5: Why Does Comedy Matter When Everything Feels Broken?
Episode Information
Huge thank you to everyone who helped bring this episode together. After we wrapped, I realized I forgot to shout out a few absolute legends like Carol Burnett and Mary Tyler Moore. I also didn’t get to name some of the incredible women in comedy I love and admire so much, including Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, and Kristen Wiig. And Catherine O’Hara deserves special love too. While she isn’t a stand-up comedian, her ability to make me and so many others laugh is truly unmatched.
There are honestly too many brilliant people to list, but I hope you have someone in your life who makes you laugh whether that’s a comedian you love, a family member, a coworker, or a friend. We all deserve a little more laughter.
Guest Information
Belinda Carroll (She/Her), Comedian, Activist
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6509199/ [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6509199/]
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belinda_Carroll_(comedian) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belinda_Carroll_(comedian)]
Instagram: @belindacomedy
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@belinda_comedy [https://www.tiktok.com/@belinda_comedy]
Recording and Production
Recorded at: XRAY.FM [http://xray.fm/] Studios
Original Music: Rainezra @rainezra and Vews @pointofvews
Audio Engineer/Editor: Kyle Gilmer @residual_audio
Learn More/Sources
The following materials were referenced or informed this episode. Links are provided for transparency and further reading.
Proverbs 17:22 (Bible)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17%3A22&version=NRSVUE
[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17%3A22&version=NRSVUE]
Norman Cousins, Anatomy of an Illness
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/32961/anatomy-of-an-illness-as-perceived-by-the-patient-by-norman-cousins/ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/32961/anatomy-of-an-illness-as-perceived-by-the-patient-by-norman-cousins/]
Laughter and stress hormones, Berk et al., American Journal of the Medical Sciences
https://journals.lww.com/amjmedsci/Abstract/1989/12000/Neuroendocrine_and_Stress_Hormone_Changes_During.1.aspx [https://journals.lww.com/amjmedsci/Abstract/1989/12000/Neuroendocrine_and_Stress_Hormone_Changes_During.1.aspx]
Mayo Clinic on stress relief from laughter
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456
[https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456]
Charlie Chaplin, Modern Times (1936)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027977/
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027977/]
Great Depression unemployment data, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2012/10/art1full.pdf
[https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2012/10/art1full.pdf]
Mel Brooks, The Producers (1967)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063462/
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063462/]
Mel Brooks on making Hitler ridiculous
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/mel-brooks-on-making-hitler-ridiculous-180962498/
[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/mel-brooks-on-making-hitler-ridiculous-180962498/]
Mark Twain lecture tours and humor
https://www.pbs.org/marktwain/learnmore/writings_humor.html [https://www.pbs.org/marktwain/learnmore/writings_humor.html]
Dick Gregory biography and civil rights comedy
https://www.biography.com/performer/dick-gregory
[https://www.biography.com/performer/dick-gregory]
Dick Gregory: Beyond the Laughter documentary
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101688/ [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101688/]
Lenny Bruce obscenity trials
https://www.aclu.org/documents/trials-lenny-bruce
[https://www.aclu.org/documents/trials-lenny-bruce]
Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth documentary
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120715/
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120715/]
Bob Hope USO history
https://www.uso.org/stories/1942-bob-hope-and-the-uso
[https://www.uso.org/stories/1942-bob-hope-and-the-uso]
George Carlin on political language
https://www.openculture.com/2013/02/george_carlin_on_soft_language.html
[https://www.openculture.com/2013/02/george_carlin_on_soft_language.html]
George Carlin books
https://www.georgecarlin.com/books/ [https://www.georgecarlin.com/books/]
Richard Pryor documentary Omit the Logic
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2486682/ [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2486682/]
Eddie Murphy Delirious
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085478/
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085478/]
Eddie Murphy Raw
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093855/
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093855/]
I Love Lucy “Job Switching” chocolate factory episode
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0609194/
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0609194/]
I Love Lucy “Lucy Does a Commercial” Vitameatavegamin episode
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0609186/
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0609186/]
Joan Rivers documentary A Piece of Work
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1558250/ [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1558250/]
Robin Williams Live on Broadway
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303781/
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303781/]
Mrs. Doubtfire
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107614/
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107614/]
The Birdcage
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115685/
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115685/]
SNL returns after 9/11
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/snl-returns-after-9-11-flna1c9462991
[https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/snl-returns-after-9-11-flna1c9462991]
Jon Stewart “Can we be funny?” story
https://www.vulture.com/2016/09/jon-stewart-snl-911-oral-history.html
[https://www.vulture.com/2016/09/jon-stewart-snl-911-oral-history.html]
The Daily Show
https://www.cc.com/shows/the-daily-show
[https://www.cc.com/shows/the-daily-show]
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
https://www.tbs.com/shows/full-frontal-with-samantha-bee
[https://www.tbs.com/shows/full-frontal-with-samantha-bee]
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
https://www.hbo.com/last-week-tonight-with-john-oliver
[https://www.hbo.com/last-week-tonight-with-john-oliver]
The Colbert Report
https://www.cc.com/shows/the-colbert-report
[https://www.cc.com/shows/the-colbert-report]
Have I Got News for You
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mkw3
[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mkw3]
The Golden Girls
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088526/ [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088526/]
Broad City
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2578560/
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2578560/]
Parks and Recreation
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1266020/
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1266020/]
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