• Meditation
• Channeling
• Readings
Return to Interviews...
Groucho Marx
Humor is a special gift that, when used properly, allows humanity to look at itself and feel good to the point of laughing. Thankfully, there have been, and still are, those people who choose to demonstrate mirth in every situation. There were three brothers who were able to capture the inane in each life’s situation and to demonstrate its irony to the delight of many. The Marx Brothers had a unique quality of taking a seemingly ordinary situation and drawing gags from it. We are absolutely overjoyed to have Groucho Marx with us today.
Susanne: Greetings, Mr. Marx. Thank you so much for joining us. The work of the Marx Brothers continues to bring pleasure to a lot of people.
Groucho Marx: Well, I would say the pleasure is all mine, but I’m not so sure. Is this type of communication for real? I mean I've always been a skeptic and I wonder if you’re going to get it right.
S: I assure you that I am at your service and I am giving you the opportunity to share with us what you will.
GM: Okay, I’ll take the plunge. Just say the secret word and I might stay longer.
S: Let’s begin by exploring your last life on Earth. You and your brothers, Gummo, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo, seemed to work so well together. You were able to take care of each other and to bounce off one another in a way that was more sophisticated than other comedians who were your contemporaries. How did you get started and how, do you think, you and your brothers, especially you, Harpo, and Chico, were able to sustain your humor?
GM: My goodness, what a mouthful. Are you sure you know how to do these interviews? My dear brothers and I had a common thread that ran through us during that life, and that was survival. We grew up at a time when money seemed scarce and, as a young kid, I found that I wasn't really the physical type. I grew up in New York where, in my neighborhood, you survived either by your fists or by being quick with words. My dear mother, Minnie, always said that I had a silver tongue and I found out early on that I was able to avoid sticky situations by talking my way out of them. It was my mother who wanted a better life for her boys and urged us into the life of the theater. It's funny, but I always thought that this was also because she was a frustrated actress and wanted to live her life through her children. While on one level this is true, now, looking back on my life I realize that there was an agreement that had taken place between her and us, and that her “pushing” was really what we required to fulfill our soul's task upon the planet.
As for the type of humor we settled upon, again, I was not a physical guy and neither were my siblings. Slapstick hits you on a base level, and believe me we weren’t shy about using that type of comedy in our acts; it was just not the main focus. Laughing at the expense of another — for example, slipping on a banana peel, hitting someone's nose or head — exhibits a lack of compassion. To me, that was never really funny. I have always marveled at not only the use of words, but playing off of what people are thinking; being aware of the power of thoughts. I was never shy about poking fun at the very thing someone was trying to hide. Making someone think about what is being said creates a more lasting impression. I loved playing off of Margaret Dumont, because she truly was embarrassed by my candor and would have preferred to allow the facade that she thought she had created remain intact. For me, she epitomized the population as a whole.
S: So, you felt it was up to you to “blow the lid” off of the whole charade?
GM: Exactly, and by doing this I hoped that I was able to show people that we shouldn’t have anything to hide from one another. By presenting the humor, I was able to not only ease their possible discomfort, but I was able to have them see that we are all in this big, wide world together. Surprisingly, perhaps, it was my love of humanity that enabled me to work with them in the manner that I did.
S: I think the fact that your movies and reruns of your television shows continue to make many of us laugh attests to the everlasting power of your wit. Would you speak a little about your brothers?
GM: What a group we were, eh? I sometimes marveled at how much we were alike and how different we were all at the same time. I'll go down the line: Gummo, like Zeppo, was more the straight man for the zany trio, Harpo, Chico, and me. His heart, obviously, wasn't totally into theater as he was content to step down before we started making films. Zeppo had a difficult time finding out who he really was as he was always so totally overwhelmed by our madcap antics. Zeppo was always asking me how he should be. My answer was simply, “be yourself.” That is how, bless him, he ended up as just portraying himself. There were never any surprises with him and I always admired his stability. I was closest to Harpo and Chico. Ah, we had such fun together. Harpo had the biggest heart of anyone I knew. His was a gift of understanding and hope. Being a person who used words constantly, I always marveled at his talent for getting a point across by saying absolutely nothing and conveying everything through body language. Chico's gift was in being irresponsible.
S: How so?
GM: He reminded us that if we are going to get anywhere in this world it requires discipline and perseverance. Chico’s exaggeration of the trait of carelessness allowed others to explore that aspect in themselves, if they chose to. For the Marx Brothers, humor was an easier way to get others to gently change in a positive manner.
S: It was not all that long ago that your transition from this planet to where you are now took place. Can you tell us what you have been doing?
GM: I have to do quite a bit. It was a real mess up here before I returned to this realm. No, seriously, I have had the good fortune to review my past life and to reconnect, on a soul level, with my brothers and family once again. I have discovered that we were able to get quite a number of things right, like our chosen profession and use of humor. I'll also let you in on a little secret: it's very exciting to be able to evaluate scenes from all your lives and to choose how you want to conduct yourself from this point on. Your life really does flash before you, but the “flashes” take their time. The most fun I have right now comes from the ability to observe life as it now exists on Earth and to attempt to instill a spirit of joy, to overshadow the populace, especially at this time.
S: Why “especially at this time?”
GM: Unfortunately, too many people who have gotten themselves caught up in the “muck and mire” of the dense planet, are also caught up in a “doom and gloom” attitude, which they choose to disseminate to everyone that they encounter. You must realize that this point of view only perpetuates a feeling that not only is not uplifting to the planet, but, in the long run, it is also detrimental. We, as fellow beings occupying this universe, have the capability, and the responsibility, to make each other happy. When you walk down the street, smile and let others feel the wonderment of God's great Earth. I guarantee that you will feel much better for this act, and others will too.
S: Thank you, Groucho, for sharing your thoughts with us.
GM: Okay, so maybe I’m not as skeptical as I would lead you to believe. It has been an engaging experience. I hope that I can continue to cheer humanity on. I have faith that we will conquer our fears and adhere to the sensation of mirth. Oh, and there really are no secret words when you accept the reality of miracles. “Hello. I must be going…”
