<p>When we’re exhausted, overworked, or just going through a difficult time, our instinct is often to put our heads down and simply focus on getting through it. But those serious moments may actually be when we benefit from a little silliness and absurdity the most.</p> <p>Laurie explores the science of humor with comedian Chris Duffy, host of <a href="https://www.ted.com/series/how_to_be_a_better_human" data-airgap-id="11"><em>How to Be a Better Human</em></a> and author of the new book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Humor-Me-Laughing-Creative-Connected/dp/0385550685/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.U6HrxtasiMFZl-Z8JpvC98-94qqVPQxzDb1VXcL9M7c5fOf8zZymTWg4Ho9yt1DN61us9x3oJOKQZ-CZihLcYkuI_BPtrdfGsFxEvhBMxPxogkgDNQgbOtwX_8cVAYCJ6rSn8vNI00MprtJAtYwbmgRZ6Y_QTp3X0oPUZnZvQ-0_EDP7n8ppTAQr37-fm7jsjK9NCkipTdeBHsFJhqH49GkO7NS-mWGkhuzdAmJ8GBk.oaCFX_taW-dAU0X5qIcS8OKtkzyMnSnn5hsEywsoskM&dib_tag=se&hvadid=695427272296&hvdev=c&hvexpln=67&hvlocphy=9004400&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=7308670348439723714--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=7308670348439723714&hvtargid=kwd-2292458302549&hydadcr=15932_13557701&keywords=humor+me+book&mcid=0e7af600ef7237fc84b0f35efebc1931&qid=1790173396&sr=8-1" data-airgap-id="12"><em>Humor Me: How Laughing More Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy</em></a>. Chris shares what he’s learned about how to find humor in almost any situation — and how embracing the funny can improve our wellbeing in surprising ways.</p> <p><strong>Experts Mentioned:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1J3UhISUl9UK8gGzbTCvQ7c6BCRLiBsSjPF-JLMDGyWo/edit" data-airgap-id="13">Chris Duffy</a>, comedian, author, and host of <a href="https://www.ted.com/series/how_to_be_a_better_human" data-airgap-id="14"><em>How to Be a Better Human</em></a></li> <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/02/books/eb-white-essayist-and-stylist-dies.html" data-airgap-id="15"><em>E. B. White</em></a><em>, writer and essayist </em></li> <li><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mimi-Tse" data-airgap-id="16"><em>Mimi M.Y. Tse</em></a><em>, Assistant Professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University</em></li> <li><a href="https://www.rossgay.net/about" data-airgap-id="17"><em>Ross Gay</em></a><em>, poet, essayist, and Professor of English at Indiana University </em></li> <li><a href="https://annierau.com/" data-airgap-id="18"><em>Annie Rauwerda</em></a><em>, creator of “</em><a href="https://www.depthsofwiki.com/" data-airgap-id="19"><em>Depths of Wikipedia</em></a><em>”</em></li> <li><a href="https://aparnacomedy.com/" data-airgap-id="20">Aparna Nancherla</a>, comedian and author</li> <li><a href="https://comm.ucla.edu/person/greg-bryant-2/" data-airgap-id="21">Greg Bryant</a>, Professor of Communication at UCLA</li> <li><a href="https://www.adammastroianni.com/" data-airgap-id="22">Adam Mastroianni</a>, experimental psychologist and author</li> </ul> <p><strong>Resources Mentioned:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Humor-Me-Laughing-Creative-Connected/dp/0385550685/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.U6HrxtasiMFZl-Z8JpvC98-94qqVPQxzDb1VXcL9M7c5fOf8zZymTWg4Ho9yt1DN61us9x3oJOKQZ-CZihLcYkuI_BPtrdfGsFxEvhBMxPxogkgDNQgbOtwX_8cVAYCJ6rSn8vNI00MprtJAtYwbmgRZ6Y_QTp3X0oPUZnZvQ-0_EDP7n8ppTAQr37-fm7jsjK9NCkipTdeBHsFJhqH49GkO7NS-mWGkhuzdAmJ8GBk.oaCFX_taW-dAU0X5qIcS8OKtkzyMnSnn5hsEywsoskM&dib_tag=se&hvadid=695427272296&hvdev=c&hvexpln=67&hvlocphy=9004400&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=7308670348439723714--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=7308670348439723714&hvtargid=kwd-2292458302549&hydadcr=15932_13557701&keywords=humor+me+book&mcid=0e7af600ef7237fc84b0f35efebc1931&qid=1790173396&sr=8-1" data-airgap-id="23"><em>Humor Me: How Laughing More Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy</em></a><em>, by Chris Duffy (2026)</em></li> <li><a href="https://www.ted.com/series/how_to_be_a_better_human" data-airgap-id="24"><em>How to Be a Better Human</em></a>, TED podcast hosted by Chris Duffy</li> <li>“<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749597817306325?via%3Dihub" data-airgap-id="25">The impression management benefits of humorous self-disclosures: How humor influences perceptions of veracity</a>,” by T. Bradford Bitterly and Maurice Schweitzer (<em>Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes</em>, 2019)</li> <li>“<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/BF03342263" data-airgap-id="26">The effect of a pratfall on increasing interpersonal attractiveness</a>,” by Elliot Aronson, Ben Willerman, and Joanne Floyd (<em>Human Learning and Thinking</em>, 1966)</li> <li>“<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21151506/" data-airgap-id="27">Humor Therapy: Relieving Chronic Pain and Enhancing Happiness for Older Adults</a>,” Mimi Tse, Anna Lo, Tracy Cheng, Eva Chan, Annie Chan, and Helena Chung (<em>Journal of Aging Research</em>, 2010)</li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1616207922?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback" data-airgap-id="28"><em>The Book of Delights: Essays</em></a>, by Ross Gay (2019)</li> <li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38023177/?_ssoLoop=1" data-airgap-id="29"><em>Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching</em></a>, directed by Owen Reiser (2025)</li> <li>“<a href="https://www.depthsofwiki.com/" data-airgap-id="30">Depths of Wikipedia</a>”</li> <li>“<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34618536/" data-airgap-id="31">Hello, stranger? Pleasant conversations are preceded by concerns about starting one</a>,” by Juliana Schroeder, Donald Lyons, and Nicholas Epley (<em>Journal of Experimental Psychology: General</em>, 2022) </li> <li>“<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30044711/" data-airgap-id="32">The Perception of Spontaneous and Volitional Laughter Across 21 Societies</a>,” by Greg Bryant et al. (<em>Psychological Science</em>, 2018)</li> <li>“<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18301756/" data-airgap-id="33">Neural substrates of spontaneous musical performance: an FMRI study of jazz improvisation</a>,” by Charles Limb and Allen Braun (<em>PLoS One</em>, 2008)</li> <li>“<a href="https://www.experimental-history.com/p/good-conversations-have-lots-of-doorknobs" data-airgap-id="34">Good conversations have lots of doorknobs</a>,” by Adam Mastroianni (<em>Experimental History</em>, 2022)</li> </ul> <p><strong>Related Episodes:</strong></p> <ul> <li>“<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/laurie-gets-a-fun-tervention-part-one" data-airgap-id="35">Laurie Gets a Fun-tervention (Part One)</a>”</li> <li>“<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/the-surprising-case-for-oversharing" data-airgap-id="36">The Surprising Case for Oversharing</a>”</li> <li>“<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/how-to-embrace-imperfection" data-airgap-id="37">How To Embrace Imperfection</a>”</li> </ul><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>
