How Laughter Propels Us Forward

“If you can make someone laugh…you’re ahead.”
Cynthia Chico, Denver Public Schools

Ten years into my mission of taking laughter out of the clubs and into our lives offstage, and yet I  and still surprised and delighted when my instincts are confirmed out in the wild, so to speak. 

Laughter On Call has an upcoming workshop for Denver Public Schools, and, unsolicited by me, the organizer shared that sentiment with me. We weren’t backstage at the Improv. We weren’t even in a caregiving context, where the veterans mostly subscribe to the “laughter is the best medicine” adage.

Cynthia is a leader in the Denver public school system who understands that giving people tools to connect through laughter can make a real difference in a culture.

And yes, I told her I’d be quoting her.

Fortunately, laughter is having a moment. Maybe because of the AI tsunami.

Personally, I have yet to get Claude to laugh.

Because laughter—and especially laughing with other people—is a decidedly human experience. A 2025 German study found that frequent laughter was associated with less loneliness, less social isolation, and less social withdrawal. Notably, laughing during conversations and cultural events was linked to these outcomes, while laughing while consuming digital media was not.

So laughing at high fashion mash ups on your phone does not address loneliness?

That’s disappointing. I thought we were closer.

Despite all the technological advances we’re living through, we are still human. And human engagement may be one of the ways we begin to chip away at what has been called a loneliness epidemic for at least the last four years.

I believe what Ms. Chico was referring to is the way laughter between two—or more—people can be a shortcut to connection.

A study by Robin Dunbar at Oxford found that the endorphin response associated with laughter can act as a kind of biological “social glue,” creating connection faster than standard conversation.

I’m not exactly sure what “standard conversation” is, but apparently in the UK it doesn’t include laughing.

Which may explain why they’re so polite.

Laughter gets us ahead in communication because something happens when we laugh with someone. We are laughing at the same thing, at the same time. For at least a moment, we share a perspective. We have the same sense of humor.

And even if it happens unconsciously, some little part of our brain seems to say:

I like you.
You get it.
We could probably work together.

And, occasionally:

We could get married.

Sounds like a joke, I know. But apparently for women, it’s not. Psychology Today reports that for women on dating apps, a sense of humor ranks as one of the top non-negotiable traits. It doesn’t even come up in the top three for men, which is concerning. And makes the fact that I’m coming on twenty five years of marriage something for which I should be even more grateful

So yes, Cynthia, making people laugh can put us out ahead in connecting with people. And not just in business men, if you know what I mean. 

Always here to help.