How would you poke fun at workplace norms, demotivating leaders, and most importantly, yourselves?

Many leaders scoff at the idea of getting their teams together to create content rooted in irreverence, but PDQ.com did just that (3 times, actually) with tongue-in-cheek documentary-style videos on their website. Where most companies post self-inflating videos about how awesome it is to work there, PDQ.com takes the opposite route, while somehow proving that it's a place where you CAN laugh at work.

Co-founder Shawn Anderson joins the podcast to talk about these videos, the value of irreverence in leadership, creating content for HUMANS, and his "Grandpa Story" that asks the question "Do you cartwheel into work AND backflip out?"

Check out the mockumentary videos below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezZg3ZC_-5g&t=316s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7HKpgT42Ew

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl63Vz9Lo3U

Learn more about PDQ.com at... well... pdq.com

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

You Can't Laugh At Work was started as part of David's mission to prove that having a sense of humor is not only nice to have, it's crucial, so he invites leaders of top workplaces to share their stories of disruption, failure, and thinking outside the box to prove that with the right culture, you CAN laugh at work.

Support the podcast and our guests by visiting watercoolercomedy.org/podcast and purchasing an album, book, or your own podcasting equipment

Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod and become a Patron for exclusive access to bonus content.

Follow us on social media for updates, clips, and comedy tips:

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thedavidhorning

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

Inspired by a freak incident involving his daughter, a cancer scare, and Sour Patch Kids, Rod Reasen founded Springbuk, a company that helps other companies prevent disease with data. Through radical people-first acts like honesty (gasp!), recognition (shock!), and natural curiosity (wha-??), Indianapolis-based Springbuk has built a culture of innovation that incorporates the elements of humor in unexpected ways.

There's a reason they're consistently on top workplace lists, and it's because they've proven time and again that you CAN laugh at work.

Find out more about Springbuk: https://springbuk.com

Follow them on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/springbuk/

Follow Rod on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodreasen/

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

You Can't Laugh At Work was started as part of David's mission to prove that having a sense of humor is not only nice to have, it's crucial, so he invites leaders of top workplaces to share their stories of disruption, failure, and thinking outside the box to prove that with the right culture, you CAN laugh at work.

Support the podcast and our guests by visiting watercoolercomedy.org/podcast and purchasing an album, book, or your own podcasting equipment

Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod and become a Patron for exclusive access to bonus content.

Follow us on social media for updates, clips, and comedy tips:

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thedavidhorning

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

Recorded live at the 14th annual Cleveland Comedy Festival.

In this episode:

-Tim Cornett takes on curse words (From Episode 2 with Dave Flynt)

-Dave Flynt sets his sights on suicide (From Episode 10 with Joe Graham)

-Ryley Nezballa approaches assassinations (From Episode 26 with Tim Cornett)

-Joe Graham wrangles relationships (From Episode 4 with John Armstrong)

-Brett Thomas comes for Catholic priests (From Episode 12 with Ryley Nezballa)

-John Armstrong deals with death (From Episode 7 with Brett Thomas)

Listen to Episode 2, Curse Words, with Dave Flynt: https://bit.ly/2ZWEOUC

Follow Dave on IG: https://instagram.com/daveflynt

Listen to Episode 4, Relationships with John Armstrong: https://bit.ly/3pxIrsK

Follow John on IG: https://instagram.com/johnarmstrongcomedy

Listen to episode 7, Death, with Brett Thomas: https://bit.ly/3IhbA4h

Follow Brett on IG: https://instagram.com/brettthomas1896

Listen to Episode 10, Suicide, with Joe Graham: https://bit.ly/3DoL8BX

Follow Joe on IG: https://instagram.com/joesdumbjokes

Listen to Episode 12, Catholic Priests, with Ryley Nezballa: https://bit.ly/3IkVQgD

Follow Ryley on IG: https://instagram.com/ryleyjohnphilip

Follow Ryley on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RJP_comedy

Listen to Episode 26, Assassinations, with Tim Cornett: https://bit.ly/3lBUwvY

Follow Tim on IG: https://instagram.com/timcornettusa

Follow Tim on Twitter: https://twitter.com/timcornettusa

Support our podcast and gain access to hours of bonus footage from most of our episodes at https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on IG: https://instagram.com/thedavidhorning

Follow David on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@horningallthetime?

Follow David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thedavidhorning

Follow Steve on Twitter: https://twitter.com/merscomedy

Follow Steve on Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevemers

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: Producedbyzip

Comedian Andrew Rudick joins us to prove that, even if it's one with whom you agree, you CAN laugh at politicians.

In this episode, we discuss:

-Andrew’s bit about politicians on his album, “A Well-Behaved Young Man.”

-Why Andrew approached the topic in the first place.

-Level-setting with the audience before approaching political material.

-Turning fear of politicians into funny.

-Being hard to joke about politics if you have rigid beliefs.

-Getting in your own head and overthinking onstage.

-Reading a room without catering your material to the audience.

-The incongruity of dealing with comedy being both art and entertainment.

And more!

Learn more about Andrew at https://andrewrudick.com

Follow Andrew on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewjrudick/

Follow Andrew on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndrewRudick

Get Andrew's album: https://music.amazon.com/albums/B09FS1KT2D?

Support our podcast and gain access to hours of bonus footage from most of our episodes at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter & Instagram: @thedavidhorning

Follow David on TikTok: @horningallthetime

Follow Steve on Twitter: @merscomedy

Follow Steve on Instagram: @stevemers

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio - goldenoxstudio.com

Music: Producedbyzip

Sports are integral to the fabric of our society, but there are some fans who take it too far. Comedian Jessica Keenan (HBO, Netflix) joins us to discuss the humor that's built into sports fandom, her perspective of how passionate her husband is about sports, and how sports can impact our relationships, all while proving that you CAN laugh at sports fans.

In this episode, we talk about:

-Dating men that happen to be really into sports.

-Writing about the things that annoy you.

-Starting a bit by introducing conflict to create tension with the audience.

-Jessica’s writing process.

-Thinking about sports as a religion.

-Fantasy football.

-Taking the risk of letting the audience deliver a punchline for you.

-Growing up with sports.

-Holiday traditions centered around the guys watching football.

-Leaving people out of conversations by talking sports.

-Superfans.

-Getting violent over sports.

And More!!!

Learn more about Jessica at jkeenancomedy.com

Follow Jessica on Instagram & Twitter: @jkeenancomedy

Support our podcast and gain access to hours of bonus footage from most of our episodes at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter & Instagram: @thedavidhorning

Follow David on TikTok: @horningallthetime

Follow Steve on Twitter: @merscomedy

Follow Steve on Instagram: @stevemers

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio - goldenoxstudio.com

Music: Producedbyzip

What is it that makes this company's culture so special?

Tara Blythe (VP Of Talent, Strategy, And Communications) and Darcy Herlihy (Communications Specialist) share how InfoTech is a family (no eye-roll), how they've been able to create a safe space for human conversations, and how they've broken down barriers across all levels of the company.

On this episode, Tara, Darcy, and I talk about the qualities that great leaders and great comedians share, proving that you CAN laugh at work.

We chat about:

-Having a message about WHO Infotech is and being proud to be a great workplace.

-Figuratively building bridges while literally building bridges.

-Boiling down what they do to keeping the promises they’ve made to their people.

-How Infotech is actually a family, rather than that being a platitude.

-Creating space to have human, personal conversations, and the barriers they’ve overcome by approaching it from a place of vulnerability.

-Having open dialogue at company-wide town halls.

-How Tara would approach a new CEO resistant to the people-first culture Infotech has built.

-What challenges are ahead for Infotech.

-Hackathon and the last time the team laughed together.

-The unique, human way Infotech breaks down silos.

And more!

Find out more about Infotech: infotechinc.com

Follow them on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/infotech-inc/

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

You Can't Laugh At Work was started as part of David's mission to prove that having a sense of humor is not only nice to have, it's crucial, so he invites leaders of top workplaces to share their stories of disruption, failure, and thinking outside the box to prove that with the right culture, you CAN laugh at work.

Support the podcast and our guests by visiting watercoolercomedy.org/podcast and purchasing an album, book, or your own podcasting equipment

Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod and become a Patron for exclusive access to bonus content.

Follow us on social media for updates, clips, and comedy tips:

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thedavidhorning

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

Storytelling in comedy is obvious, but it’s an often overlooked aspect of leadership.

What stories are you telling yourself as a leader? What stories are you communicating with your team?

ARE you communicating with your team?

On the inverse: what stories are your employees telling themselves about their work? Your leadership?

On this episode, Lindsey and I talk about the qualities that great leaders and great comedians share, proving that you CAN laugh at work.

We chat about:

-Using creativity through storytelling.

-Teaching creativity by reducing employees’ fear and being genuinely curious.

-The north star of creating a place of work where people enjoy the work they do and the people they do it with, and using transparency and trust to build that togetherness.

-Balancing managing the business while keeping it people-over-profit.

-Creativity as figuring out how to pivot and present ideas in new ways.

-Overcoming creativity roadblocks.

-Knowing when and when not to trust people for feedback.

-When high performers are no longer a cultural fit.

-Building a culture where people matter.

-And more!

Find out more about BLASTmedia: blastmedia.com

Follow them on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blastmedia/

And on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BLASTmedia

Listen to Lindsey's podcast, SaaS Half Full: https://saashalffull.com

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

You Can't Laugh At Work was started as part of David's mission to prove that having a sense of humor is not only nice to have, it's crucial, so he invites leaders of top workplaces to share their stories of disruption, failure, and thinking outside the box to prove that with the right culture, you CAN laugh at work.

Support the podcast and our guests by visiting watercoolercomedy.org/podcast and purchasing an album, book, or your own podcasting equipment

Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod and become a Patron for exclusive access to bonus content.

Follow us on social media for updates, clips, and comedy tips:

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thedavidhorning

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

Instead of asking the simple binary questions that everyone else is asking like "Is it offensive or not?" "Should Dave be 'cancelled?'" "Is it funny or not?" we address it from a nuanced angle of curiosity about Dave Chappelle the man, the joke writing, the topic of trans rights, the societal constructs that limit these kinds of conversations and more.

Support our podcast and gain access to hours of bonus footage from most of our episodes at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter & Instagram: @thedavidhorning

Follow John Armstrong on Instagram: @johnarmstrongcomedy

Follow Steve on Twitter: @merscomedy

Follow Steve on IG: @stevemers

Follow Gheramy on Twitter: @demerygheramy

Follow Gheramy on Instagram: @gheramy_demery

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio - goldenoxstudio.com

Music: Producedbyzip

Before we start a new chapter in this podcast, browse through the 101 episodes we DO have, find a topic that connects with you on some level, give it a listen, and get to work finding the opportunities to laugh that surround you.

Support our podcast and gain access to hours of bonus footage from most of our episodes at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter & Instagram: @thedavidhorning

Follow Steve on Twitter: @merscomedy

Follow Steve on IG: @stevemers

Follow Gheramy on Twitter: @demerygheramy

Follow Gheramy on Instagram: @gheramy_demery

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio - goldenoxstudio.com

Music: Producedbyzip

Robert Herzog, the founder and CEO of ZogSports, isn't a comedian, but LIKE a comedian, he was able to take a massive tragedy, discover his why, and then transform that into a company that brings joy to countless organizations from tech companies to law firms.

Though not a traditional punchline, Robert's discovery has led to many laughs in workplaces all over the country through team sports and team building.

In this episode, we talk about Robert's surviving of 9/11 and how it inspired his life's work, how the pandemic has led to massive growth, and how having a clear grasp of your why can drive your success in the face of adversity, uncertainty, and even tragedy.

We also discuss:

-Redefining play in the realm of doing your job.

-Ideas to facilitate connection at work through something as simple as a conversation prompt.

-Using your core values as a starting point for creating positive energy for coworkers and clients.

-Gauging an applicant's fit through a less formal interview process focused on connection, communication, and play.

-The importance of knowing your why in turning bad luck into positive returns.

And more!!!

Find out more about ZogSports: zogsports.com

Find out more about ZogCulture: zogculture.com

Follow them on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zogculture/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/zogsports/

And on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZogSports

Follow Robert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-herzog-994615/

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

You Can't Laugh At Work was started as part of David's mission to prove that having a sense of humor is not only nice to have, it's crucial, so he invites leaders of top workplaces to share their stories of disruption, failure, and thinking outside the box to prove that with the right culture, you CAN laugh at work.

Support the podcast and our guests by visiting https://watercoolercomedy.org/podcast and purchasing an album, book, or your own podcasting equipment

Visit https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod and become a Patron for exclusive access to bonus content.

Follow us on social media for updates, clips, and comedy tips:

https://twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

https://facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Reframe Retention And Create A Killer Culture Webinar Sign-Up: https://watercoolercomedy.org/whatsakiller

Follow David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thedavidhorning

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

There is a push and pull between fear and acceptance that exists when discussing death, but when it's discussed within a non-threatening context, a conversation about death can turn lighthearted and hilarious.

We also talk about:

-Steve’s new credit.

-Approbation Constante; Matt’s album title.

-Matt’s bit proving you CAN laugh at the obituaries.

-Why older people enjoy reading the obituaries so much.

-Honest obituaries.

-Adding a fun framework to make a dark premise more approachable.

-Print newspaper.

-The impersonal cliches of most obituaries.

-When an obituary doesn’t match the reality.

-Writing our own obituaries.

-The perfect age to die.

-Finding humor in the word ‘obituary’ itself.

-The word ‘slaughter’

-The afterlife.

-Dying while performing.

- Putting a memorial in the spot where someone dies vs. where they loved going.

-Diving deeper into fears and what makes us uncomfortable instead of avoiding it.

-Being buried alive.

And more!

