By Linda Perret
With Covid ending we thought we were in the clear to get going again, but life has a way of tricking us.
On November 15, 2022, Gene, our Comedy Writing Guru, passed away. At 85 Gene lived a full and very happy life. He passed peacefully surrounded by the love of his family. He is missed but his words and inspiration continue to guide us.
Following Gene’s passing, the purpose of this film was driven home for me. So many people shared their memories and appreciation for Dad. It warmed my heart and solidified our intentions for this project. We want Dad’s education and enthusiasm for comedy to continue. Sophia, my partner in this adventure, and I jumped in and got back to work. We began the process of starting over.
But March 8, 2023 brought another halt not only to production but to my world. On that morning I woke to find Sophia, who not only is my business partner but also my niece…and the joy of my life, had passed away very suddenly during the night. At that moment everything stopped.
Dad’s passing was tough but expected. Sophia, not so much. She had her life ahead of her and just the day before we had made plans for the future of The Comedy Writing Guru. She was excited about it. She had so much potential. Her love, sense of humor, caring spirit will be with me always and she will continue to be a part of every aspect of this project
So now the Comedy Writing Guru has two angels overseeing it. Talk about pressure. It’s time to move forward and once again…start over.
Many of you have asked how you can help. Right now our main focus is funding. We are raising the money needed in order to maintain control. I want to tell the story Dad would be proud of with an emphasis on teaching and encouraging others. That was so important to Dad.
Ways you can help
Wristbands. Dad hand a mantra. He used it to sign books and it was his philosophy in life…”Keep Laughing.” We put this saying on a wristband to serve as an everyday reminder for us and help spread Gene’s ideology. The wristbands are $3.25 and can be purchased here.
Garage Sale. We are holding a virtual, ongoing garage sale where the proceeds go to the Documentary Fund. We have all kinds of items that are going for a steal. New and “gently used” books, jewelry, accessories, collectibles, just to name a few. If you’d like to see what we have available just email us at Info@comedywritingguru.com and we’ll forward the current list to you. Check back often as the list is always changing!
Donations. No amount is too small and every penny we receive is appreciated. Donations are accepted by check or by Venmo at @PerretInk.
Money is not the only form of support we can use.
Sign up for this newsletter. The more support we can demonstrate for this project, the easier it will be to get the assistance we need to complete it. There’s no cost and we will keep you updated on what’s happening.
Follow us on social media. There are many opinions about social media but like it or not, it does have an influence. In seeking funds and distribution, as well as many other aspects, numbers matter. Comedy writing is a niche market and we have to demonstrate that there’s interest. So if you are on social media, please take a moment to follow us.
- Twitter – @WritComedy and @JokeCrafters
- Facebook – Comedy Writing Guru
- Instagram – @comedywritingguru
Maybe most important, the best way to help is by offering…
Your Encouragement. If Gene touched your life and helped you out in any way, let us know. We’d love to hear it. Tell us your story, send us a picture or two if you have them or just forward along a note of encouragement. Also, if there is a specific aspect you’d like to see included in the story, let us know. Your support is the motivation we need to tackle this project.
So as Phyllis Diller said, “Onward and Upward.”
