210. What Makes a Good Sense of Humor?

Why do we mirror other people’s accents? Does DJ Khaled get tired of winning? And also: life is good — so why aren’t you happy? This episode originally aired on August 8th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection an ... Show More

Also: how do awards affect motivation? This episode originally aired on August 1st, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. 

Also: why do we like what we like? This episode originally aired on July 25th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. 

<p>Humor is serious business. And that's a fact backed by cold, hard research. Humor builds bonds, defuses tension, boosts innovation, and bolsters resilience through hard times. That's why Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas teach a class called "Humor: Serious Business", at Stanf ... Show More

In 2021, Netflix released His Dark Material, a Christmas stand-up special by Irish–British comedian Jimmy Carr. The show sparked international outrage. Toward the end of the set, Carr delivered what he called a 'career ender' – a joke about the Holocaust, in which he described th ... Show More

<p>Dave and Tamler break the cardinal rule of comedy by trying to analyze it. What are the origins and functions of humor? Can a theory explain what makes us laugh? Is humor entirely subjective? Why would anyone find Mr. Bean funny? Plus, we lose some geek cred by confessing some ... Show More

In 2021, Netflix released His Dark Material, a Christmas stand-up special by Irish–British comedian Jimmy Carr. The show sparked international outrage. Toward the end of the set, Carr delivered what he called a 'career ender' – a joke about the Holocaust, in which he described th ... Show More

Science still hasn’t cracked the code on what humor truly is. While we can’t pinpoint exactly what makes something funny or why we laugh at the strangest moments, we do know that humor plays a powerful role in shaping our relationships, communication, and even how attractive we f ... Show More

On this week's episode, we chat with comedian Shawn Chidiac, known on Instagram as "My Parents Are Divorced," Shawn recounts his journey into comedy, beginning with his early attempts to make his stoic mother laugh, which ultimately inspired his career. He discusses his unique ap ... Show More

<p>WHO ARE WE? Personality researcher & psychology professor Dr. Simine Vazire dishes about introverts, extroverts, self-esteem, sociopaths, neuroticism, conscientiousness, Buzzfeed quizzes, yearbook inscriptions, trusting people, screwing up your kids, acting like your parents, ... Show More

George Carlin’s American dream is a two-part documentary that follows the life and work of legendary comic George Carlin, dubbed the “dean of counterculture comedians.” Brittany and Ronald talk with co-directors Judd Apatow and Mike Bonfiglio about Carlin’s trajectory from variet ... Show More