I had found an excellent deal: airplane and hotel for 2 nights at P4,200.00. My friends said this was a really good one. Never mind if it’s Air Asia, never mind if you can’t pick the flight schedules, or that the late night flight was delayed twice. I arrived at the hotel at about 2 am. Good, Cebu Grab is efficient: got a ride immediately.

I didn’t expect much from the hotel. I picked one close to the city center. Within a 15-min walking distance from ALLSon’s Inn on Gen. Echavez are several malls, including the Ayala Center Cebu, the Archbishop’s palace, and some schools like the University of San Carlos. (That’s a mosque over there). I decided the room smelled like my dad’s pomade, but it was clean; the room. Only one channel was working on the TV, and I was far from the router. But reception and food were OK. The al fresco 6th floor dining area was a pleasant of surprise. Great for working. And for writing blogs.

A good place to disappear, all amenities intact. Let’s be clear: I love nature. But I also love human nature especially: love for work, for malls, and for sometimes resting in some place absolutely no one knows where you are. Then to meet up with some great friends to spend a day in conversation, coffee and lunch. We had cocktails at the new Lasa Resto in Busay, more coffee, ending with supper at the High Blood Station in Mabolo famous for its chicharon bulaklak and other dishes to pop your arteries. I ended the day with a movie on Youtube, Er Ist Wieder Da, “Look Who’s Back”, a 2015 comedy about Adolf Hitler waking up in 2014 to a Germany that quickly finds him hilarious and charming, while he makes some serious observations about modern society.

I will be clear. Though I detest his politics and philosophy, I think Hitler was and remains the greatest orator of modern times. Through will power, cunning, and speech he turned Germany from a devastated loser of a first world war into the engine of a second. I have always wondered what the world would have been like if Hitler had retained his skills but dumped his beliefs. That’s hard: oratorical and political success is driven by belief. But it is also conditioned by circumstances.

I love the way Oliver Masucci portrayed Hitler. Hitler is quirky — he shoots a little dog dead — but he’s highly perceptive, convincing, and charming. Couldn’t have done what he actually did without skill and intelligence. If the premise had been true, Hitler would be the equivalent of a misunderstood but vital part of modern society: the truth teller, represented by the Court Jester.

Also known as fools or “mad men”, jesters were entertainers and comedic performers who played a distinctive role in the medieval courts of Europe. Their primary function was to amuse and entertain, but they often served additional roles and functions within the court.

Jesters were skilled entertainers who used humor, wit, and physical comedy to entertain the court. They would perform a variety of acts, including juggling, acrobatics, storytelling, singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments. They typically dressed in distinctive and colorful attire, often adorned with bells, baubles, and other attention-grabbing decorations. Their eccentric clothing and appearance were part of their performance, and they were easily recognizable by their outfits. Their performances were meant to provide amusement and diversion to the nobility, especially during banquets and gatherings.

They used humor and satire to comment on the social and political issues of their time. They could speak candidly about matters that others in the court might be afraid to address directly. Through humor and satire, they could provide veiled criticism or commentary on the actions and decisions of their rulers.

Paradoxically, court jesters were sometimes seen as sources of wisdom and insight. Their humorous and unconventional perspectives on life could serve as a foil to the seriousness of the court, offering a different way of viewing the world. Some rulers valued their jesters’ counsel precisely because it was unconventional and could offer unique insights.

Despite their often sharp wit and ability to critique, jesters enjoyed a special status in medieval courts. They were usually exempt from the rigid social norms and protocols that governed the behavior of other courtiers. This allowed them to speak more freely, though they still had to be cautious not to go too far in their jests.

The presence of jesters provided psychological relief to the nobility. Court life could be highly formal and stressful, with political intrigues and power struggles. Jesters offered a release valve for tension and stress through their humor and antics.

Harsh truths don’t need to be bitter. And mental health could use a court jester’s gifts. Truth and humor will set you free.

Here’s a trailer of one of my favorite movies of all time, The Court Jester (1955): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt37TRvU_Mw

I could watch Look Who’s Back (and The Court Jester) over and over again if only to analyze HItler’s method. I look forward to an appropriate occasion to start a speech with 3 minutes of just gazing at the audience and letting them simmer in their unease. A clip of that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vupzqjo1QrA. The man doesn’t even shake the host’s hand.

“Witzigman doesn’t understand the power of silence; he feared it…I let the air flow into my lungs…and give the silence…a sound.”

“Adolf Hitler” (Oliver Masucci, in Look Who’s Back, 2015)

Silence, a potent force often overlooked. In a pause understanding is born, connections deepened. Silence carries the power to mend wounds, amplify emotions, and convey truths more profound than words can ever express. In solitude and amidst the noise of the world silence is a potent tool that speaks volumes without uttering a single sound.

(Cebu, 230906)