Laughing Matters: Recent Episodes
Paul
Welcome to Peppercomm's Laughing Matters! A podcast that explores how great minds from the world of business, journalism and beyond are using the incredible power of humor to boost morale, engagement and productivity. Hosted by CEO Steve Cody and Senior Vice President Paul Merchan.
Join us on this episode of Laughing Matters as we chat with Pat Fitzgibbons, Senior Public Relations Manager at M&T Bank/Wilmington Trust, whose career journey is filled with humor, from newsroom antics to his family’s political legacy in New Jersey. Pat shares:
· Tips on how to prepare for a career in communications and how to infuse a daily dose of LOL in college
· How his father and grandfather used laughter to forge connections and navigate local politics – and why he feels his own election win was “rigged”
· His memorable elevator encounter with the CEO of Bear Stearns that turned a potentially awkward situation into a laughing matter.
Life is a highway for most of us, but especially for Jenni Ruiz, the Bronx native who works as a senior marketing manager for trucking software company Transfix. Jenni is our latest Laughing Matters podcast guest, where she talks about why humor is essentially a job prerequisite in trucking & freight, as well as:
· Why her first career was tough and the importance of working somewhere you can be yourself
· How she learned to watch where she’s walking the hard way
· Her passion for comedy and acting (check out her film “Playing Sam” coming to streaming services this fall!)
On today’s episode of Laughing Matters, Brandi Boatner, Manager of digital and advocacy communications at IBM, joins us to talk about how she uses humor as a dynamic public speaker and advocate for her profession. Her insights include:
- How she linked an IT infrastructure campaign with yoga poses.
- How humor can play a role in attracting students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds into communications.
- A hilarious cringeworthy moment in Grand Central Station that taught her valuable lessons about resilience and self-acceptance.
In this episode of Laughing Matters, Paul Merchan and Steve Cody interview Gloria Rodriguez, the founder and president of Comunicad, a Ruder Finn company, and a pioneer in multicultural communications and advocacy for the Latino community. She shares some of her amazing stories and insights from her career, such as:
● The time she took clients to Puerto Rico to help support Hurricane Maria relief efforts and helped expand the aid to our furry friends
● How she uses humor to bridge the gap between Latino and mainstream cultures and to overcome challenges and stereotypes in the media industry
● How she convinced a former U.S. president to restore funding for job training programs for Puerto Ricans in New York
Tune in to the latest episode of Laughing Matters, featuring David Dye, President of Let’s Grow Leaders and co-author of “Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict.” David shares tips on what to do when faced with a workplace conflict, including results from the study he conducted for his book. Among his insights:
- The difference between productive and destructive conflict and the role of humor
- How to navigate hot-button issues when others see the world differently than you do
- Which countries in the study experienced the most workplace conflict (spoiler: US is high on the list but did not finish #1, believe it or not)
Dr. Phillip Gable, Director of the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Graduate Program and Professor at the University of Delaware, recently joined the Laughing Matters podcast to dissect the intricate world of human emotions and humor with the precision of a brain surgeon but the vulnerability of a stand-up comedian.
Dr. Gable discusses everything from how our emotions impact behavior to the neural underpinnings that drive our humor responses.
He also addresses the following:
- With all due respect to Socrates and Plato, Dr. Gable says using an Aristotelian approach to set up punchlines and make sense of the unexpected are linked to humor in the business world
- A laugh out loud tale involving an unexpected restroom encounter with the police at a restaurant
- How he uses emotions to set the rhythm for effective teaching and storytelling and, critically, deepening connections with students.
