Garry Shandling's NDE

"I had a car accident when I was twenty-seven in which I was nearly killed. I had a vivid near-death experience that involved a voice asking, "Do you want to continue leading Garry Shandling's life?" Without thinking, I said, "Yes." Since then, I've been stuck living in the physical world while knowing, without a doubt, that there's something much more meaningful within it all. That realization is what drives my life and work." 
Garry Shandling

Garry Shandling from his Esquire article

Garry had a classic near death experience. He was asked if he wanted to come back and live the life he'd signed up for. Luckily for us, for comedy, he said yes. (If you don't know about NDE's I recommend checking out Iands.org, or watching David Bennett's account of his NDE which will be featured this week on the "God" Show with Morgan Freeman.)

Question is "who asked him the question, "do you want to return?" Turns out a number of people answer that question in my books "It's a Wonderful Afterlife" (1 & 2) Many people who've had NDEs claim we have spiritual guides who keep an eye on us at all times, and Garry appears to have met his. Its a profound experience, and nat geo will cover one example with Morgan Freeman and David Bennett in their "God" show. 

When you experience the reality that this isn't the only stage in the theater, that we choose to perform on this stage, it shifts the paradigm. If its true we choose our lifetimes, doesnt it make sense to leave behind fresh air, water and food for our return? 

And if someone is clever enough, find a way to reconnect us to our old comedy files?

From his article at Esquire:

"I'm more handsome than I act.

You're born a heterosexual. It's not a choice. Who would choose this? The guilt, the shame...and do you think I'm happy having to hire a decorator?

Call me old-school, but I miss the cold war.

Men who betray women also betray other men. Women shouldn't feel so special.

There's a good chance that if you're talking to me when I'm snoring, it means I'm bored.

Gossip is a sin.

I started boxing for exercise, and on the very first day, the trainer got in the ring with me and said, "Whoever controls the breathing in the ring controls the fight." I immediately passed out.

I had a car accident when I was twenty-seven in which I was nearly killed. I had a vivid near-death experience that involved a voice asking, "Do you want to continue leading Garry Shandling's life?" Without thinking, I said, "Yes." Since then, I've been stuck living in the physical world while knowing, without a doubt, that there's something much more meaningful within it all. That realization is what drives my life and work.

Dating a professional actress is tough. Especially if you're up for the same part.

Love is not enough to save a relationship.

My mother did the best she could. Sorry.

Dogs are not people. Be leery of any woman who refers to her dogs as her "kids," because you'll only end up paying for their schooling.

I remember when I was a struggling comic appearing for the first time in Las Vegas. Don Rickles came in to watch the new guy. Afterward, he came backstage, and I asked him if he thought I was funny. He said, "You know when you're funny. You don't have to ask." And he was right.

Smoothies might be fattening. Especially the ones made with frozen yogurt and gin.

Dr. Phil is hiding something. Otherwise, why wouldn't he use his last name?

Everyone at a party is uncomfortable. Knowing that makes me more comfortable.

Nice guys finish first. If you don't know that, then you don't know where the finish line is.

The best television series ever is probably The Twilight Zone.

Some people can fake it their whole lives.

I never listen to the audiotapes of my shrink sessions because the audience is usually so bad, I can't tell which jokes work and which ones don't.

Tom Hanks seems to know exactly what he's doing.

I once saw an elaborate landscape in a gallery, drawn in pencil, that took my breath away. Then I realized the artist probably didn't have enough confidence to use a pen.

A woman once asked me to autograph her T-shirt right across the chest. It only occurred to me later that she may have recognized me.

Nothing can succeed and last without teamwork.

I was anxious and depressed ahead of my time. I didn't need 9/11 to realize that in life, anything can happen. I've been on a state of alert since high school. Code plaid.

Impermanence. Impermanence. Impermanence.

Intellect without heart scares me.

Buddha didn't get married because his wife would have said, "What, are you going to sit around like that all day?"

The problem with the Pledge of Allegiance isn't the "God" part. It's the "pledge" part. Does a child know what kind of commitment he's making, and to whom, and at what cost?


I'll never agree to make another list like this one."

Garry Shandling RIP

http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/garry-shandling-its-great-that-garry-shandling-is-still-alive

Click on link for Jerry Seinfeld's interview with Garry - "It's great that Garry Shandling is Still Alive"

"The pair also chatted about death, particularly those of fellow comedians Robin Williams and David Brenner, and the legacy of their work. Shandling said material “is purely a vehicle for you to express your spirit. And your soul, and your being” before expressing in his droll way what he'd want his end to be like. “What I want at my funeral is an actual boxing referee to do a count. And at 5 just wave it off and say, ‘He's not getting up,'” Shandling said." (From the LA Times)


Not gone. Just not here. Up by the count of 6, but looking down at the fellow still on the mat. "To get up or not to get up, that's the question." I made him laugh loudly once, can't remember what i said to him, he looked at me with that twinkle and asked "are you a comedian?" "I wish" i said. As we know; Dying is easy, comedy is hard.

There's a wonderful moment in the "Coffee with Comedians in Car" episode linked above. 

Jerry talks about David Brenner's passing and laments "think of all that work that went into his humor, and it's just gone." And Garry says "It's why your on the planet... expressing your spirit through your comedy." Jerry says "And that's it?" And Garry says ""That's it, there's nothing more." This is a Buddhist concept, which relates to the idea that we "don't exist" at leasty theoretically. That we're always in transition, always changing. I would agree with Garry, but then we'd both be wrong. Here's why: 

In this research I've done regarding the Flipside: A Tourist's Guide On How To Navigate the Afterlife, people claim that we choose our lifetimes. Further, they claim that we do so in order to learn lessons, or teach others. (Thousands of cases, via Dr. Helen Wambach, Dr. Michael Newton, and my own filming of 25 people under hypnosis, some who've had near death experiences as outline in "It's a Wonderful Afterlife: Further Adventures in the Flipside Vol 1)" And this is where it gets right to the heart of this discussion. "Why would anyone choose a lifetime of standing up in front of people and telling jokes?" Well - the jokes aren't for the comedian, they're for the people hearing them.

As I heard during filming one of these "between life sessions." "Laughter is a healing energy, and the quickest way to change someone's disposition. Tears work the same, but they require catharsis." The person crafting the laughs, is just like a doctor, or a surgeon, using his or her craft to heal people. They guffaw, they laugh so hard they cry, they double over - and for that brief moment they are outside of time - they are outside of themselves, not thinking or suffering or worrying about where they are or where they are going. It's the most Zen concept there is - How can I effectively alter someone's path or journey in small doses? Through laughter.

And if what these thousands of people say is true, then Garry has left the stage, but he may not have left the theater. And indeed those he feels the closest to, energetically will be hearing from him now and in the future. "That's so odd! I felt as if Garry just made that joke in my ear." Because once we're off stage - once we're outside of the time zone where the stage exists - we're free to do and experience anything we'd like to. It's not my opinion or belief this to be the case, I'm merely the person who is writing down what I here, transcribing what I've filmed, and reporting what they say. Like it, don't like it - doesn't matter. It is what it is, or in this case "is what it once was and will choose to be in the future." 

"What will Garry come back as?" Important to remember we have the choice to return or not - but if he does, and when he does, sounds like boxing might be one occupation he'd enjoy. And he'd be a helluva competitor. My two cents.

Here's something to enjoy - zen comedy with Garry Shandling.  It exists unto itself.  An hour with Charlie Rose in 1998...