COLUMBUS, OHIO: I’m happy to be home, in Hilliard, since Monday. Making remarkable progress since surgery July 15. I appreciate all the notes, calls, cards, emails, and support.

In case you are wondering, nothing yet from President Trump. He’s been in Scotland selling our oil and gas to the European Union countries while playing golf. But he could have asked the Vice-President to drop in. I thought his main job is to attend funerals, county fairs, and keep tabs on recovering comedians.

Last week I dabbled in the subject of satire. One simple definition of satire is: “the art of making someone look ridiculous, raising laughter in order to embarrass or discredit.” I think that’s a narrow, one-sided view of satire.

I prefer the Will Rogers version of satire. In preparing satirical commentary, will the “target” of the satire laugh or at least smile?

Here are three quotes that could serve as a guide for anyone writing and delivering satire:

“I have often said in answer to inquiries as to how I got away with kidding some of our public men, that it was because I liked all of them personally, and that if there was no malice in your heart there could be none in your ‘Gags.’”  WA #392, June 29, 1930

“The first thing is the remark you make must be founded on facts. You can exaggerate and make it ridiculous, but it must have the plain facts in it. Then you will hear the audience say: ‘Well, that’s pretty near right.’” How To Be Funny, July 1917

“I don’t think I ever hurt any man’s feelings by my little gags. I know I never willfully did it. When I have to do that to make a living I will quit. I may not have always said just what they would have liked me to say but they knew it was meant in good nature. I never go to Detroit that I don’t spend an entire day out with Henry Ford and I don’t suppose there is a man living, barring the owners, that have told any more jokes on him than I have.” The Illiterate Digest, 1920