Buy Matt's album, Approbation Constante: https://music.apple.com/us/album/approbation-constante/1565172412

Learn more about Matt at mattbergmancomedy.com

Follow Matt on Instagram & Twitter: @bergmancomedy

Support our podcast and gain access to hours of bonus footage from most of our episodes at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter & Instagram: @thedavidhorning

Follow Gheramy on Twitter: @demerygheramy

Follow Gheramy on Instagram: @gheramy_demery

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio - goldenoxstudio.com

Music: Producedbyzip

The birthmark on Chloe's face is an obvious distinguishing feature, so she has multiple hilarious bits about the awkward way she dealt with it as a kid, the things she can't do because of it, and why she knows what it's like to be a supermodel.

We also talk about:

-How stand-up experience could help improv, rather than the other way around.

-Chloe’s history in speech and debate impacting her stand-up.

-Addressing her birthmark at the beginning of a set and if it’s starting to get tiresome.

-Getting catcalled.

-Chloe’s bit about the naïve way she countered being called “a freak” as a kid.

-Being a specific brand of nerd in high school.

-Getting a laugh on a joke that isn’t done yet.

-The inauthenticity of manufacturing body language and intonation onstage.

-Dealing with being so recognizable because of a distinguishable facial feature.

-Chloe’s perfect response to trolling comments on TikTok.

-The mean comments that DO get to Chloe.

-Why people are mean on the internet.

-Releasing the tension by saying the thing that is unsaid.

-The phoniness of false confidence.

And more!

Learn more about Chloe at chloeradcliffe.com

Follow Chloe on Instagram & Twitter: @chloebadcliffe

Support our podcast and gain access to hours of bonus footage from most of our episodes at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter & Instagram: @thedavidhorning

Follow Gheramy on Twitter: @demerygheramy

Follow Gheramy on Instagram: @gheramy_demery

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio - goldenoxstudio.com

Music: Producedbyzip

No politics, no murders, no toxicity.

And that's exactly the kind of culture that co-founder Ryan Heafy has built (murders at work tend to do a number on morale).

In this episode, we talk about disrupting the media and how that impacts the culture of 6AM City, how his company has maintained a low turnover rate, and how they're managing with massive amounts of sudden growth.

In fact, it was announced the day of our conversation that they were selected as one of the country's Best And Brightest Places To Work, which is proof that if you want to build a company like 6AM City, you CAN laugh at work.

Oh, and did I mention they're hiring?

In this episode, we talk about:

-How 6AM City is disrupting the doom and gloom style reporting of traditional media.

-How focusing on uplifting stories has impacted the culture at 6AM City.

-The secret to retaining nearly 100% of your staff.

-The fun ways you can use Slack to communicate, contribute ideas, and feel connected even if they’re working remotely.

-Making space and time to really listen to employees.

-Learning to build a top workplace culture by watching other people fail.

-Building credibility by owning up to mistakes.

-When a poop emoji goes wrong and being able to laugh.

-Managing exponential growth.

-The types of applicants 6AM City is looking for.

And more!!!

Find out more about 6AM City: 6amcity.com

Apply to work for 6AM City: 6amcity.com/jobs

Follow them on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/6am-city/

And on Twitter: https://twitter.com/6amcity

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

You Can't Laugh At Work was started as part of David's mission to prove that having a sense of humor is not only nice to have, it's crucial, so he invites leaders of top workplaces to share their stories of disruption, failure, and thinking outside the box to prove that with the right culture, you CAN laugh at work.

Support the podcast and our guests by visiting watercoolercomedy.org/podcast and purchasing an album, book, or your own podcasting equipment

Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod and become a Patron for exclusive access to bonus content.

Follow us on social media for updates, clips, and comedy tips:

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thedavidhorning

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

We also talk about:

-Moving to New York with 6 years of comedy experience and a JFL credit.

-Brian’s decision to release his album on Election Day 2020.

-Brian’s bit about his Italian dad.

-Doing the bit in liberal and conservative rooms.

-When a joke distracts from a bit.

-Dads sleeping during movies.

-Getting touchy about Italian pride.

-Gheramy’s theory as to why Italian immigrants are more widely accepted than Mexican immigrants.

-Humanizing instead of painting immigrants with broad strokes.

-Brian’s bit about the meaning behind a classic American folk song.

-When an audience member falls asleep and has night terrors during your album recording.

-Finding the balance of framing a bit around making a point and hitting punchlines.

-Being honest vs. telling the truth onstage.

-Forcing jokes just to be edgy.

And more!

Learn more about Brian at brianparise.com

Follow Brian on Instagram & Twitter: @parisecomedy

Get Brian's album: https://amzn.to/3A6UCkH

Support our podcast and gain access to hours of bonus footage, including 10 extra minutes from this episode at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter & Instagram: @thedavidhorning

Follow Gheramy on Twitter: @demerygheramy

Follow Gheramy on Instagram: @gheramy_demery

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio - goldenoxstudio.com

Music: Producedbyzip

David even finds a joke, albeit simple, in his current situation by the end of the episode.

We discuss:

-The irony interwoven in anti-vaccine/anti-mask arguments.

-Lack of nuance in COVID discussions.

-Empathy as an evolutionary technique, and how lack of empathy has led to many of today’s conflict.

-The powerful reframing act of questioning beliefs.

-Why conservatives and liberals think differently.

-The limited worldview of the theocratic mindset.

-Making the shift from making judgments to asking questions.

-Using the scientific method as the joke writing process.

-Mind hacks that can trick our brains into performing better.

-The fallacy of coming to a solution.

-And more!

Support our podcast and gain access to hours of bonus footage at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter & Instagram: @thedavidhorning

Follow Steve on Twitter: @merscomedy

Follow Steve on Instagram: @stevemers

Follow Gheramy on Twitter: @DemeryGheramy

Follow Gheramy on Instagram: @gheramy_demery

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio - goldenoxstudio.com

Music: Producedbyzip

Joking about white people has been a recently touchy topic, whether it's being offended by the comedian's perspective, it feels unfair, or it's perceived as hack, there is definitely a wrong way to approach the topic.

Sohrab proves that there are so many right ways you CAN laugh at that.

In this episode, we talk about:

-Moving to the US from Iran as a kid.

-The endless fountain of funny that is white people behavior.

-When white people make jokes about other cultures without doing any research.

-How tonality and intent can turn an edgy joke into something more palatable for audiences.

-Sohrab’s bit about white people recorded at The Laugh Factory in Chicago.

-Discovering new jokes through riffing at shows, vs. at open mics.

-White people’s obsession with their dogs.

-The meaninglessness of pride in genealogy.

-Storytelling.

-A trick to disarm a white audience before telling white people jokes.

-A secret for winning a crowd over when a consistently killer joke doesn’t work.

-LaCroix, lacrosse, and LaCoste

-Comics challenging Sohrab’s white people jokes.

-Fake crowd work.

-Doing new jokes vs. getting bored with old material.

-Sohrab’s 2 thematic rules in stand-up.

-Working silliness into a bit about race as a disarming technique.

-The importance of doing research to improve your stand-up.

-When people approach you about not liking your jokes.

And more!

Learn more about Sohrab at sohrabisbrown.com

Follow Sohrab on Instagram & Twitter: @sohrabisbrown

Subscribe to Sohrab's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKD86zu2lgWrGtXZH0v9EnQ

Support our podcast and gain access to hours of bonus footage at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter & Instagram: @thedavidhorning

Follow Steve on Twitter: @merscomedy

Follow Steve on Instagram: @stevemers

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio - goldenoxstudio.com

Music: Producedbyzip

Enter Vinnie Fisher, CEO of Fully Accountable, a fast growing outsourced accounting and finance firm based out of Fairlawn, Ohio, who lives up to the name he's given his company. From owning mistakes and failures, (including the closing of an 8-figure company), to upholding company values, to making sure any wisecracks are delivered at the right time with the right intent, Vinnie's leadership has made Fully Accountable a top-rated workplace, including being recognized in the Inc. 5000.

Looking at their continued success and rapid growth, if there were ever doubt that it's okay to laugh at yourself as a CEO, Fully Accountable is proof that you CAN laugh at work.

Find out more about Fully Accountable: fullyaccountable.com

Follow them on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fully-accountable/

And on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FullyAccount

Follow Vinnie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinniefisher/

And on Twitter: https://twitter.com/VinnieFisher

Get Vinnie's book, "The CEO's Mindset: How To Break Through To The Next Level:" https://amzn.to/3gqLzTQ

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

Support the podcast and our guests by visiting watercoolercomedy.org/podcast and purchasing an album, book, or your own podcasting equipment

Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod and become a Patron for exclusive access to bonus content.

Follow us on social media for updates, clips, and comedy tips:

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thedavidhorning

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

On this episode, Franqi French joins to prove you CAN laugh at white women (mostly the Jens), Alex Avery proves you CAN laugh at one-liners (and self-discovery), and Connor Meade proves you CAN laugh at being bi-curious (and the fears that arise from self-discovery).

We also talk about:

-Franqi French’s start in comedy.

-The art of NOT writing and remembering.

-Franqi’s psycho white friend Jennifer Beaver.

-White girl wasted vs. black girl up for work

-Creating a mental picture for the audience in just one sentence.

-Franqi’s worst bomb.

-Opening with 30 minutes of new material.

-Franqi’s parents meeting Jeffrey Dahmer’s parents on a plane.

-Alex Avery starting as a one-liner comedian.

-Jim Gaffigan being a one-liner comic.

-Growing into the acceptance of being dumb.

-Falling into the trap of impersonating well-known comics.

-Balancing building connection with the audience or getting to the funny part more quickly.

-Connor Meade’s bit on being bi-curious.

-Overcoming fears through the use of humor.

And MORE!!!

Learn more about Franqi at franqifrench.com

Follow Franqi on IG & Twitter: @FranqiFrench

Follow Alex on IG & Twitter: @AlexSavoryJokes

Follow Connor on IG & Twitter: @connormeadian

Check Out Connor's podcast, Each Other's Mothers: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80YjBkMzJlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwj4jsbunLfyAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg&hl=en

Support our podcast and gain access to hours of bonus footage at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Brought to you by Golden Ox Studio - goldenoxstudio.com

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Embracing patience while still being a disruptor.

Being openly manipulative to build a great workplace culture.

Upon first look, these things feel like they'd be detrimental to a growing company, but at web-based marketing software company Feathr, they're a key cog in the growth.

CEO Aleks Levental joins David to discuss Feathr's mindset and culture, as well as his approach to leadership that isn't all too different from the way a great comedian approaches their audience with an edgy topic: meeting them where they are, making sure the messaging connects without ruffling feathers too much, and being openly self-deprecating.

Looking at Feathr's success and growth is proof that you CAN laugh at work.

Find out more about Feathr: feathr.co

Follow them on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/feathr/

And on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Feathr

Follow Aleks on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alevental/

And on Twitter: https://twitter.com/alevental

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

Support the podcast and our guests by visiting watercoolercomedy.org/podcast and purchasing an album, book, or your own podcasting equipment

Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod and become a Patron for exclusive access to bonus content.

Follow us on social media for updates, clips, and comedy tips:

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on IG and Twitter: @THEdavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

Do you hate when other people run consistently late?

It's stressful, it's annoying, it's rude, but could it also be... funny?

Comedian Sam Evans has a bit on his album, Sweet Baby Boy, that proves when you're running late, you can laugh at that.

In this episode, which IS getting released on time, we talk about:

-Hustle culture.

-Existential angst that comes from being late.

-Being late for work.

-Excuses to justify lateness.

-Having a favorite part of a joke when you can FEEL the audience connect with it.

-The pain points of being late: embarrassment, letting people down, self-identity, ego

-Using an old stand-up clip for being late.

-The time David was 5 hours late for work.

-Steve’s job where he CAN’T be late.

-The motive behind self-identifying as a piece of shit.

-Leaning into the freedom of being late for work.

-The 4-day work week.

-A world where being late for work for positive reasons.

-Simone Biles and calling off for mental health.

-If Jess Bezos is self-aware enough to know that the world hates him.

-What Sam would do if he's ever met with an audience offended by his bit about being late.

-And more!!!

Learn more about Sam at reallysamevans.com

Buy Sam's album, Sweet Baby Boy: https://amzn.to/3ykMs7l

Follow Sam on social media:

Instagram & Twitter: @reallysamevans

Support our podcast and gain access to hours of bonus footage at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Not only is Southern Energy innovative in their technology as they continue their mission of pushing for a cleaner world, but Bob's leadership style is innovative in the way he frames himself as "the boss:" someone willing to openly share mistakes, just as much as he's willing to share victories.

Bob's nuanced approach to leading his people isn't all too different from the way a great comedian approaches their audience: looking to meet them where they are, build a connection, and run forward as they disrupt the energy industry with a workplace culture that proves you CAN laugh at work.

Find out more about Southern Energy Management: southern-energy.com

Follow them on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/southern-energy-management/

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

Support the podcast and our guests by visiting watercoolercomedy.org/podcast and purchasing an album, book, or your own podcasting equipment

Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod and become a Patron for exclusive access to bonus content.

Follow us on social media for updates, clips, and comedy tips:

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on IG and Twitter: @THEdavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

Instead of breaking down a bit by a guest and discussing why it's funny, we listen to and exchange notes on one of David's bits he's been working out at open mics.

Even though comedy is a solo act, sometimes getting insights, questions, and tags from fellow comics can lead to breakthroughs, and it's a fun process to see play out, so we thought we'd share it with you.

Do Steve and Gheramy even like the bit? Can David learn from Jarret Berenstein's appearance on the podcast and make a joke about being a sex offender funny?

Listen in and find out!