On today’s episode of Laughing Matters, we welcome our first returning guest, Ken Jacobs, Principal of Jacobs Consulting and Executive Coaching. Ken emphasizes that leadership is about being someone people choose to follow, not just holding a specific title. He discusses the importance of emotional intelligence and the role it plays in leadership, as well as:
- The difference between coachable and uncoachable leaders
- Knowing you are “kenough” and the right use of self-deprecating humor
- A story that’s sooo cringeworthy that it’ll scare you into pay attention to detail before jumping to conclusions
HR & management consultant expert, entrepreneur and keynote speaker Kendra Prospero joins the Laughing Matters Podcast to talk about what business leaders need to do to create the conditions for people to thrive. She discusses the “people's revolution” to transform company cultures and how employers can embrace the change, as well as:
- How to invite humor into HR, which is often shamed as humorless
- Embracing “feed forward” rather than feedback
- Laughing off an embarrassing “mic drop” moment when she was giving her first keynote address
Author, podcast host, keynote speaker and comedian Kathy Klotz-Guest shares how she helps companies infuse humor into their everyday practices through the tenets of improv and comedy through her company, “Keeping it Human.” Kathy shares her approach while also discussing:
- How most organizations need to get out of their own way to bring humor back
- Why it’s still a challenge for women to be funny (and not be funny) in their jobs
- When your humor comes off cringe, learn to “embrace the suck”
Do you think today’s politicians are too scripted? Or maybe they’re a little too comfortable “winging it.” Or maybe they need to go old school and take a page out of President Lincoln’s joke book. Dr. Don Waisanen from Baruch College joins Laughing Matters to discuss the dire need for more humor in political communication today and why some of the presidential candidates can stand to take an improv class before their next debate. He also discusses:
- Past U.S. presidents who have been most effective at using humor
- How improv can help all our communication (complete with an improv session)
- His methodology for teaching his students how to be great public speakers
A funny thing happened on the way to the courthouse for Judge Nelson Diaz. In fact, lots of funny things happened on his journey from the inner city to the inner sanctum of Washington, D.C. power politics. From his childhood days playing baseball outside the projects in Harlem to law school in Philadelphia to his time working as HUD General Counsel under President Bill Clinton, Judge Diaz is no stranger to feeling like the underdog and outsider. In this episode, he shares how he used humor to overcome prejudices he faced as a trailblazing Latino in his profession. He also discusses:
- Issues he faced being “bi-cultural, bilingual, and by myself”
- Bridging the gap between how Latinos perceive humor and how it’s interpreted in mainstream America
- Lessons he learned on the importance of humor in the White House during periods of conflict
Have you ever thought about how humor can play a role in our work in diversity, equity, and inclusion? Award-winning author and college professor Dr. Malcolm Frierson shares how his research on African American history led him to explore stand-up comedy and discusses:
- Researching humor as a platform for the civil rights movement and the African American experience
- How companies can improve their DE&I practices and make impactful contributions
- The influence of comedy greats Dick Gregory, Richard Pryor, and Margaret Cho
For an example of the type of humor Dr. Frierson references, check out this hilarious clip of Dick Gregory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej5FwzhUDcM
You might groan when you hear you’re about to listen to an economics presentation, but Chief Economist Luke Tilley of Wilmington Trust explains how working at the Philadelphia Fed and a premier financial institution has shown him that his peers may be funnier than you think. Luke shares how humor plays a surprising role in his day-to-day and discusses:
- Why humor is so effective, disarming and humanizing when giving economics presentations.
- Keeping it level-headed when the economy can sometimes feel impossible to predict.
