Could President Zelensky's Comedy Career Save the Ukraine?

Many people have expressed amazement at the fact that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was a comedian before becoming president of the Ukraine. But most of the people who are amazed by his earlier career know nothing of the traits or skills necessary for a successful life in humor or comedy.

I, by contrast, do.

My first job after college was writing funny greeting cards for American Greetings in Cleveland; Then, after moving to Los Angeles, I wrote for “The Monkees” for two years (winning an Emmy Award); And later, drawing on my background as a preacher’s kid, I wrote “THE GOOD BOOK…of Bible Cartoons” (with drawings by Sherman Labby). It became a best-seller.

So I am well acquainted with the hazards and requirements that go along with a life in humor or comedy. And my belief is that Zelensky’s background in comedy actually gives him a tremendous advantage in the current Ukrainian crisis. Here’s why:

If you go into most traditional fields, like law or medicine, there is a groundswell of support for you, and there is a high expectation for your success. “That is a good field;” “You’ll probably do very well;” ”You’ve chosen wisely.” These are common comments one hears when embarking on a traditional field or occupation.

But if you go into comedy, you get a completely different response. When people find out what you’re doing, they’ll tell you you’re completely nuts. (And they may be right!)

The road to success in comedy or humor is filled with pitfalls. And if you do stand-up comedy, as Zelensky did in his early years, you have to deal with a battalion of hecklers.

Audiences don’t make it easy for comedy people. They laugh from time to time, but the laughs can be very hard won. So, to survive in comedy, after you’ve been knocked down so many times, you have to have tremendous inner strength and commitment.

This is why I believe that Zelensky’s background in comedy, far from being a detriment, is a tremendous advantage in helping him deal with the current Ukrainian crisis.

Zelensky’s background in comedy also gives him another tremendous advantage in dealing with the Russian invasion.

Thomas Friedman wrote in The New York Times on February 27: “We have never seen anything like this before. It is a new kind of war, a wired war.” It is the first war where many of the combatants have cell phones and where much of the fighting is fully visible to everyone everywhere. The only way the Ukrainians can hold their own is by being constantly innovative.

President Zelensky’s comedy background proves again to be a huge advantage.

Dr. Jennifer Aaker and Dr. Naomi Bagdonas, of the Stanford University Graduate School of business have been doing extensive research into the relationship between humor and innovation. They have found that people who excel at innovative thinking almost always have a very strong and well-developed sense of humor. The evidence indicates that President Zelensky has the humor requirements to be the strong innovator he needs to be.

Dr.s Aaker and Bagdonas have also written a book for the general public, Humor, Seriously. It provides tools to help the rest of us—noncomedians—learn how to use our natural sense of humor to become more innovative in all the different areas of our lives.

To return to the original question, “Could President Zelensky’s Comedy career save the Ukraine?” I believe the answer is a strong “Yes!” The strength of will and spirit President Zelensky developed during his comedy years and the tremendous innovative ability he also developed during that time may well help to propel the Ukrainian cause to victory.

Let us hope and pray so!

© David Evans