Support our podcast and gain access to bonus footage from nearly every episode at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Listen to an episode you liked and you want to support our guest? Buy their album at watercoolercomedy.org/podcast

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on Instagram and Twitter: @thedavidhorning

Follow Steve on Instagram (@stevemers) and Twitter (@merscomedy)

Follow Gheramy on Instagram and Twitter: @gheramy_demery

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Though this episode explores what's funny about the religious ceremonies and stories that have indoctrinated (and killed) millions over the centuries, we have to be able to question the societal and social stories that have been drilled into our heads since we were kids too.

It's hard to question the identities we've build around these stories, but the moment you start to take a step back, it's hard not to laugh about the double standards and silliness that exist just under the surface.

Sometimes all it takes is a good baptism joke to do it.

In this episode, we also talk about:

-Making boring topics dark.

-How Bill’s baptism bit is funny first to distract from the controversial stance he's taking.

-Boring old ceremonies like graduations, weddings, and baptisms.

-Adding your own flavor to traditional ceremonies.

-The origin of many major religious ceremonies and traditions.

-Relating Mormonism to mainstream Christian religion.

-Thrusting the responsibility of choosing a religion and baptism on 8 year-olds.

-The dark story behind why many faiths baptize babies.

-The fear of sinning as a kid.

-Not having the answers, but having to have AN answer.

-Astrology.

-New ceremonies and traditions on social media.

-Joking about generational differences.

-The Good Samaritan.

-Using reasoning and critical thinking to challenge pre-conditioned beliefs.

-Having a counterpoint of not liking science.

-Starting a religion.

-Questioning and challenging your conditioning instead of questioning and challenging the questioning and challenging in order to improve the conditioning for the next generation.

And more!!!

Learn more about Bill at billsquire.com

Buy Bill's new album, Bam Bam: https://amzn.to/3hMiLG9

Listen to The Bill Squire Show: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1248-the-bill-squire-show-63493488/

Follow Bill on social media:

Instagram & Twitter: @billsquire

Support our podcast and gain access to 6 minutes of bonus footage from this episode at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Listen to an episode you liked and you want to support our guest? Buy their album at watercoolercomedy.org/podcast

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Travis' approach to leadership isn't all too different from a comedian's approach to the way they approach the world: in a nuanced and curious fashion. This is just one reason why Travis helps us prove that you CAN laugh at work.

Follow Travis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-bohnert-4a3aaa2/

Learn more about Travis: travisterrell.live

Find out more about Soundstripe: soundstripe.com

Follow them on Twiter: @SoundstripeApp

Follow them on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/soundstripe/

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

Support the podcast and our guests by visiting watercoolercomedy.org/podcast and purchasing an album, book, or your own podcasting equipment

Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod and become a Patron for exclusive access to bonus content.

Follow us on social media for updates, clips, and comedy tips:

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on IG and Twitter: @THEdavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

His fresh perspective on the greatest generation, and old people in general, challenges our perceptions on their sensitivity to jokes about them and proves that you CAN laugh at the elderly.

We also talk about:

-Why The Rad Dudecast ended.

-Anthony’s new podcast, “Baseball Times” with Ken Burns.

-Canceling or leaning into "ageist" jokes.

-Where SNL lacks in diversity.

-Why people are resistant to laughing about the elderly.

-The benefit of having older voices in writers rooms.

-Old audiences that are fun jaded.

-Anthony’s bit about his grandmother from his album “Dream Occupation.”

-Fear of death and resistance to talking about it.

-The unfair expectation of holding the elderly to modern societal standards.

-Being able to hide the point of a bit.

-Loving your characters, even if the goal is for the audience to turn on them.

-Closing bits with platitudes, clichés, and quotes to disrupt the audience’s pattern detection.

-The fun you can have with a bit once you have the thesis down.

-Giving the audience breadcrumbs to get to big punchlines.

-Using simplicity to introduce characters while still giving the audience enough information to create an image.

-Taking creative liberties to make yourself part of the story you’re describing.

-And more!!!

Learn more about Anthony at anthonydevitocomedy.com

Buy Anthony's album: https://amzn.to/36eoTkc

Listen to Anthony's podcast (RIP), "The Rad Dudecast:" https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVRLD8Bp9aIPnDDVWTxiOMA

Follow Anthony on social media:

Instagram: @comediananthonydevito

Twitter: @anthonydevito_

Support our podcast and gain access to 14 minutes of bonus footage from this episode at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

To support our guests, you can buy their albums at watercoolercomedy.org/podcast

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Whether they blame you for the problem, keep you waiting for an unreasonable amount of time, or end up in your apartment without a head's up, having a bad landlord can make you feel powerless... so you've just got to laugh.

Sarah Tollemache once had a landlord like this, and not only has she found the funny in the frustration, she turned it into a hilarious bit that proves you CAN laugh at that.

Even on the first of the month.

In this episode, we talk about:

-If doing Zoom shows is worth it.

-The bit from Sarah’s album, Voluptuous Boy, about her landlord.

-Comparing living in New York City to camping.

-Sarah’s writing process.

-Thinking of jokes about inappropriate situations, like when Sarah joked about the Challenger disaster at 8 years old.

-Using humor and heightening a situation when you feel powerless.

-Turning microaggressions into material.

-Developing some empathy for the things landlords have to deal with.

-Making the unreasonable characters in your bits likable to punch up the humor.

-The difficulties of finding a place in New York and moving.

-Driving pet peeves.

-Paying rent on time.

-Landlords cutting corners when fixing little things like light switches and hot and plumbing.

-Mice.

-Weird roommates.

-Joke placement.

-Dealing with technical difficulties.

-The necessity of conflict for growth.

-Writing what you feel.

-The savages who flush their tampons.

-And more!!!

Learn more about Sarah at sarahtcomedy.com

Buy Sarah's album: https://amzn.to/3qLpmDK

Listen to Sarah's podcast, "Vadge:" https://soundcloud.com/vadge78

Follow Sarah on social media:

Facebook: facebook.com/ComedianSarahTollemache

Instagram: @stollemache

TikTok: @stollemache

Twitter: @stollemache

Support our podcast and gain access to 16 minutes of bonus footage from this episode at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

To support our guests, you can buy their albums at watercoolercomedy.org/podcast

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Comedy is about releasing the tension caused by these things with a laugh, because laughter can point these incongruities out in a non-threatening way, and connect people with differing opinions.

Comedian Andre D. Thompson (Tonight Show, Stand Up NBC) joins us to prove that you CAN laugh at that, but in doing so, you can bridge the gap between human beings by breaking our complex society down to its most basic human level.

In this episode, we talk about:

-Andre’s appreciation for music and admiration for rap.

-The secret side effect of the vaccine: rappers lose their flow.

-The power of different groups of people laughing together.

“In order to laugh, you gotta let go. That’s the only way to let laughter happen.”

-People trying to put on an image of cleanliness, resisting a dirty universe.

-The evolution of comedy away from being jokey toward questioning societal constructs.

-Georgia’s voter suppression bill restricting the handing out of water.

-Intentional food deserts and myth of “convenience.”

-Societal overcomplication of nutrition.

-The War On Drugs and the absurd amount of resources put into distributing cocaine and crack in certain neighborhoods instead of books, health food, or even an enlightening mind altering substance like LSD, shrooms, or weed.

-Andre’s bit about not having healthy food in his neighborhood.

-Feeling what you’re saying onstage, choosing words that fit the feeling, and getting that idea across to the audience.

-Addressing the audience when a joke doesn’t work.

-Boiling down conversations to a purely human level.

-The unwritten agreement of going to a comedy show.

-Finding humor in the conflict between the cops and black people.

-A potato chip metaphor about the incongruities and ironies of existence.

And more!!!

Learn more about Andre at andredthompson.com

Listen to Andre's podcast, "Slouch Theory:" https://www.authenticpodcastnetwork.com/ourpodcasts/slouch-theory

Follow Andre on social media:

Instagram: @andredthompson

Twitter: @andredthompson

Support our podcast and gain access to 16 minutes of bonus footage from this episode at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

To support our guests, you can buy their albums at watercoolercomedy.org/podcast

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

The growth of Innovatis Group can be attributed to Victor's leadership, as he has fostered a culture where his team can feel like owners, be creative, fail, learn, grow, and have fun doing it. Uncertainty is a daunting unknown that can paralyze, but Victor encourages his team to stay mentally and strategically sharp by demanding the instability that comes with trying new things - no different from the anxiety that comes when a comedian tries a new joke.

Victor's values and actions making Innovatis Group a Top Workplace two years running proves that you CAN laugh at work.

In this episode, we talk about:

-What separates Innovatis from competitors.

-Bringing people together to form a sense of community through two-way dialogue.

-Making the big seem small.

-Belief in the power of the collective experience, knowledge, and power of an organization or community.

-How employee behavior drives engagement strategy.

-Demanding instability in the environment to stay mentally and strategically sharp through the trust and support of the team.

-Incorporating fun into instability.

-How fun ends up being work when incorporating it into a virtual setting.

-The question of engagement as the organization grows – how many dogs in the office is too many?

-How a very serious Zoom meeting turned silly.

-Laughter as an outcome of creating a culture of engagement and joy.

-Turning fear of uncertainty into momentum.

And more!!!

Follow Victor on social media

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-bohnert-4a3aaa2/

Twitter: @victorbohnert

Find out more about Innovatis Group: innovatisgroup.com

Follow them on Twiter: @innovatisgroup

Follow them on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovatisgroup

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

Support the podcast and our guests by visiting watercoolercomedy.org/podcast and purchasing an album, book, or your own podcasting equipment

Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod and become a Patron for exclusive access to bonus content.

Follow us on social media for updates, clips, and comedy tips:

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on IG and Twitter: @THEdavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

Comedian Caitlin Peluffo joins the podcast to help us prove that you CAN laugh at the gender norms that, in some cases can cause lifelong trauma. Not only is Caitlin comfortable with the fact that she's "softball skinny" and not the stereotypical woman propagated in cosmetic ads, she owns it.

In this episode, we talk about:

-Why Caitlin chose New York over LA.

-Caitlin’s onstage energy and experience on Colbert.

-Being critical of old footage.

-Caitlin’s bit that subverts gender expectations.

-Aiming for practicality over being pretty.

-Growing up with being handy and playing sports.

-Getting an “aww” from the audience when talking about being confident in her body type.

-Pay disparity in men’s vs. women’s soccer.

-Being comfortable being yourself and all of the discomfort on the way there.

-Getting corn rows.

-Being called a beast at sports.

-Not having a set writing process.

-How to be present and think on your feet onstage, even when you’re having a panic attack.

-Connecting with a lower energy audience as a high energy comedian.

-Strength being more powerful than beauty.

-Being self-deprecating while being self-aware and self-confident.

-Calling out men’s low standards.

-Why we break down humor on the podcast.

And more!!!

Learn more about Caitlin at caitlinpeluffo.com

Listen to Caitlin's podcast, "Good Time Gal:" https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-time-gal-with-caitlin-peluffo/id1506844357

Follow Caitlin on social media:

Instagram: @caitlinpeluffo

Twitter: @caitlinpeluffo

Support our podcast and check out bonus episode footage at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

To support our guests, you can buy their albums at watercoolercomedy.org/podcast

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

afCBGhpoOsENayjsebNl

Comedian Sammy Obeid (Conan, says yes and proves it with a bit about the Israel-Palestine conflict that went viral earlier this year. According to Sammy, not only can anything be funny, but some of the skills that make an effective comedian can even be used to bring people together to solve differences.

In this episode, we talk about:

-Starting comedy by doing characters.

-Sammy’s viral bit on the Israel-Palestinian conflict to an organization with an anti-Palestinian bias.

-Connecting with an audience that doesn’t agree with you.

-The importance of our brains’ pattern detection to connecting with the audience.

-Having fun with building tension in a room.

-Using the perspective of a child to reveal humor in a complex premise.

-9/11, the American media’s portrayal of Palestinians, and its impact on Sammy’s identity.

-Why more Americans have recently developed a sympathy to the Palestinian plight.

-The role comedy could play in geopolitical relationships and building arguments.

-What comedians do that modern politicians can’t.

-Not letting the silence and judgment of a group who disagrees with your point derail your set.

-How to connect the humor in a touchy topic with a wide audience.

-Wrapping your personal experience around a topic as a way to approach any touchy topic.

And more!!!

Learn more about Sammy at sammyko.com

Buy Sammy's album, Orjanic: https://amzn.to/3cEjTbX

Follow Sammy on social media:

Instagram: @sammyobeid

Twitter: @sammyobeid

Support our podcast and gain access to bonus footage at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

To support our guests, you can buy their albums at watercoolercomedy.org/podcast

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Lynda is not your typical HR professional, as she has leaned into the fact that she doesn't take herself too seriously, which has transformed the HR function at PBS West into one that cultivates happiness, creativity, and connection between employees. From her off-the-wall "FriYAY" updates, to outside-of-the-box virtual contests, to kickass potlucks, Lynda has truly contributed to a culture that proves you CAN laugh at work.

In this episode, we talk about:

-The culture of adulting Lynda has created and what it means.

-Getting her coworkers to reframe HR to “happy resources” by filling the role of spreading positivity.

-Inspiring employees to be comfortable sharing their ideas by cultivating relationships starting from the interview.

-Translating this culture and relationship cultivation to a virtual stage upon the onset of COVID.

-Lynda’s ideas for Friyay updates to keep people engaged virtually.

-Keeping the culture fun in a virtual setting.

-A renewed focus on mental health.

-To keep the camera on or off?

-The opportunities created by transitioning to a remote work environment.

And more!!!

Follow Lynda on social media

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndamurdock/

Find out more about Professional Billing Services West: pbswest.com

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

https://you-cant-laugh-at-that.captiv...​

patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on IG and Twitter: @THEdavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

We won't get into the science of questioning our own beliefs and values that it provides, but we DO invite comedian Neko White (TruTV, MTV2, Vice News) onto the podcast to share his bit that challenges the fixed beliefs of a popular social movement by asking the question, "What if it was you?"