- Striking the right balance between a demanding profession and an equally demanding home life (hint: swim, bike and run)
Being a leader at a global consulting firm for over two decades taught Stacey Jones many things, not the least of which is that she was a MUCH better basketball player in real life than in the Metaverse. Stacey joins Laughing Matters to talk how she turned this rude awakening into an icebreaker and also discusses:
- Why laughter and humor are essential components she’s looking for in the next chapter in her career
- Her experience as a young reporter writing a story about an intimidating nun that got her a good ribbing from the newsroom
- Her favorite humor-infused marketing campaign including a dot-com era sock puppet
- The Jennifer Lawrence-esque embarrassing onstage moment she had at a rehearsal for an International Women’s Day broadcast
Some people may think hot-button topics like race and humor have no business together. But when done right – minus the cringe – it can be a powerful tool. Dr. Luvell Anderson, associate professor of philosophy at Syracuse University, joins the podcast so share some of his insights on how to go about this in a genuine way. He shares:
His two rules of engagement when using humor in DEI training
Balancing the ethics of race and humor
Examples of artists who uses humor effectively – from the 90s all the way to present day
Why he feels Chris Rock’s “Selective Outrage” special was a missed opportunity
Think you've got a full plate? Just listen to some of the mega personal and professional changes former Peppercommer "Smiling" Sam Sanders (née Bruno) of Marriott Vacations Worldwide has experienced in the past few years. She joins the podcast to talk about using humor to help her do it all during the pandemic and beyond – from doing a 1,000-mile career move, to getting married, to becoming a mom, to traveling the world for work. And she's handled it all with grace and a smile.
Sam will share how she’s found humor in:
- Traveling to Asia for Marriott and exploring the similarities in humor & culture
- Adapting to the work cultures of three VERY different employers
- An early career snafu in which she misspelled the client’s name in a mass email
- Growing up with a pastor father and making the connection between humor and faith
- Embracing stand-up comedy and improvising an awards acceptance speech with rap lyrics.
Episode 19 – How to use humor to become an award-winning global CMO superstar. Sometimes you have to use humor to tell the same stories in a completely different way from what your competitors are doing. Laughing Matters recently welcomed Rupen Desai, co-founder of The Shed 28, who talked about how he did just that in his former role as CMO of Dole. His insights include:
- Why he’s done working with people who “suck the oxygen” out of the creativity of others and chooses to surround himself with those who fill him with that oxygen.
- How humor and laughter are powerful breakout strategies to tackle serious issues like climate change and sustainable foods.
- The way he catapulted the Dole brand, and his own personal brand, with his unique and lighthearted approach, garnering him recognition at the Cannes Lions festival in 2022 and as one of Forbes’ most influential CMO’s in the world.
Also, Rupen mentions a unique and hilarious video on how to be a leader, called “Leadership Lessons from a Dancing Guy.” You can click the link here watch it.
Tina McCorkindale, the first female president & CEO in the Institute for Public Relations’ storied 65-year history, shares LOL stories that include:
- Hiking in the Cascade Mountains (and figuring out how one manages the call of nature in the midst of nature)
- Navigating the worlds of academia & business (and coping with a toilet flushing during a very serious taping)
- Examples of celebrities showing humor (a politician, an athlete and a CEO are at the top of her list)
Tone Viera, producer at SiriusXM, stand-up comedian, and content creator joins us on the Laughing Matters podcast to talk how comedy fuses with hip hop. He breaks down how he fell in love with comedy and his experience working with some of the most influential hip-hop artists of today. Some notable takeaways:
- The down-to-earth nature of the hip hop artists he interacts with, including one who happens to be his boss and with whom he’s on a middle-name basis
- His embarrassing moment with the daughter of a world-famous record producer
- Tips on where to go on social media to stay relevant and also what’s the next hottest trend in hip hop
Wayne McDonnell (aka Doctor Baseball), a sports consultant, college baseball broadcaster, and part of the faculty at UNC-Chapel Hill, joins us on Laughing Matters and takes a headfirst slide into the reasons why laughter separates the great players, managers, and teams from the also-rans. He also discusses:
- How the very best athletes and teams use laughter to manage stress and setbacks
- What he learned from Hall of Fame baseball announcer Vin Scully
- A couple of phenomenal stories about two sports legends
A recent Oracle survey found that nearly half of participants haven’t felt happiness for more than two years! People want to smile and laugh, but the survey also found 95% of business leaders fear using humor with customers. Ruder Finn CEO Kathy Bloomgarden joins Laughing Matters to talk happiness, while also expounding on the following:
- Her examples of leaders and brands that incorporate humor.
