logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2022
37m 7s

How To Make Humor Your Superpower

Slate Podcasts
About this episode

Did you know that we, as a society, have fallen off a comedy cliff? No joke. Studies have shown that we largely stop laughing when we enter our mid-twenties, which is a shame because delighting in humor has a ton of health benefits. Plus, being perceived as funny can actually make people think you’re more intelligent, more competent, and even better looking! So on this episode of How To!, the first in a two-part series, we bring on Naomi Bagdonas, co-author of Humor, Seriously!, and Michael Terry, an amateur comedian who is working in the funniest of places: high finance. Combined, they have decades of experience harnessing the power humor and applying it to the workplace. 

If you liked this episode, check out “How To Confront a Crazy Neighbor” with Tig Notaro. 

If you want to discover your own humor style, take the test on Naomi and Jennifer’s website. 

Do you have a question with no easy answers? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.

Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Nov 18
How To Move to a New City
Kerry is ready to leave rural Virginia and move to a walkable, vibrant city. The only problem? She can’t decide which walkable, vibrant city is right for her. On this episode, How To!’s Courtney Martin brings on Melody Warnick, author of This Is Where You Belong and If You Could ... Show More
39m 58s
Nov 11
How To Take Charge of Home Repair (with Sam Sanders and Mercury Stardust)
In the second half of How To!’s wide-ranging conversation about home improvement, gender, sexuality, and much more, journalist Sam Sanders and author Mercury Stardust (aka The Trans Handy Ma’am) talk with co-host Carvell Wallace about a truly daunting idea: skipping the contracto ... Show More
32m 36s
Nov 4
How To Talk to Contractors (With Sam Sanders and Mercury Stardust)
Sam Sanders is many things: journalist, podcaster, pop-culture obsessive, and a familiar voice from public radio. He’s also ”quite possibly the world's most hesitant homeowner.” Sam wants to fix up the house he recently bought, but three things are holding him back: First, he doe ... Show More
49m 35s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2021
Humour, Seriously
Humour, Seriously - by Jennifer Aaker & Naomi BagdonasWhy Humour Is A Superpower At Work And In Life (And How Anyone Can Harness It... Even You)Everyone loves a laugh. We like to watch funny movies, listen to entertaining podcasts, go to comedy festivals to watch stand up or impr ... Show More
25m 48s
Jun 2020
13. Make ’Em Laugh: How to Use Humor as a Secret Weapon in Your Communication
<p>Humor does more than just make people laugh. It allows you to connect with your audience, diffuse tension, elevate status, and compel others to your point of view. Humor can also help you and your message stand out, yet most of us hesitate to use humor, especially in our profe ... Show More
29m 41s
Oct 2021
How to find the humor in everyday life (with Jo Firestone)
<p>When was the last time you really, really laughed? For some people, laughter comes easily and anything can set them off. But for many of us, finding humor in everyday life is something we might leave to the professionals. Jo Firestone is a comedian--and long-time friend of Chr ... Show More
33m 19s
May 2024
Tig Notaro Shares Her Favorite Jokes
Comedian Tig Notaro, who just released her fifth comedy special, "Hello Again," joins us for a chat about the science of her comedy: telling us how she builds jokes, and of course sharing a bunch of dumb and fabulous jokes. Enjoy! Here's our Funniest Joke in the World Episode!! F ... Show More
22m 45s
May 2024
The Funniest Joke in the World
If you Google "The Funniest Joke in the World," you'll be very disappointed. The internet might serve you something like, "What has many keys but can't open a single lock??” (Answer: A piano). Screw that. That's not funny. Enter Science Vs. We’re going on a romp to find out once ... Show More
56m 1s
Mar 2022
A Serious Case for Humor | Jennifer Aaker & Naomi Bagdonas
<p>A common denominator among all of the great meditation teachers is a sense of humor. They take the teaching seriously, but they don't take themselves seriously. So perhaps there's a link between human flourishing and humor. That's not to say you have to be hilarious in order t ... Show More
1h 7m
Aug 2023
Ziwe: What's funny these days?
When the comedian and writer Ziwe first went viral during the pandemic for her gotcha-style interviews with celebrities on Instagram Live, people couldn’t get enough. Today, she joins Dua to talk about all things funny, from finding comedy in increasingly unfunny times to facing ... Show More
33m 50s
Jun 2016
How to Be Funny (Even When You’re Not): David Nihill
<p>This week, our in-depth conversation features <a href="http://www.7comedyhabits.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">David Nihill</a>. Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, David, like so man of us, had a deep fear of public speaking. But, he found himself having to f ... Show More
54m 49s