This episode dives into the societal constructs of speaking up inside of an echo chamber, why laughing releases us from the stresses of always-or-never thinking, and exploring the gray area of a world pretending to be black or white, proving you CAN laugh at having your beliefs challenged.

In this episode, we talk about:

-How one of his teachers inspired Neko to start comedy at such a young age.

-Neko’s bit about a conversation he had regarding the “Believe All Women” movement.

-The lack of meaningful dialogue between conflicting perspectives around the #MeToo Movement.

-The limitations of believing something 100% of the time.

-How comedy plays in the gray areas of a black and white-focused world.

-Intention behind jokes.

-Being forced into taking a side, when life isn't that simple.

-The rhythm of stand-up and being unconsciously influenced by hip hop.

-Personifying the audience in stories and jokes so that if they laugh, they’re laughing at themselves.

-Embellishing stories to raise the tension.

-Using your voice as an instrument.

-Running shows with the intent of supporting the comics.

-Neko’s writing process.

-The subjectivity of people based on what they take away from hearing a bit or joke.

-The media agitating fear and conflict within people.

And more!!!

Watch Neko's special, Dark Out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZJVEEjJ7E0

Buy Neko's album, Marscellus: https://amzn.to/3uQLz3O

Follow Neko on social media:

Instagram: @nekowhite93

Twitter: @neko_white93

Clubhouse: @nekowhite

Support our podcast and gain access to bonus footage at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

To support our guests, you can buy their albums at watercoolercomedy.org/podcast

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

And yes, you CAN laugh at that.

Comedy is about creating a connection with an audience, and in a sense, sex is all about connection with a partner, but what happens when it doesn't go according to plan?

In our exploration of the seemingly limited topic of role playing, we dive into the importance of commitment in comedy - especially in act-outs - and connection with your audience. In addition, we also talk about:

-Finding out the Easter Bunny isn’t real.

-Going from roast battles to Wild N Out.

-Roasting the crowd.

-Maddy’s podcast, “That Time Of The Week.”

-Secretly starting comedy, just in case it doesn't go well.

-When trying a new style of joke works and how energizing that can be.

-Maddy’s bit on role playing with her boyfriend.

-Going beyond the obvious joke.

-Spoon-feeding crowds vs. trusting them to put the joke together.

-The mistakes that can come from assessing an audience before getting onstage.

-The common (and lazy) way comics turn the crowd against the performers.

-When act-outs don’t get momentum with the crowd.

-Committing to the bit without over-committing.

-David’s role-playing fantasy.

-Consuming comedy as a comedian.

-The toxicity of social media.

-When it’s okay to read new material onstage.

And more!!!

Support our podcast and gain access to bonus footage at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

To support our guests, you can buy their albums at watercoolercomedy.org/podcast

Follow Maddy on Social Media:

Twitter: @somaddysmith

Instagram: @somaddysmith

To learn more about Maddy and listen to her podcast, "That Time Of The WEEK," visit her website: maddysmithcomedy.com

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Not only is it okay to laugh, laughing about our shame can bring about the change we need to put it in the past.

Joining this episode of the podcast is NYC comedian Jay Welch, to share how he found the funny in his fast food habit and the shame he felt in justifying his choices, turning it into a hilarious bit that we break down in this episode. Jay's insights into joke writing really broke down why it's okay to laugh at our shame -- in this case, food shame.

Comics: get out your pens. There's a lot of good joke writing tips in this one.

We also talk about:

-Why Jay quit doing roasts.

-Working local references into a joke.

-Using hunter/gatherer skills while living in a city.

-Adding funny wrinkles into longer setups.

-The psychological edge joking about yourself gives you with an audience.

-Racial power dynamics in comedy.

-Seasonal jokes.

-If eating ice cream in the winter is acceptable.

-Being self-conscious about what you eat and finding the humor in the compulsion.

-Leaving breadcrumbs so the audience shares the powerful experience of everyone getting the joke at the same time.

-Stock lines that get laughs in conversation at parties.

-The art of showing instead of telling.

-Why some people can’t find the funny in their food shame.

-Finding the funny in rationalizing bad habits and lying to ourselves to ease the tension of cognitive dissonance.

-The potential consequences of trying a new joke on Twitter.

And more!!!

Support our podcast and gain access to bonus footage at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow Jay on Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/welchjay

Instagram: https://instagram.com/welchjay

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Comedian and host of the Kill Tony Podcast, Tony Hinchcliffe, found himself in hot water after video surfaced of him using a racial slur and several stereotypes when referring to Chinese comedian Peng Dang immediately after taking the mic from Dang onstage at the Vulcan Gas Company in Austin. Instead of our scheduled episode, we decided to devote a special episode to consider the situation from multiple angles, and ask:

What didn't work? Why? What could've worked? How could everyone have handled the situation better?

We also talk about:

-Why Tony's jabs at Peng Dang and Chinese culture created an uproar.

-Trying to find the funny in culturally insensitive riffing.

-Playing devil's advocate.

-Poking holes in outrage.

-How words unintentionally empower action.

-If Peng should've reached out to Tony personally before posting the infamous clip.

-Examples of equally cringeworthy and hilarious social commentary from people like Sacha Baron Cohen and Eric Andre.

-How nuance is conditioned out of people and replace by thinking in absolutes.

-Far right comedians profiting off of ignorance.

-And more!

Support our podcast and gain access to bonus footage at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Support our guests by purchasing their albums and books: https://watercoolercomedy.org/podcast

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Genevieve Rice of the Bird City Comedy Festival joins us to share her experiences with miscarriage, how she discovered the funny and laughed to cope with the situation, and how she has made audiences laugh at a situation where most of the time, mum's the word.

It turns out, you CAN laugh at having a miscarriage, and there's more than one way to do it.

In this episode, we talk about:

Genevieve’s Golden Girls podcast, “Thank You For Being A Podcast.”

Having to cancel the 2020 Bird City Comedy Festival.

The blessing and curse of having a good first open mic experience.

Being a woman in comedy in 2008 vs. today.

Why the world needs comedy.

Reasons why people aren’t more open about having miscarriages.

What inspired Genevieve’s miscarriage bit.

Tips and tricks for performing on a virtual show.

Using the English language as a toy onstage.

Pop culture references.

The idea of preferring your child be a certain gender.

Genevieve’s obsession with raccoons.

Elevating the silliness of a bit to soften the impact of the heavier material.

Leaving distance between tragedy and joking about it.

Being attacked for parenting choices by fellow moms on social media.

The parallels between parenting and comedy.

When audience members approach you with unsolicited advice about how you should approach your own experiences.

Performing comedy while pregnant.

Ali Wong’s bit on having a miscarriage.

The psychological side effects of not addressing personal traumas.

And more!

Support our podcast and gain access to bonus footage at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow Genevieve on Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/genevieverice

Instagram: https://instagram.com/genevieverice

Visit Genevieve's website at https://genevieverice.com/

Learn more about The Bird City Comedy Festival at birdcitycomedyfestival.com

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

What intrigued me about Brenda was her background in improvisational comedy and how that came to play at work, but what I found was more than just Yes, and… Brenda asks questions that not only connect her to the other person, but help the other person connect their own ideas to solve problems. Fun fact: when we solve a problem, the same parts of our brain light up as when we get a joke.

In this episode, we talk about:

-Brenda’s theatre and improv background.

-Improv’s impact on working in real estate.

-Taking on different roles to adapt to a client’s personality type.

-4 basic personality types: power, party, peace, perfection.

-Teaching her team the power of questions to develop listening skills.

-The fear of going “off-book.”

-Using questions instead of presenting to train and develop new employees.

-How ‘ninja’ is a verb at Parks Realty.

-Helping team members get clear about their goals and their why by asking questions.

-Brenda’s vision for the future of Parks Realty.

-Learning to overcome perfectionism to laugh at herself.

-And more!

Follow Brenda on social media

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendahines/

Find out more about Parks Realty: parksathome.com

Follow Parks Realty on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parksrealty

Twitter: https://twitter.com/parksathome

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bob-parks-realty/

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

https://you-cant-laugh-at-that.captiv...​

patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on IG and Twitter: @THEdavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

In many cases, it's easy to look back and laugh at the idiotic things we did to be cool or fit in, but for some people, high school is a memory that's best left in the past.

Of course, we found the funny once we found ourselves, and can prove that you CAN laugh at that.

In this episode, we talk about:

-How Cristian’s high school experience led him to comedy.

-Deciding to start in comedy.

-Cristian’s first bomb ruined the show he was on.

-The importance of doing open mics in front of other comics.

-Getting laughs in high school classes.

-When Steve used to hate talking in front of crowds.

-When high school burnouts become successful.

-People projecting their experience onto others.

-Trusting yourself enough to relax and riff.

-Communicating your feelings about the moment to the audience to level-set.

-Laughing off high school traumas in hindsight.

-What happened to the people who peaked in high school.

-Cristian’s bit about his awkward stage in high school.

-Recording an album.

-One of the few moments in stand-up where it’s good that the audience is ahead of you.

-Prom shows.

-Being held accountable for what you said in high school.

-And more!

Support our podcast and gain access to bonus footage at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow Cristian on Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cduranduran

Instagram: https://instagram.com/cristianduransvp

Visit Cristian's website at cristiandurancomedy.com

Support Cristian - buy his album: https://amzn.to/3xEfeQm

Check out Cristian's podcast with Bret Raybould and Nick Whitmer:

https://anchor.fm/ohdear

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

In this episode, we talk about:

-Why nothing is funny on Twitter.

-Tragedy + time = comedy: what are the variables that make laughing at the negative okay?

-Pranav’s start in comedy.

-Being present while delivering a joke for the 9000th time.

-Remembering that comedy is a job.

-The illusion of having fun being drunk onstage.

-The sweeping racial generalizations Pranav has experienced, including his experience with a white supremacist.

-The progression of words in historical spelling bees.

-Pranav’s bit on Indians and spelling bees.

-When an audience wears "comedy Kevlar."

-Making authentic connections across barriers.

-When trying to make a connection goes too far.

-Twitter running things into the ground.

-Why don’t we see a ton of conservative comics?

-And more!

Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access to bonus footage.

Follow Pranav on Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pranahaha

Instagram https://instagram.com/pranahaha

You can check out Pranav's podcast with Usama Siddiquee, Mango Bae, here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy6bxCzM7NDY252Ci7QPDkA

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mango-bae/id1457454653

@yourmangobae on Instagram

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Tammy Rutherford is the managing director of Rustici Software. A Franklin, Tennessee-based eLearning software company that has appeared on Nashville Business Journal's Best Places To Work List for ten years running. How? They work to help their customers and have fun doing it.

But having fun at work when your team is all under one roof is much simpler than translating that fun onto a virtual platform, but Tammy and her team figured it out.

Sure, Tammy is no comedian, but her willingness to pivot based on the environment around her to give her audience (her team) a positive work experience involves some of the same skills that your favorite comics use to connect with the crowd, no matter how messy it may get.

In this episode we talk about:

-Rustici Software’s actual messy 2020.

-Turning a new hire’s first day into an event, and what did (and didn't) work virtually.

-Translating in-person spontaneous fun onto a virtual platform.

-Ideas to keep people engaged and have fun virtually.

-Measuring the success of engagement strategies through feedback.

-Leaning into failing.

-Growth BECAUSE of Covid.

-Learning to adapt to unexpected disruptions.

-The importance of striking up conversations for the sake of striking up conversations.

-The shifts Rustici Software has made to help them achieve their retention goals.

Follow Tammy on social media

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammy-wise-rutherford-932556/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tammyrutherford

Find out more about Rustici Software: rusticisoftware.com

Follow Airship on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rusticisoftware

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rusticisoftware

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rustici-software/

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

https://you-cant-laugh-at-that.captiv...​

patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on IG and Twitter: @THEdavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

56 episodes later, former religion major and comedian Geoffrey Asmus (JFL, "Laughs," LOL Network) joins the podcast to share his revelation that you CAN laugh at that sacred text over 2 billion people around the world have attached themselves to: The Bible.

From the obscure characters, to the absurd rules, and the belief systems based off of the human interpretations of this sacred text, laughing at a book that set the course of history for nearly 2 centuries may seem sacrilegious in itself. At one point, people would be executed for simply questioning the dogma of it. In reality, challenging the fixed beliefs that come with the book by pointing out the absurdities within it and creating new perspective has moved society forward by leaps and bounds, so in this episode, we talk about:

-Getting away with more onstage by visibly having fun.

-Getting a religion degree.

-The Qur’an.

-Going to a Catholic school.

-Geoffrey’s start in stand-up.

-The laziness of comics pontificating against religion onstage.

-Geoffrey’s bit breaking down if Jesus were white.

-The origin of Christianity.

-Red flags when a religion claims to be the only one with THE right answers.

-Geoffrey’s bit about Shamgar, a Bible character who deserves his own book.

-Why people get offended when comics joke about The Bible.

-A trick for connecting an obscure bit with the audience.

-Bible absurdities and obscure rules.

-And more!

Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access to bonus footage.

Visit whitecomedian.com to learn more about Geoffrey.

Follow Geoffrey on Social Media

Twitter: @geoffreyatm

Instagram @geoffreyatm

You can also get Geoffrey's album, The Prodigal Little Bitch, here: https://amzn.to/3giMZjN

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Podchaser link: OTLws079LXAgaosxcn9w

On this episode of the podcast, joke-writing savant and eccentrically hilarious Martin Urbano (Kimmel, Comedy Central, Vulture's Comics To Watch) breaks down how to make the audience "feel something interesting" with his unique delivery of edgy one-liners that weave in and out of edgy topics like pedophilia, Hitler, and murder.