- How her dad, David Finn, one of the founding fathers of PR, kept his employees on their toes while having a little fun.
- Her main method of decompressing: honing her language skills with the help of Mandarin soap operas!
- Her super awkward interaction at the World Economic Forum in Davos that taught her a valuable lesson to always dress for the weather!
Riding for hours in a constricted, highly pressurized cylinder with a bunch of total strangers can be tough, especially if you don't have a sense of humor. Luckily, the airline industry has Linda Rutherford, executive vice president of people & communications and chief communications officer at Southwest Airlines. She joins Laughing Matters to discuss:
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Their history of having a humorous culture, starting with founder Herb Kelleher, who used to hide in the overhead bins to surprise passengers.
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SWA's creative and highly energetic in-flight staff, and how the company approaches training to support employees and find their strengths.
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Her cringeworthy moment early in her career as a journalist when she felt under the weather and left an unexpected gift for a potential source.
Comedian David Horning joins Laughing Matters and teaches us a fresh take on how to reframe even the most difficult situations (hint: make a conscious choice to poke fun at yourself). In this podcast, you'll learn:
- How he went from trying to be a lawyer with a political science degree to waiting tables at New York's finest comedy clubs
- How one improv course where participants were initially resistant turned out to be a huge success
- Overcoming the fear of comedy/humor still present in many organizations (don't say the "C" word)
- His take on the "slap heard 'round the world" at the Oscars earlier this year and its impact on how we perceive humor
Teaching business execs how to be leaders is no small feat. Our latest Laughing Matters episode features renown executive coach Ken Jacobs, who talks about critical ways for leaders to blow off steam. His insights include:
- The identity of one exec from a major U.S. airline who brings tremendous humanity and humor
- An experience from early in his career when one executive leader would literally roll out into staff meetings on a giant adult tricycle
- How empathy plays a key role in managing one particular up and coming generational workplace group
- What he hopes will be the Ken Jacobs legacy after he hangs up the metaphorical coaching jersey
Listen to our insightful discussion with renowned comedian Clayton Fletcher, as he weighs in on how the business world has gone from looking at comedy and humor as a “nice to have” to a necessity that helps solve different challenges and pain points with their employees and client interactions. Clayton also discusses:
- What has changed in how businesses approach humor in his last 13 years as Chief Comedy Officer for Peppercomm
- How he identifies the innate qualities each person has that makes them funny as storytellers
- The ways in which teaching humor in business has changed with a more politically divisive environment.
- The increasing need for comedy service offerings such as the ones Peppercomm offers
We’re joined by Liz Joynt Sandberg, who talks about her role as Head of Comedy Arts at the Theatre School at DePaul University and how helps students and businesses bring their most unique, “weird” parts of themselves to the performing arts. Liz also shares:
- How she uses humor to motivate her students and artists she works with to take a break from the anxieties of the world.
- How comedy “ate” her life after taking a class with Second City in Chicago
- Her experience explaining a comedy exercise to a prestigious academic institution that thought it wasn’t ready
Jon Gelberg is executive editor of content strategies at Inc. Media, but he also moonlights as a stand-up comedian in the New York comedy club circuit. Listen to our latest episode to hear Jon talk about how he got into comedy, some of his embarrassing moments, and how he overcame a serious medical diagnosis with humor. Jon also shares:
- His experiences at some of New York’s most famous comedy clubs and running into legendary comedians
- The evolution of comedy over the years and how the younger generation approaches humor
- Tips on how businesses can use levity to survive the current challenging economic environment
Angela Sullivan, head of communications for the Americas at Xero, a New Zealand-based company and a Peppercomm client, sits down with Steve and Paul to talk about how humor works in a large, global organization like Xero, and how the business owners they serve are learning to take a lighthearted approach in a challenging climate. On this episode, you’ll hear Angela’s thoughts on:
- The difference between humor in the U.S. and humor in New Zealand and Australia
- How humor is part of keeping it #human
- Using humor when confronted with microaggressions when she moved back to the U.S. from Asia as a teenager
While Washington does its best to scoff at bipartisanship, two extraordinary women from opposite sides of the political spectrum have made it work – discussing serious matters while keeping it upbeat. Join us as we speak with CNN commentators and political/communications consultants Maria Cardona and Alice Stewart about how they are able to accomplish this. On this episode, you’ll hear:
- Maria sharing a very likable story about Hillary Clinton, whose alleged “unlikability” many pundits say cost her the 2016 election (30 min)
- Alice explaining how presidential candidate Mike Huckabee used self-deprecating humor to address the elephant in the room (28 min)
- Their embarrassing moments they laugh at now – from accessorizing while on-air to travelling with a presidential candidate while hauling some pretty cumbersome luggage (34 min/38 min)
Listen to the full episode for more!
