
Curious Minds at Work CM 315: Chris Duffy Makes You Laugh
Apr 4, 2026
Chris Duffy, stand-up comedian, TV writer, and author of Humor Me, argues humor is a life practice to boost presence, creativity, connection, and resilience. He recounts shifting from teaching to comedy, building a humor muscle through presence and rituals, using timing and escalation in jokes, taking social risks, and treating humor as generous service to help others feel seen.
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Rejection Therapy Sparked Unexpected Yeses
- Joe Zhang's rejection therapy required asking for daily rejections to desensitize fear and unlock opportunities.
- Examples include asking a security guard for $100 and getting curious responses, or requesting interlocking Olympic-color donuts at Krispy Kreme.
Being A Little Messy Makes You More Likable
- Imperfection increases likability: people prefer candidates who appear human over flawless performers.
- Study: job applicants with a giant coffee stain rated more likable and competent than a perfect interviewer.
Use Punchline Placement And The Rule Of Three
- Follow comedy 'math': put the funniest word last and use the rule of three for callbacks.
- End lines to allow laughter, and deliver a third callback for the biggest payoff; avoid over-repeating a joke a fourth time.