In this episode, we talk about:

-Steve and Martin’s comedic influences.

-Martin’s set from Kimmel.

-Listening to the audience so you can tell what’s too far.

-Following a joke-writing format.

-Martin’s set from Comedy Central.

-Twisting hack premises to turn them into good jokes.

-The importance of educating yourself to be a better comedian.

-Tension and release.

-Why people laugh at edgy jokes.

-The definition of comedy.

And more!!!

Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access to bonus footage.

Visit martinurbanocomedy.com to learn more about Martin.

Follow Martin on Social Media

Twitter: @MartinUrbano

Instagram @MartinUrbanoJr

Check out "Who Wants $2.69?": https://www.planetscum.live/269

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Trent Kocurek is the co-founder and CEO of Airship, a growing Birmingham, Alabama-based app developer that consistently appears on top workplace lists. Though not funny in and of itself, their passion for their people is evident in their creative culture, where they stress the importance of asking questions, connecting in new ways, and laughing at their mistakes as a team. How does Trent support this culture as its leader?

By using some of the same skills as a stand-up comic.

Sure, Trent is no comedian, but his willingness to openly share his mistakes, focus on what he can control, and consider fresh perspectives of problems are part of both a comedic and leadership skillset that is vital to creativity, connection, and collaboration.

In this episode we talk about:

-When to look at the big picture vs. when to tinker and focus on the details.

-Connecting employees with their purpose, even remotely.

-The 3 words Trent would use to describe his mantra over the past year.

-Connecting with the human side of his employees.

-Being "selectively detailed."

-Airship's creative process with clients and the power of asking questions.

-Being comfortable laughing at your own mistakes.

-The innovative way L&D is build into Airship's time.

Follow Trent on social media

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trentkocurek/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/trentkocurek

Find out more about Airship: teamairship.com

Follow Airship on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teamairship

Twitter: https://twitter.com/teamairship

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airship-llc/

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

https://you-cant-laugh-at-that.captiv...​

patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on IG and Twitter: @THEdavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercool...​

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org​

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

Comedian Brendan Sagalow (Sirius XM, MTV, New York's Funniest finalist) joins the podcast to break down his bit on getting "friend zoned" as we poke holes in this stupid defense mechanism to prove that you can DEFINITELY laugh at that.

In this episode, we talk about:

-Learning to deal with rejection.

-Brendan's bit on the ways women "friend zone" guys.

-Side hugs.

-Recording his album outside.

-Our personal rejection stories.

-How badly insecure men handle rejection.

-Forcing friendships with exes.

-Getting "friend zoned" AFTER getting laid.

-Sexual tension power dynamics.

-The toxicity of dating apps.

-Future projecting rejection.

-Taking being funny too far when trying to impress women.

-The standards of joking about exes.

-Comedian Alex Falcone's bit on getting "friend zoned."

-The unfortunate transactional perspective some people have toward relationships.

And more!

Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access to bonus footage.

Visit brendansagalow.com to learn more about Brendan.

Follow on Twitter & Instagram @Brendansagalow

Get Brendan's album, "Not Now More Than Ever:" https://amzn.to/3cLDnvU

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Keynote speaker, corporate comedian, author, and podcaster John Garrett joins the podcast to dispel misconceptions about all things corporate, and proves that you CAN laugh at that.

In this episode, we talk about:

-John’s start in comedy.

-Stories from the road.

-Dealing with hecklers.

-Incorporating your passion into your material to connect with your audience.

-Transitioning to corporate gigs.

-Comparing a corporate show with a Friday late show.

-Working out new material as a speaker or corporate comedian.

-Telling the difference between joke helpers vs. hecklers.

-Bombing at corporate gigs.

-The business side of being a corporate entertainer.

-Tips for making the most out of your experience working a corporate gig.

-Making yourself marketable by writing clean.

-The stigma of clean and corporate comics by some comedians.

-Writing truthfully.

-David’s initial failures doing characters as a corporate speaker.

-Making the transition from stand-up to corporate comedy to becoming a speaker.

-The importance of having friends outside of comedy.

-Translating the finding of your voice as a comic to finding your message as a speaker.

-Learning through stand-up how to deliver a challenging message as a speaker.

-Paralleling comedy with winemaking.

And more!

John Garrett is a nationally recognized speaker and emcee who draws on his condition as a recovering Big Four CPA to deliver messages that hit home with corporate audiences. This professional member of the National Speakers Association is on a mission to shatter the definition of “stereotypical professional” and in the meantime, show organizations how to create a stronger culture that increases engagement and reduces turnover.

John has performed for leading companies ranging from “Big Four” accounting firms to banks and technology companies to professional associations seeking an outside-of-the-box way to engage their audiences.​

Learn more about John: thejohngarrett.com

Follow on Twitter @The_johngarrett

Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejohngarrett/

Get John's book, "What's Your And?" https://amzn.to/3ctrkDe

Listen to John's podcast: https://thejohngarrett.com/podcast/

45 minutes of additional bonus footage with John available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Improve your audio and lighting for Zoom calls and for YOUR podcast and support our guests:

https://watercoolercomedy.org/podcast

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Reid Carr is the founder and CEO of Red Door Interactive, a marketing agency in San Diego and Denver known for its 100% jerk-free culture. Though not funny in and of itself, this cultural cornerstone lays out an expectation of openness, creativity, and trust where employees are free to be themselves and apply what they're best at to their work, without fear of judgment. How does Reid support this culture as its leader?

By using some of the same skills as a stand-up comic.

Sure, Reid is no comedian, but this skillset that is vital to top-notch writing and performing becomes even more crucial when it's used as a leadership tool.

In this episode we talk about:

-The definition of meaning.

-Identifying when an employee isn't connecting meaningfully to his or her work.

-Humanity in the workplace and building trust and connection to retain and inspire employees.

-Adapting creativity for commercial purposes.

-When "Yes, and..." goes too far and how to constructively get creative conversations back on the rails.

-Transparency during crisis.

Follow Reid on social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rdicowboy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reidcarr/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/icowboy

Check out Reid's TED Talk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsuCaYvJeMA

Find out more about Red Door Interactive: reddoor.biz

Follow RDI on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reddoorinteractive/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/reddoor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reddoorinteractive/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/red-door-interactive/

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

https://you-cant-laugh-at-that.captivate.fm

patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Follow David on IG and Twitter: @THEdavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/watercoolerdavid/

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

Though the episode is centered around proving you can laugh at Jewish jokes, we tackle so many other topics that can be applied to that theme. We also discuss:

-Metaphors that lower the stakes.

-Raanan's “offensive to Jews” joke.

-Roald Dahl’s anti-Semitism.

-Interpretations of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.

-The unintentional harm of trigger warnings.

-Intent of a joke or bit.

-Religion serving as a connection to the immortal to make us feel safe or powerful, and the ironic consequences of it.

-The comedy advice that has stuck with Raanan his whole career.

-How specifics can be more relatable than generalizations.

-The fear of being a hack comedian.

-Raanan’s bit on his experience being Jewish.

-Personifying punchlines to connect something unrelatable with certain audiences.

-The fun of using callbacks.

-Switching from screenwriting to stand-up.

-And more!

Raanan has been featured on The Late Late Show With James Corden, comedy festivals across the country, and his album "Downhill Ever Since" is available wherever you get your albums.

Improve your audio and lighting for Zoom calls and for YOUR podcast and support our guests by purchasing their albums:

https://watercoolercomedy.org/podcast

25 minutes of additional bonus footage with Raanan available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Visit raananhershberg.com to learn more about Raanan.

Follow on Twitter & Instagram @Raanancomedy

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Millions of people are out of work, the income gap continues to widen, and a worldwide pandemic rages on, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel: comedy is starting to make a comeback, and with it... getting paid with drink tickets and well wishes.

Comedian Carmen Lagala (The Late Show) joins David and Steve to find the funny in the very real experience of being broke, including perceptions of money hoarders, some of the crafty ways we get by, wasting money, and so much more. Turns out, being broke as a joke isn't as bad when being broke IS a joke since being able to laugh is a step toward doing something about it.

In this episode, we also talk about:

-Starting comedy in Vermont.

-Carmen’s process for getting to the punchline.

-Preparing for her set on The Late Show.

-Dynamics of performing in different sized rooms with different sized audiences.

-If money buys happiness.

-Having panic attacks and overcoming nerves onstage.

-Carmen’s bit about eating at an expensive restaurant.

-Meal hacks if you're broke.

-The difference between poor and broke.

-Dave Chappelle’s bit about poverty mindset.

-Spending money like you have it.

-Sharing tags with fellow comics.

-And more!

Improve your audio, get the Samson Q2U mic:

https://amzn.to/3vqNqO8

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Visit carmenlagala.com to learn more about Carmen.

Follow on Twitter @carmenlagala

Follow on Instagram @carmstagrams

Become a Patron for exclusive access to bonus footage: patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Karen Crone is the CHRO of the 2,000 person HR tech company, and is one leader who is passionate about building stronger connections between all 2,000 people there. From recognition and appreciation, to open communication, to her own outside-of-the-box ideas, Paycor is widely regarded as a great place to work, and much of that has to do with Karen's mantra of living in the future in order to build emotional intelligence for when sudden change and conflict arise.

Though Karen may not be a comedian, this skillset is vital when it comes to writing and performing, but it's even more crucial as a leadership tool.

In this bonus episode, we chat about:

-The analogy of leadership being like performing stand-up comedy.

-Paycor's concept of “Living in the future” to adapt more quickly to change.

-Creating the connective cultural energy of working in the same building while people are working from home.

-The value of bonding over the human condition as part of work.

-Karen’s outside of the box idea to guide her 2,000 people into making connections with one another across hierarchies.

-Recognition and gratitude at Paycor.

-Pushing to keep things moving.

-Making change palatable by reaching out to the people on the front lines.

-And more!

Follow Karen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenlcrone/

Follow Karen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/klcrone

Check out Karen's articles on Forbes:

https://profiles.forbes.com/members/hr/profile/Karen-Crone-CHRO-Paycor-Inc/e1be3e86-2128-4e3d-8652-91498adffba0

Find out more about Paycor: paycor.com

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

Follow David on IG and Twitter: @THEdavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-horning-7b636176/

patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - http://watercoolercomedy.org

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

Whether you're a comedian learning to step up your game, you're interested in what's behind the curtain when it comes to stand-up comedy, or you're interested in learning how to find the humor in a specific topic, there's 50 episodes that prove you CAN laugh at that.

In this episode, we talk about:

-Why Steve even agreed to do the podcast.

-Cursing.

-Tips for starting a podcast.

-Pivoting to virtual.

-The topics we haven’t covered yet.

-The things we’ve learned.

-Body language and confidence.

-Why the Cleveland comedy scene should explode after the pandemic.

-Trans jokes.

-Jokes about the power of words.

-The most important relationship a comedian can have.

-Joking about politics without being political.

-Using humor to cope with addictions.

-Tips for overcoming writer’s block.

-Looking back on 50 episodes.

And more!!!

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Which is why we invited TimeOut NY's Critics' Choice Jarret Berenstein, who has a killer joke about this exact topic. In this episode, we talk about:

-Jarret's novel, "The Kellyanne Conway Technique."

-Megan’s Law.

-Jarret’s bit about the sex offender registry.

-Changing the location of a joke for a stronger punchline.

-Re-framing your life as a sitcom where you're the main character.

-The places we've had sex in public.

-Establishing morality when approaching a controversial topic.

-Developing an onstage persona to get away with certain material.

-The kind of adult who brags about sexual conquests.

-If famous speakers throughout history bragged about getting laid.

-Easing the audience into dark topics.

-David Britton’s joke about registering to be a sex offender.

-The Mr. Show sketch about Larry Kleist, rapist.

-Parents taking harmless naked pictures of their kids and ending up as sex offenders.

-Some of the other innocuous ways people have been labeled as sex offenders.

-When your closing joke bombs.

And more!!!

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Visit jarretberenstein.com to learn more about Jarret.

Follow on Twitter @justjarret

Follow on Instagram @jarretberenstein

Follow on TikTok @jarretberenstein

Listen to his podcast, "Is This Anything?": https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/is-this-anything/id1529847258

Subscribe to his YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jarretberenstein

Get Jarret's book, "The Kellyanne Conway Technique" https://www.jarretberenstein.com/kc-book

Become a Patron for exclusive access to bonus footage: patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

We're incredibly grateful to Brendan Eyre for sharing his story about how he found humor in a pretty dark place. Brendan is a Cleveland-based comedian who has appeared on Seth Meyers, SiriusXM, and his podcast, The Rad Dudecast, who has dealt with some pretty heavy mental health issues.

Sure, our show can get a little silly, but this episode dives into the parts of us that can unfortunately remain unspoken, and the power of being able to find humor within them.

Because no matter how lost you may feel, realizing you CAN laugh is a step toward seeing a more complete picture, helping you pull yourself out of it.

In this episode, we talk about:

-Performing a bit about attempting your own suicide in front of different audiences.

-Having a conversation with someone who doesn’t think a comedian should talk about THEIR OWN attempted suicide.

-Awkward transitions between lighthearted and heavier mental health material.

-The TikTok joke that made the entire country of Greece hate Brendan.

-World record for highest attempted suicide jump.

-The time between the tragedy of an attempted suicide and comedy.

-Adding a relatable silliness to alleviate the heaviness of a dark bit.

-Finding peace and happiness in doing comedy.

-Brendan’s start in comedy and the Cleveland comedy scene.

-Getting thrown to the wolves of the NYC open mic scene.

-Comedy as validation, rather than therapy.

-When people offer unsolicited advice on dealing with mental illness.

-Electro shock therapy.

