Sex and Psychology Podcast Episode 478: When Is Sex Funny? And When Is It Not?
Talking about sex is one of the hardest things for people to do. People want to communicate about desire, boundaries, and fantasies, but the conversation can feel painfully high-stakes. And yet, in one place, sex gets discussed openly in front of strangers: the comedy club. Today, we’re exploring why sex is so funny, how comedians navigate taboo topics, and the tightrope between normalizing sex and reinforcing stigma.
I am joined by Jenny Zigrino. You’ve seen her on late-night television, in film and streaming specials, and lighting up social media with bits that are bold, self-aware, and sharply observant. You can see her in the new show Crowd Control on Dropout TV and her most recent Don’t Tell Comedy special is out now.
Some of the specific topics we explore in this episode include:
- Why is sex such irresistible comedy material?
- How can stand-up bits about sex also serve as a form of sex education?
- When do sex jokes normalize conversation, and when do they reinforce shame?
- How has talking about sex in stand-up evolved over time?
You can check out Jenny’s website to connect with more of her work.
Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology.
***
Thank you to our sponsors!
Level-up your bedroom skills with Beducated. Featuring more than 150 online courses taught by the experts, Beducated brings pleasure-based sex ed directly into your bedroom. Kick off your journey by taking Beducated’s Quiz to get your personalized roadmap to sexual happiness at https://beducate.me/pd2607-lehmiller
Passionate about building a career in sexuality? Check out the Sexual Health Alliance. With SHA, you’ll connect with world-class experts and join an engaged community of sexuality professionals from around the world. Visit SexualHealthAlliance.com and start building the sexuality career of your dreams today.
***
Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, or Bluesky to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram.
Listen and stream all episodes on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon. Subscribe to automatically receive new episodes and please rate and review the podcast!
Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.