{"id":37095,"date":"2024-06-17T09:44:32","date_gmt":"2024-06-17T13:44:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=37095"},"modified":"2024-07-17T15:43:38","modified_gmt":"2024-07-17T19:43:38","slug":"pope-francis-meets-with-americas-funniest-comedians-at-the-vatican","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2024\/06\/pope-francis-meets-with-americas-funniest-comedians-at-the-vatican.html","title":{"rendered":"Pope Francis Meets With America’s Funniest Comedians at The Vatican"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Before flying to Italy\u2019s southern Puglia region to meet world leaders, Pope Francis hosted a different audience at the Vatican, celebrating the importance of humor. The pontiff welcomed over 100 comedians from 15 nations, including U.S. celebrities Jimmy Fallon, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock, Conan O\u2019Brien, and Stephen Colbert. Francis told the comedians, \u201cIn the midst of so much gloomy news, immersed as we are in many social and even personal emergencies, you have the power to spread peace and smiles.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued, asking jokingly, \u201cYou unite people because laughter is contagious. Please pray for me: for, not against!\u201d Francis pointed out that in the creation, \u201cDivine wisdom practiced your art for the benefit of none other than God himself, the first spectator in history,\u201d with God delighting in the works that he had made. He added, \u201cRemember this: When you manage to bring intelligent smiles to the lips of even a single spectator, you also make God smile.\u201d Francis also said it was okay to \u201claugh at God\u201d in the same way \u201cwe play and joke with the people we love.\u201d<\/p>\n

After delivering his speech, Francis greeted all the comedians individually, sharing laughs and jokes with some of them. Goldberg said afterward, \u201cIt was great; it was very fast and really loving and made me happy.\u201d O\u2019Brien noted that the pope \u201cspoke in Italian, so I\u2019m not quite sure what was said.\u201d The TV host added, \u201cTo be in that room and to be with all my fellow comedians, some of whom I\u2019ve been good friends with for many years, in that environment, was quite strange. All of us were thinking, how did this happen? Why are we here, and when are they going to throw us out?\u201d Colbert admitted his Italian \u201cis really bad; I would like to speak it better.\u201d But he managed to remind the pope that he had done the audiobook for his memoir.<\/p>\n