-Gary Gulman’s "The Great Depresh."

-How the stigma of mental illness has been reframed in recent years.

AND MORE!

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Visit brendaneyre.com to learn more about Brendan

Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @eyrebud

Follow on TikTok @realbrendaneyre

Subscribe to his YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ClevelandInBrooklyn

Listen to Brendan's album, "Desiree:" https://www.amazon.com/Desiree-Explicit-Brendan-Eyre/dp/B07SPWL1WB

patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

"Women do this." "Men do that."

We get it - we're different.

But what's funny about it that we haven't heard that much about? How about a society set up to point out differences instead of leaning into the fact that many perspectives mean more new ideas. That's why Mike Paramore joins us on this episode - not only did he find the funny in the differences between men and women, he approaches it from a fresh perspective, questioning a system that emphasizes differences, rather than embracing them.

In this episode, we talk about:

How 2020 was going to be a huge year for Mike until, well, 2020 /

How you determine when you start doing comedy /

The first real test of Mike’s career – doing a new 5 minutes at 4 consecutive shows /

Festival contest strategy /

Starting as a Christian comedian /

Advantages of working clean and the dirty joke Mike is trying to clean up /

Developing a chill confidence onstage /

Pointing out the elephant, or the crux of your content /

Mike’s bit about the differences between men and women /

The power of asking “why” /

The societal conditioning of girls acting like girls and boys acting like boys /

Being taught to flex our intelligence and conditioned out of listening and caring /

Women getting make-believe, but still applicable toys as kids /

Telling stories and venting to find punchlines through repeated performance /

Bill Burr’s cruise ship bit and how he gets away with population control jokes /

Taking ideas from paper to the stage to work /

How to approach an overdone premise /

If men or women laugh more and why /

And more!

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Visit mikeparamore.com to learn more about Mike

Follow him on Twitter and Instagram (@mikeparamorejr)

In this bonus episode, we chat about:

-The definition of joy and how it's different from fun and happiness /

-Serving and delighting others being in our basic human nature /

-The choice that comes with every negative life experience /

-Experimentation and moments of discovery /

-How Menlo responded to the pandemic and the two principles that have helped them thrive /

-The willingness to share Menlo's culture with outsiders /

-Building an intentionally joyful culture /

-Improv and how it plays into Menlo's culture /

-Adjusting to remote work /

-Menlo's rat problem /

-A message for leaders struggling to lead their teams through uncertainty /

-And more!

Follow Rich on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menloprez/

Follow Rich on Twitter: @menloprez

Book Rich to speak: https://richardsheridan.com/book-rich

Check out Rich's books:

Joy Inc.: https://richardsheridan.com/books/joy-inc

Chief Joy Officer: https://richardsheridan.com/books/chief-joy-officer

Find out more about Menlo Innovations: menloinnovations.com

Follow David on IG and Twitter: @THEdavidhorning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-horning-7b636176/

Follow "You Can't Laugh At That" on social media

patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Music by Producedbyzip - https://producedbyzip.bandcamp.com

We also talk about:

-Good Will Hunting – going from janitor to physicist / 

-Hannah’s start in comedy / 

-Writing while high... is it any good? / 

-Being okay with joking about “the monsters inside of us” / 

-Addressing the times you’re bombing WHILE you’re bombing / 

-Holding ourselves to a higher standard, even when we have a good set / 

-Joking about life bombs / 

-Misperceptions of awkward conversations / 

-Hannah’s bit about her experiences being raised by schizophrenic parents / 

-Being comfortable joking about your fears / 

-Using word choice as a tool to lighten up dark material / 

-Considering different POVs when trying to connect a bit with the audience / 

-The misperception of mental illness as an embarrassing condition / 

-Unlearning childhood conditioning / 

-The value of therapy / 

-Realizing in real time when a bit goes too far / 

-Converting from religion to religion as a kid / 

-Where jokes come from / 

-Having a dad raise you from jail / 

-Responding to an audience “oof” /

-Stand-up being a gracious way to say difficult things / 

-Parents supporting comedy career / 

-Taking on different personas in order to cope with our upbringing / 

-The scariest people in the world: 8th graders / 

-Is comedy a magic trick? / 

And more!!!

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Visit boonecomedy.com to learn more about Hannah

Listen to Hannah's podcast, "Disordered"

Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@boonecomedy)

In this episode, we talk about:

-Joe Bates' album Joe Bates Joe Bates Joe Bates By Joe Bates / 

-How Joe kills everything he touches / 

-Joe’s bit on being too heavy to go horseback riding / 

-Channeling emotion onstage /

-Playing overly cocky while making yourself likable as a comedian / 

-Walking the line of being self-deprecating and making the audience feel bad for you / 

-His 7’10” uncle-ancestor / 

-Applying details from someone else’s story to your jokes / 

-Joe’s bit on getting a CPAP machine / 

-Being confident in insecurities / 

-Throwing in just enough absurdity to keep an audience on board / 

-Lying onstage, or amending reality, to improve a story / 

-Word choice / 

-The little things we do to try and hide being overweight / 

-Caring about other people’s opinions of your physical appearance / 

-Attaching new feelings to old jokes to discover new layers / 

And more!!!

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Visit joebatescomedy.com to learn more about Joe

Get his album: "Joe Bates Joe Bates Joe Bates By Joe Bates" https://amzn.to/3tbzDKh

Follow him on Twitter and Instagram (@joebatescomedy)

You would never tell the bride, who has dreamed of her special day her entire life, that her wedding is funny... but there really are so many things about weddings that are worth laughing about. And the world's first publicly traded comic Bret Raybould joins David and Steve to talk about all of the reasons why. Though we do get lost in the ins and outs of stand-up along the way, it just proves that being committed to one topic, to have and to hold from this day forward, till death do you part... is funny.

By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you listener and podcast. You may press the play button.

In this episode, we talk about:

-The most mundane, harmless thing anyone has been offended by / 

-Bret's bit about his observations of the things that happen at EVERY wedding he's ever been to / 

-Adjusting the number of tags to a joke based off of a crowd's energy / 

-Reworking pre-pandemic bits to adapt to the pandemic

-The importance of delivering a joke from a place of emotional truth / 

-Having enough retired material in your back pocket to be able to use it when dealing with a heckler so the crowd thinks it's on the spot / 

-Starting your set with a universal premise / 

-The differences in approaching a paying audience vs. a bar audience / 

-Getting ahead of the audience on a punchline

-How honesty impacts joke delivery / 

-The hardest part of stand-up / 

-Using hypotheticals in a joke and the creative freedom they unlock / 

-Comedy timelines and when you should produce your first hour / 

-Getting through the self-criticism of listening to old material / 

-Being apolitical when talking politics onstage / 

-The misogynistic and cult-like construct of wedding ceremonies / 

-Expensive weddings / 

-Jordan Peele's outstanding writing advice / 

-And more!!!

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Visit brettrade.com to learn more about Bret

Watch his special, "Bret Raybould Retires From Comedy:" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHGAmXc-bS8

Follow him on Twitter and Instagram (@bretraybould)

We chat about:

-The benefits of feeling a sense of belonging in the workplace / 

-Using humor at work to reduce stress / 

-Old school perception of hard work vs. a more human take on transforming work into an experience / 

-The unconventional ideas Maria had to help her team through the early days of COVID, including dressing up as a certain quarantine celebrity for a team meeting / 

-Being able to let your guard down and be authentic at work / 

-Simple ways to add humor throughout your workday / 

-And more!

Learn more about The Training Associates: https://ttacorp.com

Produced byWater Cooler Comedy | Music: Producedbyzip

In this episode, we talk about:

-Working through uncomfortable topics using humor / 

-Our wiring / 

-"Evil" serving as a cop-out word for things we don’t understand / 

-Evidence supporting the idea that most comedians have ADD / 

-The constantly shifting sensibilities of right and wrong / 

-How society lazily quantifies people into groups based on race vs. individual behavioral commonalities / 

-Coming to terms with gender fluidity / 

-The self-defeating act of ostracizing others for their beliefs / 

-The psychology of self-belief / 

-Greg's hilarious bit on homophobia / 

- Listening to recordings of your own stand-up / 

- Using vocal variety and rhythm to spice up an old bit you've been bored with / 

- Labels and the limitations of believing in absolute truths / 

- The moment Greg realized he isn't gay / 

- Gender pronouns / 

- The imagined order of reality / 

- Greg's outside-of-the-box approach to overcoming writer's block and his negative inner voice / 

-And more!!!

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Visit gregfstone.com to learn more about Greg and check out his podcast, "The Rad Dudecast."

Follow him on Twitter (@gregstone_) and Instagram (@gregfstone)

"That's why I'm making fun of it. I'M dyslexic, I'm making fun of myself."

Anywhere from 5-15% of Americans are living with dyslexia, so, of course, that means we've got to find a way to make it funny. Tori Piskin (Glamour Magazine, MTV, New York Comedy Festival) is one of those people, but she happens to be a hilarious NYC comedian who has made light of her own dyslexia, even though she's been told "you can't do that."

As researchers learn more about neural diversity and how our brains are all wired differently, our education system leaves those with learning disabilities behind. Meanwhile, millions of people are living with these disadvantages, and one of the best ways to cope is to laugh about it.

In this episode, we talk about:

-Opening for Pauly Shore.

-Swim team and how it influenced Tori's start in comedy.

-The moment Tori's parents knew she was dyslexic.

-Tori's bit about going to a school for kids with learning disabilities.

-Finding the funny without making fun.

-What separates a deli from a market in NYC?

-The time a woman insisted that Tori can't make fun of her OWN dyslexia.

-Tori's secret for confidently asking a fellow New Yorker for directions.

-Liz Miele's bit on being dyslexic and texting guys.

-Using your personality to overcome learning disabilities.

-The hidden side effect of dyslexia.

-How society has - and still does - write off learning disabilities as being "dumb."

-Taking the SATs.

-Getting back onstage after taking time off.

-Committing to a character to sell a bit.

-The different forms of therapy stand-up provides.

-Phil Hanley's bit on growing up dyslexic.

-Various learning styles and neural diversity.

-Famous comedians with learning disabilities.

-And more!

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Visit toripiskin.com to learn about Tori and check out her podcast, "Got It From My Mama."

Cincinnati comedic powerhouse Ran Barnaclo joins the podcast to point out what's funny about the weird ways humans treat their "fur babies."

In this episode, we cover:

-MeeMaws, and why Ran doesn't talk to his.

-Ran’s defective adopted cat, Randy.

-Things get contentious between Steve and Ran about pet snakes.

-We break down Ran’s stray dogs and cats bit from his album.

-Why Ran might take the rescue pet bit off of his album.

-How too many comics tell too many of the same jokes.

-Word choice.

-Rescue birds.

-Ran’s bug rescue story.

-Viral animal rescue videos.

-The vernacular of ‘rescue’ or ‘adopted’ when it comes to pets.

-Jim Gaffigan’s bit about rescuing a dog.

-Emotional support horses.

-The term “forever home.”

-The first thing Ran is going to do onstage when live stand-up comes back.

-The thrill of risk-taking by doing crowd work.

-Jimmy Pardo’s crowd work.

-Ran’s new comedy show idea, nay, experience.

-Being yourself when doing crowd work instead of trying to beat the crowd.

-The name ‘Rodney.’

-Nick Turner’s bit on his adopted dog.

-How the people who cause problems at gas stations are never there for gas.

-And more!

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

As history progresses, sensibilities shift to match the time, but there will always be those who resist shifting their own behaviors, ideas, and material, in the case of comedians. Though we want to yell, scream, and fight those on "the wrong side of history," doing so would just be an ironic doubling down on their behavior. 

So instead, we laugh.

Comedian Zach Russell joins David and Steve to break down one of his bits that expertly pulls the rug (not an Oriental) out from under the audience in a way that makes it okay to laugh at those being politically incorrect.

In this episode, we talk about:

-A Hitler sketch with important ground rules.

-Zach's bit about racially insensitive charades.

-The skill of letting the audience paint their own mental picture.

-One simple tactic for keeping the audience on your side when approaching a sensitive topic.

-The only thing it's okay to discriminate against.

-When comedians accidentally attract an alt-right audience.

-Projecting political incorrectness onto a character as a strategy for getting away with more onstage.

-A breakdown of the definition of 'political incorrectness.'

-The importance of self-awareness when delivering a joke that could be deemed offensive.

-Does political incorrectness come from a place of misunderstanding or naivety?

-The problem of "othering."

-How to connect with the "You can't say anything anymore" crowd.

-Can you be politically incorrect by trying to hard to be politically correct?

-Rachel Feinstein's bit about her mom and cab driver.

-Doubling down on being wrong to prove your point.

-When heckling turns into physical threats.

-Jo Koy's bit about his mom and his black brother-in-law.

-Being personable and the profound impact it has on sensitive jokes.

-Cancel culture.

-And more!

Follow Zach on social media:

Twitter - @russell__mania

Instagram - @zachrussellcomedy

TikTok - @zachrussellcomedy

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Follow Steve on Twitter: @stevenmers

Follow Steve on IG: @stevemers

Follow David on IG and Twitter: @THEdavidhorning

patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

I mean, how awkward is it when we have to figure out just the right thing to say to comfort someone else experiencing grief? We prove you CAN laugh at that.

In this episode, we talk with Glen about:

-If anyone in his family was mad that he made an entire comedy album based on the death of his brother.

-Glen's quarantine project, Jerk Magazine.

-Laurie Kilmartin's album about her dead dad.

-The conception of his album, "Good Grief: A Comedy About Loss And Being Bad At It."

-Stolen jokes / parallel thinking.

-Reincarnation.

-The weird things people will say to comfort you when you experience loss.

-How Glen worked out an entire hour about death to prepare for the album recording.