Communications professionals are behind the scenes at pretty much every major event you can imagine, and few are as versatile or cool under pressure as Jody Fisher, award-winning publicist and vice president at Austin Williams. Listen to some of his stories from working in journalism and PR:
- How he and a photographer had 10 seconds to snap a photo of the first sitting pope to visit a U.S. synagogue
- Doing man-on-the-street interviews with New Yorkers in the 1990s
- His cringeworthy story of taking a nap in a business meeting and receiving a rude awakening from none other than Rupert Murdoch
Listen to the full episode for more!
What do you do when your significant other breaks up with you, but you already have a vacation planned with a plane ticket in that person’s name? Well you look for someone with the exact same name on Reddit, of course, which will then lead you to be part of a reality TV-like saga that culminates in Ryan Reynolds taking you to dinner and saying he’d love to play you in an upcoming biopic. Join us as guest Jordan Axani, co-founder and educational director of Shift Collab, shares how his impossible story was part of the reason he embarked on a career advocating for mental wellness and owning your most vulnerable and cringeworthy moments.
Special guest Anthony Scaramucci, head of global alternative investment firm SkyBridge Capital, joins Laughing Matters to talk about his infamous 11 days as White House Communications Director under then President Donald Trump and regales us with some of his best anecdotes involving Steve Bannon, Reince Priebus, Sean Spicer and others. He also tells us why he believes self-deprecating humor humanizes every leader, and gives us a perspective from his “end” on how he got treated for cold symptoms on Air Force One.
(Advisory: This episode contains explicit language that may be offensive to some listeners).
What do you do when you need to bring some levity to the world in the middle of a pandemic? For our latest guest, it’s hosting weekly musical jam sessions from his basement and streaming them live on Facebook! Join us for a compelling conversation with Jon Harris, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer at Conagra Brands, who talks about how he came up with the idea for his weekly music segments, who he’d dream of rocking out with, and some great examples of how he has led with humor for some impressive and award-winning campaigns in the food and beverage space.
It’s not easy to find the humor in a tumor, but that’s exactly what our latest guest did! Join Steve and Paul for a conversation with Marian Salzman, senior vice president of communications at Philip Morris International, as she recounts her self-diagnosis of a benign brain tumor and her experience working with her doctors as a three-time brain tumor survivor. Humor played a major role in Marian’s ability to not only survive but thrive. She also explains her role at PMI in educating smokers and potential smokers about the dangers of tobacco. It can’t be easy trying to re-position a brand that’s always been associated with cigarettes, but Marian’s doing it and she’s using the power of humor to lead the rest of the organization.
In our inaugural episode, Steve and Paul chat with award-winning journalist and former Deputy Chief at the U.S. Department of Justice, Michael Zeldin, who has covered the Mueller investigation, the Clinton impeachment and the OJ Simpson murder trial. Listen to some of Michael's favorite lawyer jokes, how he uses humor to help him cope with the daily influx of negative news, and his reflections on the crazy days of '94 when the world was watching the LAPD chase OJ in his white Ford Bronco.