mr. Murray is among the forefront of those people.

So, today's clip shows something amazing and uplifting that Bill Murray did for his favorite city, Chicago: skydiving at the 50th annual Chicago Air & Water Show - with an Army parachutist strapped to his back. It would be an impressive feat for a young comedian, much less a man of 57. Obviously, since it was Mr. Murray's first-ever jump, August 15th, 2008 was a banner day for many people:

This man has been a total ace so many times in his life, and provides me with countless opportunities to extoll his achievements, and all the happy little moments that he shares with the world. This guy is truly a gift, and I mean to appreciate and celebrate him as he deserves.