-Producing an album.

-Drawing crowds while touring as a little-known comedian.

-The inexperienced comedian's most frequent mistake.

-The Michael Richards incident.

-Similarities between delivering a eulogy and a wedding speech.

-The difference between telling jokes about your dead brother and hearing jokes about your dead son.

-Sneaking easter eggs and inside jokes into your bits.

-Feeling bad about doing comedy so soon after losing a loved one.

-Therapy.

-How comedians tend to handle the stages of grief differently.

-Was Glen's brother actually in the CIA?

-Stating cold, unfeeling facts to deal with grief.

-Is it okay to 'um' and 'uh' as a comedian?

-Why "I don't know what to say" might be the best thing to say to someone dealing with loss.

-And more!

Get Glen's album, "Good Grief:" https://amzn.to/3AMBp7G

Visit glentickle.com

Follow Glen on Twitter, Instagram, & TikTok: @glentickle

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Follow us on Twitter: @youcantlaughpod

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

What a disarming way to describe when a guy is, well, being a dick. For some, toxic masculinity is an overarching term used to show how woke you are, but the behavior behind it contains way more nuance.

Pittsburgh comedian and co-owner of the Burning Bridges Comedy Club Amanda Averell, joins David and Steve to dive deeper into what the term really means, why men behave the way they do, and break down why and when it's funny.

In this episode, we talk about:

-Pittsburghese.

-Amanda's love for all things Disney.

-Her bit on human history being preserved in screenshots.

-Dick pics before camera phones.

-Mick Foley.

-Fox News' Stepford anchor problem.

-Women in history who ditched gender norms.

-The scarcity mindset of not having enough seats at the table.

-The underrepresentation of female comedians.

-Ideas for how to get more women to step onstage and perform stand-up.

-Beating bullies to the punchline.

-How Amanda began her comedy career.

-The caveman brain's role in toxic masculinity.

-Daniel Sloss' brilliant HBO special "X" and its takedown of toxic men.

-Millennial men being more open to showing emotions.

-Toxic masculinity being a cover for insecurity and lack of emotional intelligence.

-Adjusting your personality to perpetuate an onstage persona.

-Is it okay to punch down on someone who is punching down?

-And more!!!

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

In this special episode, David sits down with Cody and they discuss the value of stand-up and improv comedy in today's workplace.

We chat about:

-When Steve got comfortable using humor in the workplace.

-Steve's stand-up origin story.

-The distinction between joke-telling and storytelling.

-How Steve convinced his company to incorporate stand-up comedy training into their culture.

-The edge that using comedy gives Peppercomm when competing for clients and creative job recruits.

-Why leaders need to be more vulnerable in today's workplace.

-The value of giving mental health breaks to his team.

-COVID and how Steve responded in a very human way.

-How Peppercomm has maintained their comedy-centric culture remotely.

-And more!!!

Produced by Water Cooler Comedy | Music: Producedbyzip

I mean, is the moon even real?

In this episode, we prove you CAN laugh at fake news, and in so doing, we also talk about:

-The first impression Ray left on the Milwaukee comedy scene.

-Striving to be the best comic on every show.

-The story behind Ray's album, B-Sides All That

-Breaking down Ray's bit about the moon not being real.

-"Punching down" and the complicated layers of, both, doing it and pointing it out.

-Confirmation bias in the news we consume.

-The benefits of being rooted in the reality of your own performance.

-Questioning your conditioning.

-Making the transition between lighthearted and heavy material.

-Media sensationalism and the emphasis on getting advertising dollars, rather than delivering the news.

-Conspiracy theories.

-And more!!!

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

About The Podcast:

You Can't Laugh At That is a podcast launched by comedians David Horning and Steve Mers to prove that anything can be funny in a world that often takes itself too seriously. David and Steve are obsessed with the art and science of comedy and why we laugh, so this podcast was started to prove that when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery, you CAN laugh at that.

Follow Steve on Twitter: @stevenmers

Follow Steve on IG: @stevemers

Follow David on IG and Twitter: @THEdavidhorning

patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

If you've ever been arrested, you probably weren't thinking about all of the funny one-liners, stories, and comedic bits you'll one day tell to your friends about your run-in with the law. Chances are, you're probably scared, pissed, or hurt. and the last thing you want to do is find the funny.

But you aren't Gabe Kea.

Listen as this hilarious Cincinnati comic who has opened for the likes of Bert Kreischer, Nikki Glaser, and Dave Chappelle, shares his harrowing and hilarious tales of getting locked up to prove that you CAN laugh at getting arrested.

In this episode, we talk about:

-Gabe's bit on his experience getting arrested.

-If Gabe stole a joke from fellow comedian John Schroeck to win a contest.

-Drinking and driving.

-Being nervous around cops, even if you aren't breaking the law.

-The benefits of strengthening a city's comedy scene.

-Gabe's favorite and least favorite parts of getting arrested.

-If more audiences are willing to admit they got arrested or met their significant other online.

-Gabe's story of getting arrested in college and how Tim Allen inspired him to start doing stand-up.

-Describing a character in a joke using only 1 or 2 lines.

-Ways to get the audience to remember your name.

-How a fellow comic used Gabe's joke about getting arrested WHILE getting arrested.

-David details getting arrested by undercover cops on the mean streets of the suburbs of Akron, Ohio.

-The best way to get out of a DUI.

-Gabe's organized writing process.

-If it's okay to repeat material at a venue.

-The value of working out old bits at open mics in front of comics who have seen them dozens of times.

-And more!

Learn more about Gabe at gabekea.com

Get Gabe's album, "Dumber Than A Fish:"

https://amzn.to/3An7eEI

Follow Gabe on social media:

Instagram: @abelincolntshirt

Twitter: @gabekea

Support our podcast and gain access to 18 minutes of bonus footage from this episode at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on Twitter @Youcantlaughpod

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - watercoolercomedy.org

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Michigan comedian Jacob Barr joins us to talk about the really weird thing he did as a kid that any childhood psychologist would question as a red flag, when in reality, it was just innocent fun.

We also talk about:

-The small world of the midwestern comedy scene.

-Jacob's bit about the weird "kink" he had as a kid.

-The authenticity of sharing personal narratives onstage.

-How Jacob gets away with being mean to the audience.

-Leaving out story details if they don'r add to the joke.

-Being comfortable collaborating with other comedians.

-The dangers of taking an off-the-cuff comment or tag that worked in the moment and putting it on paper.

-Drawing from personal experiences instead of sharing grander opinions.

-Being bullies as kids.

-The trick of being authentic about your inauthenticity.

-Prank calls.

-Nate Bargatze's bit on childhood toys.

-How we're imprinted upon as kids to play certain gender and societal roles.

-The reason Steve doesn't want to be TOO good with kids.

-How we're our truest selves as kids and how it's conditioned out of us.

-The joke-writing tactic of applying childlike curiosity to adult situations.

-Weird childhood fears.

-And more!

Additional bonus footage available if you become a Patron. Visit patreon.com/youcantlaughpod for exclusive access.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Before you know it, the sun is coming up and a buddy shoves a mirror in your face complete with a fat line of coke with your name on it. Or you've gone through three cases this week, and it's not even Friday. Alcohol is a helluva drug, and millions of people suffer from addiction, so to say alcoholism is funny feels like the slap in the face you got at the bar from the girl you were trying to take home while you were blacked out.

But it is, and Mary Santora is proof of that. Sometimes, you've got to be able to laugh about the thing that's destroying your life, and sharing that laugh may be able to help someone else. Mary joins us in this episode to prove that you can laugh at being an alcoholic. 

We also talk about:

-How Mary got her start in comedy.

-The addictiveness of performing stand-up.

-When Mary came to terms with her alcoholism.

-David's tool for avoiding drinking too much: his evil, drunk alter ego, City Dave.

-Mary's bit on her sober quarantine experience.

-How she relates her sobriety from the stage to a room full of people drinking.

-The parallels of alcohol dependency and the dependency of being a kid.

-Those fateful last words, "I'll just have one..."

-Having an addictive personality.

-How David replaced cocaine with comedy.

-Mary's sage advice for less experienced comedians.

-Being drunk onstage.

-Writing drunk.

-Alcohol being the REAL gateway drug.

-The intervention that never was.

-Mitch Hedberg's joke about alcoholism.

-The classification of alcoholism as a disease and our misunderstanding of many mental disorders.

-Mary's surprising comedic influences.

-Comedians who've gotten sober and seen their success skyrocket.

-The importance of starting from a place of honesty, both when performing comedy AND getting sober.

-And more!

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip 

We go over the themes, objectives, delivery, writing, and psychology of the set, from Chappelle's wardrobe to the inclusive nature of certain jokes, designed to appeal to a wider audience. Though some of the monologue drew controversy, there's no controversy between David, Steve, Gheramy, or John: this is a bit of comedic storytelling, public speaking, and theatre packed with layers that needed peeled back and revealed to both comedians and non-comics, alike.

For the video of part 2, become a Patron at patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

In this episode, we talk about Dave Chappelle's SNL monologue, bit-by-bit, including (but not limited to):

-Physical appearance.

-His ability to connect to all audiences, and not just pander to the overwhelmingly liberal SNL audience.

-How he created connection in only about 5 words.

-His comedic voice, and how it has changed over the years.

-Mass shootings, and how he uses them to bring perspective to the COVID pandemic.

-The ability to use inflection to turn certain words into punchlines.

-Corn field comedy shows and the positive side effects they brought to Dave's community, but also to the comedians performing on them.

-His emphasis on the difference between poor whites and whites in general.

-Why Trump supporters would find the funny in Chappelle's Trump jokes.

-Our theories behind his most "controversial" jokes.

-Turning on the audience strategically.

-Dave's underlying message and overarching themes.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

No one wants an STD, and being honest about personal stories is not only a way to build connection with people who may be going through a similar experience, but it can help us cope with our own circumstances too.

In this episode we talk about:

-Jasmyn's first time doing comedy.

-The story behind Jasmyn's experience with chlamydia.

-Honesty and the courage it takes to share that with audiences onstage.

-The subjectivity of art.

-Telling STD jokes at an LGBTQ+ show.

-The only time Jasmyn has ever been booed.

-Getting verbally sexually assaulted as an audience member by the comedians.

-Ali Wong's bit on HPV.

-Cooties.

-Instant perspective shifts.

-Writing ahead of our skill levels.

-Developing the skill of "writing onstage" and improvising lines.

-The body language of trusting yourself while performing.

-Marc Maron's bit on being a hypochondriac.

-Prostate exams.

-The cliche open mic'er take on STDs.

-And more!

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

In this episode we, invited comedian and former Ohio gubernatorial, congressional, and mayoral candidate Travis Irvine to talk about the construct of our manmade political system and why it is literally our job as comedians to prove you CAN laugh at that. Just in time for "the most important election of our lifetimes."

This episode covers:

-Why it's important to be funny as a politician.

-The military industrial complex.

-Travis' campaign running for mayor or Bexley, Ohio.

-White guy dreadlocks.

-The viral ad from Travis' congressional campaign.

-Travis' sit-down with Republican Mike DeWine and Democrat Richard Cordray in the 2018 race for Ohio governor and the moment he brought these two bickering adults together.

-The power of having a third voice in the 2-party conversation.

-How COVID exposed the glaring flaws of our political and economic systems.

-Election Day voter suppression.

-The need for change in the United States Supreme Court.

-The pitfalls of maintaining the status quo of a shareholder economy that stifles innovation.

-Making a difference by running for local office.

-The absurdity of funding fossil fuels when that money can be reinvested in renewable energy.

-T. Boone Pickens.

-Hack Trump jokes not presenting any new ideas.

-Why having creative guidelines is more beneficial than unlimited creative freedom.

-Travis' political comedy influences.

-The dumbing down of America and the challenge of connecting with audiences in a way that inspires them to think differently.

-And more!

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Check out Travis' album, "Guy From Ohio:" https://orcd.co/guy-from-ohio

Watch Travis' documentaries, "American Mayor:" https://vimeo.com/ondemand/americanmayor/459821819

"Hail Yourself, America:" https://vimeo.com/ondemand/hailyourselfamerica/365989256

"How America Killed My Mother:" https://vimeo.com/ondemand/howamericakilledmymother/462867854

We recently watched Kentucky comedian Ricky Glore's DryBar comedy special and rolled our eyes when he started his version of that joke, but his was... actually funny. Why?

This the first episode of our "Is It Hack?" series where we take topics that have been done to death, and find comedians who have an original take on whatever it is: coming out as a comedian, "I know I look like Ellen," or an abortion joke they're keeping, there's always a way to make it funny.

In today's episode we discuss:

-How Ricky got his start in comedy

-Improv comedians' preconceived notions of stand-up comedians and vice versa

-Word economy

-Delivering news with cakes

-Transitioning from premise jokes to personal stories

-Is connecting with an audience hacky?

-Using theatrical blocking to drive home a joke

-How to build a world and the characters within it in the confines of a joke

-Comedian Mitch Burrow's "coming out as Repbulican" bit

-The importance of body language onstage

-The staging of Neal Brennan's "3 Mics" Netflix special

-Comedian Alex Edelman's "coming out at Thanksgiving" bit

-The stigma of potentially undercutting the seriousness of people ACTUALLY coming out

-How Ricky's dad almost built a 1960s Batmobile

-And more!

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Check out Ricky's DryBar special, "Dad Bod:" https://www.drybarcomedy.com/specials/ricky-glore-dad-bod

Get Ricky's debut stand-up comedy album, "Spitting Image:" https://circustrapeze.com/rickyglore/

Like squirting.

In this episode, we discuss:

-Getting personal onstage

-Paige's source for her personal material

-Mining material from our cringeworthy high school moments

-The joke that got Paige banned from a comedy club

-How going to a Catholic school impacts sexuality

-The one-sided intimacy of performing stand-up

-Paige realizes that she may be an asshole

-Performing a joke about an ex's dead parent in front of that ex

-Using AirDrop as part of your performance (and to creep on hot guys at coffee shops)

-The rule of 3s

-The comedy books Paige has read (and the story of the creep who gave her one of them)

-The societal construct of what's taboo

-Double standards of club bookers when male comics talk about explicit content vs. when female comics do

-How Whitney Cummings and Nikki Glaser approach squirting in their own stand-up specials

-Making it okay and empowering to be insecure

-Being shamed for something awesome

-Why Paige transitioned from music to comedy

-And more!

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Nothing is off limits as we talk about:

A racist booker from West Virginia / 

Being mean onstage while still making the audience feel good / 

The lessons John is going to teach his daughter / 

How Ray Donovan is the white version of Power / 

2 Chainz's contribution to the black community / 

Learning to connect racial material to white audiences / 

Umar Johnson being the black Rush Limbaugh / 

Where capitalism went wrong / 

How the media drives emotionally-charged narratives rather than facts / 

White teachers "earning their stripes" in inner-city schools / 

Fred Hampton / 

The commitment it takes to be racist / 

The "imagine if she was white" line from "A Time To Kill" / 

Taking responsibility for your performance / 

White comics doing black characters / 

Why you shouldn't have a set specifically for another race / 

How citizen's arrest is a racist construct / 

What would happen if black cops were shooting white kids / 

And more!

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Though having a disability may suck, Ryan offers perspective and a master class on delivering sensitive material, dealing with audiences who don’t understand, and how to lean into the nuance of comedy.

We also talk about:

-The worst thing to happen to comedy over the last ten years /

-A comic’s credibility when delivering offensive material /

-The habit of new comedians overinflating the amount of material they have at their disposal /

-The joke that made Heidi Klum not like Ryan /

-The importance of believing in your material /

-Using humor to make controversial points /

-The perception that he talks about his disability too much /

-The lack of understanding of the first amendment: can vs. should /

-The difference between bombing and ruining the show /

-Learning to use humor to take back power from others /

-Misconceptions of the disabled by people without disabilities /

-Why being “a performer” is vital when delivering offensive content /

-Preconceived notions of the audience /

-Advice for first year comedians /

-How to approach the topic of disabilities when you don’t have any /

-And more!

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

And a lot of it has to do with how people perceive him, his actions, and the jokes comedians tell about him.

Cincinnati comedian Blake Hammond joins David and Gheramy for our most politically charged episode yet, but when it comes to comedy, there's more nuance than just red and blue, which is such a simple-minded way of viewing the world. 

In this episode, not only do we break down Blake's hilarious Donald Trump-inspired bit, but we talk about:

-How liberal and conservative audiences respond /

-How you can flip an audience's perspective during a joke with the right amount of craftsmanship / 

-Coming up with jokes in natural conversation /

-The BIG difference between joking about Trump and Obama /

-Telling political jokes on Twitter vs. onstage /

-Jim Gaffigan breaking character and letting loose on Trump /

-The Michael Jackson popcorn GIF /

-Liberal hate /

-The pitfalls of binary thinking /

-How Gheramy isn't actually white /

-Shane Gillis' brilliant bit on why Trump is such a funny dude /

-How Trump supporters would hate him if he were their boss /

-Why Sarah Cooper's Trump TikToks took off /

-What the people who made their whole persona "anti-Trump" will do once he's not president /

-Connecting a Trump joke with extreme Trump supporters /

-The startling lack of self-awareness in the world /

-And more!

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

New York comedian, producer, and mash-up maker Matt Levy lived through testicular cancer and worked it into a bit so well, he became known as "the cancer guy." Or maybe that's not such a good thing. Matt reveals how he found the funny in this life-changing experience and created a narrative that connects with audiences, not through joking about the cancer itself, but about other people's reactions, from his doctor, to his dad, to the girlfriend who cheated on him.

Also in this episode:

-Celebrities who also do stand-up

-Comedians who do the same material year after year

-Singing in comedy - do it or avoid at all costs?

-Getting rejected from a club audition for doing a cancer bit after having cancer

-Getting onstage right after experiencing something traumatic

-The moment your best joke bombs

-Being known for one thing as a performer

-Appreciating when other people give you the honest, unfiltered truth

-Tig Notaro's groundbreaking "Hello, I Have Cancer" clip, and the term "Tigging"

-The dangers of navel gazing

-Is Dale Carnegie's "How To Win Friends and Influence People" sociopathic?

-How there IS a time and place for cancer jokes, based off of the Eugene Mirman documentary "It Started As A Joke"

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

The hilarious Mike Head, who features and headlines at comedy clubs around the country, shares a story about how his teenage daughter got a dick pic, how he dealt with it, and how he turned it into a hilarious bit. If listening to three guys talk about dicks, access to dicks, and different perspectives of dicks for over an hour, this episode is for you. Also in this episode:

-Mike's writing process

-How Mike takes a bit from conception to completion

-How being truthful to your life circumstances, or writing where you are, helps you find your comedic voice

-We theorize how dick size led to the formation of democracy

We also share clips by Neal Brennan and Rachel Feinstein, just for some added angles that prove - no matter how traumatizing they may be - you CAN laugh at dick pics.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

No one wants to be lonely, yet all of us have to deal with it at some point in our lives, and sometimes, the best way to overcome it is to find ways to laugh. Houston comedian Antonio Aguilar joins the podcast to discuss varying degrees of loneliness, including life on the road, living in his car, overthinking relationships, and how Willy Wonka was so lonely, he surrounded himself with Oompa Loompas.

Human beings will do anything to avoid loneliness, but sometimes it's useful to embrace it in order to move on.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Not Cincinnati comedian Zach Wycuff.

Zach is a true artist, turning his faith into punchlines that connect with his audiences, whether they're devout Christian or more cynical. His centered approach to making jokes about his own belief system not only humanizes him, it serves as a reminder to ask questions about OUR beliefs too.

Produced by Golden Ox Studio | Music: Producedbyzip

Our upbringing plays a huge role in who grow up to become, and whether they were supportive, absent, or abusive - physically or mentally - we could each write an entire hour of comedy about our parental figures.

NYC comedian Gianmarco Soresi joins us to talk about his relationship with his mom and dad, how he's turned those experiences into absolutely killer material, and how anyone can find the funny in their upbringing.

We also play a game called "If You Think YOUR Parents Are Bad"

Follow Gianmarco on social media:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/gianmarcosoresi

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@gianmarcosoresi?

Twitter - https://twitter.com/gianmarcosoresi

Learn more about Gianmarco - https://www.gianmarcosoresi.com/

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on social media:

https://facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

https://twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Where will you be when you listen to this episode?

They've started and ended revolutions and world wars, and as serious as they may be, assassinations may actually be funny. Comedy powerhouse Tim Cornett joins Gheramy and David, and we try to answer the question, "Can you laugh at that?" and play a game called "Assassinations: Funny Or Could Be Funnier?" From Caesar, to Lincoln, to Lennon, to JFK, to MLK, to RFK, to... Trump? Assassinations have reshaped the world, so we reshape what they mean to us.

Follow Michael on social media:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/timcornettusa

Twitter - https://twitter.com/timcornettusa

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on social media:

https://facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

https://twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

There's nothing funny about that... or is there?

Josh Morrow joins David and Steve to talk the ins and outs of hosting shows, performing in front of ideologically opposed audiences, bombing, different types of hecklers, and how we've dealt with them.

Because anything - even your worst show ever - can be funny.

Follow Josh on social media:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/jmorrowcle

Twitter - https://twitter.com/divebarmegastar

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on social media:

https://facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

https://twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Special thanks to Greg Stone.

Follow AJ on social media:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/ajdicosimo

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ajdicosimo

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on social media:

https://facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

https://twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Special thanks to Jim Norton.

Follow AJ on social media:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/ajdicosimo

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ajdicosimo

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on social media:

https://facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

https://twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Remember Mapquest? Technology is developing so quickly, it's more daunting than funny, so we invited NYC comic Freddy G to discuss his hilarious Google Maps bit, how developing technology relates to comedy, and how to use TikTok to create content.

Special thanks to Joe Zimmerman.

ETA: 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Follow Freddy on social media:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/orangefreddyg

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@orangefreddyg?lang=en

Twitter - https://twitter.com/orangefreddyg

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on social media:

https://facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

https://twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

We know these are controversial statements, but here's the most controversial statement of them all: both of these things can be funny.

Toronto comedian Michael Moses joins the podcast to down a bit about getting cheated on by Drew Michael and a classic bit by Patrice O'Neal on why men cheat. We also discuss lack of nuance in comedy audiences, using the ridiculousness of a situation as a tool, and Will and Jada.

Follow Michael on social media:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/itsmichaelmoses

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@iamichaelmoses?lang=en

Twitter - https://twitter.com/itsmichaelmoses

Learn more about Michael - https://www.michaeltininehmoses.com/

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on social media:

https://facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

https://twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Diego Attanasio, a very funny nationally touring comic from Detroit, joins the podcast to talk about how receiving bad news on this magnitude can be turned into comedy. We also ponder the double standard of teaching your kids not to lie while lying directly to their faces about a man in a red suit who brings them gifts.

We break down bits by Diego and Daniel Sloss and discuss the religious implications of the Santa ruse, the packaging of controversial topics, maintaining confidence when a joke doesn't work, the importance of having fun onstage, and more.

Follow Diego on social media:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/diegocomedy

Twitter - https://twitter.com/diegocomedy

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on social media:

https://facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

https://twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

But most of the time, getting fired isn't cool and in the moment, it can be hard to find levity in the face of adversity.

Not for Youngstown Comedy Festival winner Tim Wolfe.

In this episode, we break down a brilliant set by Tim, then explore why getting fired can be funny and how failure is the perfect breeding ground for jokes. We also talk about using callbacks, how to utilize dialogue, getting tetanus, recording your sets, and the screenplay Tim has been working on for the last 15 years.

Follow Tim on social media:

Twitter - https://twitter.com/sexyslingblade

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on social media:

https://facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

https://twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Jeff talks about why this happens and his experience working Carnival Cruises while delivering a master class on finding your voice, clean comedy, using humor to prove a point, educating audiences, and how to structure bits about topics that "you can't laugh at."

Follow Jeff on social media:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/jeffthefundude

Twitter - https://twitter.com/jeffthefundude

Learn more about Jeff - https://jeffthefundude.com

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on social media:

https://facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

https://twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Part 2 features Jeff Shaw, Joe Briggs, Jasmyn Carter, Brett Thomas, Raj Suresh, Steve Guy, Casey Kuftic, Tim Wolfe, and Zach Wycuff

Music by @Producedbyzip | Thanks to Golden Ox Studios in Cleveland

Part 1 features John Armstrong, Jimmy Killius, Mike Head, John Bruton, Ray Roberts, Michael Moses, Amber Maeda, Ryan Chernick, Bryan Sternik, Diego Attanasio, and Tim Cornett

Music by @Producedbyzip | Thanks to Golden Ox Studios in Cleveland

Follow Eitan on social media:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/eitanthegoalie

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@eitanthegoalie?

Twitter - https://twitter.com/eitanthegoalie

Learn more about Eitan - https://

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on social media:

https://facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

https://twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Follow Eitan on social media:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/eitanthegoalie

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@eitanthegoalie?

Twitter - https://twitter.com/eitanthegoalie

Learn more about Eitan - https://

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

As always, we ask and answer "What's funny?" "What's not?" "Why?" and "How can it be funny?" to prove you can laugh at that.

Download Louis CK's special here: https://louisck.com/products/sincerely-louis-ck

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Today’s episode takes a look at all of the different ways Maron has gotten laughs on such a taboo topic throughout his career while David and Steve share their interpretations of religion by asking and answering what's funny, what's not, why, and what are some fresh angles that prove you can laugh at that.

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Today’s episode covers if molesting kids is, in fact, wrong, why the topic isn’t taboo anymore, punching up your setups, playing cat-and-mouse with audiences, adding silliness to lighten heavy topics, the science of free will, tension and release, coronavirus, and more, proving you can laugh at that.

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Featuring bits by Anthony Jeselnik and Drew Michael, we explore what’s funny, what’s not, why, and how to create a fresh and funny angle that proves you can laugh at that.

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

We cover chain restaurants, word choice, guys’ weekends, getting the audience to buy in, Kiwi accents, punchline twists, keeping old jokes, developing your comedic voice, and more!

Follow Dwayne on Instagram - https://instagram.com/funnydwayne

Twitter - https://twitter.com/funnydwayneduke

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

We cover sugar daddies, calling audiences out for not laughing, forgiveness, how to make tropes original, emulation, relatability, and more.

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

We cover humor as a coping mechanism, funeral home Yelp reviews, using silliness as a tool, self-awareness, and more.

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

We cover extreme ideologies, race, communication, getting people with other ideologies to laugh at conflicting POVs, making connections, producer Gheramy Demery’s white wife, and more.

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

We cover empathy, education, punching up vs. punching down, mental health, absurdity, intention in comedy, and giving kids acid.

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Follow John on Instagram - https://instagram.com/johnarmstrongcomedy

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music: @Producedbyzip

Follow Dave on Instagram: https://instagram.com/daveflynt

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Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music by @Producedbyzip

Join our Patreon for bonus footage - https://patreon.com/youcantlaughpod

Follow us on social media:

https://facebook.com/youcantlaughatthat

https://twitter.com/youcantlaughpod

Brought to you by Water Cooler Comedy - https://watercoolercomedy.org

Recorded at Golden Ox Studio - https://goldenoxstudio.com

Music by @Producedbyzip